Can you please help another Mother Brotha buy a few rolls of Stihl chain please?

[KiwiBro]

Having some tractor forks soon to be heading to LA to get on a boat to me in NZ, I'm hoping to throw two or three rolls of Stihl chain with it too but you'd think I was planning a bank heist or something because the moment I mention the word Stihl nobody seems to want to be able to help. I know Stihl have things pretty well locked down but I thought I'd at least ask if you good folks might be willing to help me out please? If not, no worries. But if you could help with any of the following could you please let me know or PM me?

100' roll 36RSC3 - 3/8 .063 chisel
25' roll 36RSCF (or H) - 3/8 .063 chisel full skip (or half skip)
25' roll 63PMC3 - 3/8 picco .050 semi chisel


Thanks in advance.
It's worth a shot anyway.

Oh, and yes, I can buy it here but would rather eat worms than endorse the rort that Stihl NZ seems to think they can get away with.

 

[StihlKiwi]

How much cheaper is a 100' roll of chain compared with here? I looked at bringing a saw over a while back and it was a couple of hundred cheaper, but that was only including GST and duties. Never got around to figuring postage and insurance but I don't imagine them being cheap

 

[Jacob J.]

I can price out some rolls today if you like. What kind of time frame are your forks on for shipping?

 

[KiwiBro]

How much cheaper is a 100' roll of chain compared with here?

I don't know because nobody seems willing or able to help me out.
There used to be a store in New Plymouth that sold parallel imported Stihl gear and their chain was about 2/3 Stihl NZ's RRP.
Of the three Stihl saws I have, they were all considerably cheaper bringing in from overseas. And don't get me started on genuine Stihl parts. But it's not just about savings, although that's a big part.

Bottom line, I love the Stihl quality and reliability, but where I have a legal option that avoids buying Stihl product through their official NZ channel, I'll most likely take it.

 

[imagineero]

RRP on stihl chainis around $700/100' roll in aus, but most dealers will sell it for $500 if you ask. I looked round the states a few times, most places seem to be about $300, some even close to $400. There are guys that talk about being able to get rolls for $250 or even $225, but when you ask them where the details never come through, or it was 10 years ago or whatever. You can get oregon or carlton for $250 in the states, but then, those chains are cheap in aus too.

$400 in the states is more than $500 in aus by the time you add paypal transfer fees, shipping, and maybe a 6 pack of beer for whoever does the dead. The proce would have to be under $300 to make it worthwhile, even then it isn't really that worthwhile honestly.

It's not like, say, paying $1550 for a 200T in aus vs $500 in the states.

Shaun

 

[Jacob J.]

Madsen's currently has the best price on Stihl chain on the west coast of north America. I don't know what their shipping policy is though. I know the last time I asked them to ship me a Stihl saw, they told me to go poop up an orchard ladder.

 

[KiwiBro]

Many thanks, JJ.

There's a song by Ben Harper with lyrics that go something like "there's good deeds and there are good intentions, and they're as far apart as Heaven and Hell". So, thanks again JJ.

Shaun, I understand the point you are making, but you have perhaps underestimated my disdain for the way Stihl NZ (and from what I can gather Stihl Aus) operate down-under, although you do highlight the pricing disparities on saws which partly contributes to such disdain.

 

[StihlKiwi]

I know you have a dislike for the prices of Stihl stuff in NZ, but have you ever looked at their prices in places other than the US?
I haven't seen any prices for chains etc but saw prices in Europe aren't that much below what we pay, probably quite close when you include shipping and duties. For example, 660's are 1,439EUR (2,290 NZD) in Germany, and they're made there

I think the US may be the exception, rather than the standard, when it comes to chainsaw equipment.

 

[Little Al]

I know you have a dislike for the prices of Stihl stuff in NZ, but have you ever looked at their prices in places other than the US?
I haven't seen any prices for chains etc but saw prices in Europe aren't that much below what we pay, probably quite close when you include shipping and duties. For example, 660's are 1,439EUR (2,290 NZD) in Germany, and they're made there

I think the US may be the exception, rather than the standard, when it comes to chainsaw equipment.

I agree totally with your post. When I lived in the UK the price paid was approx $ =gbp [ Ie what the US paid 10$ we paid 10 GBP & the exchange rate was in the 1.65/1.70$`s to the pound]Now I live in France with the Euro it is still similar, my nearest Stihl dealer charges 55cents a DL for 3/8x050 chain & 58 cents for 063 gauge making a 72 dl chain loop, 39.60 or 41.76 euro`s[ exchange rate yesterday was 1.39$ to the Euro so a comparison price would be[$55./58]It is the same with parts,I have to shop around & mostly buy from abroad as unless the saw is less than 5 years old parts are very difficult to source here, almost all the parts have to be ordered I can buy from dealers in the USA & in spite of the post/shipping not being cheap, it still costs less in most cases than buying locally+ the number of outlets is far greater.

 

[imagineero]

Shaun, I understand the point you are making, but you have perhaps underestimated my disdain for the way Stihl NZ (and from what I can gather Stihl Aus) operate down-under, although you do highlight the pricing disparities on saws which partly contributes to such disdain.

If you've read any of my posts about stihl then you'll know I'm way ahead of you ;-) There aren't enough dealers in aus, and they're extremely unknowledgeable. I usually have to bring part numbers, and then convince them that what I want to buy exists. Then pay double or triple price for it, and wait longer than it would have taken for me to order it direct.

I buy most of my stuff from the states, as a lot of guys do. I'm not a big time buyer. I only buy 3 or 4 new saws a year (we run about a dozen) and maybe 4 or 5 100' rolls of chain plus spares, mix, oil etc. I dropped about $10k at my local last year and the only thing of any consequence I bought was a pole saw. Most of that money was chaps, spares, and climbing gear, PPE for the guys, stump grinder teeth, files, fuel jugs etc.

As tempting as it is to buy everything O/S just to spite them, I'm not going to do it if it's harder for me than buying local. Sometimes I do really need spares!

Shaun

 

[KiwiBro]

I think the US may be the exception

Have you thought about why that is, what factors NZ lacks that adequately justifies the differentials observed, or what happens to such exceptions if buyers fail to endorse them?

 

[KiwiBro]

As tempting as it is to buy everything O/S just to spite them

I wouldn't dare speak for anyone else, but just to clarify, my buying decisions are not motivated by spite, nor do I project my approach to this upon anyone else or judge them according to my own values. Simply put, I have sound and legal avenues and options about how to endorse product and corporate actions and I choose the ones that best align to my own core values.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[StihlKiwi]

Have you thought about why that is, what factors NZ lacks that adequately justifies the differentials observed, or what happens to such exceptions if buyers fail to endorse them?

Is it because the US is an enormous market, and we, just like Australia, are small markets on the other side of the world to the large manufacturing and distributing facilities?

As an aside, what are your views on Husqvarna prices in NZ? Do you boycott them also?

 

[KiwiBro]

Is it because the US is an enormous market, and we, just like Australia, are small markets on the other side of the world to the large manufacturing and distributing facilities?

As an aside, what are your views on Husqvarna prices in NZ? Do you boycott them also?

Low volume + high distance = premium. Understandable.

Let's look at the twin tyrannies of low volume and distance, and add in, for good measure, more costly shipping options:

One buyer on the other side of the world buying a single saw or part and shipping via air freight from a US retailer who has already paid to ship it to themselves from a distribution centre which has already paid to ship it from the manufacturer. In too many cases, that single individual buyer, moving a single item, via the most expensive (airfreight) option, can land the item (including customs charges and taxes) in NZ for significantly less than buying from a local store. Admittedly, the buyer should get it cheaper to compensate them for the effective lack of a warranty and the additional risks they assume, but there is no way, in my opinion, many of the Stihl RRP differentials are justifiable on a volume/distance/warranty/convenience/service basis. No way at all. Isolated cases will always exist and if it wasn't a trend, it would be easier for me to accept. But we aren't talking isolated cases. It's systemic, deliberate, backed by a policy of doing everything they can to actively discourage alternative options.

I take issue with the differentials and some of the attempts to limit NZ buyers alternative options. Haven't had any issue with the Stihl service or techs or those at the front line behind counters, it has to be said.

As for husky, I simply don't know enough about their products or corporate culture to have formed an opinion. I don't own anything from them (but am lusting after a 2100CD I got to use a while back). Not for any particular reason other than I'm happy with the quality of the gear I currently use so haven't needed to look elsewhere yet.

 

[StihlKiwi]

Ok. Big words aside, I understand that you don't like how Stihl controls their supply chain. Personally, its their products, if they want strict control over their supply chain then good on them - it seems to be working well.

You do realise that by buying gear overseas you're just lining a different pocket in the same pair of tyrannical pants right?

 

[KiwiBro]

Ok. Big words aside, I understand that you don't like how Stihl controls their supply chain. Personally, its their products, if they want strict control over their supply chain then good on them - it seems to be working well.

You do realise that by buying gear overseas you're just lining a different pocket in the same pair of tyrannical pants right?

You raised the issues of volume and distance. I've explained why I don't consider those justify the RRP differentials observed.

You are correct. Their product, their supply chain, their prerogative to control it through any legal means they see fit. Fortunately, our govt become so concerned with rorts they enacted legislation to explicitly allow the parallel importing of genuine name brand product in an attempt, albeit with some holes so big you can drive a bus through them, to enable some same-brand competition.

I've had my fill of discussing my position, see no point in circular discussions, so I am unsubscribing from this thread.

To those of the chainsaw/buyer brotherhood who care to help out someone on the other side of the world, thank you.

 

[hammerlogging]

I don't get why you don't just call Madsen's or someone. Its only saws that are no mail order specific, I don't think parts is an issue. Good luck.