I guess it's for real...

[Fastbt3]

I called Ryobi , It seems HD is Phasing out this model Bt3100, but Ryobi had no plans to discontinue it.
At least thats what the rep told me.

[Fastbt3]

Accessory kit on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MESE%3AIT&rd=1

[Roger on the Rock]

HD here in St. John's has three in stock and no notice of phase out yet....but they say that could change at any time. They are still priced regular @ $399 Cdn. Will be keeping my eye on it.

[drumpriest]

This is in response to LarryG from about a page back. Larry, you are certainly correct. Ad hominum attacks against the BORG employed is unnecessary and not in the slightest useful. They may well be very bright, for all we know. The issue isn't specific to the employees, but more of a management issue. I'm quite sure that the employee in the tool area could keep the display BT looking great, but they don't. The issue is that they don't, and the reason why is probably time management.

Also the BORG doesn't really do product demos, which would have helped greatly I think. Most people look at the BT and feel that it's a toy. Once you've seen it do its thing, you know better.

[TheRic]

I agree that the Borg employees didn't promote the BT that well. Probably mostly since they had no clue on what it could do. That fault comes back on HD itself, and Ryobi. HD should have trained their employees better. Ryobi should have trained the HD employees better. Ryobi field reps could have made sure the BT was displayed correctly, parts all present, no broken parts etc. But NO the Ryobi would sit for MONTHS piled in some corner, covered in dust, or other parts laying on top of it. No effort was made by Ryobi or HD. In some ways the BT would have been better off not on display at all. When a customer sees something, covered in dust, other misc. parts sitting on top of it, no employee caring about it. It send the impression that this thing is junk, don’t waste your money on it!

How many times was there a promotion or something going on. Your local HD had no clue what you are talking about. This is weeks, sometimes months after it was first discussed on this site. We would have to show them printouts, copies, etc. of what was going on. Sometime they would have to call to higher up’s, corporate offices, etc. before they had a clue. Ryobi is at fault for not getting the word out correctly and to all the proper people.

A Ryobi rep, worth his/her beans, should have been letting each of his stores know in advance of what is going on. Then following up shortly after the start to make sure the proper info / flyers / rebates forms / etc were in the store, on display, etc.

HD was at fault for not instructing their employees. They should have been jumping all over these promotions. Here is a chance to push these items, and the manufacturer is picking up the tab. WIN / WIN for HD, and they miss the boat.


I think there is plenty of blame to go around here.


Ok, I'm off my soap box.

[venkatbo]

I checked a local BORG and found the sales person to be a lil snooty...
They had only one left - a battered down display model visibly missing crucial parts like fence locks, battered guards etc...

I asked them if they'd sell it for less than the $249... He said take it or leave it for $249 :-) despite the missing parts...

/venkat

[DUD]

The BT3100 is still on the Ryobi website. Bill

[maxparot]

Getting a BT3100 from HD

Since Home Depot is the one discontinuing the BT3100 and not Ryobi, I would suggest that anyone interested in purchasing one go to the special orders desk at HD. Be insistant that they order it for you! Since it is still in the computer you already know what price to insist on. After all it is still available and HD is a Ryobi supplier. Maybe if enough poeple do this we can keep the saw from extinction. Having to wait a couple of weeks for a delivery would be better than the choices.

[fergusburger]

$175 in White Bear

For what it's worth, the HD in White Bear Lake (NE suburb of the Twin Cities) has their beat up floor model priced at $175. It is missing the fence handle and SMT fence clamp. The clearance tag says "as is, missing parts, last one".

- Tom

[jziegler]

The HD closest to my work doesn't have a floor model anymore, at least not with the other stationary power tools. A few weeks ago, I saw a few boxes on the racks, nothing now. Looks like this is for real

[BobSch]

I called Ryobi , It seems HD is Phasing out this model Bt3100, but Ryobi had no plans to discontinue it.
At least thats what the rep told me.

OK, now I'm confused. Doesn't HD have an exclusive deal with Ryobi? If so, who's going to sell the 3100s that HD isn't going to?

Convoluted enough?

[bigsteel15]

It's a ways off, but there is a brand new HD opening on my corner Fall 2006.
I'll be curious to see if they stock BT3100.
Maybe we'll know for sure by then.

[cwsmith]

A week or so ago, Ryobi distributed its new 2006 tool catalog and the BT3100 is NOT listed there. I'm sorry to say, that for my mind anyway, this is pretty indicative of the BT3100 no longer being available.

In addition, I've read at least one posting by an alleged Ryobi rep, that Home Depot has dropped it from its inventory and will no longer carry the BT3100. Similarly, there is no new replacement for the BT3100 as far as anyone knows. I would think that if there was a replacement saw, it would be listed in the new catalog.

So, at this point in time, if there isn't any old inventory in your store, then the only other thing on the market is model wearing the Craftsman badge. My store still has one in the box at $249 and the floor model which is short a few parts. The manager will NOT budge on the price and will not except less, even the floor model which is incomplete.

Sorry situation all around, IMHO,

CWS

[Boomer_01]

Sears????

Most of the discussions have been about HD discontinuing the 3100, any news about the Sears clone? Are Sears stores still stocking and selling the Craftsman units or just the portable version?

[cwsmith]

Boomer,

The only BT3100 clone that I am aware of, that is current, is the portable one.

cws