Where Do Returned Festools Go?

[Steveo48]

Well, I found out where some of them go.  A good friend just opened a new industrial arts program in the two Lakota Freshman buildings.  She has several new Festools, including a larg vac and Kapex.  She paid about half of retail and was told they were returned items.

After we fix her Kapex, I look forward to helping her break it in 

Steve

 

[Steve Jones]

Well so much for fixed pricing everywhere to eliminate discounting.
Suddenly all our tools have halved in value,

Thanks Festool,
That's another brilliant move designed to endear the loyal customer.

 

[roadking06]

Legally Festool can not sell the tools as new. What do you suggest they do with all the perfectly fine tools that get returned by all the crybabies under the 30 day no questions asked period? Throw them away, or sell them to school districts in the few areas in the country where kids can still learn a vocational trade?

God forbid we get a generation in this county working and producing again as opposed festool devalues your Domino right?

 

[alanz]

I don't see why offering returned items to academic institutions at a discount would have any effect on retail or resale value.

I think it's a very good move on the part of Festool USA.

 

[Jimhart]

Well so much for fixed pricing everywhere to eliminate discounting.
Suddenly all our tools have halved in value,

Thanks Festool,
That's another brilliant move designed to endear the loyal customer.

I think this is a brilliant move. Many returned/reconditioned tools wind up on Ebay. Talk about undermining your retail price.

Sending them to schools accomplishes several things, all of them good to great in my opinion.

It returns some value to Festool on the returned tools, $$ they don't have to build into their future pricing decisions.

Puts the tools into the hands of kids in school. Too much of our society is going the other way on this.
(Apple figured this out a long time ago. Discount your product to schools; allows kids access to computers they might not have had, and it predisposes them to your product when they reach a point where they can afford their own.)

By channeling their returns this way it actually does protect the retail price. They are not offering them for general sale.

Jim

 

[rwdawson]

I was under the impression that returns were given to schools, but could be wrong.  I do know that, at least in some cases,  they do give tools to schools.

About the time I enrolled in the Cabinetmaking program at Seattle Central Community Collage, Festool made a donation to the school of about $10,000.  I may be off a little on the amount; I know it was substantial.  Over a period of two or three years, several hundred students had ample opportunity to use these tools when building their projects, got to know and appreciate a superior product, and started planning on making their own purchases.  This took a lot of the sting off the relatively high prices, especially the sanders and Domino.

As a result, many students bought Festool products after entering the work force.  It was a win-win situation, doing some good for the community while increasing future sales.

All the above positive arguments are valid, and I would like to add one more: giving tools free or at a heavy discount relieves pressure on already overstressed budgets that our educational system is under.  And that's a good thing.  Lack of money is why so many programs are cut, or at least cut back.

Perhaps Tom Lehrer best sums it up while discussing another addictive past time.  To quote:

"...It's the old dope peddler,
Spreading joy wherever he goes.
Ev'ry evening you will find him,
Around our neighborhood.
It's the old dope peddler
Doing well by doing good.

He gives the kids free samples,
Because he knows full well
That today's young innocent faces
Will be tomorrow's clientele...."

What a beautiful thought.

Richard

 

[nickao]

Legally Festool can not sell the tools as new. What do you suggest they do with all the perfectly fine tools that get returned by all the crybabies under the 30 day no questions asked period? Throw them away, or sell them to school districts in the few areas in the country where kids can still learn a vocational trade?

God forbid we get a generation in this county working and producing again as opposed festool devalues your Domino right?

I take offense to that cry babies remark. Returning a tool even for no reason at all is the entire point of the 30 day offering. If someone takes Festool up on that offer they are not cry babies.

I guess returning 3 messed up Kapex  screwing me out of many work days makes me a cry baby.

Nickao

 

[Bob Marino]

Well so much for fixed pricing everywhere to eliminate discounting.
Suddenly all our tools have halved in value,

Thanks Festool,
That's another brilliant move designed to endear the loyal customer.

  Steve,

I couldn't disagree more with your post.

For many years, Festool has had a program for qualified programs/schools offering some type of discount - for all the above stated reasons. They also offer dealers discounts on their demo tool purchases.
I see none of this  as devaluing the tools' worth.

Bob

 

[Frank Pellow]

Well so much for fixed pricing everywhere to eliminate discounting.
Suddenly all our tools have halved in value,

Thanks Festool,
That's another brilliant move designed to endear the loyal customer.

Steve, I don't understand your point at all.  How does providing used tools at a discount to schools devalue anything?  And, even if it did, so what? 

Also, school that still offer students courses where they can use tools need all the help that they can get.

 

[roadking06]

Legally Festool can not sell the tools as new. What do you suggest they do with all the perfectly fine tools that get returned by all the crybabies under the 30 day no questions asked period? Throw them away, or sell them to school districts in the few areas in the country where kids can still learn a vocational trade?

God forbid we get a generation in this county working and producing again as opposed festool devalues your Domino right?

I take offense to that cry babies remark. Returning a tool even for no reason at all is the entire point of the 30 day offering. If someone takes Festool up on that offer they are not cry babies.

I guess returning 3 messed up Kapex  screwing me out of many work days makes me a cry baby.

Nickao

No your whining nature in 3/4 of your posts makes you a crybaby, not returning 3 defective machines under warranty.

Buying a tool and having buyers remorse or your wife finds out you spent her Avon money, and then returning it for no good reason or you didnt like the shade of green of the power switch makes you a crybaby.

Some tools have legitimate issues and get returned. Some tools get sold and come back because there is not a single thing wrong with them other then the buyer is stupid. Those tools lost their value and the company has a right to recover that value by selling at discount to certain organizations.

Take offense to whatever you want, I dont care. But if the situation doesnt apply to you then dont sweat it.

 

[peter halle]

Good for you Festool USA!!  When I bought, and continue to buy my Festools, I considered them to be an investment in me - not the tools.  Never have I bought tools with the thought in the back of my head that there will be a great value on them when or if I ever sell them.  My ultimate goal is to wear them out over my lifetime and have experienced the joy of using them.

The fact that used Festools can sell for nearly what new ones cost has always shocked me, however I am a new tool buyer and wouldn't buy a used tool anyway.  Others are different.

To me, if Festool can supply tools to schools and other institutions at no cost or at a reduced cost, and then have a request down the road for replacement tools because they wore out, then that is a great investment in our future - and it doesn't cost any of us a dime.

Go Green - reuse Festools.

Peter

 

[honeydoman]

I agree sending  is not a crybaby.

probably billions of dollars a years of stuff is returned back to stores for whatever reason... hey look at nordstroms  I have known many of women who buy an outfit for an event or evening out then return it the next day...... wtf...
do you think over on the nordstroms owners group forum they are discussing where there stuff goes to?  LOL ;D

 

[nickao]

Legally Festool can not sell the tools as new. What do you suggest they do with all the perfectly fine tools that get returned by all the crybabies under the 30 day no questions asked period? Throw them away, or sell them to school districts in the few areas in the country where kids can still learn a vocational trade?

God forbid we get a generation in this county working and producing again as opposed festool devalues your Domino right?

I take offense to that cry babies remark. Returning a tool even for no reason at all is the entire point of the 30 day offering. If someone takes Festool up on that offer they are not cry babies.

I guess returning 3 messed up Kapex  screwing me out of many work days makes me a cry baby.

Nickao

No your whining nature in 3/4 of your posts makes you a crybaby, not returning 3 defective machines under warranty.

Buying a tool and having buyers remorse or your wife finds out you spent her Avon money, and then returning it for no good reason or you didnt like the shade of green of the power switch makes you a crybaby.

Some tools have legitimate issues and get returned. Some tools get sold and come back because there is not a single thing wrong with them other then the buyer is stupid. Those tools lost their value and the company has a right to recover that value by selling at discount to certain organizations.

Take offense to whatever you want, I don't care. But if the situation doesn't apply to you then don't sweat it.

You are kidding right?

Whining posts?

Read through my 1300 or so posts and show me where I am whining. I have made more constructive posts in a week than all your posts so don't pick on me and say I am whining. I do not whine. I may point out deficiencies in a tool that is not whining.

Your response was not very nice. You could have said sorry I did not mean to offend you but no you chose the low road and say I am a whiner. Where the heck do you get that. I guess now I am stupid too.

Nickao

 

[mastercabman]

Some tools get sold and come back because there is not a single thing wrong with them other then the buyer is stupid.

So,if someone buys a tool,use it for a few days,then decide that the tool is not for him/her,that makes that person stupid?

FESTOOL is giving their customer a choice with a 30 days return policy.Why wouldn't someone take advantage of it,if they want to?  (regardless on how stupid he/she is)

 

[roadking06]

Some tools get sold and come back because there is not a single thing wrongp with them other then the buyer is stupid.

So,if someone buys a tool,use it for a few days,then decide that the tool is not for him/her,that makes that person stupid?

FESTOOL is giving their customer a choice with a 30 days return policy.Why wouldn't someone take advantage of it,if they want to?  (regardless on how stupid he/she is)

Yes, if a tool operates as advertised and it is then returned for a full refund for no better reason then what I explained above, yes I believe the buyer is stupid.

There are way too many opportunities to go see the tool in a store and try them out there. Hell on this very forum there are resellers that have driven across three states to allow prospective buyers to see and use the tools first.

Just because Festool offers a no questions asked 30 day return policy certainly doest mean that bennefit is a wholesale free test drive period. There is an assumed level of buyer intelligence that they have a reasonable knowledge of what they are buying.

Remember I am not talking about defective or other then advertised tool behavior returns. I am talking "my wifes pissed I need to send this back or my wrist hurts on the kapex handle give me my money back" situations. While the incidence of these situations are low they do occur and I call those buyers stupid. 

 

[nickao]

I do not care if I just do not like the feel of the tool, I will send it back for that reason. You do not get it, that is what the 30 day is for, NOT what you are saying. It is just to check out the tool and return even if it works great and you just do not like it.

That's Festools and the other companies entire point. This 30 day offer has NOTHING to do with the tool working, but is exactly for what you think it is not for. Like aching wrists, then you get to return it, that's the point and that's the offer!! They are so secure in their quality and design they are betting most people will like the tools and if they do not Festool has worked in a number(cost to them) for so many returns just because people do not like them.

I have the same guarantee with my inlays. If a client gets it and the inlay is perfect and exactly what they ordered I still will give a refund even if they just do not like it. And it is stated exactly like that on my site. "you can return it even if you just do not like it" for the first 30 days. Nothing to do with warranty etc.

Checking out a tool at the store is not the same as running it through its paces for a week in the shop and that is why they give this offer, so the client can really check out the tool. Of course they do not expect the tool to breakdown in that time. Though I do find that if the tool makes it through the first 30 days it usually never breaks down.

 

[honeydoman]

nickao I agree with you also.  30 days is 30 days,  I have bought approx $50,000 worth of tools over the last 10 years. and before being a professional prob $2,500 of mainly sears craftsmans tools (going back to the late 60, 70 and 80. any way besides the 4 kapex. I have returned,  less than a gran of tools due to not what I needed or did not like them for some reason..  I have though returned $2500 in faulty, fell apart etc in tools and mainly dewalts.

so I am sure as you stated all companies allow for a margin of returns that we all pay for when we buy the tool and keep it.  so if a factor of say for example 2% then  I have paid $1,000 of the money I have spent on tools towards that factor.  sounds like a wash in my case!

so life goes on and tomorrow is a new and great day to get up and cut some wood and make something with  all the great tools we do have and to all those that a wife has said return the tool or else....... i say take all your shoes back first!

 

[mastercabman]

Some tools get sold and come back because there is not a single thing wrongp with them other then the buyer is stupid.

So,if someone buys a tool,use it for a few days,then decide that the tool is not for him/her,that makes that person stupid?

FESTOOL is giving their customer a choice with a 30 days return policy.Why wouldn't someone take advantage of it,if they want to?  (regardless on how stupid he/she is)

Yes, if a tool operates as advertised and it is then returned for a full refund for no better reason then what I explained above, yes I believe the buyer is stupid.

There are way too many opportunities to go see the tool in a store and try them out there. Hell on this very forum there are resellers that have driven across three states to allow prospective buyers to see and use the tools first.

Just because Festool offers a no questions asked 30 day return policy certainly doest mean that bennefit is a wholesale free test drive period. There is an assumed level of buyer intelligence that they have a reasonable knowledge of what they are buying.

Remember I am not talking about defective or other then advertised tool behavior returns. I am talking "my wifes pissed I need to send this back or my wrist hurts on the kapex handle give me my money back" situations. While the incidence of these situations are low they do occur and I call those buyers stupid. 

Well,i guess that makes me a dumb a--!!! :

 

[KM]

Hey Guys,

First of all, I believe that donating any sort of educational/vocational tools to schools is an awesome idea! As it stands right now, the future doesn't look too bright for the children of the U.S. I'm sure that given the present economic environment even more cuts will be made to the educational system. Give the kids a break...they need all the help they can get!

As for going off topic about the 30 day return policy....

I am a newbie woodworker. I first went to my store not knowing which saw to buy, the TS55 or 75. I bought the TS75. The salesman assured me of buyers satisfaction stating that if I wasn't happy with it I could return it for the 55 or a refund. Guess what? After a fews times using the 75 (and reading this forum) I decided that the 55 would be more appropriate for my purposes. I exchanged it and put the extra $$ towards the RO125. This assurance was the main reason I decided to spend a lot more money on festool rather than buying a ryobi 4pc-Pack combo kit for half the price of the TS55.

As peter said, It's an investment in me-not the tool. If I was concerned about future "return on investment" I woulda went out and bought some gold.

As for Roadking,
Dude...lighten up. This board is suppose to be about learning and teaching others, Not about criticising and calling others stupid. Please don't bring that negative energy here. Sometimes when you don't have anything nice to say....
Because according to your definition, I am a stupid crybaby that has an IQ over 150.

 

[Chris Hughes]

Am I missing something?  Call me silly but I generally consider the value of tool at the time I need it, not when I want to resale it.  I do appreciate the fact that my Festool equipment has real value beyond its original purchase date but I would think that is more because of its quality in design and manufacturing then purchase price of a returned tool.  Suck it up guys these aren't beanie babies with an imaginary value.  C Hughes