The best place to buy Festool.

andvari said:
William Herrold said:
This Idea going around that Festool products are cheaper in N.A. is not entirely accurate in my experience, anyway.
One needs to consider the weakness of the USD right now. More importantly, the fact that retailers in Euro countries, at least the ones I'm aware of, aren't bound to the price fixing situation in the U.S.
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Well I think you might have it a bit mixed up. Actually the USD is quite strong relative to the Euro right now. It has gone from 1.43 to 1.29 dollar/EU since August. Because of the fixed price in the US this relatively stronger dollar makes the US price relative to the EU price increase. If the dollar were going down the relative US price would also be going down.

As far as retailers in the EU, there is also the matter of VAT to figure into the equation which might counter the discounts.

I wish there were a brick and mortar near where I live - there are some tools I'd like to see before making a decision - but the only ones around me are not general public retail. When the drive gets to an hour I just go internet. There are some good internet sources that are within a day of me by UPS ground.

Maybe if the dollar continues to do well vs the Euro over the next 6 months I'll visit Sweden in the summer. My great grandfather was from Oland. Some day I'd like to see it.
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Best to check your facts before correcting.
We don't use the European Monetary Unit. Ill avoid derailing the topic further.
 
The best place to buy Festool is Northern Abrasives and Tools. Not only do they have a massive range of Festool and Protool gear, they also have every Festool cutter, abrasive, etc - along with other stuff to stick on anything that moves, vibrates, spins, oscillates or otherwise jiggles about!

They're located less than 10 minutes drive from my place, in a light industrial neighbourhood with lots of other niche suppliers of all sorts of nice stuff.

To take advantage of these guys, you'd really need to be living on Sydney's northern beaches  [smile]  (or at least somewhere in Australia!)

 
Here in the uk dealers will give you free stuff from another brand if you bought a festool to try and seal the deal!

I don't know if that's in festool rules not allowed but how can they stop a dealer as its their choice to give another brand for free as its not a festool item they have given free nor did they discount the festool product so it's all above board really.

Jmb
 
jmbfestool said:
Here in the uk dealers will give you free stuff from another brand if you bought a festool to try and seal the deal!

I don't know if that's in festool rules not allowed but how can they stop a dealer as its their choice to give another brand for free as its not a festool item they have given free nor did they discount the festool product so it's all above board really.


Jmb
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I wonder the same thing.
 
I buy most items at the local Woodcraft, but they don't hav meany accessories so I order those online.

As for price, I read many years ago that manufacturers setting prices was restraint of free trade, but that court decision must have been reversed, or a Congressman purchased, since this practice is now widespread. 
 
Nobody is talking about Amazon ... I would have thought they've be good for bits and pieces ...
 
otis04 said:
....As for price, I read many years ago that manufacturers setting prices was restraint of free trade, but that court decision must have been reversed, or a Congressman purchased, since this practice is now widespread. 
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It's not illegal for a manufacturers to set their own pricing, it is illegal if manufactures to get together to set pricing for their entire market. 
 
I tell ya, I went round and round talking about teh benefits of buying online especially since I live in Kalif the land of tax and spend and i refused to feed the beast.

I reconsidered my train of thought. Though I just bought a LR32 guide rail from Bob and have bought most of my stuff from Bob, I am now into buying locally. ot necessarily from a Woodcraft or Rocklers because well I just dont like the managment at the Rockers here. The Woodcraft people though very nice here and helpful dont have the expertise to advise and consult when I have issues on understanding the use and or adjustment of the tools.

There is one here where they go regularly to festool dealer training and are very very knowlegable about festool products and use them themselves.

Thats the one I support.

I told them the other day when I bought te LR 32 it.

If I dont support the even though Im feeding the beast in Sacremento they are there to support me when I need them.

I felt bad about buying stuff on line and going to them with questions.

 
I buy everything online.  there are no Festool Dealers closeby,  and even if there were,  why pay State Sales Tax on something, when I can order it, pay NO tax,  and it arrives (with FREE shipping, no less)

now, I read a lot of mention in this thread about supporting local economy, and going into a dealer, trying an item out to make sure it is liked...  c'mon,  this is FESTOOL.  is there anything you have ever used from Festool that wasn't up to your standards?  and if you did get something you didn't like,  or that you simply didn't WANT,  there's still the 30 day no ? asked return policy.  -Pretty sure they will even pay return shipping on this!

as for asking ?'s  you can't tell me you'd get off your computer,  drive down to a local tool salesman, and ask him something about a FESTOOL, when you have access to SHANE and others at FESTOOL as well as MANY HIGHLY experienced industry leaders and experts right here on this very online community,  24/7 + 365!. 
as a matter of fact, I recently had a knob stuck on my MFT3, I mentioned it in a thread, and within minutes, there is a PM from Shane, reminding me that I should just call in to get this taken care of !  -and even though my MFT Knob certainly shouldn't be covered by anything,  if I let them, I have no doubt they would send a replacement part or parts,  ship them to me for free and follow up with a phone call just to make sure I had received them and knew how to install them and that all was well...
that's just how Festool operates.

who is a good Festool Dealer?  ANY Authorized Festool dealer is a good place to buy Festools from.  you won't ever regret a purchase,  but if you ever did, rest assured, Festool would do whatever it took to alleviate that remorse  8)

 
stairman said:
I buy everything online.  there are no Festool Dealers closeby,  and even if there were,  why pay State Sales Tax on something, when I can order it, pay NO tax,  and it arrives (with FREE shipping, no less)

now, I read a lot of mention in this thread about supporting local economy, and going into a dealer, trying an item out to make sure it is liked...  c'mon,  this is FESTOOL.  is there anything you have ever used from Festool that wasn't up to your standards?  and if you did get something you didn't like,  or that you simply didn't WANT,  there's still the 30 day no ? asked return policy.  -Pretty sure they will even pay return shipping on this!

as for asking ?'s  you can't tell me you'd get off your computer,  drive down to a local tool salesman, and ask him something about a FESTOOL, when you have access to SHANE and others at FESTOOL as well as MANY HIGHLY experienced industry leaders and experts right here on this very online community,   24/7 + 365!.  
as a matter of fact, I recently had a knob stuck on my MFT3, I mentioned it in a thread, and within minutes, there is a PM from Shane, reminding me that I should just call in to get this taken care of !  -and even though my MFT Knob certainly shouldn't be covered by anything,  if I let them, I have no doubt they would send a replacement part or parts,  ship them to me for free and follow up with a phone call just to make sure I had received them and knew how to install them and that all was well...
that's just how Festool operates.  Don't get me wrong I don't buy everything off the internet, but when a tool combo I want is $1,060 I have no intention of getting it now rather than wait a week just to avoid $90 in sales tax.

who is a good Festool Dealer?   ANY Authorized Festool dealer is a good place to buy Festools from.  you won't ever regret a purchase,  but if you ever did, rest assured, Festool would do whatever it took to alleviate that remorse  8)
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I didn't bring this up in my previous post as I thought it was a given that what service you can get locally you certainly get here on FOG or calling Festool service.  My local Festool dealer is 35 miles away and Rockler is 40 miles away.  I WILL NOT drive there with questions, that's why I come here.  I do plenty of research before buying a product and with the help of Paul Marcel and Stone Message with video reviews I would know exactly how it works before I ever place the order.  I wouldn't be helping the local economy here anyway, I don't live in Houston proper I live in a county south of Houston where if I went to a "local" Festool dealer I would be helping another county's economy; not mine.  I don't feel bad about much, that's exactly how the economy works.  He who giveth the best deal gets my business.  Offer free shipping and I can save anywhere up to $100 in sales tax will get my attention.  Don't get me wrong I don't buy everything on the internet and not completely opposed to paying sales tax, but when a router I want costs $485, and the MFT/3 TS 55 combo I'll be buying soon costs $1,060.50 you bet I'll be looking for cheaper alternatives considering Festool's fixed prices.

I support my government by voting not giving them more money to mismanage.
 
I buy from both local and online dealers.  Strangely I have five dealers within the area.  Usually my criteria is such:

Emergency or immediate usage:  Local if in stock.  Otherwise online and pay for expedited shipping.

One week or more out for a tool:  Online from dealer(s) who are active here.

General restocking of consumables:  Build a list of items and order online from dealer(s) who are active here once the total gets over $100.00.

Items under $30:  Goes on list or see if available locally.

Parts from ekat:  Direct thru Festool.

You probably think that I am nuts, but the fact is that of the five dealers locally, three do not inventory many tools or consumables.  One other dealer is less convenient, and the other I can pick up quite a bit of other supplies but the stock on hand is limited.  There are online dealers out there who offer free shipping at different sales thresholds or totally free, and that is their decision, but in the instance of totally free at any level, then on small orders it is conceivable that the dealers are not even covering their costs let alone making a "profit."  Same thing for parts.  Festool has decent rates on shipping so I order direct.  A dealer that serves me well is a dealer worth having around and one of my business mottos has always been "Nothing is Free."

Your approaches will be different and I totally respect all of them.  I am not trying to tell you how to do it, just how I do it.

 
stairman said:
...now, I read a lot of mention in this thread about supporting local economy, and going into a dealer, trying an item out to make sure it is liked...  c'mon,  this is FESTOOL.  is there anything you have ever used from Festool that wasn't up to your standards?  and if you did get something you didn't like,  or that you simply didn't WANT,  there's still the 30 day no ? asked return policy.  -Pretty sure they will even pay return shipping on this!.....
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No, I'm pretty sure you're on the hook for the return shipping to the dealer.  Also, only the tools have the 30 day, no questions asked return policy, not accessories.  So, if you load up on accessories with a tool purchase and you want to return the tool, you're stuck with the accessories you've used.  Some dealers may work with you on this but not all of them are some generous.
 
Peter Halle said:
I buy from both local and online dealers.  Strangely I have five dealers within the area.  Usually my criteria is such:

Emergency or immediate usage:  Local if in stock.  Otherwise online and pay for expedited shipping.

One week or more out for a tool:  Online from dealer(s) who are active here.

General restocking of consumables:  Build a list of items and order online from dealer(s) who are active here once the total gets over $100.00.

Items under $30:  Goes on list or see if available locally.

Parts from ekat:  Direct thru Festool.

.....There are online dealers out there who offer free shipping at different sales thresholds or totally free, and that is their decision, but in the instance of totally free at any level, then on small orders it is conceivable that the dealers are not even covering their costs let alone making a "profit."  Same thing for parts.  Festool has decent rates on shipping so I order direct.  A dealer that serves me well is a dealer worth having around and one of my business mottos has always been "Nothing is Free."

Your approaches will be different and I totally respect all of them.  I am not trying to tell you how to do it, just how I do it.
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Peter, thank you for bringing this up.  Like you, I don't place an online order unless I reach a certain amount of money that makes it worth the dealer's time.  Letting the dealer make money on my purchases is a big deal to me and I'd strongly encourage everyone to keep that in mind when taking advantage of free shipping offers. 
 
Most dealers in UK wont go below  £50 +vat     for free shipping and some  are more.    I find prices online for tools lets say  £80 free shipping and another online dealer for £74 but no where on the website does it mention shipping un till you come to pay then it will say + £6 shipping costs and so often equals to the one which is free shipping.  Dealers dont loose out even if it was a small items your ordering  like mention nothings Free even when it says its Free shipping as they have just added the shipping cost to the price already.

JMB
 
jmbfestool said:
Most dealers in UK wont go below  £50 +vat     for free shipping and some  are more.    I find prices online for tools lets say  £80 free shipping and another online dealer for £74 but no where on the website does it mention shipping un till you come to pay then it will say + £6 shipping costs and so often equals to the one which is free shipping.  Dealers dont loose out even if it was a small items your ordering  like mention nothings Free even when it says its Free shipping as they have just added the shipping cost to the price already.

JMB
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That might be true over on your side of the Atlantic, but not over here. 
 
They don't add the price to shipping to the item and advertise it as free shipping over here so much as Brice says.  I worked for an electronics etailer who lowered his price on his parts online then milked them on the shipping back end.
 
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