Department Store Stihl chainsaws

[roncoinc]

They are selling that chinese made crap everyplace now !!
After consumers found the internet they got fed up with the "only buy it here" setup steel had.
when you have thousands of people a week walking into a store,why NOT have your product there ??
then again consumers may see the advantage of the price per value of a woodshark vs steel.

 

[z71mike]

Store name is Big Rs it is a cross between Lowes 'tractor supply and walmart. I would say that it is approx 150 thousand square foot building. And it has more to choose from than all of them. Most of the stihl saws are homeowner/farm saws but they also had a 460 sitting there as well. along with blowers trimmers and pole saws.

What was the price?

 

[Jtheo]

The two Stihl dealers near me are in an Ace Hardware. Both service the saws as well.

 

[jbighump]

There are a number of radio Shack stores in Southwestern Virginia (Norton, Vansant) and Southeastern Kentucky that are also Stihl dealers.

thats scary the local radio shaks coustomer service is a joke,most stihl dealers round here are small family owned hardware stores...great people and service before and after the sale

 

[discounthunter]

i cant wait for Macy's and Belk's to start carrying stihl. sure would make shopping with the wife funner.

 

[67L36Driver]

This is opposite to the OP's experience but:

Our local Orschlens Farm and Home lost their Stihl dealership because Orschlens wanted to sell them in all their stores and not in just the ones with repair/service shops.

My understanding is; Stihl requires a service dept./repair shop anywhere their saws are sold.

Our local Orschlens also sell Husky, Echo, Poulan and even had a chinese Husky knock off on the shelf. It's the best saw shop in town.

If Stihl wants to keep a slice of the homeowner market, they are going to have to get with the program.

 

[Sagetown]

Most Stihl centers here are a sideline business. However, one shop is strictly a small engine repair that is jam packed with a full line of STIHL products.

 

[RandyMac]

As things get tighter, the will never happen, will become we had to. Asian made, sold in box stores...may as well paint flames on them and be done with it.

 

[redneck51587]

Big R services saws and other small engines... I know all 3 of them in my area do. If they don't service them at your location.... They probably send them to another store that does. My big R has stihl and echo stuff. And i haven't seen a hardware store that DOESN'T sell stihl anymore...

 

[c5rulz]

Do we know that this store doesn't have a service department?

Perhaps I should amend that statement I made:

Just because a Stihl retail center says it "services" their products, doesn't mean they are good at it. The same goes for the salesholes.:msp_tongue:

 

[Aussie Dave]

I don't think Stihl prohibits any individual store from trying to become a dealer. But Stihl doesn't distribute to any retailer at a national or regional level. I don't see why an individual Sears store, for example, couldn't get a dealership franchise if it was available in their area. I'm not sure what Stihl's policy is on how close two dealers can be.

-Eric

I was in the Stihl dealers today getting a few things,and then walked two doors up to a tool centre and they had the full range of homeowner stihls as well.first time ive seen that around here.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I saw where our local ice cream store is selling creamsickles, it just never ends!

 

[Landsinn]

I saw where our local ice cream store is selling creamsickles, it just never ends!

Supposed to be in the 60's here in the Northeast and I like creamsikles!!!! I'M IN!!!!!!!!!

 

[blsnelling]

I am reading this and thinking,what is the big deal?I dont think I have ever seen a stihl only dealership/store. Am I missing something here?

Here's the problem. The box stores will eventually put the smaller independent dealers out of business. When that happens, they've lost what makes them different/better than the other brands.

 

[memory]

Are the stihl chainsaws sold at big box stores actually made a little different than ones sold at a dealer? The reason I ask is because John Deere riding mowers sold at big box stores like Home Depot are actually made cheaper than those sold at a John Deere dealer.

 

[Slamm]

Good or bad, they are same quality.

Sam

 

[Gologit]

Here's the problem. The box stores will eventually put the smaller independent dealers out of business. When that happens, they've lost what makes them different/better than the other brands.

Well said. Good saw shops are hard to find even now. If the big box stores take over completely we will have lost something irreplaceable.

 

[Gologit]

Are the stihl chainsaws sold at big box stores actually made a little different than ones sold at a dealer? The reason I ask is because John Deere riding mowers sold at big box stores like Home Depot are actually made cheaper than those sold at a John Deere dealer.

Stihl saws are the same no matter where you buy them. You'll probably find better after the sale service at a dealer who specializes in saws and OPE.

 

[FATGUY]

Here's the problem. The box stores will eventually put the smaller independent dealers out of business. When that happens, they've lost what makes them different/better than the other brands.

Well said. Good saw shops are hard to find even now. If the big box stores take over completely we will have lost something irreplaceable.

And that right there is where WE have a say at least for now. I will gladly continue to support my local Stihl dealer even if I have to pay a little more up front. (which actually never happens, I don't remember the last time he didn't give me at least a little bit off anuthing I buy there). If the bean counters at Stihl decide to put them in big stores that don't service, I simply will not buy them there as long as I have an option.

 

[avalancher]

You wanna know what is funny?

We have a good bit of logging around here, and several shops that carry Husky's line. But only one small mom and pop hardware store that carries Stihl. And that shop carries only the homeowner line of Stihl, anything else they got to order.

But, after a recent trip into the big city of Knoxville, I happened to wander in to a fairly big garden center with the wife.While she checked out the flowers and other woman crap, I decided to check out what they meant at the front doors sign of "Stihl Power equipement sold here".

And there, sitting on the shelf was at least one of every Stihl that Stihl currently produces including an 880. Right smack dab in the big city. After a clerk wandered over and noticed my mouth hanging open, I asked him who in the hell buys these big saws since the biggest tree in town would take an experienced work crew to take down along with a bucket truck.

He just shrugged and said, "Well, I sold one of these saws just yesterday(pointing to a 660) to some lawyer dude who wanted to trim up some trees in his yard."

Thinking of jumping ship myself and heading over to the dark side and buying me a Stihl, but never figured on having to drive into town to get one!

A lawyer with a big chainsaw......god help us all.