Festool overpricing?

[Bigchasbroon]

This week I bought a sword saw SSU 200. I open it up and the chain is in a little packet which has Oregon on it and a product number. So I google it and find the same chain on the first page for £9.75 the same chain on a dealers site in a festool packet it is £25. As much as I love festool products, the customer service and support and that is worth paying for, every now and then I get a little voice in my head that says "you're getting screwed and they're laughing at you"

 

[AlexThePalex]

Festool is way overpriced, they have a very high markup . That's how it is.

If you can find the same product from another manufacturer you're better off buying that. For instance, Festool sells a power brush for their vacs, originally made by Nilfisk Alto. Festool asks €120, my local vac store €40. Exact same brush. Apparently the Festool print costs €80. That's some mighty fine ink.

 

[jmbfestool]

Festool is way overpriced, they have a very high markup . That's how it is.

If you can find the same product from another manufacturer you're better off buying that. For instance, Festool sells a power brush for their vacs, originally made by Nilfisk Alto. Festool asks €120, my local vac store €40. Exact same brush. Apparently the Festool print costs €80. That's some mighty fine ink.

I bought a power brush head which is identical to festools without the sticker.

The prices you mention are pretty much spot on just in £

I bought my protool sword saw SSU 200 few years ago and found out an Oregon chain comes with it, which is same
Chains I use for my chain saw.  Then noticed festools price and was like fck da I'll go same place I get my chains from for less.

 

[Grasshopper]

Whenever I hear "overcharge" i have to step back and say something is worth what one is willing to pay, so it is all relative.

I've has the voice in my head say "why buy at a local dealer, when I can order online for free shipping and no tax".  That extra 7-8% can add up.  (just look how crazy people go for the Kapex sale, which is 10% off, pretty close to the tax…).

Then I say to myself, look how awesome my local shop is, how nice they are, helpful, and values that I can respect. 

I don't buy everything at my local dealer, but I sure go out of my way to, even for a few extra dollars to support a company I believe in.

I suppose the same could be said for Festool.  Beyond the customer service, it's a company with values that I believe in.

So, yes…occasionally I say this consumable seems a little higher priced than the box store equivalent…but that's OK. 

It's OK by me to throw a few extra bucks to the company that does a good job and still has a north american HQ with folks that are accessible.  ( i realize that its a German company, but you can still get good folks in the heart of the USA is my point).

I'd bet they could send everything to China like everyone else, and cut costs and grow profits…I for one am glad they aren't.

My two cents.

 

[Bigchasbroon]

I'm happy to pay a premium for festool, I understand that the 3 year warranty and theft insurance must be paid for.

However sometimes I feel that premium is squeezed a bit too far. The two examples (chain and vac attachment) are made by another company, so you're not paying an extra 150 to 200% for quality because it's the same product in a different wrapper.

I think the ultimate taking the p**s is the MFT. Here's a wobbly table for 500 quid but if you spend another 70 you can buy braces to stiffen it up!!!

 

[Doug S]

I think another p**s take is the bit holders supplied with the drills, if you want one that actually holds the bits in its another £20+ on top of what you have just paid for your premium drill! I think the festool tools are generally worth the money but accessories overpriced. Always sounds like the service you get in the USA is better then here in the UK. I like to support my local dealers but in the UK there are a couple of online stores which are always so much cheaper then the locals that I have to go with them.

Doug

 

[Bigchasbroon]

Yes Doug the online retailers mess it up for the smaller local guys but I always give my local guy the chance to price match. The sword saw and ctl that I bought this week would have been close to £300 more than ffx but I gave him the opportunity and in the end I paid 40ex vat more to go local.

A Scotsman and a Yorkshireman complaining about pricing that's not going to be a cheerful conversation  :

 

[Grasshopper]

What gets me is audio video cables at places like Best Buy.  I walked in and saw an HDMI cable for $65!!!  I scanned it with my iPhone and found the same one on Amazon for $0.67!!!  So I ordered it online and left happy.

 

[Bill Chang]

If Festools are no longer made in Germany and gets off shored to Chiba I would stop buying their products.  Even if the tools are made to the same specs it would lose value in my mind.

When Leica sport optics started building many of their products in Portugal, even though it is their factory and to their standards I stopped buying them.  I look for particular products expect it to be produced where they traditionally are/were made and will go out because I do place value in companies with an educated and proud work force.

I realize it's not practical in this day and age but that is a considerable factor in my purchase decision.  [tongue]

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

Festool is way overpriced, they have a very high markup . That's how it is.

If you can find the same product from another manufacturer you're better off buying that. For instance, Festool sells a power brush for their vacs, originally made by Nilfisk Alto. Festool asks €120, my local vac store €40. Exact same brush. Apparently the Festool print costs €80. That's some mighty fine ink.

I don't necessarily agree that all Festool is overpriced.

Some Festool items do cost more than their competitors, especially the tools themselves. Some of the Festool accessories are  actually priced less or equal to their competitors.

The Bosch JA1010 Jigsaw fence or Guide costs $30 on Amazon, and a lot of places actually charge more. The Festool is priced at $35. Yes, it's more expensive, but the list price from Bosch is actually higher than for the Festool, which doesn't get discounted. The Festool Guide is also likely heavier built, and the fence section is welded on the bar which may be more costly to manufacture.

The same is true of other festool accessories such as the edge guides for their routers, their dust collection accessories, collets etc.There are items were Festool is more expensive but in many cases the item is higher quality and maybe or is made better.

 

[Tinker]

I buy my Festoys from three different dealers.  Because I get my festoons from those three, i go there for other toys as well.  i have never balanced prices between the three.  i just try to keep it somewhere close to even.  They all give me good service and honest dealings.

It is the same when buying equipment for my landscaping biz.  I buy local and I get great service.  My guy for mower, spreaders, blowers, chainsaws and such, i just tell him when he goes out of biz, i will suddenly turn 40.  when I have a breakdown, i tell him up front that I am not in a hurry.  He will put the repair off for a week or two.  If i need it fixed YESTERDAY, I will have it back same day if possible.  I treat him honestly and he treats me more than fairly. 

I power snow all day with a brake problem.  My truck mechanic just went out of business a couple of months ago.  I have no mechanic i can call to get the brakes fixed on monday (a possibility for a 48 hour sno storm starting Monday late afternoon.  My son is confident he can get his repair guy to do the work Monday if he calls first thing.  I guess he treats his shops the same way i do.  You can't beat trust and good service no matter if it does cost just a little bit more.

I have customers who have used my services for years.  One of my sno plow customers I took care of today, I have plowed the same driveway for the parents before her for over fifty years.  Another driveway i have been taking care of for 59 years.  They have never complained about either the service or the charges.  we have a good thing going on both sides of the fence.

Tinker

 

[pingvinlakrits]

I think it is necessary to distinguish between charging for a novelty/proprietary product and a rebadged product.

The chain and vac power brush mentioned are not proprietary Festool products and being overcharged for them stings since all you pay for is that green logo.

The Vecturo is a nice machine but it is nothing more than a rebadged Supercut. A terrific model even though it is aged. It is a simple repackaged product for which Festool charges a premium for a plug it option. It is not a genuine Festool product. And if you factor in that Fein will replace the Supercut with a vibration dampened and stronger model momentarily (as they did with the Multimaster) I can't help but think Festoolians are being overcharged for a phased out product...  That is not so cool in my book.

I will keep my Supercut (I did Plug It, of course) and the new plunge base fits my old Supercut - should I ever need it. 
I do use the Supercut every now and then but not enough to switch to the new vibration dampened and stronger model - and surely I would not trade mine in for the same one with a Festool logo. The Orange stands out nicely in the sea of green.