Husky in box stores?

[D]

Having a background in sales, I would have the side of Stihl on this one. The protect their dealers. If I was a dealer, I would be happy. Parts is another story. I would put all the parts I could sell on there. From any company. They dont have serial numbers on there. So you cant trace them. There is a way around selling anything. I used to sell a bunch of different products and I wasnt even a dealer for them. Dealers want to make money. So offer them a few bucks to sell for them. Saved me a ton.

If you want a list of those craftsman products...here you go http://www.totalpowerstore.com/faq_answers1.htm#sears1 This was my former store.....and I still host their website.

 

[tundraotto]

so how about us guys in the back#@s of the woods that dont have a good dealer of either - stihl or husky? i know i dont - both SUCK!!! they charge $5 to burn up a chain!!!

who'd sell to us midrange people? i have a sears and lowes. would buy from both - sears for sure - cant beat their guarantee - like walmart, you dont like it AFTER you use it? BRING IT BACK! id like to see any chainsaw dealer do that - of course this would piss a lot of people (pros that - like john said earlier, dont like to babysit consumers that dont know the back of the saw from the front - but someone's gonna make millions from selling to these idiots...) i'm not claiming to be the all knowing about saws but - i see a good price and service like that its hard to pass up IF I AM BUYING A CONSUMER SAW. i buy from madsens...but everything is a balance of service and price and my brand dealers cant provide either - so madsens i love you and sears lowes and whomever else welcome.

 

[sonny]

Darin your so correct. I understand why stihl does not sell units online. & the parts can be sold. Just cant advertize them online.It reminds me a few yrs. back a cust. came in (cash paying cust.)he wanted to buy at lease 1,000 carb kits. Pre pay for them.I called stihl & there reply was NO WAY. they said it sounded like he was going to re-sale them. Sure he was. In twaian or something.Oh well 1 lost sale.I did end up selling him around 300 dozen files.

 

[sonny]

Oh im sorry I knew someone that sold him the files

 

[D]

Some dealers may burn your chain up. This is true. Some dealers suck. This is true. I see your point, if you live in the middle of nowhere and have no other place to choose from. That does suck, especially when the dealer is bad news.

Sonny, carb kits? Sell them. They would never know. Not only that but I never bought my carb kits from stihl anyway. Oem is the way to go. Walbro, Tillotson, Bing, TK, and Zama. I always bought them cheaper than Stihl. It was the same stuff. They would never have known. I did it all the time. That doesnt make it right, but like the other guys said, they will get it from somebody else. This is a lost sale for Stihl.

 

[Fish]

Yeah, let me know of your next carb kit deal. I can get a much
better price than Stihl, and in that quantity, you could get them
real cheap.
Fish

 

[Dennis]

Got the official letter today from Dave Zerfoss, President of Husqvarna, North America today....."Husqvarna has formed a relationship with Lowe's and Sears (US only) to carry a limited line of Husqvarnas products in select locations beginning first quarter 2002."

the letter does go on to state that the professional user is the companys primary focus and that th Power Retailers are the best channel of distribution to the professional user...but they are looking for the "brand concious" homeowners as well....

 

[D]

Zerfoss See you in Kentucky at the expo next year.

 

[Fish]

If any of you actually make it to the Expo next year, you will have
come by my place and have a brew and catch some fish, I live
on a lake just east of Louisville. Every year I go and the expo
gets smaller and smaller, and I swear I won't go next year, but
I always do. The kohler booth didn't even have AC this year,
but they still crank out the brats.
Fish

 

[D]

I plan on going every year. I do like the Kohler booth. But the Husky booth is pretty good to. MISS SWEDEN!!!! Polaris booth was popular stop for me this year too. I wanted to offer them my braut. Then I looked at my ring finger and the devil on my left shoulder and thought.......NAAAAAA. Lets go BS at the arborwear booth.

I will look ya up next year FISH.

 

[Walt Galer]

Howdy,

I'm sure you guys who have been around the industry for a while know how I hate to stir the pot, but... Have you ever considered the downside of what happens for a manufacturer that goes mass market with a product that is designed to cut things? No, I don't mean the carping you hear among dealers.

The killer is product liability. As a very good attorney is Wahington DC taught me: "The public believes the injured should be compensated, and that compensation is to be paid by higher prices for the goods sold". "The jury mearly reflects society". Now what do you think happens when someone gets hurt with a chainsaw, does not hear from the manufacturer, and has purchased from a mass merchant? Who's pocket is deepest, the local dealer or the manufacturer? Who does the injured have to talk to at the mass merchant? Are you beginning to get the picture?

When a chainsaw manufacturer goes mass distribution, I believe their fate is sealed. Not immediately, but in the long run, as cases and settlements accumulate, and the company becomes ever more attractive of record to the leagle beagles. A foreign owned company, that fights off every case is the least attractive. A domestic large company that makes settlements is the most attractive.

Myself, I found that it is quite possible to insulate a manufacturer from product liability, for all practical purposes if the dealers are instructed as to how to handle news of an injury. The secret is the first 24 hours. 90% or more of cases are prevented from ever being filed if the dealer has interviened and called the manufacturer's tech. rep.-immediately- and the factory has called the injured back inside of that 24 hour window. The reason is quite simple. If the injured believes he is going to be taken care of, there are no lawyers involved, and no case of record for other lawyers to reference. Once a leagle settlement is reached through attornys however, the dam has burst, and the manufacturer looks like easy money.

Something to chew on.

Regards,
Walt Galer

 

[Fish]

me and Walt have been bumping into each other on a few forums
for a year or so, and I can say that he never stirs a pot, he might
dump it on the kitchen floor though.
It would be a good Expo though if we could all get together
in some Louisville mammary bar, smoking Macunudos, and
discuss these issues that we discuss here, on this humble forum,
and I still believe that Walt will make any college frat boy blush
on his partying ability. If Walt can make it, I will arrange for the
media coverage. Lambert will have to show up as well, so the
good neighbors to our North will have full coverage.
This years Miss Sweden is a waitress at the Louisville Hooters,
so it will be easy to set up the photo session. But she is only off
on Tuesday and Sunday{except for Superbowl}.
Miss Afganistan will have her own wing of the exposition center,
as the other booths have dropped out.
Fish

 

[Cicero]

Stihl is the only product that went up in total sales this year. In answering your other question "is Stihl selling out to John Deere". NO. Stihl does more sales dollars worldwide than John Deere does. So maybe ask this question, is Stihl buying John Deere? Stihl does over half of the Cut Saw business, and are the largest selling chainsaw on the market. Looks like they are doing something right regardless of the internet sales. Husky has a broader product line? Maybe in the US, but Stihl sells its mowers (Viking) in other countries, just chooses not to deal with the US with all the competive lawn care stuff over here. Stihl was up 16% last year, everyone else was down. So if you want to know why Husky is in boxstores......I just answered it. They lost marketshare in a big way. No other reason. Sorry, Husky lovers....I preach the truth. :angel:

 

[Gypo Logger]

Here in Canada, I have never seen Huskys sold at Canadian Tire Corp. ( more than just tires). I have only seen them at Husky dealers. Husky would do well if they made things easier for the box store comsumer, by coming up with 14", 16", 20", and 24" chainsaws, thus making it easier for Harry the Homeowner to make a wise and well thought out decision without a sales person forcing them to buy a saw that was 2" to big for them.
John