Do Stihl dealers not like to sell saw builders parts?

[Modifiedmark]

Things you guys may not know or care about. It's Feb. and for most dealers it's the slowest time of year. All manufactures have minimum orders that we can place, usually 50-100$, and it's even higher to get free shipping anywhere from 100-300$. Much of the winter we try and go as long as we can between placing orders, in order to get free shipping. Remember your dealer is paying an employee to place that order to Stihl for all of your parts. He's paying that guy to sit there and manually enter 11 digit part numbers for every part you order, say you need 15 parts, all small stuff that the dealer may make 20$ profit an it takes him a half hour to enter all the parts for the order. Instead of spending that time entering an order that guy could have been turning a wrench and been making his boss 60$+ an hour.

Well he ain't gettin the $60 an hour from me to work on it anyway, so if it's that slow, you think they would like to at least make the $20.

 

[Jtheo]

Stihl dealers and parts

I had the same problem with Dolmar dealers. I live in Alabama and not one dealer in a 50 mile radius would help me with parts for a 3410TH. I got on Dolmar's web site and started getting dealer's phone numbers. I called quite a few until I found a dealer in Crossville Tn that did not mind at all to get parts for me.

Since then I have ordered quite a lot from him, and when I need something it is just a phone call away, and then the Postal Service or UPS bring it right to my door.

 

[Paul001]

I had the same problem with Dolmar dealers. I live in Alabama and not one dealer in a 50 mile radius would help me with parts for a 3410TH. I got on Dolmar's web site and started getting dealer's phone numbers. I called quite a few until I found a dealer in Crossville Tn that did not mind at all to get parts for me.

Since then I have ordered quite a lot from him, and when I need something it is just a phone call away, and then the Postal Service or UPS bring it right to my door.

Unfortunately, thats likely where this industry is headed. To many dealers refuse to understand, they are in the service industry. Yeah we get a lot of PITA customers that waste a ton of our time. Key is to figure them out quickly and politely explain that you have to get back to work.

Most understand that parts men/mechanics time is expensive. If you want to talk, the salesman is right over there...

Stihl dealerships have to prove to their customers they are worth more money for a reason...service, service, service. I do not understand the mentality of not ordering for days, let alone weeks at a time. I hold back on chains, bars, misc stock parts, just for the fact when a customer walks in and needs a $10 part that I do not have in stock, I can add in 25 or so 84 DL chains...hit my min. order/freight and have that customers parts in the morning.

Granted there are times that I can't. I explain to the customer that I can get it next day, but he's paying the freight or he can wait a day or two and not have a freight charge. Those that need it, pay it...but give them the option.

Otherwise, why not just deal with box stores...order your parts online. Sorry, thats not the service I expect personally nor is it satisfactory for my customers.

 

[rms61moparman]

fish is my new dealer!

+1

 

[davefr]

Ever since John Deere took over the local Stihl franchise my parts problems have dissappeared.

The parts business is very preciou$ to JD and they do it well. (ex: they have 3-4 guys working parts and one guy working sales). Parts are much more likely to be in stock and even if they aren't, the JD dealer brings them in quickly without prepayment or crap like "we're waiting to accumulate a months worth of orders".

I'd love to see Stihl parts integrated into JD's world class online parts system. (jdparts.com). JD has figured out how to do online parts while supporting the local dealers. Stihl must be loosing tons of potential parts business to Ebay and Baileys more due to convienance then price. Isn't the parts business high margin???

 

[oldsaw]

Unfortunately, thats likely where this industry is headed. To many dealers refuse to understand, they are in the service industry. Yeah we get a lot of PITA customers that waste a ton of our time. Key is to figure them out quickly and politely explain that you have to get back to work.

Most understand that parts men/mechanics time is expensive. If you want to talk, the salesman is right over there...

Stihl dealerships have to prove to their customers they are worth more money for a reason...service, service, service. I do not understand the mentality of not ordering for days, let alone weeks at a time. I hold back on chains, bars, misc stock parts, just for the fact when a customer walks in and needs a $10 part that I do not have in stock, I can add in 25 or so 84 DL chains...hit my min. order/freight and have that customers parts in the morning.

Granted there are times that I can't. I explain to the customer that I can get it next day, but he's paying the freight or he can wait a day or two and not have a freight charge. Those that need it, pay it...but give them the option.

Otherwise, why not just deal with box stores...order your parts online. Sorry, thats not the service I expect personally nor is it satisfactory for my customers.

Oh yeah, well my ex dealer used to tell me that they had to wait until they had enough for a freight order, then charged me freight anyway, then I often had to wait a couple of days after for them to sort the order out. But they would charge me 50-200% over SRP for my parts to make up for the hassle. That only happened once, then they became my "ex" dealer.

Mark

 

[THALL10326]

Hmmmmmmmm, don't understand this thread at all. At my little hole in the wall everything is for sale. I don't giva rip what they do with whatever they buy once they go out the door with it, its theirs, no longer mine.

I wish I had a saw builders near by that wanted parts all the time, more the better. The margins in parts is alot better than the margins in units. True alittle more headache with parts, the looking up, the ordering, but the margins are well worth it. I'd much rather sell $50,000 worth of parts than $50,000 worth of units. Why, more profit, alot more!!!!!!!

 

[Paul001]

Hmmmmmmmm, don't understand this thread at all. At my little hole in the wall everything is for sale. I don't giva rip what they do with whatever they buy once they go out the door with it, its theirs, no longer mine.

I wish I had a saw builders near by that wanted parts all the time, more the better. The margins in parts is alot better than the margins in units. True alittle more headache with parts, the looking up, the ordering, but the margins are well worth it. I'd much rather sell $50,000 worth of parts than $50,000 worth of units. Why, more profit, alot more!!!!!!!

Shh...

 

[Paul001]

Oh yeah, well my ex dealer used to tell me that they had to wait until they had enough for a freight order, then charged me freight anyway, then I often had to wait a couple of days after for them to sort the order out. But they would charge me 50-200% over SRP for my parts to make up for the hassle. That only happened once, then they became my "ex" dealer.

Mark

And thats exactly what you should do. Would you go out to dinner, put up with a piss poor waitress, crap food, without saying something?

Would you condemn all Steak houses as being just like that other place...because they both sell steaks?

If you get lousy service, speak to the manager. If he doesn't get it resolved/corrected, speak to the owner. If that gets you no place...find a new shop.

If the local Stihl dealers do not want your business...take a look at Husky, Dolmar, etc. Thats why competition in the marketplace exists, to give you options...and the ability to deal with those who treat you as you expect.

 

[blsnelling]

My dealers treats me great. I wonder why? He probably made more money from me selling me parts in the past couple of years than he would have selling me a couple new saws. He rarely has to look up a part for me. I get great service. Nearly ever part is there in 1-2 days. Not only that, he gave me a MS210 and MS280. Both were late models. The MS210 only required a cleaning and the MS280 a new piston. IEM model too.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Hmmmmmmmm, don't understand this thread at all. At my little hole in the wall everything is for sale. I don't giva rip what they do with whatever they buy once they go out the door with it, its theirs, no longer mine.

I wish I had a saw builders near by that wanted parts all the time, more the better. The margins in parts is alot better than the margins in units. True alittle more headache with parts, the looking up, the ordering, but the margins are well worth it. I'd much rather sell $50,000 worth of parts than $50,000 worth of units. Why, more profit, alot more!!!!!!!

Yeah and at some dealers more then others. Those 029 limiter caps that I had to argue with the dealer to sell me (those dealer only items) which you or Lake said were like $.50 apiece ended up costing me like $2.50 apiece +tax!

I know its chump change I'm talking here but you get the picture.

 

[parrisw]

My local dealer is pretty good. They are always willing to order parts, they keep a good amount in stock. They do orders every couple days, so it comes quick. Stihl parts are much faster then Husky parts. The main husky dist center moved farther away so they are no longer 2 days away, kinda sucks, I work on more huskies then Stihls.

 

[THALL10326]

Yeah and at some dealers more then others. Those 029 limiter caps that I had to argue with the dealer to sell me (those dealer only items) which you or Lake said were like $.50 apiece ended up costing me like $2.50 apiece +tax!

I know its chump change I'm talking here but you get the picture.

2.50 apiece, good grief. Most times I give them away, they aren't worth the ticket print and ink to ring them up. Man you should tell that dealer what a low life he is, 2.50 is outrageous, suckers like him give all of us a bad name.

 

[Bowtie]

2.50 apiece, good grief. Most times I give them away, they aren't worth the ticket print and ink to ring them up. Man you should tell that dealer what a low life he is, 2.50 is outrageous, suckers like him give all of us a bad name.

Seriously, I ran into this kinda crap all the time at a few dealers I used to frequent. The long wait for parts, the attitude, and refusing to sell me limiter caps, or high markup on them. The only dealer I found consistently friendly and honest is the one I now work at. Hell, thats part of the reason I went to work for them, plus the discount I get on parts!

 

[THALL10326]

Seriously, I ran into this kinda crap all the time at a few dealers I used to frequent. The long wait for parts, the attitude, and refusing to sell me limiter caps, or high markup on them. The only dealer I found consistently friendly and honest is the one I now work at. Hell, thats part of the reason I went to work for them, plus the discount I get on parts!

Well I learned long ago one thing, EVERYTHING YOU HAVE FOR SALE IS FOR SALE. Hell I'll sell you the paint off the wall if your willing to scrap it off,

 

[THALL10326]

I see one of the best songs I ever heard at the bottom of the page, MAMA TRIED. Good tune, Haggard's gold mine song there.

 

[fourfivefour]

I have a great Stihl dealer 15 miles from me, Macro Equipment. They are a chainsaw shop. It's a family run business, their always friendly and willing to look up parts. Never gave me a hard time or an attitude. Can't get them to part with any junk saws though.opcorn:

I try to buy online first, then I go to the dealer if I can't find it. Even though the dealer is so close to me, it's 15 miles in the wrong direction and they close at 5pm. It's not convenient for me to go there.

I have a great place where I've been buying Husqvarna and Jonsered parts online. EX: I placed an order last Thursday and the package was here today. I doubt they had the parts in stock, they were parts for my 2100 CD, 2077, and 2159. If you want to know where to go send me a PM.:spam:
If I could only get my carb kit guy to work as fast. He only orders once a week, then it's 7-10 days to get it in.

Now days if you want to stay in business you need to be available on the net. Stihl needs to get current with the times. At least make it easier for me to get part numbers and prices so I don't waste the dealers time, if I don't want the part after hearing the price.............454

 

[super3]

Hmmmmmmmm, don't understand this thread at all. At my little hole in the wall everything is for sale. I don't giva rip what they do with whatever they buy once they go out the door with it, its theirs, no longer mine.

I wish I had a saw builders near by that wanted parts all the time, more the better. The margins in parts is alot better than the margins in units. True alittle more headache with parts, the looking up, the ordering, but the margins are well worth it. I'd much rather sell $50,000 worth of parts than $50,000 worth of units. Why, more profit, alot more!!!!!!!

Exactly!Hell mine calls me and asks if I need anything this week!

 

[stihl025]

Yeah and at some dealers more then others. Those 029 limiter caps that I had to argue with the dealer to sell me (those dealer only items) which you or Lake said were like $.50 apiece ended up costing me like $2.50 apiece +tax!

I know its chump change I'm talking here but you get the picture.

I just went through a similar situation. I called all the local dealers looking for the limiter caps for the 029 and no one had them. The dealer that was closest to me starting asking questions as to why I needed them. I told him that I needed to replace at least one of them (cracked it) after pulling them to make a carb adjustment. He sounded sort of annoyed at that point when I asked him if he could order them for me, and what he charged. He said it would take weeks, and quoted me $2.50 each. I told him thank you for his time, but I'll order from someone else who would charge me closer to the list price.

Went to the next closest dealer, presented the part number on a piece of paper. Never asked me why I needed them. He looked through a couple of small drawers for the part numbers and finally said that he would have to order them with the next order. I said, no problem, no hurry. He took my name and number and off I went. We never discussed price. I wasn't too concerned about it. Hell, he could have charged me $3 each. It was the fact that he gave me no grief over the parts and he was willing to order them. Four days past, and the parts were in. When I went to pick them up, I was prepared to pay the max ($2.50 each for them). I was pleasantly surprised when my total bill was less than $3 for four limiter caps. When I opened the bag to look at them, the individual price was 69 cents ea. It wasn't 50 cents, but the number put a smile on my face anyway...

 

[oldsaw]

And thats exactly what you should do. Would you go out to dinner, put up with a piss poor waitress, crap food, without saying something?

Would you condemn all Steak houses as being just like that other place...because they both sell steaks?

If you get lousy service, speak to the manager. If he doesn't get it resolved/corrected, speak to the owner. If that gets you no place...find a new shop.

If the local Stihl dealers do not want your business...take a look at Husky, Dolmar, etc. Thats why competition in the marketplace exists, to give you options...and the ability to deal with those who treat you as you expect.

My new one is great, and even closer. Downside is my cool parts guy has left the company, the new guy isn't as bright. But, I still don't get rooked.

mark