No more internet sales!

[chowdozer]

Who said that they have to warranty it ?
I think you could use that to your advantage, Educate your customers.
show better service, things like that.

Are you saying that Husky should not honor their warranties at Lowe's and Sears? I'm sure that will really propel sales.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

See alot of threads on help me fix my Stihl.
What would happen to the train of thought. "You Pay more because you get More. "

I see alot of saws getting fixed on here.

And if the new fleet of brick and mortar only Husky dealers can give you better service than someone online, (which they would) and the prices are higher (as they would be) then the "pay more because you get more" would hold true....for Stihl as well as Husky.

Jeff

 

[chowdozer]

What would happen to the train of thought. "You Pay more because you get More. "

I think it goes right along with, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em". :hmm3grin2orange:
What better compliment than to copy Stihl's marketing plan?

From Husky's actions, I can conclude that internet sales cost them money in the long run. If they could make and sustain profit on the internet, they would continue internet sales. Something I believe Stihl and Dolmar already knew.

 

[manual]

Are you saying that Husky should not honor their warranties at Lowe's and Sears? I'm sure that will really propel sales.

Yes, they should honor there warranties, Alot gets thrown on the inedpendent dealers that did not even sell the saw.
thats what lake and I were talking about.

 

[manual]

I see alot of saws getting fixed on here.

And if the new fleet of brick and mortar only Husky dealers can give you better service than someone online, (which they would) and the prices are higher (as they would be) then the "pay more because you get more" would hold true....for Stihl as well as Husky.

Jeff

I think it goes right along with, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em". :hmm3grin2orange:
What better compliment than to copy Stihl's marketing plan?

From Husky's actions, I can conclude that internet sales cost them money in the long run. If they could make and sustain profit on the internet, they would continue internet sales. Something I believe Stihl and Dolmar already knew.

You need to look at the big picture that Husky has done, With Marketing.
They went with elux, now broke away from them, bought up Jonsered, Poulan, and Red max. That takes alot of money. If they were to follow Stilhs Lay out, I don't think they could have done that. Internet and Box stores makes fast money for Husky. Maybe not so good for the Husky independent dealers. But as a whole good for all.
I don't know what Huskys next move is but it sounds like, It's pay back time for the Independents, Also I am waiting to see what Red max is going to do with Huskys already good saws.
You pay more because you get more is B.S. I'll take my Kubota mid size tractor over a John Deere any day.

 

[Gologit]

OMG! What's going to happen to all of the "Stihl sucks because they're so expensive and only sold in dealerships, that's why I love the Husky I bought online and can't figure out how to tune," threads?

Jeff

:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: Yup!

 

[PES+]

Who said that they have to warranty it ?
I think you could use that to your advantage, Educate your customers.
show better service, things like that.

Husky does in their dealer agreement

"The dealer is expected to use resonable judgment in any warranty situation. All authorized Husqvarna Dealers shall provide service to all customers on an equal basis regardless of where the product was purchased."

This policy may no longer be in effect as I don't really care to find out

 

[manual]

Husky does in their dealer agreement

"The dealer is expected to use resonable judgment in any warranty situation. All authorized Husqvarna Dealers shall provide service to all customers on an equal basis regardless of where the product was purchased."

This policy may no longer be in effect as I don't really care to find out

Well then if you must, Thats when upgrading and salemanship comes in.
Would you like a new chain, how about some oil, ect.

 

[Lakeside53]

Who said that they have to warranty it ?
I think you could use that to your advantage, Educate your customers.
show better service, things like that.

When a Husky owner walks into your saw with his Lowes special and asks for warranty service, it's real hard not not piss him off by telling him to take it somewhere else... Piss off one customer, he tells 5 of his friends... fine line to walk...

 

[B_Turner]

When a Husky owner walks into your saw with his Lowes special and asks for warranty service, it's real hard not not piss him off by telling him to take it somewhere else... Piss off one customer, he tells 5 of his friends... fine line to walk...

I don't know what Husky or Stihl pay dealers for warranty work, but I know in industry in general often warranty work is a money losing proposition. I had a new 3 HP leeson motor that had a bearing that would get noisey off and on. I took it into a BIG electric motor place in Seattle to be fixed under warranty. They turned on the motor but it didn't immediately make the noise, so they didn't want to spend a ton of time on it. Turns out for Baldor and Leesons in that size range, they only get $29 bucks for a basic warranty repair and the shop generally bills out more like $75 an hour so they are too busy to be excited about doing warranty work. I paid them a $100 out of my pocket and I picked it up the next day with 2 new bearings in it. (And no more noise...)

 

[manual]

When a Husky owner walks into your saw with his Lowes special and asks for warranty service, it's real hard not not piss him off by telling him to take it somewhere else... Piss off one customer, he tells 5 of his friends... fine line to walk...

Yes it is a fine line. But what do you do. I'm sure it's the same thing if a guy brings a saw to your shop and the saw was purchased at an other Stihl dealer.
Yes one angry customer tells five, One happy customer may tell one.
Are there realy that many warranty issues ? or are most of them neglect ?

 

[PES+]

OK..OK You had to be there but.......

Here is an example of the issue

Back a few now a couple of guys came into the Husky dealer and were kicking around the chainsaws. They were complaining about the cost of the pro models which were out on display and wanted to know what kind of discount they could get because they "could get the same saws down at Sears for a better price"
These two jamokes were poking and prodding and seemed real interested in getting a "good deal" They were offered a 350 for less than the going price from Sears but they insisted they wanted a pro saw. They left with lit and prices for several models.
Two weeks later the same two walk in with a 350 they had bought at Sears screaming that Husky sold junk and that all us Husky dealers were just ripping people off (other customers were in the store) They DEAMNDED that their saw be fixed IMMEDIATELY or they were going to call the attorney generals office.

I handed them the phone

Seems the Sears salesman had told them that the 350 WAS a pro saw and that we were ripping them off price wise.

The kicker was the 350 did have a warranty issue but it was NOT a great day in the neighborhood

 

[Lakeside53]

I don't know what Husky or Stihl pay dealers for warranty work, but I know in industry in general often warranty work is a money losing proposition.

From Stihl - very little, not even 1/2 of shop rate (law varies by state, but in WA they don't have to pay anything other then what they want to).

It's also based on the factory assigned time to replace the part. No consideration for filthy saws, diagnostic time, messed up fasteners... PITA. Luckily with Stihl, even the low end stuff we get very few warranty returns.

The diagnostic time is a big problem. Customer says "it runs bad now and then".. great... Now we have to mess around with it to find what is really wrong, then we just get paid 0.2hr (or whatever they say) to replace the defective part. Of course, we're are supposed to know immediately what is wrong and instantly replace the defective part. Hmmm..

 

[manual]

Here is an example of the issue

Back a few now a couple of guys came into the Husky dealer and were kicking around the chainsaws. They were complaining about the cost of the pro models which were out on display and wanted to know what kind of discount they could get because they "could get the same saws down at Sears for a better price"
These two jamokes were poking and prodding and seemed real interested in getting a "good deal" They were offered a 350 for less than the going price from Sears but they insisted they wanted a pro saw. They left with lit and prices for several models.
Two weeks later the same two walk in with a 350 they had bought at Sears screaming that Husky sold junk and that all us Husky dealers were just ripping people off (other customers were in the store) They DEAMNDED that their saw be fixed IMMEDIATELY or they were going to call the attorney generals office.

I handed them the phone

Seems the Sears salesman had told them that the 350 WAS a pro saw and that we were ripping them off price wise.

The kicker was the 350 did have a warranty issue but it was NOT a great day in the neighborhood

I can relate, First thing I would have done would be ( Defuse the situation).
Irate customers like that, coming in with other potential costomers in the store is a Great sales prop.
Next I would have said "Oh I see you got your saw at Sears, Were they able to help you with your problem ? "



( Shoot got to go to Work) later on.

 

[Lakeside53]

Yes it is a fine line. But what do you do. I'm sure it's the same thing if a guy brings a saw to your shop and the saw was purchased at an other Stihl dealer.
Yes one angry customer tells five, One happy customer may tell one.
Are there really that many warranty issues ? or are most of them neglect ?

Yep.. we don't like it, but we do it... Around here most customers of Stihl products do take them back to where they bought it (all dealers have to be able to service), which is good... The only thorn in our side are the local rental companies - they sell, but few take them back to them because they get quoted unreasonable time in the shop (how can it take 4 week to fix a saw?). Luckily, there a few warranty issues, and we know the equipment reasonably well.. but...

Most problems are fuel related. Bad fuel or fuel in the tank 9 months is neglect, but at least the stihl dealer "probably" (should have) talked to the customer about this at the time of sale, demonstrated the saw (we know it worked when it left here, and had a good tank of gas) and discussed maintenance issues.

 

[bwalker]

Does anyone know for sure what the heck is going on?

 

[spike60]

Next I would have said "Oh I see you got your saw at Sears, Were they able to help you with your problem ? "

Thats a great line! I'm sure I'll get a chance to use it before long.

Thanks Manual!

 

[chowdozer]

You need to look at the big picture that Husky has done, With Marketing.
They went with elux, now broke away from them, bought up Jonsered, Poulan, and Red max. That takes alot of money. If they were to follow Stilhs Lay out, I don't think they could have done that. Internet and Box stores makes fast money for Husky. Maybe not so good for the Husky independent dealers. But as a whole good for all.
I don't know what Huskys next move is but it sounds like, It's pay back time for the Independents, Also I am waiting to see what Red max is going to do with Huskys already good saws.
You pay more because you get more is B.S. I'll take my Kubota mid size tractor over a John Deere any day.

My understanding of John Deere is they have a heckuva parts network and get your parts to you in a couple days. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. As I've been thinking of a tractor, and I like the Kubota's, do you know what the timeline is for an out of stock part?

 

[Urbicide]

My understanding of John Deere is they have a heckuva parts network and get your parts to you in a couple days. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. As I've been thinking of a tractor, and I like the Kubota's, do you know what the timeline is for an out of stock part?

I have owned a L5030 for almost 2 years now. I have yet to need any replacement parts other than filters and fluids. These were all dealer stocked items anyway.

Orange tractors and orange saws never get lost in the woods.

 

[bwalker]

The compact JD tractors are made by Yanmar in Japan. If your going to buy jap you might as well get a Kubota which have a steller reputation for quality.