Festool and IWF

Festool had a booth at the show and I was prepared to shell out the bucks for a domino had they offered a show discount.

When I ask the guy running the booth about show discounts, his exact words were "You have to be kidding, I pay retail"

basilisk

Reply to
basilisk
Loading thread data ...

On Sun, 26 Aug 2012 01:37:49 GMT, basilisk

If you were the owner/inventor and had a product that performed a particular function, a product that people wanted and were already buying, would you offer a discount? Would you need to offer a discount.

I can see your reasoning ~ getting additional customers = greater profits. But, Festool's whole line of products is premised on doing functions that most other products can do, but doing it better, cleaner and faster. And unfortunately, offering those products at a higher price point.

Unfortunately for the lay person, there's Festool stock owners somewhere laughing all the way to the bank.

Reply to
Dave

From what I was able to discern, Festool is a family owned business. I think humor is a different thing in Germany.

Reply to
Bill

I wasn't disappointed that they didn't have show discounts, but you never know until you ask, and if there had been a 10% discount I would have no longer been in control of my wallet.

A lot of companies do show discounts, Keller dovetail jigs were discounted 15% at the show.

By the way the Keller jigs are a hefty well made product that seems to work flawlessly in trained hands.

basilisk

Reply to
basilisk

On Sun, 26 Aug 2012 11:59:01 GMT, basilisk

You're right of course, show discounts or the possibility of them is one of the biggest drawing cards for getting people to these shows. Festool while common at most/many woodworking shows these days, appears to operate on a different sales track.

Reply to
Dave

If those were his exact words, he was being tacky.

But Festool has one price. The only way to get a reduced price that I know of is either buying at an introductory price, buying in combination with a Festool Vac, buying a reduced discontinued item, buying from a company that is going out of business/no longer going to carry Festool, and or IIRC buying the occasional refurbished unit directly from Festool.

Their tools are worth every penny you spend and are a good value if you actually have a need for this quality of tool.

The good thing about paying the same price as every one else, regardless of where you live, is that you do not have to worry that you are paying more than what you would pay anywhere else. Support your local dealer!

Is Festool expensive? Yes, to some. Is PC expensive? Yes, to some. Is Ryopbi expensive? Yes, to some. Is Harbor Freight expensive? Yes, to some.

Reply to
Leon

Leon wrote in news:- snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Exactly. They are introducing some new tools for sale starting in October. Watch the sales Leon mentioned. And do support your local dealer.

Reply to
Han

Hey Han, have you seen the NEW Festool Impact Driver? Huh, did ya, did ya? LOL

Reply to
Leon

Leon wrote in news:S snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

I saw something like that in the email I got. Seems like that is an essential pice of equipment for you and Karl. What about the router table?

Reply to
Han

That's a part of it.

And unfortunately, offering those products at a higher price point.

That's the other part, and the reason you won't see Festering Tools on sale, and also why they are rarely used by professionals. They market there tools to rich oil men that like to brag about how much more their tool cost than your tool, and to rich bankers that just want the best vacuum cleaner made, and dollars counts, particularly at rich cocktail parties where the other rich guys get to talking (bragging) about tools and Bentleys, whilst sucking on a bottle of Montrachet 1978 from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.

In other words, part of the shtick is pricing from hell. Sort of like joining a country club that cost $50g's a year, plus $300 for a round of golf, and a 1.50 beer costs $9.

There is a niche for every market, and Festools niche is prices from hell, not prices from Home Depot.

Reply to
Jack

Jack wrote in news:k1fqh1$m9a$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

You'll find differences of opinion. Some professionals relish the tools. But I can see that companies hiring half-baked workers would prefer to have them abuse cheap tools.

Reply to
Han

Really, a little personal prejudice there don't you think Jack? Someone unfamiliar with Festool and reading your comment above might think people buy Festool just so they can brag about it.

Do you own *any* Festool products Jack? Have you ever even tried one or more of their products out?

I'm not attacking you, just your statement that seems to be rife with bias for some reason.

Reply to
Dave

Ill take a look at the impact, but seriously, I thought for sure I would add it when it came out but that was before I actually used the T15 drill. After using the T15 for several jobs including driving a few hundred 3" torx deck screws I may not get one. The T15 is truly much stronger and has much more torque than the Makita that it replaced.

I am not sure about the router table, I don't have a Festool router yet and the table is probably designed for that particular router. My Bench dog router table and Triton router work very well together, for now. ;~)

Reply to
Leon

Leon wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

formatting link
's a slippery slope ...

Reply to
Han

I am going to try not to attempt to fix what ain't broke. :~)

So far all of my Festool purchases have been warranted. What qualifies as warranted is still up in the air. LOL

Reply to
Leon

Some folks do buy for that reason - I've seen it :-).

Many years ago I was looking for a scroll saw. I read a lot of reviews and looked at a lot of saws. The consensus seemed to be that the DeWalt was almost as good as the top of the line saws at about half the price. So that's what I bought.

That pretty much describes my feelings about Festool. From what I can tell they really are top of the line, but until money is no object, I'll take the runner-up.

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

Leon wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

No economics for a hobbyist, but I like the Domino I have, and so does my daughter! The Rotex 95 may need a new pad, I think I destroyed some of the hooks that hold the paper to the pad.

Reply to
Han

Personal opinion based on many, many years of experience.

Well, I did mention rich bankers that wanted the best money could buy.

Hell no, but you wanna send me one I'll be more than happy to play with it. Same with a Bentely or a bottle of Montrachet 1978. I won't try the booze though.

Have you ever even tried one or more of their products out?

Only at the store, but I don't need to try one out to know what they cost. My statements do not question there quality, just the price.

I never saw anyone actually use one but I've been out of the loop for years. However, several months ago when we had the same basic discussion, I was at my favorite low class watering hole that was having a club election and was packed with people I knew. 6 of them were tradesman, 2 general contractors, one carpenter one drywall guy, and a body man and a mechanic. 3 were in the business for around 50 years, and still working. 3 were mid forties and only been doing it for 20 some years. I asked each one of them about Festools, and only one ever heard of them. He was a contractor and he said he didn't own any because they cost too much.

I was not surprised one bit not one of them owned a festering tool, but I was a bit surprised only one ever heard of them. These guys are not as you say "bit players" These are the real thing.

My guess is because you don't like what I said. No bias at all, just my opinion, based on personal experience with people and tools. The "bias" my friend is all yours. I know that from experience also.

Reply to
Jack

Well, in my opinion is the reason Festool never bends on price is because they are marketing to those that get off paying top dollar for their tools. What is your opinion on why they don't go on sale?

Some professionals relish the tools.

Some professionals drive Porsche's to work, and only a small number of those own Festools. I would relish a festool, but would be almost ashamed to tell most what it cost. The prices border, no, are, ridiculous.

That's not been my experience. First, the trades frown on half baked workers, a half baked worker is more of a Government position, not the skilled trades.

Cheap tools seldom make it into skilled trades. But, they don't often blow wads of money for the heck of it. You will find more Fords than you will Bentleys at the construction site. Have you ever been near a construction site?

Reply to
Jack

Jack wrote in news:k1gmnu$mdq$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

But they do go on sale such as preintro, reconditioned, combo. Take your pick. But, no they don't have MSRP, they set a price. In a way, that measn I will choose the place with the best service or inventory.

Have you ever used a Festool tool? I am a rank amateur, but really like the Festools I have.

You don't remember the Ridgid lawsuit by the guy who was a cardcarrying nincompoop, didm't know how to work a simple table saw for ripping a piece of wood? The suit that made the SawStop? I bet there are plenty of the kind of outfit that employed this guy ...

My home was a construction site when we remodeled. I'm sure the GC didn't really like we kept living in it while the work was going on.

Reply to
Han

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.