Sawstop Advice Needed

[Joe Walsh 2020]

I am new to this site. Found it yesterday. You guys are a tremendous wealth of info and I hope that I can return the help in the future.

I am about to pull the trigger on the Sawstop. I have read through most of the posts and realize that this is a hot topic. However, I haven't seen anything related to where to find it at the best price.

Do the dealers just always sell it at list? Are there ever promotions? What about the consumer product shows or the industrial shows? Are discounts or combo deals offered at these events for the saw?

I am also about to buy Jointech lift and porter cable 7518 router. Same questions. Best place to buy at the lowest price?

Thanks in advance for any tips.

[David Wambolt]

Sawstop has a fixed pricing model. Expect to pay tax and possibly shipping even if you buy locally. The pricing you see on Sawstops website is what you'll pay in a local store. I do not know if they offer show pricing and have not heard of a Sawstop promotion. I and most others paid full pop for the saw.

[Ken Pywell]

Unless they have changed pricing policies lately, you won't find a best price. They sell for list. You can save money by finding a local distributor and picking it up yourself vs. shipping. Can't help on the Jointech.
ken

[Glen Blanchard]

Joe - I own and use all the products for which you are inquiring. All are top notch. SawStop pricing is (to my knowledge) fixed. There are no sales or specials.

I have bought all my Jointech stuff directly from them. I think they have some kind of rebate offer now. There is a JT digital lift and 7518 router on e-bay right now also, but lots of bidders. Additionally, JT's owner's daughter will at times place a few of their digital lifts on e-bay usually for $329 - "Buy it Now". They come off the same shelf as if you called JT directly. In fact, she had a few there a week ago or so. If you call JT and tell them you saw the lift on e-bay and will make a purchase if you can get that price, I think there is a good chance they will do it.

Hope this helps.

[Bob Michaels]

Joe, I just ordered a SawStop the other day. To my understanding all dealers are required to sell it at the same price. The only variable I can see is delivery cost and possibly sales tax. Woodcraft just ran a Valentine's Day special of no shipping costs (I assume this included SawStop). I didn't know that deal was coming up and ordered it the day before. My attitude is you can't wait for every last ounce to be drained out of purchasing something, I like to get on with other things. I bought mine from Brian McQuillen at Hermance Machine Co. in Williamsport, PA. (570-326-9156). I paid shipping and sales tax and I'm satisfied. They had a 5 horse unit in stock and they are one of the larger SawStop dealers.

I also have the Jointech lift with a PC 7518. Jointech only sells directly or through The Woodworking Shows. I bought mine at a show last year but frankly, the Jointech website has some very good deals from time to time. Last summer it was cheaper on the website than at the Show. Once I buy something, I don't look back. Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda. Life is too short. BTW, I'm not sure which Jointech lift you're looking at but I bought the digital lift and couldn't be happier. Really a precision instrument. Hop this helps.

Regards,

Bob

[Joe Walsh 2020]

I really appreciate the advice. I am ok paying full price if that is how they go to market. I just didn't want to pay more than I needed if there was a dealer out there cutting deals.

Thanks for also confirming for me that the setup with the lift is a good one. You guys are great.

[Glen Blanchard]

Jointech only sells directly or through The Woodworking Shows.

Bob - Actually JT is now selling some of their stuff through Woodcraft and Rockler. I think they have changed their marketing strategy recently - although they still sell direct.

[Ben Rafael]

The pricing is fixed, BUT, try to get the dealer to throw in something like a sawblade or some supplies or something.
BTW, fixed pricing is illegal, but my guess is that dealers do not have an unlimited supply and therefore are not needing to discount the saw. If production ever exceeds demand then you may be able to haggle on the price.
Sawstop should stop selling direct and let their dealers price products at their discretion.

[Glen Blanchard]

SawStop no longer sells direct.

[Bob Michaels]

Bob - Actually JT is now selling some of their stuff through Woodcraft and Rockler. I think they have changed their marketing strategy recently - although they still sell direct.



Thanks for the update Glenn. ;)

[Mark Hollingsworth]

Joe, with a name like "Joe Walsh" I thought someone would ask if you sing and play guitar. Guess there's not many old time rockers here or maybe your post just hasn't been up long enough for many to see it. I looked over the Saw Stop in Orlando at Woodcraft on vacation a couple of weeks ago and if you can afford it, go for it. Although they were'nt around at the time wish I could have been using one 13 years ago when I cut off two fingers working in a cabinet shop. I love my Grizz but there's a lot to be said for the Saw Stop. One second of carelessness can cost more than the saw- in more ways than one! Welcome to the Creek!

[glenn bradley]

I'm sure Joe's gotten plenty of flack over the name similarity. Just check out my sign-off ;-)

[Dan Lee]

Like everybody said fixed price.
My dealer however didn't charge me for lift gate delivery from his store to my garage, and he uncrated the saw and installed it on the mobile base I bought.

[Anthony Anderson]

Glen, when did they change this? Did you buy yours from a dealer, or SawStop?



SawStop no longer sells direct.

[Glen Blanchard]

Glen, when did they change this? Did you buy yours from a dealer, or SawStop?

Bought mine from Woodcraft. Not sure when they stopped selling direct. You can still buy things like brake cartridges from them directly - but not the saw.

[Anthony Anderson]

Thanks Glen. I have some other concerns, but I do not want to highjack this thread. Regards, Bill


Bought mine from Woodcraft. Not sure when they stopped selling direct. You can still buy things like brake cartridges from them directly - but not the saw.

[Mike Heidrick]

Bought mine from Woodcraft. Not sure when they stopped selling direct. You can still buy things like brake cartridges from them directly - but not the saw.

Local woodcraft here is stocking sawstop brakes and inserts in case people who buy a saw want extras (when saw is picked up or latter).

[Mike Heaney]

somewhat related question- the "cabinet" version of the Sawstop is out of my reach for some time, and I've been checking their site to see if anything is happening with the contractor saw version. I did see pricing somewhere for this a little while ago, now can't find anything other than the Sawstop site saying it is in testing. Anyone out there picked up something on the grapevine about availability/ pricing on the contractor saw version?

hope this isn't considered a hijack of the thread- your post just got me thinking!:o

regards

Mike

[Joe Walsh 2020]

Just wanted to thank each of you for your very timely and thorough guidance. This is a great site with very active members! I will be contributing soon. Have a great evening guys.

Joe

[Dave Hale]

BTW, fixed pricing is illegal, but my guess is that dealers do not have an unlimited supply and therefore are not needing to discount the saw.

Maybe call it 'minimum pricing' instead? If it was illegal, how does Bose and Apple (iPod) get away with it?

[Peter Melanson]

I bought my SS last week, and I always look for the best pricing. However it is true everyone pays the same price (depending on your local sales tax). It took a while to save but i'm glad that I did it is a quality saw.

Peter

[James Phillips]

I just put mine on layaway today and I did get a great deal. I got the 5hp model with 52" rails and extension table, also include was the dao break and plate, all for $3400 plus tax. This is about $700 off. A guy returned it after using it less than 10 hours, because a capacitor went bad in the motor. SawStop is replacing it, but he did not want to wait. SawStop agreed to let the store reduce it rather than shipping it back. The saw is being sold to me with full warranty, just like a brand new saw

I am giddy like a school girl

[Mark Saberniak]

hey Joe,

Personally I think you should stick with the guitar and forget woodworking. However, I am picking up my sawstop tomorrow from woodcraft. Woodcraft is having a 10% off sale March 3rd, but the flyer states that Sawstop is not included in the sale. The sales guy said it never is included. I have been using a Shopsmith for years and can't wait to use a real table saw. The Shopsmith has the crappiest table saw. It did get me started and I have made lots of things that all turned out professional quality. I have been making a lot of money on projects and the extra money is helping me put twin sons through college (thank you E-bay). I figure a few projects sold and the price of the saw is covered. I am wondering if your idea is the same as mine. I want to use the saw table extension as a router table with a lift. I figure I can save room in the shop that way. Wy have you decided on Jointech? Have you considered Incra or Jessem Lifts?

[Joe Walsh 2020]

Well - I finally bit the bullet and bought the saw. Again, I appreciate all of the advice.

I worked a lot of different angles trying to get a price reduction and here is what I uncovered:

1. Sawstop requires dealers to sign a contract that requires them to sell the saws at list price. I negotiate contracts for a living and can tell you that this is an illegal clause so I feel bad that these dealers have felt forced to sign something like this. Not discounting because there is no competitive product (thus you don't have to) is one thing...not discounting because you are contractually restricted from doing so is just wrong. Here are the loopholes that keep the dealers in compliance with their contract:

a. Offer to pay cash vs credit card. As you all probably know, dealers have to pay bank fees to processs credit cards. This fee is anywhere from 2 - 4%. If you offer to pay cash, then some of the dealers will pass on this savings to you as the consumer.

b. There is a fixed freight cost built into the price of the saw by Sawstop. Here in the Southeast, it is $400. For larger dealers buying in half truckload or larger quantities, they do not incur this full freight expense. Again, some dealers are willing to pass on the difference to you as the consumer if you know how to ask for it. You may need to accept it in the form of a credit towards another tool purchase since the sale price needs to show the full $400 freight.

c. Don't forget sales tax. Since the freight cost is already so high, most dealers will deliver it to you for free. Therefore, buy it from an out of state dealer and avoid sales tax on the purchase.

Hope this helps guys. It is a little gray is some areas, but I wanted to share my finding back with all of you.

Joe

[Don Bullock]

Joe,

First, congratulations on your new purchase. Thanks for the information.

The contract sounds like the same one that many electronics companies have dealers sign. I'm sure that this is true for Festool and some other woodworking tool companies as well.

I already plan to check into your point "a." My local dealer has already offered to uncrate the saw (something my wife is excited about because our trash pick-up is very limited), and place it on a moble base for me. I plan to see if they will throw something "extra" into the deal too.

As for your point "b," they have offered to deliver the crated saw to my home free through a common carrier or I can pay $50 for a "local" truck to deliver the saw, uncrated on the moble base to my home.

Your point "c" is a good one, but I don't see how I could get it shipped to me uncrated with a moble base that way.

[Dave Hale]

I negotiate contracts for a living and can tell you that this is an illegal clause so I feel bad that these dealers have felt forced to sign something like this. Joe
Hardly illegal. Find me a Bose Soundock that isn't $299. Find me an MS Xbox360 that's not $399. Find me a dealer selling an iPod cheaper than anyone else. It's just guaranteed income for the reseller. My Lexus dealer doesn't negotiate and I believe Saturn doesn't either. The type of price escalation Monster Power forces is incredible. We don't have to like it, but premium products can exercise that kind of inflexibility all of the time.

You mentioned a couple of options to save. I'd like to add another. I was buying 2 pieces of equipment and the dealer gave me the sale price plus the future discount, that was originally for in-store only, a week in advance.

Congrats on the purchase, it is a very, very nice saw. I'm waiting patiently, kind of patiently, for my Incra Fence system. I did slap on a blade and measure runout. Only .002 from front to back on the blade! Not bad for out of the box and being lifted by the table onto the mobile base.

[Dan Lee]

Yep your point a is right on . I paid my dealer cash and he dilevered from his store to my house uncrated in mobile base at no extra charge