Rockler started to carry Festool products ?

[hccuneyt]

I see that Festool products are on the Rockler.com. It has been a while I was in local rocker store, did not know this was coming. I was aware shaper origin, may be that was the trigger.
Anyone knows the details?

 

[ben_r_]

They used to carry Festool, not too long ago. Got in trouble for selling below MAP pricing if I recall correctly. Wouldn't surprise me if they're back at it. Im sure theres good profit in it.

 

[capww8]

I happened to be in a rocker the other day, mentioned that I hadn’t been in since they stopped selling festool and the guy said they were getting it back soon...

 

[DynaGlide]

They used to carry Festool, not too long ago. Got in trouble for selling below MAP pricing if I recall correctly. Wouldn't surprise me if they're back at it. Im sure theres good profit in it.

Not much profit on the tools. .the accessories on the other hand.

 

[jeh]

There really is no advantage to anyone selling Festool as one vendor is the same price as another. Maybe if you live close to a Rockler it might make sense. It is hit or miss often enough it is just easier to order from an online vendor to avoid driving and the hassle of going in the store.

 

[Cheese]

I'm surprised they got Festool back this soon. I was told by a long time Rockler employee that it was a truly ugly separation. He described how Festool arrived unannounced, dismantled the product displays and then scooped up what little inventory they had and left.

When it comes to Festool gear I had two problems with Rockler, one is that they never had any Festool product to sell. Everything needed to be ordered. A few boxes of 100 count sandpaper, a couple of quick clamps and some vac bags...that was it.  [eek]

The second issue is that NONE of their employees were knowledgeable about Festool equipment. On more than one occasion, after I repeatedly asked several questions, the Rockler employee walked me up to the cash register and gave me the business card of the local Festool rep. So, not only were they unschooled about Festool equipment, but worse yet, they had no inclination to even learn about Festool. For their own sake I hope they prepare for the exam better the 2nd time around.  [tongue]

 

[sancho57]

Last time I went to buy festool from Rockler I went to buy a Kapex, Kapex MFT and the Kepex extension wings. I stood around waiting to be helped, the store manager walking back and forth complaining about my dog (little 10lb) sweety who was just sniffing around, and the employees spending their time with other customers. So I walked out and never darkened their door again.

I must have bought close to $10K worth of FT since then and not from them. Havent spent more than $20 in their store and thats been years.

 

[DeformedTree]

There really is no advantage to anyone selling Festool as one vendor is the same price as another. Maybe if you live close to a Rockler it might make sense. It is hit or miss often enough it is just easier to order from an online vendor to avoid driving and the hassle of going in the store.

This is why a lot of companies need to adjust to just paying stores to be in-person demo stands, with the full expectation people go home and order it.  I have a store close that is good if I needed something ASAP like sand paper, a blade, etc.  But tool wise, in general no. They keep 1 of each tool (most tools) there. If you want the tool, you are buying the open one that countless folks have messed with. No thanks. Other stores I've been in are the "we can order it in",  well what is the point, I'll just go home and order it.  I'd like to buy stuff from local stores, but they make it pretty pointless if you don't have the stuff on hand, or it's all opened stuff.  I also get they don't want a pile of inventory.

Seeing stuff in person is nice, hold it in hand, see if it feels right.

In generally, store staff isn't going to know as much as folks who have done some research all ready. And then you have the staff that is just talking out their....  "issue with tool X, never heard of such a thing"  "no one ever has come looking for ____"  "only festool has this" "every contractor uses tool X, they are everywhere".  Those are the folks that not only hurt the store, but hurt a company that makes the stuff too.

 

[jeh]

Last time I went to buy festool from Rockler I went to buy a Kapex, Kapex MFT and the Kepex extension wings. I stood around waiting to be helped, the store manager walking back and forth complaining about my dog (little 10lb) sweety who was just sniffing around, and the employees spending their time with other customers. So I walked out and never darkened their door again.

I must have bought close to $10K worth of FT since then and not from them. Havent spent more than $20 in their store and thats been years.

I would have asked you to leave no matter how much money you were spending. It is a complete imposition to assume someone wants your dog in their business. From a pure liability point of view it makes zero sense to allow pets in stores other than a pet store where people expect it.

 

[Sparktrician]

The second issue is that NONE of their employees were knowledgeable about Festool equipment. On more than one occasion, after I repeatedly asked several questions, the Rockler employee walked me up to the cash register and gave me the business card of the local Festool rep. So, not only were they unschooled about Festool equipment, but worse yet, they had no inclination to even learn about Festool. For their own sake I hope they prepare for the exam better the 2nd time around.  [tongue]

I've run into similar attitude and lack of product knowledge at the two Woodcraft franchises in Northern Virginia.  In one location, the display MFT/3 was set up wrong and was missing parts, and the staff just didn't seem to care one bit.  In the other, nobody knew about the RO 125 and how to teach a new user how to avoid the surly behavior sometimes associated with that sander.  [mad]  Any more, when I go to Woodcraft, I go to the franchise in Rockville, MD, where people know their products well, and can instruct users properly.  [smile]

 

[xedos]

They used to carry Festool, not too long ago. Got in trouble for selling below MAP pricing if I recall correctly. Wouldn't surprise me if they're back at it. Im sure theres good profit in it.

Not much profit on the tools. .the accessories on the other hand.

Are you referring to Festool , or their dealers on this?    Because the markup used to be the same for both years ago.

 

[DynaGlide]

They used to carry Festool, not too long ago. Got in trouble for selling below MAP pricing if I recall correctly. Wouldn't surprise me if they're back at it. Im sure theres good profit in it.

Not much profit on the tools. .the accessories on the other hand.

Are you referring to Festool , or their dealers on this?    Because the markup used to be the same for both years ago.

Whenever I meet someone who works for a dealer or is a dealer themselves I inevitably end up chatting about the sales end of things. On more than one occasion they have told me the tools themselves don't have large margins, it's the accessories that are seriously marked up.

When I purchased my never used Domino + tenon systainer second hand, the owner accidentally left his sales receipt tucked inside one of the systainers. He was an employee of Woodcraft. I believe their policy for employees is cost + some % on Festool. All word of mouth so I have no confirmation. The Domino rang up for something on the order of $80 off. The tenon systainer on the other hand rang up for about half of retail. I have the receipt somewhere.

This is all just speculation on my part. I don't have any hard data to back it up.

 

[jeffinsgf]

If either Festool or Woodcraft catch the guy who sold a tool he bought on the employee purchase plan, he'll be looking for new employment.

 

[DeformedTree]

If either Festool or Woodcraft catch the guy who sold a tool he bought on the employee purchase plan, he'll be looking for new employment.

Why, neither festool or Woodcraft would want to get in a wrongful termination lawsuit.  You can't prohibit people from selling something they own. If they are worried about such things, you put a limit on how many tools/items a year employees can buy with the discount.

 

[DeformedTree]

Last time I went to buy festool from Rockler I went to buy a Kapex, Kapex MFT and the Kepex extension wings. I stood around waiting to be helped, the store manager walking back and forth complaining about my dog (little 10lb) sweety who was just sniffing around, and the employees spending their time with other customers. So I walked out and never darkened their door again.

I must have bought close to $10K worth of FT since then and not from them. Havent spent more than $20 in their store and thats been years.

I would have asked you to leave no matter how much money you were spending. It is a complete imposition to assume someone wants your dog in their business. From a pure liability point of view it makes zero sense to allow pets in stores other than a pet store where people expect it.

Yup, unless it's a true service dog (not a comfort animal, emotional support peacock), it has no business in a business.  Can be the greatest dog in the world and one that everyone loves, it has zero place in the store.  It's a liability and other people in the store don't go into a business for a dog to be there and they could have massive fear of dogs, allergies, etc  Or even have an actual service animal and now there is a risk of a bad dog interaction.

My local Home Depot turns into "everyone bring a pittbull day" all the time. You can see people left and right uncomfortable/fearful with all the dogs in the store, yet HD does nothing.

I love dogs, they don't belong in stores. No customer brings enough money into a store to cover the cost of a lawsuit caused by their dog.

 

[krudawg]

I see that Festool products are on the Rockler.com. It has been a while I was in local rocker store, did not know this was coming. I was aware shaper origin, may be that was the trigger.
Anyone knows the details?

Apparently, Rockler had a sale on some things and included a 10% off coupon and got busted by Festool for discounting Festool.  They lost their Festool Dealership

 

[bwehman]

Last time I went to buy festool from Rockler I went to buy a Kapex, Kapex MFT and the Kepex extension wings. I stood around waiting to be helped, the store manager walking back and forth complaining about my dog (little 10lb) sweety who was just sniffing around, and the employees spending their time with other customers. So I walked out and never darkened their door again.

I must have bought close to $10K worth of FT since then and not from them. Havent spent more than $20 in their store and thats been years.

I would have asked you to leave no matter how much money you were spending. It is a complete imposition to assume someone wants your dog in their business. From a pure liability point of view it makes zero sense to allow pets in stores other than a pet store where people expect it.

Yup, unless it's a true service dog (not a comfort animal, emotional support peacock), it has no business in a business.  Can be the greatest dog in the world and one that everyone loves, it has zero place in the store.  It's a liability and other people in the store don't go into a business for a dog to be there and they could have massive fear of dogs, allergies, etc  Or even have an actual service animal and now there is a risk of a bad dog interaction.

My local Home Depot turns into "everyone bring a pittbull day" all the time. You can see people left and right uncomfortable/fearful with all the dogs in the store, yet HD does nothing.

I love dogs, they don't belong in stores. No customer brings enough money into a store to cover the cost of a lawsuit caused by their dog.

I'm definitely one of those guys who brings a dog into Home Depot. German Shorthair Pointer, extremely well-trained and obedient, floppy ears, dopey look that gets a ton of compliments from people. But after reading your perspective, I'm going to just leave him in the truck from now on. That's a good point I hadn't considered about people having a fear of dogs or allergies. They didn't come into HD expecting to be in the presence of a dog, no matter the kind, and it's pretty unfair or me to project onto them like that.

 

[yetihunter]

Dog or not, every Rockler I have been to has offered up shopping experiences so awful that I stop in when near one just for the entertainment. 

 

[jeh]

Dog or not, every Rockler I have been to has offered up shopping experiences so awful that I stop in when near one just for the entertainment.

+1

 

[richkline]

In defense of Rockler, my store is Concord is great.  I have been there 3 times over the last 4 weeks.  One additional thing, they currently have the best price for many items.  I bought three 36" Bessey Clamps with the Y2K handles there yesterday and there wasn't a single other source that had a lower price.  I was going for the convenience and got the best price.

-Rich