Dear Manual, The Verdict Is In

[Lou]

There is no pressure from such competition, merely aggravation.

As far as pricing is concerned, the box stores are actually pretty good at sticking to the promo or "power" price in the program. The store employees are not allowed to "do any better" when customers are trying to beat them up on price. So, in some ways, I'd rather have them nearby, than another dealer.

And as someone else pointed out, they only sell the less expensive homeowner models. These types of retailers rarely have any success when trying to sell more expensive equipment. In fact, we just scored a great deal from Lowes inability to sell one of the pricier Husky trimmers. The trimmer regularly sells for $369, which is way beyond what the folks at Lowes usually sell. Lowes cried and Husky bought a bunch of them back, and offered them to us dealers. I've got 'em hanging on the rack with the Lowes price tags still on them. But I'm selling them for $200 and I'm making money. Yeah, I love that kind of pressure, and so do my customers.

The aggravation I mentioned is from a never ending stream of uninformed people who don't know how to run saws that were never properly set up. And, I don't have the time, and admittedly the patience, to deal with these idiots.

I'm amused by the whole box store dynamic concerning products such as power equipment, appliances and such, that will eventually require service. As soon as your money is in the draw, they tell you "Now if there is a problem, you don't call us. You call the 800 number of the manufacturer" Customer service at it's finest! And people accept that, and they go back for more. I don't know how they get away with it. Amazing.

I'm a little disappointed in you spike . Bad service connected with the brand you sell WILL eventually impact your sales. The only possible way to win them back is to be overly helpful when they encounter a problem. I will spend a little more at a dealer that treats me properly. I just wasn't willing to spend $600.00 + sales tax on a saw. Had I been my 359 would be a MS361 due to dealer treatment. It was nearly a 390. I'm not certain I should not have dismissed the professionals here and purchased that saw. That said my 359 meets all my expectations and easily handles what it was purchased to do.

 

[Lou]

I'm a little disappointed in you spike . Bad service connected with the brand you sell WILL eventually impact your sales. The only possible way to win them back is to be overly helpful when they encounter a problem. I will spend a little more at a dealer that treats me properly. I just wasn't willing to spend $600.00 + sales tax on a saw. Had I been my 359 would be a MS361 due to dealer treatment. It was nearly a 390. I'm not certain I should not have dismissed the professionals here and purchased that saw. That said my 359 meets all my expectations and easily handles what it was purchased to do.

Should you have to pucker up and kiss butt (hate the taste of butt) because of mistreatment by a different dealer? NO!!!
But if you do will you create a LIFETIME customer? PROBABLY.

 

[spike60]

I'm a little disappointed in you spike . Bad service connected with the brand you sell WILL eventually impact your sales. .

Lou, it isn't bad service, it's more like no service. We realize that there must be some level of attrition when turning away products that we didn't sell, but we accept that. (And the sales keep going up every year, so it can't be too bad)

I think that bad service would be the result for both the box store customers as well as my own, if we tried to service everything out there. We simply can't assume the service liabilty for an unknown quantity of equipment sold by a variety of different retailers, (who offer zero service), without having a negative effect on the service that we provide to our own customers.

Our service reputation, particularly with commercial products, brings in far more business than we can possibly lose by turning away lower priced consumer products. I've mentioned this a few times, but we rank 7th out of 1400 Exmark dealers in customer satisfaction. Most dealers dream of a rep like that. We can't allow the box store products, same brand or not, to interfere with what we need to do, which is maintaining the level of service our customers expect from us.

 

[spike60]

This is where dealer POV and consumer POV conflict, and why there is always going to be disagreement. You pretty much spell out that you don't want price competition from another dealer, and from a dealer's perspective, I can appreciate that. The consumer typically wants the lowest price, and the dealer typically wants the highest profit margin.

I'm not quite sure how taking the $369 trimmers from Lowes and giving them to you to sell for $200 makes any sense on Husky's part (why not let Lowes sell them for $200?) But yea, I would come to you for that price. It's the lowest price, and typically, meaning most folks, want the lowest price.

Rod, in your earlier post, you mentioned that someones intention can be misread in a post, and maybe that's what we are doing here.

Pricing? Other dealers have been known to gripe about my pricing, especially on saws. They are pretty aggressive. Like I said in my other post, my beef with the box stores isn't price, just the suggestion that I am supposed to cheerfully solve the service issues that they don't want to be bothered with.

Why not let Lowes sell them for $200? Because Lowes threw in the towel and said to come get 'em. Why should they benefit from their own inability to sell premium products? That's like a school making an exam easier and easier until the kids are "smart" enough to pass it.

 

[Lou]

Lou, it isn't bad service, it's more like no service. We realize that there must be some level of attrition when turning away products that we didn't sell, but we accept that. (And the sales keep going up every year, so it can't be too bad)

I think that bad service would be the result for both the box store customers as well as my own, if we tried to service everything out there. We simply can't assume the service liability for an unknown quantity of equipment sold by a variety of different retailers, (who offer zero service), without having a negative effect on the service that we provide to our own customers.

Our service reputation, particularly with commercial products, brings in far more business than we can possibly lose by turning away lower priced consumer products. I've mentioned this a few times, but we rank 7th out of 1400 Exmark dealers in customer satisfaction. Most dealers dream of a rep like that. We can't allow the box store products, same brand or not, to interfere with what we need to do, which is maintaining the level of service our customers expect from us.

My boss is a salesman. Every once in a while I need to take him aside and explain that putting a new customer ahead of those paying the rent is'nt a good idea. He just occasionally feels the need to bedazzle some new guy. Sell my service and good name we're in accord. Write a check on my time that impairs my ability to provide a quality product to all we serve and we are going to chat. Boss or no. I understand what you said.

(retracts the rotten things he was thinking)

 

[spike60]

One thing I am not impressed with is Stihls attacks on Husky for selling there saws at lowes, then Stihl turns around and sells there saws at Ace.

Manual is on to something here!

There is a bit of Stihl's "dealer only" chest beating that often gets missed. 8000 dealers is one heck of a lot of dealers! In some areas, Stihl's marketing plan resembles that of Coke and Pepsi. Stihl is in EVERY store. "We gotta be in this store cause they serve the loggers, and we gotta be in that store cause they serve the landscaper, and we gotta be in this other store cause they serve the homeowner, and oh yeah, we gotta have the rental store set up to sell the stuff too cause the contractors go there" Eight THOUSAND.

If a store 10 minutes away is selling the same product line, what's more significant, the kind of store, or the 10 minutes?

 

[jhellwig]

Yeah after reading this thread I am going to go to my local "full line" Stihl "servicing" dealer and round out my saw collection with the ever so elusive 290 and maybe a FS55.

Suprizingly enough husky doesn't admit that tsc or lowes sells their saw as they only list 2 dealers in the state of Iowa and by golly I know that there is more than 2 tsc's and lowes in the state. Kinda like they sell john deer. We all know that they mtdjd mowers they sell there are top notch.


Meh, I think I will go to my local shiwanda dealer. I know he will treat me right cause they aren't sold at box stores.............oh no, whats that? The only thing he has is a sign and a catalog?? Rats.

 

[THALL10326]

Manual is on to something here!

There is a bit of Stihl's "dealer only" chest beating that often gets missed. 8000 dealers is one heck of a lot of dealers! In some areas, Stihl's marketing plan resembles that of Coke and Pepsi. Stihl is in EVERY store. "We gotta be in this store cause they serve the loggers, and we gotta be in that store cause they serve the landscaper, and we gotta be in this other store cause they serve the homeowner, and oh yeah, we gotta have the rental store set up to sell the stuff too cause the contractors go there" Eight THOUSAND.

If a store 10 minutes away is selling the same product line, what's more significant, the kind of store, or the 10 minutes?

Good point Spike and I see Manual's point too. I don't know much about how Ace operates so I can't really say what their up to. I do know just a few months ago our rep came in and asked would I mind if he set up a new Stihl dealer only 6 miles away. He went through me to avoid what my boss might say. Used to be Stihl gave every dealer a 10 miles radius to operate in. Now that seems to be shortened up somewhat. My reply to him was hell yeah, set em up, I'll compete with them, not a problem. My co-worker James that runs our rental center didn't like the idea at all. I knew the rep was going to set that dealer up anyway so I took the go ahead approach, make my day. To date we're having the best sales year ever. That dealer hasn't hurt us at all, in fact I think they may have helped us by getting the name out there even more than it already is. I'm somewhat different I guess, I beleive in team play. If I don't have a part someone needs I'll call the nearest dealer for him and if they got it I'll send the customer there. In turn those same dealers at times send me customers for parts they don't have. Team work is a good thing overall.

 

[spike60]

I do know just a few months ago our rep came in and asked would I mind if he set up a new Stihl dealer only 6 miles away. He went through me to avoid what my boss might say.

Are you kidding, 6 miles??????????? That's what I mean. It's one thing to have to dealers a short drive from each other, but now you don't even have to start your car. You can just hop on your bicycle. I guess 8000 isn't enough; maybe they think they need 15,000.

Five to six hundred units a year isn't enough for them, huh? What is their reasoning for putting a guy this close? They really expect a big increase in market share with this move? What kind of store is it, a deli or a Pizza Hut or something like that? "Yeah, I'd like a mixed sub, a side of potato salad, and a MS361 please."

I always appreaciate the moral support you give us Husky dealers when you say that they have more or less crapped on us with the Lowes and TSC deals. But I don't think that Stihl is treating you guys any better by jamming you in that close. And it's not a price issue. It's just that you can only slice the pie so many times. And you're Stihl exclusive to boot. It's not like you have 2 or 3 other lines that you are selling. You are as committed to the product as anyone can be. They should treat you better than that.

Another point is that as we have said, only the cheaper Huskys are in the box stores. This guy will have the whole line, right? All of a sudden is doesn't look like Husky is treating us all that bad does it? I'm much happier with Husky than I would be with that nonsense.

 

[RiverRat2]

Manual!!!!! LMAO!!!!

I did not know I was doing any tap dancing, I thought I anwsered all your questions.
You did well at selling that MS460, It's a good saw.
Why didn't the web site tell that Husy is sold at sears, would be the same reason the stihl web sites don't say anything about Ace hardware.
Why are poeple coming to you for chains and not lowes, probably because they don't stock enough and sold out. They do stock and sell chains,bars, plugs, and oil.
Seems Husky is getting away from internet sales. But like any other addiction they did not go cold turkey. Husky went the right way about it.
I am impressed in both Husky and Stihls marketing.
One thing I am not impressed with is Stihls attacks on Husky for selling there saws at lowes, then Stihl turns around and sells there saws at Ace.
With the banning of sales on the internet, Sooner or later a Husky dealer will sit up camp in your back yard. Then you can take up these issues with them. However I will miss you.

What you dont state here is in order for the Ace Dealers to sell Stihl they have to hire or train a certified STIHL service tech because that is one of the main deals to be a dealer,,, they have to SERVICE What they SELL!!!!!!!!,,,, or they loose their franchise!!!!!!!!! oh yeah and we trade parts between the Smaller home owner ope dealer thats close to me with the Logging market Dealer that 15 miles north of me all the time because they stock all the big saw parts,,, and since I live smack in tha middle of tha two shops guess who goes and picks them up,,,,,,,??????

 

[Just Mow]

Lou, it isn't bad service, it's more like no service. We realize that there must be some level of attrition when turning away products that we didn't sell, but we accept that. (And the sales keep going up every year, so it can't be too bad)

I think that bad service would be the result for both the box store customers as well as my own, if we tried to service everything out there. We simply can't assume the service liabilty for an unknown quantity of equipment sold by a variety of different retailers, (who offer zero service), without having a negative effect on the service that we provide to our own customers.

Our service reputation, particularly with commercial products, brings in far more business than we can possibly lose by turning away lower priced consumer products. I've mentioned this a few times, but we rank 7th out of 1400 Exmark dealers in customer satisfaction. Most dealers dream of a rep like that. We can't allow the box store products, same brand or not, to interfere with what we need to do, which is maintaining the level of service our customers expect from us.

Very well said. I have a lot of dealer friends who only service what they sell and they prosper from it with a better client base than the people who but the crap from the box stores.

 

[outdoortype]

Husky has price issues.....

Thall was right about Husky pricing issues. I walked into a store that sold Husky and Stihl. There was an MS-361 w/20" bar for $589(sames as other local Stihl dealers). They had a Husky 357xp w/20" bar for $689. Bailey's & Amicks both sell them for under $600 including shipping. What do you charge, Spike? If I really want a Husky, I'm almost forced to buy via internet. I don't think internet sales are bad if it's limited to a servicing dealer. I just know that somehow Husky is hurting their local dealers with pricing. There shouldn't be a $100 difference in these saws.

 

[RiverRat2]

I C U Lurkin!!!!

Very well said. I have a lot of dealer friends who only service what they sell and they prosper from it with a better client base than the people who but the crap from the box stores.

Did ya check your PM's??????????????

 

[manual]

Very well said. I have a lot of dealer friends who only service what they sell and they prosper from it with a better client base than the people who but the crap from the box stores.

Now you thinking, Just put it together.
Yes Husky sells to box stores, but only there non xp's
Now getting off subject a bit.

I started a lawn care business a few years back. Around here people stick with who they have until they die or they use family. I have seen some of the worse lawn care jobs on peoples yards and they like it.
So my big mistake was to go cheap and do a good job. I ended up making minimum wage or less I even had one lady say I do too much for what little I charge and she did not want me back. So I knew I was do a good job. some others found if they left trash out and about I would clean up after them so that got to be a bigger burden.
Moral of the story Cheap people want more for nothing.


Now back to Box stores.
Yes you can go cheap and buy a saw from lowes. But that is all you are going to get. They know Cheap people want more for nothing. Thats way they don't offer service afterwords.
So now mr. penny pincher's saw breaks, He takes it to Lowes, Lowes says we do work on them go to a dealer. Mr Dealer looks at the saw and tells Mr. Penny pincher that it will cost him half of what he paid for the saw to get it fixed. Mr. penny picher says forget it I can get a new saw and be better off, Why? Because Mr. penny pincher Knows he dropped the saw one two many times or got all he could out of that burnt up chain and also forgot to drain the saw when he used it last fall. So he returns to Lowes.
Moral of this story, A cheap man pays twice.

Now the only person who wins in both stories is the Manufacturer for offering the goods to do the job. And that is what Husky is trying to capitalize on.
Is it hurting them? NO, because there is also a Quality market.
Thats what the dealer base stores need to focus on.

 

[Lou]

If I need service beyond my capability, do I care who's name is on the sign? Whether Stihl or Husky I'm going with the dealer that I feel will correct my problem or look me in the eye and say estimated repair costs exceed current market value.

 

[SawTroll]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwww but the truth will at last set him free. No more will he say you gotta count all those other brands with Husky to turn the numbers. Those other brands aren't good for Husky as was shown in front of the rack today.

(sides no doubt he and me will find something else to fuss about,hehe)

I find you guilty of not telling that couple the whole truth, you "forgot" to say that the Husky xp saws aren't sold at the box stores.....:angry2: :angry2:

Noughty man! :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[SawTroll]

. I've yet to have a customer inquire about vib systems, filtration systems or performance, they simply could care less.

Good thing they don't .LOL

Not to worry matie, the cloning process has begun and it all started with the 441.

Good point, but it really started with the 361 (partial clone)......:greenchainsaw:

 

[bowtechmadman]

Interesting thread! Someone stated it early in the thread "it's more about salemanship, than product at times."
Local Hardware store deals in Husky sales and repair, with them they are rather happy about the box stores (lowes,TSC in same small town) carrying Husky. This guy is where all the product comes in to be serviced (to include warranty work from TSC and Lowe's)...they had to add an additional repair guy just to keep up. He says it's amazing how many people buy the saw at Lowes and he has to repair it b/c they had no clue how to operate it...seen one that had burnt the chain and bar so bad was in for warranty repair...saw was caked so full of dirt no way oil was going to get to the bar let alone how dull the chain was.
Same guy sold me two 346's an XP and XPG for 300 each...so needless to say he has my business and will keep it.
Stihl dealer on the other hand is the local John Deere dealer, I won't walk in the place again...shopping to replace my JD lawn tractor and he wouldn't budge on price and wanted to give me 500 less than anyone else for my JD trade in...Decided to keep the garden tractor and purchase a bagger...he quoted me $150.00 more than two other JD dealers w/in 70 mile radius for the bagger, thanks but i'll drive to save the 150. Quoted me 46 bucks for a 13" chain for my old Stihl top handle saw...Husky guy made me up one for 14 bucks....hmmmm....Won't be shopping there any longer!
Salesmanship has driven me to only visit my local Husky Private Dealer. Sorry about being long winded but seems to fit a bit with the thread.

 

[Just Mow]

Interesting thread! Someone stated it early in the thread "it's more about salemanship, than product at times."
Local Hardware store deals in Husky sales and repair, with them they are rather happy about the box stores (lowes,TSC in same small town) carrying Husky. This guy is where all the product comes in to be serviced (to include warranty work from TSC and Lowe's)...they had to add an additional repair guy just to keep up. He says it's amazing how many people buy the saw at Lowes and he has to repair it b/c they had no clue how to operate it...seen one that had burnt the chain and bar so bad was in for warranty repair...saw was caked so full of dirt no way oil was going to get to the bar let alone how dull the chain was.
Same guy sold me two 346's an XP and XPG for 300 each...so needless to say he has my business and will keep it.
Stihl dealer on the other hand is the local John Deere dealer, I won't walk in the place again...shopping to replace my JD lawn tractor and he wouldn't budge on price and wanted to give me 500 less than anyone else for my JD trade in...Decided to keep the garden tractor and purchase a bagger...he quoted me $150.00 more than two other JD dealers w/in 70 mile radius for the bagger, thanks but i'll drive to save the 150. Quoted me 46 bucks for a 13" chain for my old Stihl top handle saw...Husky guy made me up one for 14 bucks....hmmmm....Won't be shopping there any longer!
Salesmanship has driven me to only visit my local Husky Private Dealer. Sorry about being long winded but seems to fit a bit with the thread.

What is a Husky PRIVATE DEALER:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[joatmon]

Tommie, Tommie. I love you like a brother and all, well, 'lest as much as my dog named Max, but, one 460 sale and you've got the worldwide saw distribution network model nailed.

But, saw sales happen everyday, thousands of times. It happens when 2 people come eyeball to eyeball and do the sales dance. Yep, every dance is a little different, witness:

Some, it's ALL about price. Key words to look for, "I can getter fer _____ at _____. Home Departure and Lows cater to this market. No problem, if you're cheap.

Some, it's ALL about service. I've got a Stihl dealer that promotes service. He'll let my homeowner trimmer, blower, mower, saw sit for weeks while he services the 'scapers. No problem, if you're a 'scaper.

Some, it's ALL about convience. My local ACE is like that. You can buy garden hose, conduit, fertilizer and a new saw at the same time. Problem here is that it took them 25 minutes to find the right chain for my saw. Oh, that didn't know that the 441 existed. No problem, if you're an impulse buyer.

Some, it's ALL about being a Saw Shop. They talk logger talk, drink logger beer, tell logger jokes, have big bars and dogs in stock. No problem, if you're a logger.

Some, it's all about image. JD dealer serves the yuppies that wear their little green hats on Saturday morning. My dealer said, "Yep, no problems with this 441. It's been all good". "May I ask, how many have ya put on the street?". "Well, one, and haven't heard back from him". No problem, if you're a yuppie.

Some, it's about being SOLD. It called SALEMANSHIP, or salepersonship in these modern times. Some people look for value and buy, not only a product or a company, but a local dealer, or a person. Think Tommie. Refer to post #1 if you have any questions. Go hang with Tommie for a week if you want an advanced degree in salesmanship.

Tommie could sell Stihl, Husky, Johnny Reds, Dolmars or even the Chartreuse Wonder.

Post 1. A saw is sold to a person by a salesman.

Listen up Manual, even you would succumb to Tommie powers and buy a Stihl.

Think MA crawling into the ring for another round. That's Tommie when a prospect enters through his doors.

The CHAMP.