Husqvarna sinks to all time low

[sedanman]

As another slap in the face of servicing dealers, Husqvarna has prostituted themselves yet again! Take a look at the latest Northern Tool & Equipment catalog. They've got more than a dozen pieces of outdoor power equipment and 8 chainsaws, 136,141,340,345,350,Rancher55,359 and 365.

Here's a link, see for yourselves



.http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/...ART_ROW_NO=31&TOTAL_ROWS_FOUND=41&PAGECOUNT=4

 

[Fish]

No, those saws are just orange Poulans.

 

[eyolf]

I was at a Northern store about a month ago and saw the line-up. I suppose the $570 price isn't bad for the 365, but nothing special, either. I know I can sweet-talk my way into a Jonsey 2165 a little cheaper, and for maybe $20 more can get a 2171 locally.

Northern Tool, AKA Northern Hydraulics, is a stocking, servicing dealer...at least any of the storefronts here in MN offer service on any number of the things they sell. The stores look like a surplus store inside, and the help is usually pretty unaware of anything.

Not much of a threat to the little guy down the street, especially the ones that build their business around parts, service, and accessories. For example Northern stocks the consumer tie-bar chain in front. They will make loops of Oregon LG, if you ask (and the service guy has time, if the spool has any chain left on it), but for a price your dealer may laugh at.

 

[Bill G]

The Northern Hydraulics store that I go to has the prices posted for all saws, trimmers, and blowers that Husky makes. They have the prices all the way up to the 3120XP. If memory serves me correctly their prices were average at best. I do know that my local dealer will sell saws at or below the local box store.

Bill

 

[ClearH20Scott]

This past fall Northern was moving old stock '98 and '99 335's
for 269.95, they didn't last long. From what I could tell they
were new in the box. Eyolf hit it though, the store folks don't
know their rear end from second base when you bait them with
mundane questions. Most Northern stores also have a separate
area where they keep the Wild Things, and chains and oil, etc.
I also saw some new, cheap McCulloch that will last a guy a
weekend or two, which is all they really care about anyhow.

 

[tree monkey]

the only thing that husky cares about is the #1 title. thay couldn't care less about what hapens to the small dealers who got them to where thay are today. i have a video tape of husky's president stating how great it was going to be for the small dealer when thay start selling saws at lowes. he does not have the guts to say it face to face with any small dealer. training is done via video tape also. this is how it comes apart, watch in reverse to see how it goes together. i did not know a scrench was used as a torque wrench, and what do i use to seal the cylinder to that plastic crankcase? very informative video. not. now i take a test via my pc. what size tractor does this engine go in? what the he** do i care, i don't sell tractors. if i don't pass the test i only get $25 per hour for warranty work, witch is pro rated.

husky is flushing there own heads in the toilet, one day thay will slide down the pipes.

imho

later

 

[Tony Snyder]

The local area chain type farm stores Big Red (Rural King) are selling and discounting Stihls. I can't see where they have any service for them, unless they are transporting them to another location.

I did notice that they didn't have anything bigger than a MS440 in stock.

This may be the start of a similar type of marketing from Stihl.

 

[daveb]

Originally posted by eyolf
I was at a Northern store about a month ago and saw the line-up. I suppose the $570 price isn't bad for the 365, but nothing special, either.

Not bad?, $510 at alamia for the 365 , you can get the 372XP for $569 also, so northern is way off.

 

[Ryan Willock]

Does Northern even have a single product made in America??? (aside from oregon chain)

 

[paul soccodato]

ryan,
northern has a lot of stuff made in the usa. they have little flags next to the products, in thier catalog.

now harbor freight on the other hand....

 

[eyolf]

Daveb sez:

Not bad?, $510 at alamia for the 365 , you can get the 372XP for $569 also, so northern is way off.

Yes, from a pure price standpoint, Northern isn't "anything special". I've seen internet prices on the 2171 Jonsered at $565, too. I wouldn't ask my local dealer to do the same price, but adding $25 to $40 to that price is more than fair.

If I buy a saw from Alamia, I get a saw in a box, I don't know if it has been checked over, if it has been adjusted for my climate and altitude, has been assembled, etc. I still pay an extra $20 for shipping, take a chance that freight damage or loss will cause headaches to deal with, and finally, I'll have to still maintain a relationship with a dealer for little stuff. I'll even have to dispose of the box. For an extra $40, my dealer takes care of all that.

My point was that buying a 365 from Northern at $570, or buying one from the little guy down the street at the same price...there's no comparison. Not even a real comparison to paying $570 from the local guy, and getting one for $520 from the "net.

I don't think Northern is much of a threat.

 

[daveb]

Eyolf, I misread your post that you were in a Northern store. I was referring to Northern mail order or internet sales as I have always bought from the Northern catalog. I didn't know they had stores also. In the catalog, it seemed to me that the 365 was the only saw that was overpriced, and the others they listed were in the ballpark of other vendors.

 

[Weatherby]

I have seen husqvarna in Northern Stores for awhile now. In fact I think they were there before they were ever at Lowes or Sears.

Rob

 

[Tony Snyder]

We don't know what the new low is yet. But, I think we will look back and view the late 90s as the pinnacle, but I have been wrong a lot before.

 

[ClearH20Scott]

Hi Tony,

Will that be the new low, or the new Lowes?

 

[sawracr]

The pricing for catalogue stores is higher than servicing dealers, makes for good advertizing dollars for the small dealer, and as for the warranty work the dealer can take it or leave it. Not a bad ploy to get more exposure for Husvarna. Jon

 

[sawracr]

Sorry, Husqvarna

 

[Tony Snyder]

The Electrolux marketeers have found McCullochs secret treasure map to chainsaw success. It was buried under the reconstructed London Bridge.