Not too happy with my local Woodcraft store

[jbmaine]

Hi all,
 My local Woodcraft is only a couple of minutes from work. Real nice to stop over on my way home.
However, the last few months I've been noticing a change.
They are not carrying a lot of low to midrange items any more and are shifting to mostly high end $$$ stuff.
Also the staff are getting real hard to deal with.

I was in yesterday to pick up a router bit and saw they were mostly out of their house brand bits.
I asked when they were getting more in, and was told they were not going to carry them any more. Said they were only going to carry Freud from now on.
The sales person then said "you don't want those anyway, they're so bad you can only get a couple of cuts out of them." I said " if they are so bad how about you sell the rest of them to me for say 1/2 off". He gave me a funny look, said no can do and walked away. He never did come back or asked if I needed anything else. ( I was the only customer in the store at the time.)

I've been going there since the days of Norm when the motto used to be "anyone can do woodworking". Now it seems to be " if you don't have lots of $$$$ we have nothing for you".

  I have a Rockler an hour away. I'll take a trip up there and see how they deal with every day fo1k.

Just so you know, I like Freud router bits, but for plywood and such less $ bits work fine.

                                                                         Jim

[jteneyck]

Customer service like that is one reason Amazon is doing so well.  My local Woodcraft (franchise) lasted less than 5 years.  The local Rockler (company store) has been around for 20 years I think, and seems to be doing great.  

John

[Strokes77]

The problem is it's hard to find knowledgeable, friendly, stable, respectful, and helpful people to work for low wages... Like, really hard.

[gMike]

It depends on the management in a lot of cases.  The local Woodcraft was kind of poor until one of the employees bought it.  He's made a lot of changes and carries most everything you could want.  Rockler is pretty good at the Burnsville store not quite as helpful at the Minnetonka store.  I think it depends on what the store manager will tolerate.  I drive a few extra miles to get to the Burnsville store because I know the staff and they generally carry what I need.

[Ray Newman]

I do believe that gMike is onto it. Also consider changing customer preferences.

Since W'dcraft is a franchise, how much does corporate input have on what each store stocks? Seems to me that over the last 18-24 months, the local W'dcraft here has stocked more Freud and Whiteside bits.

[Steve N]

I'm fortunate there is a local WoodCraft to the North of me about 12 minutes from the house (Dayton Ohio store). Allen Ryan the owner is an engaged woodworker, and he and his staff are always welcoming, and I've gotten so so with Amazon in the last few years. I'll tell Allen what I can buy it for, and he will work with me on price to keep the business local. There is another WoodCraft down in Cincinnati that was owned by an absentee owner from Lexington, who didn't have a clue how worthless his employees are/were. When the economy was bad Dayton may not always have had brimming shelves, but you could get what you needed. Cinci was barren. I stopped once since, as I work down there, but the staff is still worthless, but they did have inventory. I had heard a rumor another guy from Lexington bought it, but I am so happy with Dayton I go there for a WoodCraft. Not a mile from the Cinci WoodCraft is a full line Rockler store, and the guys there are always trying. Rockler is the gadget end of woodworking, and sometimes it looks ok on paper, or online, but in the flesh it isn't worth much. When I do buy at Rockler it is usually through the Cinci store because I can see it, feel it.

If you haven't already, talk to the owner, and tell him you are not a fan of the changes you have seen. You would be surprised how many people stop shopping at a place, and never tell them why. They won't change if they don't think they need to. I imagine higher dollar items = higher profit margins, and if people are buying?

[dullbroadhead]

It seems that more and more woodcraft store are owned by the same person. All the Michigan stores are owned by same person, absentee owners not good for customer service.

[Steve N]

The Dayton Woodcraft has a Facebook page it gives you an idea based on dates that something is always happening there. They have weekly classes, very frequent demo's, and sales days will often find a bandmill sawing logs in the parking lot. Does your local place keep it fresh?

[tnff]

Used to use Woodcraft a lot.  When they first opened in Colorado Springs in the 90s, we were in at least once a week.  We moved away from Colorado to a location where the nearest Woodcraft is a couple hours drive.  We'd still make the trip every couple of months but the staff just weren't as friendly and helpful as Colorado.  Seemed like they only cared about customers who were in dropping big change every week on high dollar items rather than guys like me without as much money to spend.  So we quite going and I probably haven't been back in about 8 years. 

So yes, the local owner and management makes a huge difference in how customer are treated.

[packerguy®]

I was in yesterday to pick up a router bit and saw they were mostly out of their house brand bits.

I asked when they were getting more in, and was told they were not going to carry them any more. Said they were only going to carry Freud from now on.
The sales person then said "you don't want those anyway, they're so bad you can only get a couple of cuts out of them." 

He was speaking the truth, and I would prefer a store that didn't carry junk. If I wanted junk I go to Harbor Freight. 

But to each his own. 

I feel similar about Rockler.....bunch of overpriced jig's and their brand stuff that I don't need. Every time I go into woodcraft I beg the owner to open another location on our side of town. I hate the 40 minute drive vs 5 minutes to Rockler.....so I only get there once or twice a year. I prefer them 10 to 1 though. Rockler barely carries any name brand stuff anymore.....10 years ago I ate the place up....guess now they are going with the entry/weekend diy market. Guess its smart....there is way more of them and pros have many places to get what they need.

Come to think of it 90% of what I need tool wise, I just order from online vendors. That has certainly changed over the past 5 years....not sure if its convenience....or disdain for my local rockler.