Frustrated

[Ken Nagrod]

Corwin,  I don't know if they're not up on the latest because they're not on here, but I can say that we have a good bond and trust with many of the dealers that are members and regularly on the FOG.

 

[semenza]

I could save over $100.00 by ordering online but again I felt like giving my business to the local guys.

Mark

Why would you save $100 ordering online?

Seth

 

[MBonomi]

Seth,

The local tax is 9.5%. I ordered a RO 150 with the CT 26 E (990.00) I also orderd the ETS 150/3 ( 285.00) Total 1,275.00 Tax = 121.12 So if I oredr online out of state no tax.

 

[Bob Marino]

I believe dealers need to order x amount of stock to receive the best price from Festool, many Woodcraft stores (and other dealers too) will wait until they reach that sweet spot before they place the order.  That could take weeks or longer.  There have been a number of stories just like yours about Woodcraft doing this.  I understand wanting to keep money local but there is a limit to what I'll endure to do that.  

That said, I know Festool has been bombarded lately, between the recon sale, price increase sales and new tool launch, they are likely a bit backed up.  As Shane posted there is no reason to say they can't get a hold of Festool.    

Yes, yes and yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssssssssssss.
Yep, those ladies having been busy; very busy, but it just meant for me, that instead of almost always getting someone immediately, or within 15 minutes; they'd generally get back within the hour. Once gain, thanks ladies.

Bob

 

[MBonomi]

I did not mean to bash all Wodcraft stores. I am just not happy with the less than honest treatment that I have recived from my local Woodcraft.

Mark

 

[semenza]

Seth,

The local tax is 9.5%. I ordered a RO 150 with the CT 26 E (990.00) I also orderd the ETS 150/3 ( 285.00) Total 1,275.00 Tax = 121.12 So if I oredr online out of state no tax.

Oh yeah, forgot about that nasty little tax thingy.  Sometimes it is good to be in business. 

Seth

 

[mlfaber]

I love my local Woodcraft Store.  True most of the time I am the "expert" at their store when I'm there, mostly because as a member of the FOG I have a lot of backup regarding info.  However, if I order something Festool, I get it post haste.

Kudos to Woodcraft Grand Rapids, MI.  BTW, Woodcraft is a franchised  operation so I think it may be a case of owners not getting their people trained properly.

I whole heartedly agree with this comment.  In fact, I have been to the Grand Rapids, MI store several times and they are top notch.  I have two other Woodcraft stores within a 30 minute drive and choose to go there.  A two hour drive no less!!!  As far as the FOG, I cannot express how grateful I am to learn so much from all of the posts.  It is amazing to me that with all of this info plus the Festool Website, just how clueless some folks are to their product line.

 

[MBonomi]

Update,

Shane Holland was kind enough to look into my order. Through his detectve work he found out  the location of my local Woodcraft store and took the time on a Sunday night to reserch my order. They waited nearly two weeks before placing the order. Shane belives that it should arrive tomorrow.

When I was at Woodcraft today I told them that I would give them untill tomorrw to get me an honest answer. If it does indeed show up tomorrow then i will honor my original commitment with them.

Shane also told me that if I have to place a new order that he would send me sandpaper or accesorioes to make up for the diffrence of a February order vrs the new March prices. He just wants to make sure that my experiance with Festool is good from start to finish.

Shane is a standup guy and I really appricate him taking the time to help me.

Mark

 

[PaulMarcel]

[thumbs up] [thumbs up]

 

[venk67]

[smile]

My Woodcraft store in Raleigh NC is excellent.  I have to say that though there are items that make sense to order online, for the tools themselves, i always go to the store.  I always learn a lot!!

Delivery can be slow, but they will often give me a loaner til mine arrives.

Since I drive in from an hour away, I would like for them to sometimes just send me the small items directly to the house!!

As a hobbyist, time spent driving is time lost on my project.  Will see how my Feb order gets handled, i was told it should arrive this coming week.

VL

 

[Ted Miller]

I have been trying to make my first Festool purchase form my local Woodcraft for the past 4 weeks with nothing more that frustration. I went down to the store and test drave a RO150 and an Ets 150/3 both attached to a Ct 26 E. I was impressed with all three so I told the sales guy I would like all three items.

I was told that he had to order them and it woul take a week. I felt obligated to buy from them after doing a demo there and alos felt like keeping my business within the local economy. I could save over $100.00 by ordering online but again I felt like giving my business to the local guys.

Since then between stoping by and phoning they can never give me a straight answer as to when my order will be in. I am starting to think that either they have never placed my order or that they have some account problems with Festool.

Today when I stopped by I was told that they cant get ahold of anyone at Festool USA. Not today being Sunday but any day. I am goin to givethem one more chance and call tomorrow to see if they will give me a straight answer. I will alos call Festool USA and see if there is any problems with my local Woodcraft.

Anyone else having problems getting there orders from Woodcraft or Festool?

Mark

Mark, I understand your frustration with Woodcraft.

I make money with my tools and I purchase tools as I need them for jobs. Years ago I was on a cabinet job with a few other subs and one guy had the TS55 and rails. I used his saw and rails for a few days making cabinets for a garage. I was very impressed and decided after checking around Woodcraft was the place to go.

Now I do most of my tool purchases online and larger tools on Criags List. I rarely go to Woodcraft, but I wanted this saw and rails for upcoming large job.

About 4+ years ago I stopped by the store during the week to check out their Festool display and make some purchases. When I got to the store there where 2 employees talking to a customer looking to purchase the Saw Stop. I was standing over near the Festool display handling just about everything. After 25-30 minutes not one single employee even acknowledged I was in the store. One employee even walked right on by me to go into the employee area right next to the Festool display, and did not even say a word. So I took out some paper, wrote down a few descriptions and model #'s. I left the store after being there for about 45 minutes. I guess my work clothes must have bothered them or maybe I just looked homeless.

When I got home that night I made my purchase with Marino for 2K worth of tools.

I have never been back to that store and I never will...

 

[BobKovacs]

I wasn't going to pile onto the Woodcraft-bashing, but why not....

When I was ready to make the initial plunge into Festool, I headed over to the local Woodcraft store because I'd been in there several times before, and they had a fairly large Festool display/demo area.  I'd already done my homework on exactly what I wanted, and it was roughly $2k of stuff.  After some time waiting for a sales guy, I finally got some "help"- if you could call it that- from someone who obviously knew practically nothing about the product.  I asked if there was anyone there who had a clue, and finally got a salesman who knew what I was looking for.  I rattled down the list, and they had nothing on it, other than the 55" rail.  I explained that buying the rail was rather useless if they didn't have the saw, and was told "well, we can order everything and have it in a few weeks- would you like to take the rail with you in the meantime?".    The next day, I called Rockler, and they had everything in stock, so they got the order.

When it came time to buy my Kapex, I called Woodcraft again, figuring I'd give them another shot (plus their a little closer than Rockler).  Again I got the "hmmm...looks like we don't have one in stock, and don't even have any on order- but we can order one for you".  An hour later, I was driving out of Rockler's lot with a Kapex.

A few weeks later, with another $1,200 burning a hole in my pocket, and a yearning for a Domino and systainer of Dominos, I gave them one last shot.  Guess what the response was?  "Well, we've got the Domino assortment, but not the Domino- but we can order it for you".  So, once again, Rockler got another sale.

Bricks-and-mortar retailers often complain about how they're getting clobbered by mail-order, and they can't understand why someone would want to buy from a mail-order company.  Well, if I can't talk to anyone who has a clue about the product, and on top of that, you don't have the product, why should I take the time to drive over to your place when I can save the sales tax and order from the comfort of my couch?  Hell, I'd be OK with you note having a knowledgable sales staff, since I typically know exactly what I'm looking for- as long as there's someone who has a pulse and can grunt and point in the direction of what I'm looking for, I'll gladly pay the sales tax if I can walk out with the product immediately (I have very little patience.....lol).

 

[mouppe]

OK, I have to post a positive Woodcraft experience just to balance things out a bit.

In January, I visited the Fort Lauderdale woodcraft to buy an ETS 125. Now, admittedly, nobody in the store seemed to have a clue about Festool products despite the quite sizeable display area. They did not have an ETS in stock, but a nearby store did, so they had it brought over from there and I picked it up two days later.

If I had wanted a demo or some advice it would not have been the right place to go. But I knew what I wanted and they got it for me quickly and with the minimum of fuss.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

....  The Albuquerque Woodcraft store also stopped carrying Festool, they blamed the company, too, but I'll bet there is a lot more to the story.  

The Albuquerque Woodcraft is in a deep hole.  The owner is trying to sell the store.  Anyone interested?

Festool was one of the first things to go, but the shelves get barer every time I go, sad to see.  They are good people there, I wish them the best, but I don't think they ever really got behind Festool.

Part of the problem was that Woodworker's Supply has one of their 3 warehouses in Albuquerque so they pretty much own the midrange business (porter cable, dewalt, etc) in ABQ and that seems to be where the Woodcraft guys wanted to concentrate as well.  They never showed much interest in Lie Nielsen, Festool, etc.

 

[Jack Parks]

The Woodcraft store in Matthews, NC is a great source for all of my woodworking needs especially Festool.  Dennis, the store manager, introduced me to Festool back in 2005 when I bought my first Festool products, an ATF55 and CT33.  I'm afraid to add up how much I have spent on Festool products from Dennis since then, but I need to leave a note for my wife informing her that if I die, do not sell my tools for what I told her I paid for them.  The owner of the store, David, also owns the Raleigh Woodcraft store mentioned in this post and is a quality individual and a very good businessman.

Most Woodcraft stores are locally owned and franchised by Woodcraft.  If you live near one and it has a good owner and staff you have a valuable resource for your woodworking hobby or business.  As in many businesses the Festool retailers have to meet minimum orders to get free freight, however Dennis always ask me if I can wait until he places his stocking order to include my products.  I can always wait but if I need it sooner he will immediately order it for me.  As far as the Festool knowledge of the Woodcraft employees, you need to remember that many of them may not be able to afford to own Festool products and the only exposure they get to the products is in the store.  I don't defend them but I do try and have a realistic expectation of their product knowledge.  The members of this forum have a love of the Festool system and will most always know more about the Festool products they are interested in than the individuals selling the product.  That goes for the online retailers as well as the brick and mortor stores.  If you have a store close to you why don't you offer to share your knowledge with the employees as some have mentioned they do on this forum instead of bashing them all the time.  I would lose a lot of the enjoyment of my woodworking hobby if I did not have a local Woodcraft to visit, so I support them.

Note:  I do not work for Woodcraft or Festool, I am merely an out of control woodworker with a passion for quality tools.

 

[jonny round boy]

... I need to leave a note for my wife informing her that if I die, do not sell my tools for what I told her I paid for them.

That's the funniest thing I've read in a while!

[big grin] [big grin] [big grin]

 

[GPowers]

I had the same problem with a local Rockler. If you bought what they had is stock great. But orfering any thing Festool too forever.  ordered a 3000mm guide rail and it took 5 weeks to get. The local Festool rep did loan me his 3000mm after waiting 4 weeks. Same thing for router accessories they took 3 weeks. Took 3 weeks to even get the TS55 and then I drove 30 miles to another Rockler that had it in stock.

After the 5 weeks waiting for the Guide Rail I tried buying online. True you need to wait 3-5 days for shipping but you know for sure you are going to get your Festool in a week. [big grin]

 

[AlexThePalex]

As far as the Festool knowledge of the Woodcraft employees, you need to remember that many of them may not be able to afford to own Festool products and the only exposure they get to the products is in the store.  I don't defend them but I do try and have a realistic expectation of their product knowledge. 

On the other hand, it is a deliberate strategy of Big Box stores these days to employ 17 year old temps instead of people who had time to built up experience. Employees with no knowledge about or affinity with what they sell, except how to fill an empty shelve.

Once there was a time you could go to the store and rely on their knowledgable personel, to help you make a correct choice of what to spend your hard earned money on and that's now gone simply to maximize profits another 2 or 3 percent for an already very profitable organisation. Customer service isn't what it used to be, and Big Box stores are one of the main reasons for that.

The formula works because most of the time a customer needs little or no advice on what screw or hinge to buy, but when it comes to a high class product as Festool, you better be streetwise yourself. 

but I need to leave a note for my wife informing her that if I die, do not sell my tools for what I told her I paid for them.  

That was funny yeah.  [smile]

 

[GPowers]

but I need to leave a note for my wife informing her that if I die, do not sell my tools for what I told her I paid for them.  

How true, How true, she likes what the tools produce, but does not want to hear what they cost.

 

[HowardH]

a thing to note about the difference between Rockler and Woodcraft is Rockler stores are corporate owned and operated and Woodcraft is a franchise.  Rockler an afford or chooses to afford keeping a fairly well stocked Festool display.  Each Woodcraft franchisee can choose how much they want to stock, therefore, the differences in what any particular store carries. To carry this logic, or lack thereof, a bit further, the Texas stores are all owned by the same guy.  However, each store, and I've been in virtually all of them, stocks different levels of Festool.  Maybe they have discovered regional differences, I'm not sure.  Generally speaking, my local Woodcraft guys are great and very knowledgeable about woodworking but not necessarily about Festool.