Any Solo Dealers out there with thoughts on picking up a dealership

[Andrew Wellman]

I am thinking of selling Solo saws. Are there an solo Dealers or mechanics on AS that can give me some contructive feedback. Please no rants or brand macho stuff from the rest of you.

andy

 

[mountainlake]

Solo makes some nice saws but seem to spendy most times. Steve

 

[mesupra]

Not to highjack the thread but do they make ice augers or just ice auger motors? Thinking about a new auger in the near future.

 

[nmurph]

Solo is not a line I would be getting into at this time.

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

I am thinking of selling Solo saws. Are there an solo Dealers or mechanics on AS that can give me some contructive feedback. Please no rants or brand macho stuff from the rest of you.

andy

If you're looking to pick up add a line or you're a new dealer just getting started, I'd avoid Solo.
For 5,000$ or less initial order you could pick up Dolmar, Echo, Jonsered, Red Max, or Kawasaki
and all would sell better than Solo.

 

[Andrew Wellman]

My reasoning

If you're looking to pick up add a line or you're a new dealer just getting started, I'd avoid Solo.
For 5,000$ or less initial order you could pick up Dolmar, Echo, Jonsered, Red Max, or Kawasaki
and all would sell better than Solo.

I can't get dolmar, dealer conflict, can get echo dealer conflict, can't afford Husky/jred (you have to buy into more than saws), no one knows redmax or kawasaki saws and stihl dealer conflict and I don't want to wear a orange and grey tuxedo. :msp_tongue: I have a woodland int account and I'll just cherry pic saws from them.

why would you avoid solo?

 

[mountainlake]

I'd guess Husky might drop Redmax soon. Never saw a Kawasaki saw yet. Steve

 

[spike60]

I'm assuming that you are thinking a part time shop, so I have a few questions. What are your expectations? How many saws do you expect to sell a year? What type of customer do you hope to sell to? Pros? Firewood cutters? Homeowners? What brands are currently strong in your area? Husky? Stihl? Do those dealers have good reputations and a strong following?

Answering some of those questions will shed a lot of light on your own question.

I believe that Solo has dropped the 3 bigger Dolmar look-alikes, so that alone seriously limits what can be done with Solo. Parts support for a low volume dealer or brand is tough to do right and still make money. The reason is that the buyer of a particular saw expects a certain level of parts availibility, as he has a right to. It doesn't matter to him whether you've sold a hundred or a handful; if he needs a part, he needs it. If you load up on parts to support just a few saws, your going to lose money. If you always have to order it, you get a reputation of "He doesn't have parts". The only cure is to get the volume up, and I don't think anyone has a prayer with Solo.

I agree with Blood's suggestion that Jonsered or Dolmar would be better choices. With Echo, there would be much more preasure to take the full line.

But there's another option. I fully understand how a guy who wants to do a small saw shop can see the attraction in "having my own line" and being a "real dealer" with a sign on the wall and some catelogs on the counter. It's just an illusion. While having your own brand might feed the ego, it's more likely to bleed the checkbook. The best way to do a small shop is to take care of the gazillion Huskys and Stihls that most people are running. Dead saws can help you with parts along with many aftermarket suppliers. If you want to sell some saws, it's far easier to sell used or rebuilt Huskys and Stihls than any other second tier brand. You may already be doing some repair work, but I'd expand on this idea rather than bring in something like Solo.

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

I can't get dolmar, dealer conflict, can get echo dealer conflict, can't afford Husky/jred (you have to buy into more than saws), no one knows redmax or kawasaki saws and stihl dealer conflict and I don't want to wear a orange and grey tuxedo. :msp_tongue: I have a woodland int account and I'll just cherry pic saws from them.

why would you avoid solo?

Pro's and Con's of Solo

Pro
well made professional products
had, have a complete line of products (not sure what's being imported currently)

Con
No market presence, they are a 3rd or 4th tier brand
You'll never sell enough to make it worth while, if you have
a close Dolmar, Echo, and Stihl dealer why would they buy a Solo?

Piss poor distributor support of parts and equipment.


Solo makes a good product, but it's priced as high as Stihl, and Husky
but with no support of their products or dealers.

And cherry picking a line won't help any, to make money you have to sell saws, trimmers, blowers
the whole line. Saws for us are 1/3 of our Stihl equipment sales, blowers, trimmers, and kombi motors
sell just as well as saws.

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

I'm assuming that you are thinking a part time shop, so I have a few questions. What are your expectations? How many saws do you expect to sell a year? What type of customer do you hope to sell to? Pros? Firewood cutters? Homeowners? What brands are currently strong in your area? Husky? Stihl? Do those dealers have good reputations and a strong following?

Answering some of those questions will shed a lot of light on your own question.

I believe that Solo has dropped the 3 bigger Dolmar look-alikes, so that alone seriously limits what can be done with Solo. Parts support for a low volume dealer or brand is tough to do right and still make money. The reason is that the buyer of a particular saw expects a certain level of parts availibility, as he has a right to. It doesn't matter to him whether you've sold a hundred or a handful; if he needs a part, he needs it. If you load up on parts to support just a few saws, your going to lose money. If you always have to order it, you get a reputation of "He doesn't have parts". The only cure is to get the volume up, and I don't think anyone has a prayer with Solo.

I agree with Blood's suggestion that Jonsered or Dolmar would be better choices. With Echo, there would be much more preasure to take the full line.

But there's another option. I fully understand how a guy who wants to do a small saw shop can see the attraction in "having my own line" and being a "real dealer" with a sign on the wall and some catelogs on the counter. It's just an illusion. While having your own brand might feed the ego, it's more likely to bleed the checkbook. The best way to do a small shop is to take care of the gazillion Huskys and Stihls that most people are running. Dead saws can help you with parts along with many aftermarket suppliers. If you want to sell some saws, it's far easier to sell used or rebuilt Huskys and Stihls than any other second tier brand. You may already be doing some repair work, but I'd expand on this idea rather than bring in something like Solo.

For a small shop getting set up with Woodland International, Ahlborn, and an Oregon distributor like RD Faulkner in Maine
would be more helpful than bringing in Solo.

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

Spike and I have had this discussion numerous times.

To make enough money to make it worth while you have to have a
1st tier brand Stihl or Husky

2-3 2nd tier brands Dolmar, Jonsered, Echo

and if you need to carry more than 4 lines, you have to stock so many parts
you'll lose all profit in tied up parts.

 

[Javelin]

My father and I use to sell a lot of solo and I do say a lot of them. Like over 75 saws a year. which is a lot for a no name saw. Good saws handle good cut good. Bad is they were hard on pistons if you had someone adj. carbs and my biggest problem was if you called them and then called them back 5 min later you got a diffrent price on your product. They do not want to be in the US market and due to pricing they are a tough sale these days.

If you cannot get Dolmar or Echo maybe take a look at Makita? And Hitachi recon models. Just food for thought.

 

[Andrew Wellman]

I am thankful I don't have to pay for your good advice, I would be broke.

Super thanks for all of your wisdom.

I am a half time shop looking to go full time. The folks I serve range from a state forester, full time logger, women looking for a light saw, fire wood processor, home fire wood cutter, nostalgic vintage saw owners, trail crew, and the home owner looking for a saw to clean up blow downs in the yard. I am going to skip on the new saw thing. I have been happy selling used saws, parts, supplies, safety wear and repairs. Labor seams to be were the money is.

I am learning the ropes of what works, for example. If you port a nice saw like an 026 it never sells for what it is worth, if you have an MS250 will sell for close to new:msp_confused: It is clear that I need to expand to trimmers and blower repair. Hell, I am working on a snow blower now.

Regarding brands in my area, all the big ones are saturated, Husky, jred, stihl, echo, Dolmar. That said most of the shops just are not friendly or not that reliable. I think I am going to use service as my hook and stick to it. The next big upgrade is heat in my shop, last week was -23 to 3 degrees F.

I am smart guy, but I know that I don't have all of the answers. Please feel free to bestow any wisdom you might have for some one in my position.

Andy

West Hill Saw House, VT

 

[zogger]

Super thanks for all of your wisdom.

I am a half time shop looking to go full time. The folks I serve range from a state forester, full time logger, women looking for a light saw, fire wood processor, home fire wood cutter, nostalgic vintage saw owners, trail crew, and the home owner looking for a saw to clean up blow downs in the yard. I am going to skip on the new saw thing. I have been happy selling used saws, parts, supplies, safety wear and repairs. Labor seams to be were the money is.

I am learning the ropes of what works, for example. If you port a nice saw like an 026 it never sells for what it is worth, if you have an MS250 will sell for close to new:msp_confused: It is clear that I need to expand to trimmers and blower repair. Hell, I am working on a snow blower now.

Regarding brands in my area, all the big ones are saturated, Husky, jred, stihl, echo, Dolmar. That said most of the shops just are not friendly or not that reliable. I think I am going to use service as my hook and stick to it. The next big upgrade is heat in my shop, last week was -23 to 3 degrees F.

I am smart guy, but I know that I don't have all of the answers. Please feel free to bestow any wisdom you might have for some one in my position.

Andy

West Hill Saw House, VT

Theres an old guy up the street from me has been doing small engine repair (anything but saws) for decades. Does a great business from a shop right next to his house, doesnt sell a single thing new other than random parts he installs. Does repairs and sells rebuilt used, most anything.

Anyway, I am in a similar position as you, just accumulating repair expertise and used runners for now, I think a shop that just did saw repairs and sold used would sort of compliment this old guy up the street. I wouldnt touch anything but saws. Im friends with that old guy and would send other than saws biz to him, and I am sure he would reciprocate. If he wasnt there, sure, all small engines.

I have no interest in any expensive store front, high rents, new products or being a dealer, nor employees, just a simple basic low budget small shop doing repairs and selling used. Would have no need to charge 60 bucks an hour for labor either in order to make a few bucks.

Not sure if it will happen, but I am one third of the way to my goal of 100 runners and assorted parts. If it doesnt happen, meh, Ill just sell off saws then when the market is good, like off of CL or something.

I think this whole biz is something like firewood, either stay small, with very low expenses, or go whole hog huge. Skip trying to be middle sized.

 

[Andrew Wellman]

100 runners??????

Theres an old guy up the street from me has been doing small engine repair (anything but saws) for decades. Does a great business from a shop right next to his house, doesnt sell a single thing new other than random parts he installs. Does repairs and sells rebuilt used, most anything.

Anyway, I am in a similar position as you, just accumulating repair expertise and used runners for now, I think a shop that just did saw repairs and sold used would sort of compliment this old guy up the street. I wouldnt touch anything but saws. Im friends with that old guy and would send other than saws biz to him, and I am sure he would reciprocate. If he wasnt there, sure, all small engines.

I have no interest in any expensive store front, high rents, new products or being a dealer, nor employees, just a simple basic low budget small shop doing repairs and selling used. Would have no need to charge 60 bucks an hour for labor either in order to make a few bucks.

Not sure if it will happen, but I am one third of the way to my goal of 100 runners and assorted parts. If it doesnt happen, meh, Ill just sell off saws then when the market is good, like off of CL or something.

I think this whole biz is something like firewood, either stay small, with very low expenses, or go whole hog huge. Skip trying to be middle sized.

Wow, 100 runners!!! I guess I will take my dolly and go home, I can't play at that level. I sell them as fast as I can put them together and test them. I can't have any asset that ties up funds for long. If I have a saw for a month I get nervous and so does my mortgage holder.

 

[zogger]

Wow, 100 runners!!! I guess I will take my dolly and go home, I can't play at that level. I sell them as fast as I can put them together and test them. I can't have any asset that ties up funds for long. If I have a saw for a month I get nervous and so does my mortgage holder.

I am not a business. Oh and working towards 100, not there yet. This is just for now a hobby for me and learning experience and I have very little capital tied up. Most o my saw money is in just a few higher end saws, the rest are cheapos, ree, junkers, then I make them work.

I have yet to sell a single complete running saw.. Some I have swapped off and around, a very few parts I swapped or sold, and thats it. Accumulated runners and assorted let over junkers and parts would be my stock, if/when I hung out a shingle. If I decide not to, I can sell them off then, keep a handul, sell the rest, so it doesnt matter. And in the meantime, I cut wood with all of them. Not just get them running, they have to go out each and every one and cut a load of wood before I am satisied they are truely runners. As in, some that I thought were runners..sorta didnt make it in the cut all afternoon. Back to the bench. Learn more, fix more. Getting better at it.

 

[spike60]

And in the meantime, I cut wood with all of them. Not just get them running, they have to go out each and every one and cut a load of wood before I am satisied they are truely runners. As in, some that I thought were runners..sorta didnt make it in the cut all afternoon. Back to the bench. Learn more, fix more. Getting better at it.

I do the same thing with the saws I raise from the dead. Gotta run a minimum of a full tank with no issues before it gets the seal of approval. We've all experienced a project that starts right up and seems fine at first, but then when you put it to work you discover something amiss. Back to the workbench it goes..........

 

[Vibes]

I do the same thing with the saws I raise from the dead. Gotta run a minimum of a full tank with no issues before it gets the seal of approval. We've all experienced a project that starts right up and seems fine at first, but then when you put it to work you discover something amiss. Back to the workbench it goes..........

Been there and done that for sure.

Back to the OP's thread though, if you are not in a knowledgeable saw area, off brands just seem to struggle. I always look for Dolmar dealers when I'm out riding my motorcycle in parts of Pa. The reason I do is because I know they are not gonna be around long and I want to check back in when the closeout sales start.

People (Homeowners) around here just by Stihl, Echo and Poulan with the occasional Husky. All the offbrand places Shindiawa, Jonsered, Efco, Tanaka cater to landscapers who know where the money comes from. Those shops are usually a Toro, Honda, Ferris, Symplicity dealers first , with a good line of trimmers and blowers with saws on the side. There other customers are usually school districts, colleges, housing authorities and Government agencies where some of the purchases are in a sealed bid.

I have a question while I have the attention of the people who know. Why doesn't Poulan have any dealerships. I know its the box store saw, but it seems that with the number of them that are out there, just the name would stirr up a lot of foot traffic. I know you would be selling saws on a small margian, but it seems the sign would draw in a lot of Wal Mart customers with $30 in hand wanting you to turn carb screws and buy chains and oil and trimmer line.

 

[Fish]

Anyone with an account with the major suppliers is considered a "Poulan" dealer, at least dealer parts pricing is concerned, so it would be an easy
step to become a full fledged dealer, but that would mean the mowers too.

 

[spike60]

I have a question while I have the attention of the people who know. Why doesn't Poulan have any dealerships. I know its the box store saw, but it seems that with the number of them that are out there, just the name would stirr up a lot of foot traffic. I know you would be selling saws on a small margian, but it seems the sign would draw in a lot of Wal Mart customers with $30 in hand wanting you to turn carb screws and buy chains and oil and trimmer line.

No more Poulan dealers in part because there are no more Poulan distributors. Poulan Pro was simply allowed to fade away. The better Poulan models like the 335's and the Partner and Pioneer based saws were canceled. At that point it really ceased to be a line and the distributors and dealers alike moved on. Just before the end those 3 brands folded into one actually made a pretty decent saw line.

Husky dealers currently have the ability to order 2 Poulan and 3 Poulan Pro models. Prices are competitive with the box stores, but margins are very slim and there's no point in messing with them.