Inspired by Festool Dealers!

[Matthew Schenker]

Good Morning,
I was doing my morning administrative run-through, checking out the state of things in the forum, when I revisited (LaserGecko's post about his dealer experiences).

This got me thinking (which can be a bad thing sometimes, I admit)...

How do other members feel about their Festool dealer experiences?  What was it like when you bought your very first Festool tool from your dealer?  How did your dealer help you?  What made the experience with your Festool dealer special or different from other tool-buying experiences?  What made you want to come back?  (Oh, and did your dealer mention the FOG?).

This forum is focused on helping customers who buy and use Festool tools.  It is also a place where deserving dealers can get a boost for their dedication to good service.  As you all know, the forum is independent from Festool, but it is always wonderful when it can help consumers connect with the company.

So, tell us about your dealer experiences!

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[Jesse Cloud]

The dealer makes all the difference in the world. 

My first purchase was the saw and vac from a brick and mortar store that will remain anonymous.  They basically had nothing in  stock, so you filled out a form indicating what you wanted and the sales rep spent half a hour thumbing through the catalog hoping to make sense of it.  Neither he nor I had heard of the connectors for the guide rails, at least not until I got on the forum.  Then he says he will "call in it" later today when they place their order and have it shipped directly to me.  It came two weeks later after several phone calls.  This was a couple of years ago.  I suspect they have gotten better, but they still don't have much in stock.  I like the idea of supporting the local guy, so when I'm looking for something small like sandpaper or a router bit, I drop by, but I am almost always disappointed.

The rest of the orders have been with Bob Marino.  There are volumes on the forum singing his praises and I totally agree.  His website is easy to use, he responds to emails quickly and thoroughly.  Shipping time is predictable.  I won't say there has never been a slip up, but Bob has always gone beyond the call to make it right. He also has the skill of being able to diplomatically answer dumb questions without making you feel stupid - a must for this customer! ;D

 

[Michael Kellough]

More than 4 years ago I decided I needed a sliding table for my table saw and went searching the web for info because I'm pretty confident in my ability to read between the lines. That led me to Benchmark, a very fine web site by Phil Bumbalough, now a FOG member.

I read Phil's review of the Delta sliding table and really appreciated his analytical ability that was clearly brought to bear in pointing out the deficiencies in the product. I thought I knew what to expect after reading the review and ordered the product.

I checked out some of Phil's other reviews and that is where I first read a review of the ATF 55. Phil liked it a lot so I was interested and started looking around for more info on Festool on the web. Most of the sightings I found referenced Bob Marino in some way so after I read enough to be sold on the system and decided to buy I called Bob.

I'd never contacted him before so to him I suppose I was just a potential client so he launched into sales pitch mode but I knew what I wanted, what it would cost, and I was ready to order. The funny thing was that I practically had to tell him to shut up to give him my credit card and shipping info  

 

[Willy S]

A Little History First

I have to say I first read about Festool in a woodworking magazine (probably Popular Woodworking) and thought they were out of their minds for the price of their tools. At that point I figured I'd never buy any of their tools.
My first encounter with them was at a woodworking show in Fort Washington PA and I was totally amazed by the CDD 12 CE Cordless Drill. Then a fellow by the name of Saulius Toleikis (Festool Sales Manager for the Northeast) blew me away with a demonstration I'll never forget. He asked me if I could do this with my router? He set a Festool router (not sure what model it was, this was 2004) on the table, turned it on and then plugged it in without holding it. The router just sat there and came up to speed with very little movement. I don't know if he realized it or not but I was hooked and very soon would be heading down the slope at breakneck speed.
I'm the kind of person who has to analyze and think about things before I make a purchase, so I didn't buy anything at the show. This was also due to the Festool policy that there were no "show specials" and no matter where you bought your tools you were going to pay the same price.
My first purchases were some systainers and then a sortainer. I purchased them from a very good mail order company that I had done business with for quite some time. The negative side of a Festool purchase from them at that time was they contacted Festool and then got back to you with the total price. Sometimes causing your order to be delayed 1-2 days.
Later in 2004 I bought an ATF 55 E-Plus Plunge-Cut Saw, CT 33 E Dust Extractor, Rotex RO 150, MFT 1080, CDD 12 CE Cordless Drill Set and many accessories. These purchases were made from the abovementioned mail order company and a brick and mortar store. At this point I still had little or no interface with the sellers / dealers.
I met Bob Marino at the TSI Mid Atlantic Industrial Woodworking Expo at Fort Washington PA in April 2005 and the rest is history. He is an outstanding dealer, proud and passionate about Festool. Extremely knowledgeable about the entire Festool line and willing to keep the customer satisfied by "making it right". Many others on this site have echoed and embellished my sentiments so there's not much more can be said about Bob.
A salesman (name escapes me) who just started working for Festool was at a Woodcraft Store I was shopping at and we got into a conversation about Festool. He was the first to mention the Festool Owners Group on Yahoo. I joined in April of 2005 and then joined here in May of 2007. I'm guessing I have a lot of seniority as a lurker, only made a few comments on other threads.
Will Samler

 

[tvgordon]

When I bought my first Festools, I drove about 1 1/2 hours to a store that, according to the Festool catalog, stocked tools and accessories.  Needless to say I was disappointed that they didn't stock tools and the items would have to be ordered and shipped from Festool USA.  I was looking forward to using my new tools that weekend.

From then on all my tools have been ordered from McFeely's, Bob Marino and Festool Junkie.  Why drive that far to place an order when I can get on the computer or make a phone call to do the same thing (and save gas money)?

My closest dealers, Woodcrafts, don't stock that much and the closest dealer that stocks about everything is about 1 hour 15 minutes away (and close at 5 on weekdays and noon on Saturday).  If I need something right away I will drive to get it, otherwise I just order what I need.

Tom.

 

[ericbuggeln]

Timmy c is Festool as far as I'm concerned.  He has given me the best advice on what accessories you need or more importantly don't need based on my needs.  He lives for Festool and woodworking in general.  His site has non-catalog descriptions of the tools that shed more light on a sometimes not so obvious situation.  One phone conversation with him and you will know why he has a loyal following of junkies.  Tim's customer service is amazing compared to other online vendors.  I bought initial Festools at Woodcraft and the guys there are great, but no comparison to Tim and the Junkie crew who rage them daily.

I was not paid for this, although Tim has become a friend and ally of myself and business.  Between Tim, this site, and all my beloved Festools I am really working faster, smarter, easier, and most importantly my skill level has improved dramatically, Eric

 

[mathteacher76]

Over the past three years I've placed multiple orders for Festool products with Bob Marino and I have always been quite pleased by his high level of customer service. When I had questions Bob answered them promptly; when I had problems with an order Bob did an extraordinary job of getting the problems rectified quickly and painlessly. I highly recommend him.

 

[Toller]

I bought a TS55, CT33, and Domino off CL and a MFT and various small pieces off the classified here.  But never anything new; just too darn expensive.

But I wanted a Kapex.  Oh how I wanted a Kapex, but not for $1,300.  Then Live Search comes with their goofy program.  $1,050?  I can do that...  But I didn't trust the program; too good to be true.

Festool Junkie and Utterguys both had it on eBay.  I wrote each and asked if I could buy it and see if the program worked.  If it did, they should ship; if not I would want a refund.  They both declined, fearing some sort of scan.  FJ was polite, U was rude.

So I bought some guide rail connectors from MyToolPlace, figuring if it didn't work it wasn't a big deal.  They were $14 each, with $10 shipping.  But when I actually went to pay I found it was $10 EACH shipping!  For a 1 ounce item that cost less than a dollar to ship?  I read though the posting and found that was correct; I just hadn't read it carefully enough.  But I also read that I entitled to a 100% refund within 30 days.  I emailed MTP saying I thought $10 shipping was more than enough for both; if he didn't agree then I was requesting a refund.  He refused, saying he allowed refunds but not cancellations. He then offered $13 shipping for both.  $13 for 2 ounces?!  And since when does a refund have to be after shipping?  Well, I took it rather than arguing.
I will give him a C because I was partly responsible for the mess; but I sure won't buy from him again.

But the Live Search did work.  So I went to eBay and tried to buy my Kapex from the seller with the best feedback; U.  Sadly I couldn't as he refused to sell to me.  I have 165 feedbacks, 100% positive, and he refuses to sell to me.  Damn.  I give U a D+, only because lower grades would be reserved for those who sell defective merchandise or don't ship at all.

Then I ordered from FJ.  He immediately told me he would ship on 7/1.  The next day he told me another customer had successfully used Live Search, but of course I already knew that.
Assuming it arrives shortly, I will give him a B+.  He did everything satisfactorily; but had a chance to earn an A by giving exceptional CS, but chose not to.

On the whole I got better service on CL and the classified here.  Maybe I missed the "good" dealer.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I bought a TS55, CT33, and Domino off CL...

But I wanted a Kapex.  Oh how I wanted a Kapex, but not for $1,300.  Then Live Search comes with their goofy program.  $1,050?  I can do that...   But I didn't trust the program; too good to be true.

But the Live Search did work. 

Then I ordered from FJ.  He immediately told me he would ship on 7/1.  The next day he told me another customer had successfully used Live Search, but of course I already knew that.

What is CL?

How does the Live search thing work? Who takes the $250 hit?

 

[b_m_hart]

CL = craigslist.com

 

[bruegf]

The only dealer based purchases I've made have been through the Merrillville IN Woodcraft store.  The staff I dealt with was very knowledgeable about the Festool products and their uses and spent as much time as I needed to help me make a decision (probably spent about 2 hrs w/ me for the first festool purchase of Rotex 125 and CT22).  I buy from them when I need to get some "hands on" demo time w/ a tool before making a decision.

When I'm already sure what I want I order online and have had excellent service from both Bob Marino and McFeely's.

Fred

 

[Toller]

What is CL?

How does the Live search thing work? Who takes the $250 hit?

CL is Craigs List.

Go tohttp://search.live.com/cashback/howToUse
Do a search on live.com and chose ebay.
Then buy an item; if it says you can get a discount, you will.  If it does not, you won't.  This is all before you have to commit to actually buying.
Then just check your live search account to see it the rebate.

Microsoft takes the hit.  Beats the hell out of me why, but they do.
Right now it is 10%, but it has been that low before and then gone up to 25%.  Or they could end it today.  No way to tell.

 

[greg mann]

Microsoft takes the hit.  Beats the hell out of me why, but they do.
Right now it is 10%, but it has been that low before and then gone up to 25%.  Or they could end it today.  No way to tell.

Someone needs to explaing this business model to me. I can't see it.

 

[Michael Kellough]

What is CL?

How does the Live search thing work? Who takes the $250 hit?

CL is Craigs List.

Go tohttp://search.live.com/cashback/howToUse
Do a search on live.com and chose ebay.
Then buy an item; if it says you can get a discount, you will.  If it does not, you won't.  This is all before you have to commit to actually buying.
Then just check your live search account to see it the rebate.

Microsoft takes the hit.  Beats the hell out of me why, but they do.
Right now it is 10%, but it has been that low before and then gone up to 25%.  Or they could end it today.  No way to tell.

Unless I failed to follow your directions correctly there is only one store that offers Festool stuff and that is Tool King. The discount is 6% for a limited range of stuff, not including the Kapex.

 

[Greg in Memphis]

I had never even heard of Festool until I noticed them at Colco Fine Woods & Tools right here in Memphis.
I believe they are the only Festool dealer in Memphis.
They had a whole bunch of Festools laying out on top of some MFTs for demonstration purposes.
The salespeople there let me get a little hands-on time with a TS-75 and a TS-55 and that was all it took. I ended up ordering the TS-75 and an MFT 800 on the spot.
They pretty much had a complete collection (vacs, saws, routers, drills, etc.) of Festool that was out on display.
My next purchase was the CT-22. I remember how nice it was to compare all the different vacs up to make sure which was best for me first-hand. Soon after, I got the Rotex 125, and it's been all down hill since then.
It was a salesperson at Colco's that told me about the FOG.
I really did appreciate these people displaying and letting me handle their Festools before I ordered. Of course, the product sells itself.
Since I get the same price at Colco's as anywhere else, I tend to buy from them out of gratitude.
The salespeople there are very nice and knowledgable. Nice tools. I think like, about 100 different varieties of wood.

If any of you are close to Memphis, you should try to stop by and have a look for yourself. It's impressive.
Their web address is http://www.colcofinewoods.com/

Greg

 

[Toller]

Unless I failed to follow your directions correctly there is only one store that offers Festool stuff and that is Tool King. The discount is 6% for a limited range of stuff, not including the Kapex.

Sometimes the eBay thing just goes away for a while, so you might have done everything right.  So far it has come back, but one of these days it won't.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Unless I failed to follow your directions correctly there is only one store that offers Festool stuff and that is Tool King. The discount is 6% for a limited range of stuff, not including the Kapex.

Sometimes the eBay thing just goes away for a while, so you might have done everything right.  So far it has come back, but one of these days it won't.

I missed a step. On the search page you need to select WEB then enter Festool and there will be more sources.

 

[Wonderwino]

I've had great luck with McFeeley's.  I bought several tools and Sortainer Screw assortments this year.  They ship promptly and the one miss-step -  shipping the wrong rail with my TS75, was corrected when brought to Ron's attention.  The bar for my Elk's Lodge is slowly progressing... 8)

 

[rnt80]

Unless I failed to follow your directions correctly there is only one store that offers Festool stuff and that is Tool King. The discount is 6% for a limited range of stuff, not including the Kapex.

Sometimes the eBay thing just goes away for a while, so you might have done everything right.  So far it has come back, but one of these days it won't.

I missed a step. On the search page you need to select WEB then enter Festyool and there will be more sources.

The live search deal is awesome.  I bought a Kapex for $950 (25% off with the live search, they'll do a max of $250, plus I had a 10% off, $100 max, coupon for ebay).  I also just bought a CT22 and Rotex combo and got $230 back.  This deal will only work for three individual purchases and you don't get your cash for 60 days.  However, I think I'll either get the new MFT or the 55 next to finish up my three purchases.  When everything is said and done I'll have saved 25% on three major Festool items and get enough money back to either get the MFT or the 55, whichever one I don't purchase through the deal.
The live search program is simple.  It is my understanding that it is being used by Microsoft to promote the use of live search.  Go to live.com and type in festool.  When all of the findings come up you'll see one at the top of the page that links you to ebay and says "live search cashback" next to it.  Below that it will list the discount.  It is currently 25% but it was at 10% the other day.  You have to have an ebay account in good standing and you have to use "buy it now".  Like I mentioned previously, you don't get the cash for 60 days but you're still getting it back.

 

[b_m_hart]

So awesome... I went and gave it a shot as well.  I picked up a domino kit, and pay for everything.  Already got the email confirmation, and correspondence from the dealer - all is excellent on that end.  Now the "fun" part.  I go follow the link to live.com to register, and there are "issues" with new registrations.  AWESOME.  So, I need to register to get my $200 back, but the site is down.

FUN
FUN
FUN