If you’ve been researching the net for the Milwaukee 6955-20 sliding compound miter saw and it’s pricing, you’ve seen that a couple of weeks ago some people said they were able to buy it for $499 from Home Depot (HD), down from the MSRP of around $700. I’m happy to report that I was able to buy one yesterday for $499 from an area Home Depot near me.
First, I found some HD’s in the Charlotte North Carolina area that were selling it for the $499 price. You can find HD stores and their store number codes right off of the HD website. I noted the store numbers and locations and obtained their sku number for the saw – 397698. Then I started calling my local HD’s and asking if they’d match the price of another HD.
The first one I spoke to said the $499 price was a ‘clearance’ price in another region and that HD corporate had a rule that doesn’t allow them to match a clearance price. The second HD I called said basically the same thing but, they’d be willing to meet me halfway on the price – $599. Well, that wasn’t really halfway because I knew they were already selling it on the floor for $629. The third HD I called also alluded to not supposed to match a clearance price but said they’d do it anyway, to make me a satisfied customer.
So I did it! I drove the 30 minutes down there and bought it for $525, tax included. The store manager on duty is who I spoke to and he had to put the sale through the system himself at their service counter. He asked me how I heard about the other price in the other region and I explained how I’d been researching on the web for what I wanted to buy and where I wanted to get it, etc. He said I got the deal of the day.
Now, I’m going to put it through some paces and find out for myself if it’s all that it’s cracked up to be. I have my doubts but from what I’ve read, everyone who’s actually used it has been happy to happily surprised. I’ll let you know 🙂
-John
Replies
Why would some HD's be clearancing a brand new product? Im wondering if the store managers at the HD that had it listed for $499 will get in trouble. It seems really cheap, and its to new to clearance.
Now all you need is a Fein vaccum to act as a dust collector for your new saw.:)
I asked myself and them the same question - why would such a new product be on clearance? No one seemed to know why nor seemed too excited about it, in that regard. What I can add though is that I think it was the sleepiest HD that was unwilling to give me any price match and it was the busiest/biggest one that rolled over and gave me the full match. The one that is in the middle of that scale is the one that offered me the partial match. So it seems like the bigger you are the more you get to write your own ticket :)
Edited 12/7/2008 9:57 am ET by JohnPJackson
I asked at one of our HDs. Said they weren't selling many at $699. They were going to stop selling them, and clearing them out. Now you see this one-eyed midget
Shouting the word "NOW"
And you say, "For what reason?"
And he says, "How?"
And you say, "What does this mean?"
And he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milk
Or else go home"
Il bet if they marked them all down to $499, they would sell well. The new Milwaukee is a great saw.
At the moment I'm feeling a bit frustrated with mine because wouldn't you know it - the first little project I'm doing with it and some of the pieces I'm cutting are proving to be extremely hard to hold precisely in place while I'm trying to cut them. I figured that even though they didn't include some kind of deck clamp that I'd be able to use some kind of simple clamp myself. I still have not come up with a way to position a clamp on the deck somewhere so that it will fit or hold anything. Rrrrr...
Edited 12/7/2008 11:04 pm ET by JohnPJackson
Maybe a sacrificial bed/fence out of mdf that you can attach a clamp to via a screw?
That's a good idea for those small presice projects. You glue down some sandpaper to the sacrificial bed as well if you need to.
Il bet if they marked them all down to $499, they would sell well. The new Milwaukee is a great saw.
I'll second that...it's a terrific saw.Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
I asked at my HD yesterday. No can do.
How many HD's do you have within reasonable driving distance of you? If there is more than one, don't give up until you've exhausted all of them. I was able to get mine for $499 by calling around to the different ones, until I got a manager who was willing to work with me. Be friendly, always, but persistent too. If there are some HD's clearing these out, why shouldn't you get the saw for that same price too? Why should you have to pay $130-$200 more for it, just because you don't live close enough to those stores to buy it?
I needed four gallons of DAP gel contact cement yesterday. No one around here had the gel. Went online to use the "store locator" function, HD carries it. Called one, they said they had four one-gallons cans and they'd set it aside. My wife was out shopping right near that HD, I called her to pick it up. She got there, they only had quart cans. She made a simple comment like "gee, I wonder if they have the gallons at the HD we regularly shop at", he heard the "regularly shop at " and went into sales overdrive. The manager was very apologetic, gave my wife 18 quart cans, and insisted on only charging her for 12. And he really encouraged her to bring more business to his HD.So yeah, some store managers are trying. Others are just putting in the hours.
here's your ...HUH?
( still poking the nest. I am..)
ehh..if we hit the westus-wetus-festus and I give ya cash..will you still be my body guard? 75 bucks was the deal, so accounting for westus and inflatuationous, I can up the deal to 1oo bucks...but if that ann coulture thing hits on me, you gotta bag it ...like a buck on a Buick..deal?
And let me win at arm wrasseling...Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
I believe the Milwaukee 12" slider is the most expensive chop saw they they have at HD. They still have the Dewalt and Rigid saws. Ill bet that they will have to lower the price to sell the Milwaukee saws. They maybe $499 at all HD's soon.
I have two HD stores within about 10 miles of each other. There is definitely a difference in management at both stores. They both have these saws on clearance - but only had the display left. I asked at one store (seems to be less customer oriented) and they said they could not come off the price since it was already marked down... and they did not have the blade, box, wrench, or paperwork. I called the other store and they said they would take 10% off the clearance price and had everything including the box. So, I bought one for $450. The saw looks and cuts like a new one. I couldn't pass it up for that price.
So I wonder if this saw will only be available via Amazon, Ebay in the future.
I have 2 HD's near me in SE PA and they both sell it for $499.
Another PA-er, with no profile..where ya at in SEPTA? LOL
Geeze, we coulda been in school or cub scouts together..I'm from there originally. Bucks, Montg, Lehigh and Berks ring a bell?Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
HAHAHA, we do have a lot of mutual ground covered, the ex wife lives in Perkasie, and a son in Montgomeryville, .........
Also might add that we often clearance "New" models on items that don't move well, inventory is too costly to keep around if it isn't moving, even for HD.
Edited 12/10/2008 3:15 pm ET by LiveFreeorDie
Perkasie!!!
Wow, was it my fault? LOL ( I SWEAR, she said she was single)
I worked with Dresdner and Ken Smith ( Bass Guitar shop) on 5th st in perk..SOB..email me [email protected] we'll compare ex's and chillun..LOL..Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
LOL, nope not your fault, we just decided on different directions after the kids were out of the house. We are still good friends, she is a good woman.
Perkasie is a nice town still, but way too many people to suit my tastes.
[email protected]
Lower (not slower) Bucks Co.
Might be time to start buying in bulk and making some cross-country jaunts to sell them to other Breaktimers. Sort of like gun running. Or prohibition. But you can make these drives with your headlights on!
I went to my local HD last week- they had one only- the display model- at $499, but no box, blade or cord. The customer service dude pulled it up on his computer, found the stores in the area that showed more than one in stock. I drove 20 miles down the road and got mine for $499, new in a sealed box. Since this was in Delaware, no sales tax.
So far, it seems like a great saw, although I have only played with it a little so far.