Hey guys, why do Husqvarna and Echo sell their saws through the big box stores and guys like Stihl and Dolmar don't ? In Echos case you can buy every saw they make from the Home Depot website, all the way up the CS-8000. Husky only gives you the rancher series at Lowes, which makes you go to the dealer for their pro series. I'm curious especially in todays economy you would think making your product available to more of the general public through box stores and internet sales would be a smart thing for business. I'm sure Husky sells more Ranchers than any other saw through Lowes and the internet alone. What's you guys take on this ?
"Box Store" saws ?
- Thread starter Fasttimez
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Stihls are like Toyotas if they build buyer will come. Dolmars in the same category.
Also most home owners looking for a saw are using them more as a disposably item and the lower models suit that purpose. They take down a tree dropping most of it on thier house and car and then throw it away or sell it on Craig's list:msp_scared:
Also most home owners looking for a saw are using them more as a disposably item and the lower models suit that purpose. They take down a tree dropping most of it on thier house and car and then throw it away or sell it on Craig's list:msp_scared:
HaHa...this is true, the average homeowner will dispose of a saw if it won't start 1 time and buy another. This is not an option for somebody who uses it for a living. I guess this is why Husky only offers their lower model saws to the homeowner. It still shocks me that you can every saw Echo makes from Home Depot, this must be killing local dealers. I'm all for small business and supporting small business, just wondering if sales would double if the other guys would offer lower model saws to the homeowner through a box store.
Because Husqvarna owns Poulan and the saws at Lowes are nothing more than a orange Poulan, even built in a Poulan plant. Those cheaper Husqvarna saws are also available from many dealers as well. Not for sure why Stihl and Husqvarna do not allow internet sales on the Pro saws. I do know the dealers are suppose to start and tune the saw before it leaves the building. It may be just for the personalized service. be just for the personalized service.
The dealers make more from repairing saws, servicing them and selling accessories/parts than they do from the actual saw unit sale. These dealers are still the ones for warranty repair/service and spare parts. It is a win-win situation. The people that want a pro saw still go to the pro dealers.
I bought a new good sized pro saw this past spring and the the dealer never ran it.
It was close to 3 mos before I ran it but it started right up. I had to lean the HS needle a touch.
The dealer had put the B/C on the saw. I thought it was initially tight so I loosened it, ran the saw some and wound up putting it back where the dealer had it set after the chain wore the paint off the bar.
It was close to 3 mos before I ran it but it started right up. I had to lean the HS needle a touch.
The dealer had put the B/C on the saw. I thought it was initially tight so I loosened it, ran the saw some and wound up putting it back where the dealer had it set after the chain wore the paint off the bar.
audible fart
MS390 OAK CZAR
Great thread topic. I detest shopping. Food, gasoline, whatever. This typing on the telephone thing rules compared to human interaction with real live squares. I'm one too, so don't get standoffish.
I dig your topic because here's why i bought my 2 primary saws:
Echo CS370: needed a damn saw. It fit the bill in the hurry i was in.
Stihl MS390: you'll love this one. That day, i needed a BIG saw. And i was close to a POS small engine shop near my house. I walked into the store with every intent of buying the biggest saw they had. Keep in mind i had not discovered this website yet back then. So i didn't even know that an MS440, MS660, or MS880 even existed.
My thought process was, holy ####! This saw has 14 more cc's than that old moped we used to ride in the neighborhood!
Fast forward to now. My local stihl dealer should lose his dealer license. He stocks virtually nothing. I can look back and say with certainty that i would have bought an MS660 had there been one there that day. But i'm actually happy with the MS390 so far. It's done all the jobs i've needed it to do so far with a 24" bar so i can't complain.
I dig your topic because here's why i bought my 2 primary saws:
Echo CS370: needed a damn saw. It fit the bill in the hurry i was in.
Stihl MS390: you'll love this one. That day, i needed a BIG saw. And i was close to a POS small engine shop near my house. I walked into the store with every intent of buying the biggest saw they had. Keep in mind i had not discovered this website yet back then. So i didn't even know that an MS440, MS660, or MS880 even existed.
My thought process was, holy ####! This saw has 14 more cc's than that old moped we used to ride in the neighborhood!
Fast forward to now. My local stihl dealer should lose his dealer license. He stocks virtually nothing. I can look back and say with certainty that i would have bought an MS660 had there been one there that day. But i'm actually happy with the MS390 so far. It's done all the jobs i've needed it to do so far with a 24" bar so i can't complain.
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russhd1997
Innocent By Stander
I agree, great topic. I found this site after buying my MS290.
Unlike yours my Stihl dealer is a long time friend from high school, I'm 54 years old now, and he knows his **** when it comes to small engines. He is a good dealer with a good supply of new saws in stock. He doesn't stock the MS880 but has everything else. The best part is that he is only 5 miles from my house.
I am very happy with my MS290 but wish that I had kept the non running 026 Pro that I traded in, CAD has set in!!!
I consider myself an average homeowner, wife, 3 kids, and a dog, no picket fence though. I've yet to dispose of a saw!! My first saw was an Echo, purchased from a dealer.
Echo saws are the same price at a dealer or at Home Depot as some dealers will give you a deal, Home Depot won't. I'd think Echo sells a lot more saws having them at Home Depot with the volume of people going through there. Steve
Lets not lump all Stihl saws together, night and day difference between bottom of the line and top of the line and Stihl sure uses thier name to sell some cheap ones. Dolmar seems to keep good quality throughout thier lineup. Steve
I seldom buy any saws new in the box, but do own several saws that are available at "box stores".
I get the opportunity to work on a LOT of saws purchased at "box stores".
The little Husqvarna 136's and 141's are a Poulan's, the newer 435's, 440's and 455's are much better made Swedish saws. They are still all clamshell designs, so they can be built to compare price wise with the Echo's and Stihls in the same size range.
For the money, the smaller Echo saws are the better deal, IMHO. I have two CS-370's, and a CS-510. If a guy is smart enough to adjust the carburetor to give them some fuel, and open up the muffler just a tad, you've got yourself quite a saw for a very good price.
I ran one of my CS-370's and CS-510 yesterday on our first outing of the season. The CS-510 is a very impressive saw in terms of cutting power and chain speed. The CS-370 is a much slower design, but has excellent "grunt" for the cc's and cuts very fast in smaller material. I find myself using them a lot, mostly because they are very inexpensive, and I'm trying to break one, or get it to develope a "death rattle", like I've seen the Echo bashers post on here many times. Instead, they reward me with a truck and trailer full of wood, and sit there on the tailgate ready to be filled with fuel and do it all over again. Isn't that what a good piece of power equipment is supposed to be for?......Cliff
I get the opportunity to work on a LOT of saws purchased at "box stores".
The little Husqvarna 136's and 141's are a Poulan's, the newer 435's, 440's and 455's are much better made Swedish saws. They are still all clamshell designs, so they can be built to compare price wise with the Echo's and Stihls in the same size range.
For the money, the smaller Echo saws are the better deal, IMHO. I have two CS-370's, and a CS-510. If a guy is smart enough to adjust the carburetor to give them some fuel, and open up the muffler just a tad, you've got yourself quite a saw for a very good price.
I ran one of my CS-370's and CS-510 yesterday on our first outing of the season. The CS-510 is a very impressive saw in terms of cutting power and chain speed. The CS-370 is a much slower design, but has excellent "grunt" for the cc's and cuts very fast in smaller material. I find myself using them a lot, mostly because they are very inexpensive, and I'm trying to break one, or get it to develope a "death rattle", like I've seen the Echo bashers post on here many times. Instead, they reward me with a truck and trailer full of wood, and sit there on the tailgate ready to be filled with fuel and do it all over again. Isn't that what a good piece of power equipment is supposed to be for?......Cliff
IHDiesel73L
ArboristSite Operative
I bought an Echo CS-400 refurbished from Home Depot three years ago before I really got into cutting/heating with wood. It still runs like a champ and it's nice and light so I use it for limbing, light duty stuff, and I keep it in my truck for when I happen across downed wood. Properly cared for I'm sure it will last me for years-that's not to say that there are better brands out there though. My Stihl 026 is just as light as the Echo and puts out what seems like twice the power.
Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
These are businesses, they exist to make money. The box stores represent enormous distribution channels, but usually that comes at a lower margin. However, Husqvarna and Stihl have margin to spare. They've managed to convince most everyone that the prices they charge for saws represent reasonable value. Their higher end saws are probably considerably more expensive to build, but they charge for that too. However, the midrange stuff has got to be a cash cow.
Compare my Husky 142 with say, a 339XP. Everyone knows the 142 is a Poulan, and mine cost $150 new (OK, it was a steal at that price), but a 339XP is $500. The 142 is a fantastic little saw; I run the hell out of it and the more I use it the more I like it. Does anyone really believe it costs them much more to make a 339? Or that I could do more with a 339? They've cleared that Poulan made, less expensive stuff out of their lineup now because they could not put that high of a margin on it, and they've got to keep the hype going. This is my objection to the name brand nonsense - it's not that I don't see that Stihl and Husky make nice saws, it's just that I refuse to pay their margins mostly for a name. I look at it from the point of view of "how much more can I do with it?". Not much. But marketing and advertising work, and most people will buy on name recognition rather than making their own judgments.
So when they put this stuff in the box stores they have to work a balance between getting access to the big distribution channel and the much higher volumes it allows, still making enough money on them to come out ahead, and not ruining their brand name "mystique".
Compare my Husky 142 with say, a 339XP. Everyone knows the 142 is a Poulan, and mine cost $150 new (OK, it was a steal at that price), but a 339XP is $500. The 142 is a fantastic little saw; I run the hell out of it and the more I use it the more I like it. Does anyone really believe it costs them much more to make a 339? Or that I could do more with a 339? They've cleared that Poulan made, less expensive stuff out of their lineup now because they could not put that high of a margin on it, and they've got to keep the hype going. This is my objection to the name brand nonsense - it's not that I don't see that Stihl and Husky make nice saws, it's just that I refuse to pay their margins mostly for a name. I look at it from the point of view of "how much more can I do with it?". Not much. But marketing and advertising work, and most people will buy on name recognition rather than making their own judgments.
So when they put this stuff in the box stores they have to work a balance between getting access to the big distribution channel and the much higher volumes it allows, still making enough money on them to come out ahead, and not ruining their brand name "mystique".
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I've never seen you make a post like this, and it is very wrong at that. The 235/240 are the only saws shared with Poulan. Everything else is separate and it shows. Because some may not be made in Sweden doesn't mean anything. When you pick up a 435 at the same time as a 235, you know you're dealing with a different animal.
Very true, I've been less than impressed with the build of the lower end Stihls. People love to rag on the 400 series Husqvarnas for some reason, but I don't see Stihl's matching counterparts being any better in quality. Just different.
Bob Wright
Addicted to ArboristSite
kmart.com has the Solo line. Last year when i looked they had some big Husky's...Bob
Clothing, Toys, Electronics, Jewelry, Jaclyn Smith - Kmart.com
Clothing, Toys, Electronics, Jewelry, Jaclyn Smith - Kmart.com
Wow, a 75cc solo for $1000?? Guess there ain't no blue light special in that aisle!!
I was in Marion, Indiana over the weekend and a farm store, Big R or something like that carried Stihl. They had a pretty good selection but it the biggest saw on display was a ms440. I was also surprised that they didn't have too many small saws either. No 192's or arborist 200/201's. Probably sold out 
They had a service department there too where you could see them working on stuff.
The TSC stores here in Ohio carry Husky. Most of the John Deere dealers sell Stihl. They all stick together and hold the same prices. You can occasionally get them to throw in some oil or a chain.
They had a service department there too where you could see them working on stuff. The TSC stores here in Ohio carry Husky. Most of the John Deere dealers sell Stihl. They all stick together and hold the same prices. You can occasionally get them to throw in some oil or a chain.
hitechredneck
ArboristSite Member
low end differences
i compared the smaller 14" and 16" bar husky saws at Lowes this weekend. The small low end Husqvarna controls are much looser and clutch mechanism awkward. The anti vibe is more wannabee than the real thing. Worst was the tool less chain tensioner did not lock well. The bar moved up and down with the cam tightened. pulled the throttle trigger and the whole saw springs at the rear handle and anti vibe mechanisms (whats that about?). it did have a decent safety chain.
While a Stihl ms170 uses more plastic parts- they are better designed and 'stiff'- not the twisty noodle nylon of other homeowner branded models.
small engine- yes- but it cranks consistently
controls- lighter but durable without a loud thunk or over loose feel.
tool less mechanisms work good
the drive systems are mechanically proportional for power rating
has a thin kerf SHARP chain bit not thin gage metal (like low end Homelite)
low end Stihls are not branded low end tools
The low end Echos are not that bad though..except for the kick back nose guard "accessory"
We were looking for smaller limbing saws for disaster storm cleanup-
i compared the smaller 14" and 16" bar husky saws at Lowes this weekend. The small low end Husqvarna controls are much looser and clutch mechanism awkward. The anti vibe is more wannabee than the real thing. Worst was the tool less chain tensioner did not lock well. The bar moved up and down with the cam tightened. pulled the throttle trigger and the whole saw springs at the rear handle and anti vibe mechanisms (whats that about?). it did have a decent safety chain.
While a Stihl ms170 uses more plastic parts- they are better designed and 'stiff'- not the twisty noodle nylon of other homeowner branded models.
small engine- yes- but it cranks consistently
controls- lighter but durable without a loud thunk or over loose feel.
tool less mechanisms work good
the drive systems are mechanically proportional for power rating
has a thin kerf SHARP chain bit not thin gage metal (like low end Homelite)
low end Stihls are not branded low end tools
The low end Echos are not that bad though..except for the kick back nose guard "accessory"
We were looking for smaller limbing saws for disaster storm cleanup-
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