davefr,
As a matter of fact we were talking about the internet availability of Huskies and how unhappy they are that the "factory" isn't doing much of anything to enforce the dealer contracts with those 2 or 3 big mailorder houses. (although some of their prices aren't much cheaper any more)
As for price fixing, I think we are talking about different aspects of pricing. I don't know about Stihl dictating pricing other than MSRP and trying to control distribution by eliminating internet competition. It would seem from some of the Stihl dealers that there is some wiggle room on price dependent on the situation, maybe I'm wrong about that interpretation. True price fixing in the economic sense is like when the 3 competing gas stations on the same block all agree to sell gas for the same price and can therefore maintain an artificially high price. If I were a Stihl dealer I think I might be in favor of Stihl's "price-fixing", rather than struggle and go belly up because everyone decide to buy saws online for 20% less from a large volume warehouse. Does Stihl contractual obligate dealers to sell at MSRP or do they strongly suggest?
