Power tool price variation

[Claud1]

Just wondered what other forum users thoughts are about the big difference in the price of same make and model of power tool from different dealers (not ebay). Yesterday I was at W14 and making a inquiry about a Festool product on the Festool stand I asked the rep where I could get the best deal, he gave me 2 dealers nos and I contacted them, the price they quoted me was over £100 more than I had seen it on FFX tools Web site so I went back to the stand and when I told him the blood seemed to drain from his head when I mentioned FFX and I can tell you he was none too pleased, so what are the pros and cons of buying from the cheapest dealer and why do Festool and other brands supply cheaper dealers with their products If they are not happy with them being discounted I have bought a lot of tools from FFX over the last couple of years and not had a problem as with a couple of other cheaper dealers also.

 

[Distinterior]

I have purchased my last 3 Festool tools from FFX and apart from a day or so late delivery, their service and prices have been very good.

I would recommend them to anyone.

I have tried to buy what I wanted from my local dealer but when I quoted the prices that FFX were charging for the same items, my dealer was not prepared to get anywhere near the prices. A couple of £ more from my local dealer and I probably would have given him the business, but there was just too much of a difference.

 

[shed9]

FFX are good on their prices but I've found them to be about the same as quite a few Festool dealers such as Nuts & Bolts, Toolfest, etc.

Depending on where you are in the country chances are that local dealers can be expensive but the larger ones with web presence often have similar deals.

The advantage with some specific dealers over FFX is the pre-sales and after care. Don't get me wrong, FFX are a good supplier and I use them a fair bit myself but when I call or email Nuts & Bolts for example, the level of customer service is a cut above.

 

[adidat]

Have spent £k's with nuts and bolts and tool fest, both excellent dealers who go to great lengths to help if needed. Usually for power tools they are the cheapest, but helps to shop around for genuine festool accessories and consumables.

Adidat

 

[Selwyn]

I'd go cheapest everytime. At the end of the day the dealers don't fix things in house.

Just because its dearer it doesn't mean its a better business to buy from. It could be the opposite actually. The cheaper one sells more and possibly more used to getting returns and sorting them.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

don't forget that a dealers business is his own legal entity and has no financial connection to the manufacturer. The dealer buys goods at a trade rate, which is often somewhere in the region of 40% below the recommended retail price of the manufacturer.

The dealers job is marketing and/or service essentially and they will compete with other dealers in a commodity market on whatever grounds they feel capable of. The more seasoned tend to have excellent service that has grown over many years with experienced knowledgeable staff and they tend to charge a premium and have loyal longer term customers. The new breed of Internet savvy dealers take the pile em high sell em cheap approach and often the service is less well evolved. Then there's D&M tools who seem brilliant at both!

It's a crap shoot and you just have to shop around and get to know individual dealers. For hand power tools I often go for the cheapest since they are after all a warranty'd commodity. For machine tools I'm more selective as the risk of service failure hurts me more.