spacemule
The Peanut Gallery
Smart man.
Extreme Stihl Dealer Dissapointment
- Thread starter zich6
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Smart man.
THALL10326
The Champ
Man I know how you feel. Doesn't it really tick you off when the ole dealer won't budge and pretty well tells you to go take a hike. I've seen it happen 100's of times. Man the looks are priceless. How dare those dealers not let the shoppers set thier prices for them, why you would think those dealers want to eat too, shame on them,:monkey::monkey::monkey:
zich6
ArboristSite Member
That doesn't sound like a good price for the 460 ($1,899 - $100= $1,799). I paid less than half that.
I think you missed the point mate! The dealers here are making HUGE mark up, they DO have room to move on price & still make a dollar. I don't only buy chainsaws from these guys, I have 6 other pieces of Stihl equipment in my shed other than chainsaws & I turn over gear fairly regularly. I am a bread & butter customer. Yet, 3 out of the 4 Stihl dealers near me still give me attitude! One of them whispers to me that I'll get "your special price" when I inquire about stuff & indicates for me to keep it to myself. My "special price" is more than Joe Blow could walk in & buy it for at another dealer! Still, I love to see the look on their faces when I call in to buy a plug or air filter for a new piece of equipment I bought elsewhere! Like you say, priceless!
I've pretty much been a slave to Stihl for many years up till now, but I've had it up to the back teeth with the attitude I get at the Stihl Shop! I'm not just talking about buying gear, every time I go in there it's like they're doing me a favour by taking my money! I buy other gear at other businesses & get GREAT service! That 7901 has planted a seed firmly in my mind. Maybe my next blower/whip/hedge trimmer/polesaw/auger will be a brand other than Stihl! Who knows, maybe it'll exceed my expectations as well!
Vent over!
THALL10326
The Champ
I think you missed the point mate! The dealers here are making HUGE mark up, they DO have room to move on price & still make a dollar. I don't only buy chainsaws from these guys, I have 6 other pieces of Stihl equipment in my shed other than chainsaws & I turn over gear fairly regularly. I am a bread & butter customer. Yet, 3 out of the 4 Stihl dealers near me still give me attitude! One of them whispers to me that I'll get "your special price" when I inquire about stuff & indicates for me to keep it to myself. My "special price" is more than Joe Blow could walk in & buy it for at another dealer! Still, I love to see the look on their faces when I call in to buy a plug or air filter for a new piece of equipment I bought elsewhere! Like you say, priceless!
I've pretty much been a slave to Stihl for many years up till now, but I've had it up to the back teeth with the attitude I get at the Stihl Shop! I'm not just talking about buying gear, every time I go in there it's like they're doing me a favour by taking my money! I buy other gear at other businesses & get GREAT service! That 7901 has planted a seed firmly in my mind. Maybe my next blower/whip/hedge trimmer/polesaw/auger will be a brand other than Stihl! Who knows, maybe it'll exceed my expectations as well!
Vent over!
Well its good to hear you luv that 7901 and I certainly think you should check out thier other tools too, Dolmar needs all the business they can get and I'm sure they will be happy to have your business. See that wasn't hard. I doubt that them ole nasty Stihl dealers will miss ya too much, bartering gets old after awhile ya know. I mean lets face it, you need to get on the other side of the counter and have someone like you come in to deal with. Then you'll know why them ole bas-tards are grumpy toward ya. Why I bet it won't be but a month or two you will start pointing at the tag and say thats it,:hmm3grin2orange:
zich6
ArboristSite Member
That's what we pay here mate! +/- $50
Sorry, I should have noticed you're from "Down Under."
zich6
ArboristSite Member
Tommy,
I never price things I'm selling on Craigslist or e-bay for the price I need to get - always lower. The primary reason is, inherently, people want a good deal. Like me, they hate paying a list price, or any price (unless obviously superior) they're given for products for which a manufacturer has a "suggested" price. Dealers who ignore this part of human nature do so at their peril.
One could argue that the only "no haggle" read, "take it or leave it" car company, Saturn, went under at least in part by disregarding this philosophy.
Like Blitz, I know the profit margin on Stihl saws is nothing short of huge. There is plenty of room for a dealer to negotiate. That said, you have a right to charge anything you want for your products. I have the right and will find the best deal.
"Penny pinching" is inaccurate. Seeing how good of a deal I can get is a game to me, is fun and I'm very good at it, especially for a $1K product. For instance, I called eight dealers before purchasing the 460. Those who gave me the DSRP and wouldn't budge will not have to worry about dealing with me again. I avoid dealers of nearly anything with "take it or leave it" pricing and attitude. I suspect I'm not alone.
Would you buy a new car for the price given to you by a dealer? I think not. Chain saws are no different.
Lastly, if I have to "bring a full wallet," which I understand to mean pay more than I need to, I won't be visiting you either, nor will I recommend anyone do the same.
Tim
super3
Addicted to ArboristSite
You could eat off the dollar menu at Wendys once in a while ya know!:hmm3grin2orange:Help a poor customer out dammit!
Tommy,
I never price things I'm selling on Craigslist or e-bay for the price I need to get - always lower. The primary reason is, inherently, people want a good deal. Like me, they hate paying a list price, or any price (unless obviously superior) they're given for products for which a manufacturer has a "suggested" price. Dealers who ignore this part of human nature do so at their peril.
One could argue that the only "no haggle" read, "take it or leave it" car company, Saturn, went under at least in part by disregarding this philosophy.
Like Blitz, I know the profit margin on Stihl saws is nothing short of huge. There is plenty of room for a dealer to negotiate. That said, you have a right to charge anything you want for your products. I have the right and will find the best deal.
"Penny pinching" is inaccurate. Seeing how good of a deal I can get is a game to me, is fun and I'm very good at it, especially for a $1K product. For instance, I called eight dealers before purchasing the 460. Those who gave me the DSRP and wouldn't budge will not have to worry about dealing with me again. I avoid dealers of nearly anything with "take it or leave it" pricing and attitude. I suspect I'm not alone.
Would you buy a new car for the price given to you by a dealer? I think not. Chain saws are no different.
Lastly, if I have to "bring a full wallet," which I understand to mean pay more than I need to, I won't be visiting you either, nor will I recommend anyone do the same.
Tim
Great Post Tim! My favourite part is: "Seeing how good of a deal I can get is a game to me, is fun and I'm very good at it" Me too!
jimbojango
ArboristSite Guru
I sell equipment for a living (not chainsaws) and its all posturing with some people. You have to start high, back up a little, and then they want you to back up everytime. OR you can say "here's what its going to be, take it or leave it" guess what... its FAR easier to take it or leave it. Yes sometimes you make a sell without getting jewed down and make a little extra but it takes an extra phone call and BS to do it that way. Take it or leave it is "here's the best I will do and its not changing thanks" Sells just as much or more equipment. Have you tried to jew at walmart? didn't think so.
gemniii
Addicted to ArboristSite
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2009
- Messages
- 1,502
- Reaction score
- 166
The mentality of having to get it for less than posted price is understandable but it should not over ride everything else.
Dealer reliability, knowledge and capability should play a role in the purchase.
I've got 3 Stihl dealers within about a mile or so of me. Two are pretty good but I don't know if the third could spell Stihl without looking at the sign.
If I only had the poor one I'd have to do everything mail order.
Of course there are also the rare dealers who work for Pepsi's and burgers.
Dealer reliability, knowledge and capability should play a role in the purchase.
I've got 3 Stihl dealers within about a mile or so of me. Two are pretty good but I don't know if the third could spell Stihl without looking at the sign.
If I only had the poor one I'd have to do everything mail order.
Of course there are also the rare dealers who work for Pepsi's and burgers.
Someone like me to deal with???
"I mean lets face it, you need to get on the other side of the counter" You seem to like making assumptions about what I may or may not have done?
You missed the point again (sigh!) Maybe Makita, maybe not. Maybe anyone of a number of 1st class brands.
Mate, I deal with all kinds of suppliers & don't get any attitude like I do at the Stihl Shop anywhere else! I know lots of guys in my area & they all say the same thing! But, you're probably right, it's probably me lol! Oh, and I've been dealing with some other brands for many years already & still I'm not "pointing at the tag" about them as you put it! In fact, I've been dealing with the guy that sold me the 7901 for many, many years. He is a gem! lovely friendly guy, offers advice that I respect, drops everything to repair my gear if I need it there & then & doesn't even charge me for small jobs. He's been in business for over 40 years, so I guess he knows what he's doing. I spend quite a bit there over time. I'm glad that the Stihl dealer won't miss me, that's a real relief! See, got through that without one swear word! Wasn't hard! :hmm3grin2orange:
spacemule
The Peanut Gallery
Not missing your type is an understatement. :hmm3grin2orange:
Bill G
ArboristSite King
That is not the case here. In the past all parts orders over $50 would ship UPS for free. I believe it is now $100 which most dealers do several times a week. If I need a prt that the dist has in stock it is usaually at the dealer the next day if I get the order in before 11AM.
Tommy,
Does it take $500 in VA to get free shipping???
Bill
zich6
ArboristSite Member
Walmart sells nothing at MSRP/DSRP the way several local Stihl dealers do. Further, Walmart's marketing strategy doesn't allow for store managers to negotiate pricing the way Stihl's marketing strategy does, so your analogy doesn't make sense.
SawTroll
Information Collector
Tommy,
I never price things I'm selling on Craigslist or e-bay for the price I need to get - always lower. The primary reason is, inherently, people want a good deal. Like me, they hate paying a list price, or any price (unless obviously superior) they're given for products for which a manufacturer has a "suggested" price. Dealers who ignore this part of human nature do so at their peril.
One could argue that the only "no haggle" read, "take it or leave it" car company, Saturn, went under at least in part by disregarding this philosophy.
Like Blitz, I know the profit margin on Stihl saws is nothing short of huge. There is plenty of room for a dealer to negotiate. That said, you have a right to charge anything you want for your products. I have the right and will find the best deal.
"Penny pinching" is inaccurate. Seeing how good of a deal I can get is a game to me, is fun and I'm very good at it, especially for a $1K product. For instance, I called eight dealers before purchasing the 460. Those who gave me the DSRP and wouldn't budge will not have to worry about dealing with me again. I avoid dealers of nearly anything with "take it or leave it" pricing and attitude. I suspect I'm not alone.
Would you buy a new car for the price given to you by a dealer? I think not. Chain saws are no different.
Lastly, if I have to "bring a full wallet," which I understand to mean pay more than I need to, I won't be visiting you either, nor will I recommend anyone do the same.
Tim
People that always want to haggle must be really annoying to the dealers, they need to eat as well! I never do it on saws and related stuff at a dealer, but seem to get discounts anyway now and then + some times "campaign" prices when there are no campaign on the stuff in question.....
southbound
ArboristSite Guru
:wave:Coffee and doughnuts!!!!!!:wave:
My dealer took some time to make friends with since I'm from up north but they are great friends now...They call me parts boy because I never buy new saws but I am there all the time buying parts..Well trying to buy parts most of the time if they have it hid they will just give it to me..Plus I can't count the hours of labor they have helped me with. They sum this up as this if I do all the work even with their tools and such and all they do is give directions they don't want to be paid...
So I send everyone I can to them....
O and a day or two before Christmas I stopped and got them coffee and doughnuts and before I left they pulled out a Homelite XL123 no spark but still :hmm3grin2orange:
Fish
Tree Freak
This post has definitely started to {whined down}..........
A lot of blathering about someone mad that a dealer wouldn't haggle with him.
Yes, names and phone numbers should be left out.
When folks complain about this price or that, and then tell me they can get it as
a shop 50 miles away, I tell them "well go there then".
I do it politely, and don't waste too much time with them, as my time is too
important for that and the bickering nonsense.
I also like the jokers that think chain tiestraps should be free, and that I should
spend and hour trying to salvage a boogered up chain.
"Well so and so does it all the time for this price...."
I say,"Well go there and get them to do it again!!!"
"Jim's Repair shop sells plugs for $1.39."
Go to JIM'S!!!!!!
Let's turn this into a Customer Bashing Thread!!!!!
Me and Tommy and others got's plenty of stories!!!!
A lot of blathering about someone mad that a dealer wouldn't haggle with him.
Yes, names and phone numbers should be left out.
When folks complain about this price or that, and then tell me they can get it as
a shop 50 miles away, I tell them "well go there then".
I do it politely, and don't waste too much time with them, as my time is too
important for that and the bickering nonsense.
I also like the jokers that think chain tiestraps should be free, and that I should
spend and hour trying to salvage a boogered up chain.
"Well so and so does it all the time for this price...."
I say,"Well go there and get them to do it again!!!"
"Jim's Repair shop sells plugs for $1.39."
Go to JIM'S!!!!!!
Let's turn this into a Customer Bashing Thread!!!!!
Me and Tommy and others got's plenty of stories!!!!
zich6
ArboristSite Member
...no more anoying than dealers demanding DSRP.
Do you pay list price for your cars, or do you haggle? If you haggle for your cars, like nearly everyone in the US, why are saws different? On average, they have the same marketing strategy, dealer negotiation latitude, and although I don't know for certain, based on car dealer invoice prices widely available on the web, saws appear to have even more profit margin if sold at DSRP, which again is what my local dealers are demanding.
As to your second point, dealers have no right to eat better than their customers.
Look, I think I speak for more than myself when I say that customers want the dealers to make a reasonable profit. However, I don't think customers want dealers to make a killing on them. To me, that would be paying DSRP.
It would be great if Tommy, or another dealer would publish what the dealer cost is on saws, but I'm not holding my breath. I suspect that it's large enough such that a 10% discount still results in a substantial profit to the dealer.
Similar threads
