Buying Festool Direct from Germany

[woodshavings]

Does anyone know of a German Festool dealer who will sell/ship to the UK?

There is a big difference between the German list price and UK list price, even at todays exchnage rates. Even with the shipping cost, I think buying direct from Germany could save about 20%.

The new Festool MFT3 has a UK list of £371 plus VAT.
The Festool German website lists it at 343,91 EUR, £269 at todays rate.

John

 

[Shrubby]

Hello John - don't forget to add MWST(german VAT) into your calculations - its 19% I think

 

[JanneKi]

Hei,

you could try this:

http://www.sauter-gmbh.net/index.html

they have their generic copies of Festools TS-line saws at a rather inviting price... Tempted to order the bigger one myself (Model 2120).

 

[wizer]

by the time you have paid for postage and the possibility of import taxes, etc... You won't have saved much at all.

The only way to make that work is to plan a little weekend break with the missus. I hear Munich is nice....

PS: I keep trying that one but I think Axminster is about as far as I'm going to get :roll:

 

[PaulO]

by the time you have paid for postage and the possibility of import taxes, etc... You won't have saved much at all.

No import taxes if it is coming from within EU, but you will be charged VAT.

 

[woodshavings]

by the time you have paid for postage and the possibility of import taxes, etc... You won't have saved much at all.

No import taxes if it is coming from within EU, but you will be charged VAT.

Both the UK and German prices are plus VAT, so it should only be the shipping cost that is extra - I cannot believe that is £102 !!

I have emailed Festool UK to ask why such a discrepancy and if the UK and German models are the same.

John

 

[Jake]

I tried this a couple of years ago, and the shipping & VAT-inclusive quotes were all so close to UK prices it wasn't worth it.

My conclusion was that Festool have an iron grip...

Things may have changed.

 

[bob_c]

Whenever ive bought from Germany the shipping costs are not too high so there must be a saving to be made.Not that id pay that much for handheld power tools.Id rather put the money into fixed machinery or quality handtools.

 

[Jake]

The thing I found was that you can get some discount from the UK RRP from UK retailers, but I couldn't get any German retailer to offer any discount at all from the German RRP, which is why it ended up much of a wash.

 

[tnimble]

Just out of curiosity since mostly UK prices are a bit lower and the USA prices are very much lower.

The OFK 500 Q-Plus GB from the Festool site:
Germany 304,64 Euro inc mwst
UK 179 GBP ex VAT which is about 267 euro inc vAT

IMHO Germans should buy in the UK. Although actual reseller prices could be different.

 

[Jake]

You keep changing those figures!

I make the UK VAT-inclusive price about €295, so much of a wash...

 

[Slim]

by the time you have paid for postage and the possibility of import taxes, etc... You won't have saved much at all.

No import taxes if it is coming from within EU, but you will be charged VAT.

Not true. If VAT has been payed in Germany, it will not be charged in the UK.

 

[Jake]

And now mine are changing, back to about €270

 

[tnimble]

I changed them as I mixed up with and without taxes. Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

[Jake]

It makes sense, as the Euro has strengthened a lot vs the pound recently.

That's list price of course - so your point is probably still right (unless they've tightened the UK discounting policy or loosened the German one*)



(*as guessed from my limited experience)

 

[Mcluma]

OK i will make it a bit more complicated

If you are registered for VAT and you provide the german seller with your VAT number then he can supply it to you without VAT :lol:

Then on importing you have to pay the UK-customs 17.5% VAT on the purchase price, BUT this vat you can claim back from the VAT office via your VAT return,

SO in short you have got yourself a nice discount.

If you don't want to register but have a budy who has a vat registered company/number, then he can buy it for you without the german vat, or any EU VAT that is

Hope this helps

 

[tnimble]

In that case (using the list prices) buying in Germany with the tax return you'll pay about 202 GPB excluding postage versus the 179 GBP also with taxes returned. UK still a bit cheaper.

Did a quick price hunt on a few german e-stores and preisvergleich sites. 289.89 Euro inc mwst comes up as the cheapest so far. Almost all stores sell at the list prie of 304 Euro inc mwst.

 

[PaulO]

by the time you have paid for postage and the possibility of import taxes, etc... You won't have saved much at all.

No import taxes if it is coming from within EU, but you will be charged VAT.

Not true. If VAT has been payed in Germany, it will not be charged in the UK.

I wasn't suggesting it would be, but you have to pay VAT in one of the countries.

 

[Slim]

Not true. If VAT has been payed in Germany, it will not be charged in the UK.

I wasn't suggesting it would be, but you have to pay VAT in one of the countries.

Beg your parden. I thought you were suggesting that when it came into the UK, VAT would be payable.

 

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know of a German Festool dealer who will sell/ship to the UK?

There is a big difference between the German list price and UK list price, even at todays exchnage rates. Even with the shipping cost, I think buying direct from Germany could save about 20%.

The new Festool MFT3 has a UK list of £371 plus VAT.
The Festool German website lists it at 343,91 EUR, £269 at todays rate.

John

Add duties and VAT and the lump sum parcel farce stick on it for 'handling' and you'll be lucky to save anything