Frustrated

[kdzito]

I live in the Chicago burbs and have had nothing but extremely positive experiences with my local Woodcraft.  They are extremely knowledgeable about woodworking and are very familiar with the Festool line.  I know many of their salesmen personally own a small fortune of Festool items.  One of them even said that in his 1st month of discovering Festool that he spent $10K. Of the Woodcraft chain, they were or are the # 1 retailer/top performer of selling Festool products.  On numerous occassions I either hear about or see construction contractors getting their Festool products from them.  I feel very lucky that this Woodcraft is so outstanding.  Well they also give me sales prices even when the non-Festool items are regular priced.

This is not the only place where I buy my tools, materials, and supplies.  I have at least 5 go to places for stuff. 

 

[sancho57]

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...

Ted since yer in Calif,  have ya been to Austins Hardwood in Santa Ana? Thats where I go they let me fire the tools up, and play with them. They have everything festool .. Great supplier

 

[sancho57]

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).

Same thing happened to me at Rockler, I was with my wife and dog, standing by the Festool area wanting to buy a kapex and the kapex table and some other accessories the manager walked past me a half dozen time and complained abiut my dog, no one offered to help me,\. So I left never to darken their doors again. Since then, though I never did get the Kapex, I got 2 MFTs, connectors, TS 55 extra guide rail w/ connector, paralell guides, RO 150, RO 90 and CT 26 and a extra hose, essentials and a couple of clamps, none.

None I bought at Rockler,

Now my good bud is getting the festool bug and will be a festool buying fool to.

None which he will buy at Rocklers too.

 

[daviszr1]

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

Mark,

How did this whole thing turn out?

Ben