Why doesn't Festool offer all

[Bradleywerner.com]

Festool products in the United States?!?

 

[Holmz]

The US power grid runs into 120v 60Hz, whereas the rest of the world runs on 230v 50hz. There are a couple of exceptions.

 

[Kev]

Lots of reasons.

Some would be ...

The cost of reengineering 240V to 110V for possible little revenue on fringe range tools

Getting safety approval for certain tools (I hear it can be very expensive in the US)

Dealing with increased volume

Not being price competitive with other local products

Not being strategic in the product development lifecycle

...

You'll find many brands that are not based in the US won't offer their full range to the US. It just doesn't make economic sense.

It's no different for Oz, but here we have less barriers ... being 240V and having a lesser tendency to call a lawyer if we chip a fingernail.

 

[copcarcollector]

[welcome] to the FOG.

Bottom line, they just dont like us... ! [smile]

It's a bummer, get used to the NAINA acronym (Not Available In North America), a bummer for sure.

 

[Holmz]

There is nothing stopping one from using a transformer or having a 220v cord, and shipping companies ship world wide

 

[peter halle]

FESTOOL has long had a policy of not discussing marketing strategies and policies in public.  I don't anticipate that you will receive an answer to your question from them here.

Peter

 

[Birdhunter]

One possibility is the US product liability laws are far different than those in other countries. It takes a long time to get the required certifications and approvals. A track record of safe operation in other countries would seem to be useful in getting US approvals.

In a country where a person can win a big personal injury suit because they were not warned that a cup of coffee would be hot, a company has to be very careful in bring a new product or drug to market.

 

[bobfog]

I'd guess it's just money metrics....

Would the manufacturing step up costs/investment in order to supply such a large market be prohibitive and outweigh the potential returns? Sometimes for what is a relatively small boutique tool manufacturer the costs involved to increase production and supply mass market would outweigh any profits made. Dealing with non-domestic market presents too many variables and risks, same reason a lot of US tools aren't available in the EU.

Let's say over 5 years there were potential sales of 100,000 units of "X tool" in the US resulting in €10,000,000 of profit for Festool in wholesale sales to US distributors/retailers. But it required investing in more labour and assets to make those extra 100,000 tools,projected at €12,000,000 it's obviously not profitable. But let's say if it was €8,000,000 in costs, the margin of error for making just $2,000,000 profit isn't worth the risk.

**the above figures are just pulled out of he air to illustrate my point, not meant to relate to a specific product**

 

[ear3]

And even with that track record it sometimes is not enough for the approval -- cf. use of the OF2200 in the CMS in the United States.

And just to defend product liability law for a moment, there's actually a great documentary made by HBO back in 2011 about the Hot Coffee incident, which has unfortunately become proverbial for the supposed greed of trial lawyers.  It's called "Hot Coffee" (surprise!):http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hot_coffee/?search=hot coffee

 

One possibility is the US product liability laws are far different than those in other countries. It takes a long time to get the required certifications and approvals. A track record of safe operation in other countries would seem to be useful in getting US approvals.

In a country where a person can win a big personal injury suit because they were not warned that a cup of coffee would be hot, a company has to be very careful in bring a new product or drug to market.

 

[Bradleywerner.com]

All great and correct answers.  I could continue this with many reactions. I vote with my $ and because of festools business attitude. I have only purchased one tool in eight years because of it.

 

[TylerC]

There are several reasons why every product isn't available in every country, and your replies have touched on most of them. In an ideal world, we wouldn't have NAINA products, but certain logistical, budgetary and strategic realities make that impossible. Trust me: We want this stuff to be available just as much as you all do, and we're working hard to continue to make great new tools available to you. (We've got goals to hit!  )

 

[Kev]

All great and correct answers.  I could continue this with many reactions. I vote with my $ and because of festools business attitude. I have only purchased one tool in eight years because of it.

[member=61341]Bradleywerner.com[/member]

Why come here and troll ?

Why don't you go and undertake a piece of work that's going to take you 6 months to do and $50K in materials and offer the service to a "prospective customer for $1 ?

Obviously makes sense for Festool to fall on their sword economically to satisfy you .. so why wouldn't you just go and intentionally do the same thing ?

I've seen a decent share of people coming to the FOG lately to create animosity, but this is shamefully blatant and wasteful of the time good people here have spent responding to you.

 

[Bradleywerner.com]

I have had many many people , even one guy from Russia come to me shop in SoCal. They ALL TALK SBOUT USING POWER CONVERTERSbin their countries for using festfool tools. Also? The concept that a tool company that charges the highest price for their tools cannot afford to list it Ual because of the cost is comical. 

 

[Bradleywerner.com]

Uhh? Huh? The reason I am able to do the work I do is because Festool!
I am fast , efficient and cost effective because of the system . My work looks and is worth the $$$ , but I don't slsve over it. Sorry you cannot comprehend and only judge and discriminate as "troll". Why don't you get a job? My contempories are David Matks, Norm And me. I've been on lifetimes Merge and extreme home makeover. Please avoid the troll insults when you are speaking to a master woodworker. 

 

[Bradleywerner.com]

Btw. I own every Festool out there. I have even flown to Stuttgart to buy tools I cannot get in the US. So what's your rude point?

 

[TylerC]

Everyone: Please play nice and avoid personal attacks, or we'll close the thread.

 

[Cheese]

(Why doesn't Festool offer all) Festool products in the United States?!?

I vote with my $ and because of festools business attitude. I have only purchased one tool in eight years because of it.

I'm a bit confused ...you want to know why Festool doesn't offer their complete tool line in the US and then you say you don't purchase Festool products because of their business attitude. Help me out on this one.

 

[greg mann]

Btw. I own every Festool out there. I have even flown to Stuttgart to buy tools I cannot get in the US. So what's your rude point?

Since we have been asked to be civil I will not make any observations about what you might lack. I will however comment that Marks possesses humility.

 

[Bradleywerner.com]

Yes, David has humility. I don't.

 

[Kevin McConville]

[member=57769]TylerC[/member]

As part of the Redux efforts under way surely we can ask the owners of this site to put forward some further measures to protect the community from disingenuous posters.

In this case it would seem prudent to temporarily suspend posting rights to a member who has just joined and is behaving in a manner opposite to what we are hoping to see, thereby protecting the community from further issues while you and the moderators engage in private communication with the new member to outline community expectations and the members intentions.  If the intentions are honest and behavior is addressed then by all means reinstate them.

We clearly need some sort of rules and or filter on posting ability.