MFS

Bob does have inventory.  He chooses to have a company handle his order fulfillment for him.

Peter
 
Peter Halle said:
Bob does have inventory.  He chooses to have a company handle his order fulfillment for him.

Peter
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Thanks guys!  I did drop him a line...here's to hoping!
 
Bob if you want them just order them now.  [cool]

If they aren't in stock you'll find out soon enough. If they are available some one else may grab them. I can't imagine that there is a significant number that even on online dealer would keep in stock.

Ron
 
rvieceli said:
Bob if you want them just order them now.  [cool]

If they aren't in stock you'll find out soon enough. If they are available some one else may grab them. I can't imagine that there is a significant number that even on online dealer would keep in stock.

Ron
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Done!  Good call Ron! 
 
bobfog said:
The problem is these, driven by accountants, product range decisions are shrewd financially on paper, but do erode customer advocacy because customers feel that the business is putting too much emphasis on the greed of profit than offering customers the broadest product range possible.
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Green of profit. It is, you know, the goal for a company to make money. Do you work for free? Didn't think so, so why should employees with Festool work for free? Profit is the goal of everyone in every job. The goal is to make money.

And you just said there isn't an endless cash flow so they ditch products that don't sell. Which is the right thing to do in a business. Yet then you said theyre greedy instead of offering the broadest range of products possible.

I don't get it.
 
I think it can be short sighted to focus on the profit of a particular component when it's part of a system.

Take for instance the edging plate that has just been discontinued.  OK, perhaps they didn't sell many.  But I have 5 routers and I bought my OF1010 just because it had the capability to do edging.  I'm only a hobbyist and couldn't justify a dedicated edging router such as the MFK700.

So had the edging plate not been available, they would have lost the sale of my OF1010 and the accessories I've bought for it (guide bushes etc), all of which I'm sure make a great margin.

Festool have started on a slippery slope, and I hope they think again before continuing this strategy.

Andrew
 
I completely get that it sucks when a product that you like gets discontinued. I'd just ask that you give us the benefit of the doubt that our decisions aren't quick or careless on this kind of thing.
 
TylerC said:
I completely get that it sucks when a product that you like gets discontinued. I'd just ask that you give us the benefit of the doubt that our decisions aren't quick or careless on this kind of thing.
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Why not lower the price to make it more popular and sell in greater volume, making less money per item, but selling more resulting in the same net profit? In the UK the MFS 700 is £250, for a few bits of extruded aluminium, some fixing and a some steel. It's obscene!

It does seem like an elitist attitude that if we can't sell it at an exorbitant rate we're not interested in selling it at all.
 
TylerC said:
I completely get that it sucks when a product that you like gets discontinued. I'd just ask that you give us the benefit of the doubt that our decisions aren't quick or careless on this kind of thing.
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I'm sorry to see this leave the Festool lineup- especially since I've had it on my wish list for quite some time (always some other higher priority) and now I'm scrambling to get the pieces I think I'll need in the future before they are no longer available.  But I totally understand the decision since my full-time gig is inventory and warehousing, and I realize there is an inventory carrying cost for companies.  I'm hoping some of you are correct that these are somewhat easy for a machine shop to make and, as long as there is no patent infringement issues, that someone will offer an equal, compatible, and economic alternative in the future. 

Regards,
Gerald
 
The OP's question has been answered, so it's time to call it a day.

A few notes:
  • If you really love this tool, it isn't disappearing right away. You can still find it.
  • The MFS has been discontinued in North America, but not in the countries where some of you live.
 
[member=57769]TylerC[/member], [member=15]Christian Oltzscher[/member] , Maybe you can run this idea up the international flagpole,

Obviously economics come into play with the accessories, and there might be areas around the world where it doesn't make sense to stock such accessories.

But if the accessories are still available say for example in Europe, perhaps Festool would be doing the brand a service by allowing dealers in those areas to sell and ship those discontinued-in-other-areas-accessories to areas where the accessories are not available without violating any sort of dealer agreements.  Absolutely no cost to Festool, promotes the system approach, and maintain the goodwill of the brand.

Just a thought.

Peter
 
Peter Halle said:
[member=57769]TylerC[/member], [member=15]Christian Oltzscher[/member] , Maybe you can run this idea up the international flagpole,

Obviously economics come into play with the accessories, and there might be areas around the world where it doesn't make sense to stock such accessories.

But if the accessories are still available say for example in Europe, perhaps Festool would be doing the brand a service by allowing dealers in those areas to sell and ship those discontinued-in-other-areas-accessories to areas where the accessories are not available without violating any sort of dealer agreements.  Absolutely no cost to Festool, promotes the system approach, and maintain the goodwill of the brand.

Just a thought.

Peter
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Although this is outside of my area of influence, I'll definitely make sure that the right people see this thread. We're always open to ways to improve things for Festool users.
 
For what it's worth, I placed an order for the MFS 1000mm profiles with the same UK company that Scorpion purchased his long MFT extrusions from (as he was happy with their service).  Even with shipping, the total cost of about $233 USD was less than the current retail price ($323) for the profiles if I had purchased here (and I don't know that you can even find them anymore...I tried).  It may take me a few weeks to get them, but that's fine.
 
I'm waiting on my order of 2x MFS 400 sets and 1x 1000 + 1x700 extensions. I'm Likely going to get additional 700 + 1000 extensions when the funds allow. I fully understand that less popular products sometimes get phased out. But believe also that part of what keeps myself and others returning to festool is the system approach which saves time and makes me more effective..

As a single one time purchase The MFS might seem expensive but seen in relation to the complete work set I believe its still in tune economically with the overall system cost and benefits equation
 
Now that the MFS is unavailable, are there any comparable products by aftermarket providers?
 
aterren said:
Now that the MFS is unavailable, are there any comparable products by aftermarket providers?
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[member=62502]aterren[/member]
welcome to the FOG.  I'm surprised no one's jumped in to give you an answer yet--perhaps the sander super sale has sucked all the oxygen out of the forum's other topics.

The Trend Varijig frame system looks like a pretty decent quality/cost substitute


There's also a cool homemade version that the guy on the Toolify channel on youtube did a video on.
 
[member=62502]aterren[/member]

[member=2205]teocaf[/member]

I don't have any experience with it, but here's a stair template that looks like it is made up with the same rails as the MFS uses.

Mike A.
 
This is a huge problem for me.  I use my MFS400 a lot and now I want the 700mm extrusions.  I never imagined it would be discontinued.  Festool: There are people that buy in to a "system" product concept. 

My brother-in-law is a international airline pilot.  He frequently flies to DE and might be able to pick it up.  Are the still available there?  If so, can anyone provide the part number for the 700mm rails?

Then I have to find a dealer near his airport. Deuseldorf I think. 
Thanks
 
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