Local dealer news...

[Rspike]

Now what kinda of saws are we talking about here ? Box stores , Sears , TSC . I have seen just the 455 , 340 in Sears- web site one has these saws too. TSC - around here they only have the 455 , 350 , 345 , 340 , 142. thats all that offered on the web site too. The local box stores has the same homeowner line up. You dont see any XP or pro saws in the box stores. Our local Husqvarna dealer has maybe 1 of the above listed home owner saws and a lot of stock on the other real / pro / xp chainsaws . ( 350,353,359,362,365,372,570,575,385,ect.....) So there not really directly selling the same chainsaws as each other. My question is the Husqvarna "dealer" really hurting buy the "less" sales of the husqvarna "homeowner line" ? I also noticed the Husqvarna dealer is the only game in town to buy the lawnmower line too, has all the yard care tools as well. spike60 ~ I'm sure you can answer that question.

 

[stckciv]

I have had item backordered that have been sold to those stores and have backorders for saws they dont sell. I think they have had more backorders lately than all the years we have sold them.

I just feel that the manufactures are making it hard for the dealers to make money and they have taken away a lot of what made it fun, and this is not just Husky, Stihl did the same thing.

Big problem with Husky is in order for them to post your name on their web site this is what you have to buy -
25 - Saws/ Cut Off Saws
20 - Blowers/ Trimmers/ Pole Saws/ Bruschcutters/ Mini-Cultivators/ Edgers/ CT20 Tiller/ Nova Cut
10 - Walks/ Snow Blowers/ Tillers/ HVT Trimmer/ LE 389
6 - Tractors/ ZTR/ Specialty Turf/ HUV/ CZ/ EZ
2 - Pressure Washers/ Generators

I dont want to sell a walk behind mower of theirs, its made by AYP which is who makes Sears mowers. I cant sell 6 tractors in my area, most houses sit on less than 1/4 acre around here so you dont need anything that big. I sell Honda generators so why purchase any from Husky.

Even though you buy $50k, $75k or $100k worth of handheld and parts they will not put your name on their site unless you sell all that crap.

The last saw I got in which was b/o a month was a 395, the units that were said to be 3 months out have all come in. Maybe 3 week b/o on those which would have been 340,345,350,359,338.

I dont think Lowes is the place to blame, my problem is how they treat the dealers that have been buying saws for years. Lowes is on the website, not me, that was a nice way for Husky to say thanks for 20 years of selling their equipment.

Thats why I will add Dolmar as another saw to sell. Maybe they will appreciate the dealers.

 

[spike60]

Good point Rspike.

You are correct that the box stores pretty much have just the small saws. They usually have the popular 350's and the little Poulan based models. Lowes also has the 359. But most of the Lawn and Garden stuff is also at Lowes, along with the snow blowers. Plus they also have special "lowes" models that are available to the dealer base, but at very short margins. (Just another way to warm my heart.)

The competition on the XP's and other good stuff is from both the web and the shear number of dealers that are out there. Many of whom are not exactly sharp business people. If the 4500 number is correct, that is way too many.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Now what kinda of saws are we talking about here ? Box stores , Sears , TSC . I have seen just the 455 , 340 in Sears- web site one has these saws too. TSC - around here they only have the 455 , 350 , 345 , 340 , 142. thats all that offered on the web site too. The local box stores has the same homeowner line up. You dont see any XP or pro saws in the box stores. Our local Husqvarna dealer has maybe 1 of the above listed home owner saws and a lot of stock on the other real / pro / xp chainsaws . ( 350,353,359,362,365,372,570,575,385,ect.....) So there not really directly selling the same chainsaws as each other. My question is the Husqvarna "dealer" really hurting buy the "less" sales of the husqvarna "homeowner line" ? I also noticed the Husqvarna dealer is the only game in town to buy the lawnmower line too, has all the yard care tools as well. spike60 ~ I'm sure you can answer that question.

I asked him that very question. He said it did'nt matter which saw he ordered, HO line or Pro line, almost guranteed backorder.

Now, He did say Husky didnt always backorder saws, but to often for him to try and keep them on the shelves.

He does prefer Stihl to Husky.

 

[Rspike]

? #1 If the Husqvarna dealer sells say........ the 346XP and then why dont the dealer keep the chainsaw "on hand"? Why the backorders? Why the need to order. I would think a back order wouldnt be an issue if the dealer had the stock on hand. Now the odd 100cc ++ chainsaw i could maybe see not keeping on hand but you would think the "dealer" would stock the items they sell . I have my own business and i know things have to be ordered ...... but if there is an item that is hard to get , needs more delivery time , back ordered then "i do my job" and take that into account and make sure i have what i need on hand. If you go to a "chainsaw dealer" and they have to order a pouplar saw and not have it on hand then I wouldnt think much of them as a good dealer . Again , I know not every thing is a perfect world ............ but damn , you would think a chainsaw dealer would have the stock on hand , its there specialty ........ its what they do . Also , Maybe its the dealers not ordering the right stock and all the dealers at once has customers wanting chainsaw and now every body at once is ordering chainsaw . I have been around retail and wholesale for many years and its hard to supply "all at once sales" ..........Its like a snow storm for the grocery business .......the weather man says 6" of snow and now all of a sudden every body and there brother has to go stock up. This might be also why Husqvarna , Stihl ect .. ect want you to have a supply of stock on hand ......... a good dealer should NOT need to order the items there selling when there sold . They should be reordering there downed stock as it sells. If you have been in retail / wholesale you should of heard this about a million times .......... " is hard as hell to sell if you dont have it to sell " or "you cant sell something you dont have". I dont think is just the supply house ( Husqvarna in this case ) I think its a break down of over all dealers & supply . just my .02

 

[CaseyForrest]

Following your logic, Spike, doesn't that mean Husqvarna is forcing their dealers to buy enough product at one time to cover back-orders? How many saws is the dealer going to have to buy in every category to cover at the worst a 3 month backorder?

The issue at hand isn't the back-orders, we all know things get back-ordered due to limited production or a time of inflated sales. What my dealer said was it didn't matter when he ordered or what he ordered, his order would get shipped when all the orders for the big stores were filled. Essentially Husky saying to the little guy we want to take care of big business first. That goes against the mom and pop logic so many fight to protect.

 

[Rspike]

I understand where your comming from ..........I myself think the dealer in question is full of smoke .....I could be wrong but i just dont see that to be true from a major company like Husqvarna . + again .. the box stores are only selling the small plastic homeowner chainsaws ( except the 359 ) so the XP and pro saw should be a problem . If your dealer is having this probelm i wonder why all the internet stores dont have a problem with stock on hand ? I was talking with my local husqvarna dealer last week ( that has everything stocked ) how long it would take to order a 395xp ....... he told me 2 days 4 at the very most . ( he dont stock over the 385xp size saw ) Its a great topic Casey but i think there is a lot of lack of information or smoke here for "us" to bet any real $$ on the issue. If what you say is the case then that is super low to do to the local dealers.

 

[stckciv]

I should be able to get saws same day because of the wharehouse 4 miles away, but thats not always the case.

I see your point but let me explain it a little better - In order to get a better discount we have to buy at least 12 saws at a time, not a big issue except when b/o arise and saws trickle in and you have to write 5 checks to cover the saws.

Yes we stock saws but that doesnt always help, we had a big wind storm and all of the 372's were gone that day, then b/o, so you wait a month. Rep comes in says we need to stock more, customer says we need to stock more, but why cant Husky stock more also?

As far as Lowes, I dont blame them for b/o and I dont think anyone should, if someone waved a $40 million check in my face id kiss their butt. I just feel that Husky and others are not doing what they should to keep product out there.

(this isnt only Husky, a few manufactures have the same problem)

 

[Rspike]

I should be able to get saws same day because of the wharehouse 4 miles away, but thats not always the case.

I see your point but let me explain it a little better - In order to get a better discount we have to buy at least 12 saws at a time, not a big issue except when b/o arise and saws trickle in and you have to write 5 checks to cover the saws.

Yes we stock saws but that doesnt always help, we had a big wind storm and all of the 372's were gone that day, then b/o, so you wait a month. Rep comes in says we need to stock more, customer says we need to stock more, but why cant Husky stock more also?

As far as Lowes, I dont blame them for b/o and I dont think anyone should, if someone waved a $40 million check in my face id kiss their butt. I just feel that Husky and others are not doing what they should to keep product out there.

(this isnt only Husky, a few manufactures have the same problem)

Its a pickle ......... no dought about it . Its hard to take the 372xp for example because of the......lower stock ..... going to a different model .......?? I have seen some of the Internet stores post having 40 372xp's on hand and then the next week there out . Its is going away is what we are told so unsure what the stock supply is for that model . I do agree that the stock need to be "up-ed" per Husqvarna and maybe the dealer needs to up the stock too on that item for the lack of supply it may have. Maybe a phone call to Husqvarna or a heart to heart sit down with the rep to get every on the same page before things happen and not after there an issue . I would think that Husqvarna would have sore of news letter , FYI or detailed information with what going on month by month ....week by week or whatever. If no information is getting around from husqvarna to dealer then i guess that Husqvarna is not on the best business end of things and some of the C.E.O.'s need to go home and let someone else run it like it should .

 

[CaseyForrest]

I understand where your comming from ..........I myself think the dealer in question is full of smoke .....I could be wrong but i just dont see that to be true from a major company like Husqvarna . + again .. the box stores are only selling the small plastic homeowner chainsaws ( except the 359 ) so the XP and pro saw should be a problem . If your dealer is having this probelm i wonder why all the internet stores dont have a problem with stock on hand ? I was talking with my local husqvarna dealer last week ( that has everything stocked ) how long it would take to order a 395xp ....... he told me 2 days 4 at the very most . ( he dont stock over the 385xp size saw ) Its a great topic Casey but i think there is a lot of lack of information or smoke here for "us" to bet any real $$ on the issue. If what you say is the case then that is super low to do to the local dealers.

I agree, its more speculation from me than anything. I dont know all the details. Just passing on some Info I obtained.

 

[stckciv]

I agree both should have more on stock, the 372 was just an example. I have received fax's for models, called and ordered and they wont have them for a month. 90% of the fax's/newsletters I get on Husky are about tractors and offers on mowing equipment. It is very rare we get anything on saws. What happened to all the specials with a free carrying case or chain loop or something for the dealer? I think Dolmar does it.

I wont get into the Rep. thing or calling and talking to someone that will do anything. All I will say is that has gone WAY down hill, not just Husky but Stihl also. Its not how it used to be.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

The Husky rep had said they had about 4500 dealers and expected 1500 in 5 to 10 years.

Hmmm. Sounds like they are WANTING 1500 in 5 to 10. If they were NOT, they'd be scrambling to do something about it.

 

[stckciv]

I think Husky wants less dealers that do more volume and carry everything in their lineup. They have told dealers in the area that they will not just sell them saws, they have to be a full line dealer.

I guess we will see how these manufactures will do in 5 - 10 years and if there is someone new at the top.