Festool Stimulus Program Needed

[magellan]

Just Thinking

With the more than usual time being spent at home these days I was thinking.  Instead of Corporate Festool about to implement the yearly price increase they should be working on a price reduction stimulus package. 

With the markets fluctuations and declines someone might think this is not a good time to increase prices.  What they might think of doing is doing a 30 day price reduction of say 10% across the board to possibly stimulate sales. 

What do you think
Thanks

 

[JFelchlin]

I see that your “Join Date” is 2011... So your comments aren’t from “naivety” about Festool.
Ergo...
You must have hit your head on something...
Gotten “cabin fever”... Or gotten the Coronavirus.

In any case - Your hallucinating.
It’d probably be better if ya started wishin’ for -
A bottle a good scotch, a filet mignon, and a beautiful woman - To suddenly appear -
Than a Festool sale to happen.
It’s a “Woulda - Shoulda - Coulda.”
NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.[unsure]
Sorry to break the bad news to ya, pardner.

 

[ChuckS]

It's a good idea, but I'd like to see the stimulus program implemented for those who need the extra support for their business survival or for those who need the tools in providing an essential service or life-saving service.  A local chain grocery store here offers 20% discount every weekday now to seniors. Any stimulus initiatives should target at the needy, or at saving businesses and jobs.

And, for people not falling into the above categories, the discounts on their purchases would go to the efforts of saving lives (masks, protective gowns, etc. for the hospitals).

 

[magellan]

Joe
Too much time these days to think about things

I also agree about the need to help those that need it.

Maybe I should have addressed this as stir crazy woodworker with insane dreams.  Dream large right?

 

[JFelchlin]

Magellan:
Nope. No harm in dreaming.
Interestingly... While I can’t imagine Festool ever doing anything like that -
Looking through the Web - Multiple other tool manufacturers -
ARE advertising tools/tool packages - At significant discounts.

BTW ChuckM...
That’s a generous discount that your grocers are offering to seniors.
I was in the grocery, food manufacturing, grocery vendor/distribution business for 40+ years.
There’s little profit margin for retail grocers.
Very commendable. [thumbs up] [thumbs up]

 

[ChuckS]

The 20% discounts used to be available to seniors only on Thursday, but are now offered from Monday to Friday because of the virus outbreak so they can shop any day (and I believe the first store hour is reserved for them and those with underlying conditions, too). Many grocery stores are making huge sales (profits, too, by extension), and it is nice to see them all stepping up to the plate to help the vulnerable.  (Disclaimer: I am not a senior yet. [laughing])

 

[FestitaMakool]

Would be welcome for sure.
Still, you’ve got a nearly $500 off the Kapex KS 120 UG set. And, nearly $500 off of the new chopping-one-man-handle-large-sheet-goods-table STM 1800.

Here... seems we have a free battery to go, again. [huh]

 

[threesixright]

Wishful thinking.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[AlexThePalex]

I never ask for a price reduction, anywhere. I feel that's beneath me.

If I want something, I pay the price the seller asks. If I think it's too expensive, I do not buy it and buy something else. But I'll never lower myself by trying to haggle.

 

[jeh]

I never ask for a price reduction, anywhere. I feel that's beneath me.

If I want something, I pay the price the seller asks. If I think it's too expensive, I do not buy it and buy something else. But I'll never lower myself by trying to haggle.

I could not agree more. The price is what it is for items except cars.

 

[05r50]

So,

Where do we sign up for the scotch, steak, woman thing?

 

[JFelchlin]

Alex/JimH2:
EVERYTHING IS NEGOTIABLE.
In a “former life” - As a business executive in an international corporation -
We brought in a well known teacher of the art of negotiating.

A few of his main premises were:
EVERYTHING IS NEGOTIABLE.
Buy at the end of the month/quarter/year.
  They need to “make their number”; reduce inventories.
Most people are afraid to ask - Because they’re afraid of rejection.
Or... If the response isn’t what they want... They’re afraid to just “walk away”.
He would say - Over and over: “‘NO’ bothers you. Me? Not so much.”
After that training I regularly used his training - VERY SUCCESSFULLY -
In business - And in my personal life.

Anything under $100 isn’t worth the bother to me.
But, anything else... I negotiate.
Autos - Travel - Hotels - Appliances - Especially Furniture - Luggage - Tires -
Anything/everything at “big box stores” -
And... TRACTORS - IMPLEMENTS - SERVICE.

All items with high profit margins - Even on Sale - CAN be “discounted” more - If you just ask.
(There’s little margin in large power woodworking tools. Ergo, no room to negotiate much.)
Elsewhere... I simply say politely to the sales person/service manager:
“No offense to you, Sir... I know you probably don’t have the authority; it’s not your fault.
But, may I speak to the Store/General Manager?“
When they show up - Usually in a few minutes - I simply ask for a better price.
  More often than not - They’ll ask what it will take to make the sale/get my business.
  I’ll make an offer 10%-15% lower - Even if it’s on sale.
  And.. I’ll ask for a “spiff” (something they can do that’s not going to show up in the sale) -
  Like free delivery/installation/set up.
  At least 3/4 of the time they agree. Or... I start to head for the door.
  More often than not they follow me - Stop me - And agree.
  If they don’t - I’ve lost nothing - And buy it elsewhere.
  The trick is: I don’t let my ego/pride/rejection get in the way of saving hundreds/thousands.

The past year - Negotiating - I bought:
A refrigerator - clothes washer - clothes dryer - All on sale - At Best Buy.
  All three (package deal) at 20% less than the sale price - With free delivery and setup.
A dish washer (Lowe’s) that was on sale - For 15% less than the sale price -
    With free delivery and setup.
And...
Of course, my John Deere 1025R Sub-Compact Tractor, 120R Loader, 54D MidMountMower, Quick Hitch/54” Snow Blade - (And after the original purchase... An iMatch).
I won’t tell you the discount that I got on that deal. It would embarrass the dealer.
  But it was “end of month/quarter (my timing) - And he wanted the sale to “make his number”.

My mantra:
“They’re willing. WHY PAY MORE? So... I ask.
Other folks... “Not so much”.[wink]

 

[AlexThePalex]

[member=1262]Joe Felchlin[/member] - EVERYTHING IS NEGOTIABLE.

No. Simply not true.

There are fields in business where negotiation is an accepted part of the process, but if you think you can walk up to a cashier in a supermarket with your $1.99 jar of peanut butter and offer to take it home for $1.50 you'll be laughed out of the store.

And in the same way you're not going to talk Festool into selling you a $640 CT Midi for only $400.  If you want it cheaper your only option is to wait and hope Festool, or somebody else who owns one, is willing to sell you one for less.

 

[JFelchlin]

Alex:
Apparently, you didn’t read my Reply (#11) closely.
I clearly wrote that I don’t bother with anything under $100.
In my original Reply (#1), I also said -
That expecting any discount from Festool (Retail Sales) is unrealistic.

If you don’t agree with my buying strategy/methods - No problem.
All I know is that -
Professionally - I successfully negotiated multiple, million dollar contracts.
Personally - I’ve saved myself thousands of dollars - On a wide variety of purchases.
To each his own. [big grin]

BTW... As a Retired U.S. Army Veteran -
We shop at a nearby U.S. Military base - At the Commissary.
I “negotiated” that with the U.S. Government, as well.
I gave my country 23 years of service.
They let me buy my groceries - Including Peanut Butter -
At their COST, plus a 1 cent service charge on each dollar spent (but no sales tax).[thumbs up]

And... I bought my CT26 on a Festool Recon Sale. Great discount price. Came “brand new”.

 

[Alanbach]

I too believe that most things in life are subject to potential negotiation. I go by what my father taught me, that is: nobody ever got anything they didn’t ask for and the worst they can say is no. However, price negotiation on goods and services can have cultural influences. In some cultures it is considered rude and in other cultures it is almost an insult if you don’t attempt to negotiate. It is also certainly different depending on the particular good or service. I for one would never attempt to negotiate with my grocery check out person and conversely I would never of dream of buying a car, jewelry or furniture without considerable negotiation. Besides being cultural price negotiation is like a lot of things, if your grandparents and your parents did it then you probably do it. It’s like hunting or fishing or a family favorite sports team. It becomes part of who you are.

 

[mrboult]

I’d take another EU free battery promotion right now

 

[bertv]

Apparently the US Government is cutting a $ 3500 check to each household in the USofA (I presume 'citizens' only). So, if you put that forward to buying Festool equipment with that expected discount of 10% you could potentially spend $ 35,000 — which should set you up with a very nice and complete workshop.

(I know, this is a stupid analogy, but hey — there are several billion persons who don’t get a financial boost… International solidarity seems to be a thing of the past.)

 

[simonh]

I never used to ask for discounts.  Nowadays, I always do. Why?

Retailers constantly undermine the price of their offering. There's black Friday discount across the board, Christmas sales discounts, even a 29th February discount this year and some companies gave 14% off for Valentines day. If I know that there is enough margin to offer these types of discounts then why should I pay full price just because its 2 days before the next 'special' price that will land in my e-mail box. These are not end-of-line or reconditioned special items.

Unless manufacturers and retailers stand firm behind a price you soon begin to as the question 'what is the TRUE value of this item'...

 

[JFelchlin]

Simon:
The "true value" of an item is -
The price you can BUY/SELL it for - At a given moment in time.

While I regularly find the multi-million salaries -
Of professional athletes and corporate CEO's - Unreal and undeserved -
I understand that WHAT they CAN NEGOTIATE -
And what teams/companies - Are willing to pay 'em -
IS WHAT THEY'RE WORTH - At least to those "writing the checks".

 

[ChuckS]

Festool has just announced a stimulus plan!

It freezes all its current prices...which in a way is a stimulus, though not the kind some has been wishing for (or ruling out).