Some questions for you dealers...

[Fish]

Husqvarna is a good brand, but around here they expect the dealers to
carry their line of mowers, which need floor plan credit, and they are hard to sell, as they are just Orange Poulan/Craftsman mowers with an extra 30%
added onto the sticker.

Also, they would expect you to do the warranty work for the Lowes and TSC stores.

 

[procarbine2k1]

Husqvarna is a good brand, but around here they expect the dealers to
carry their line of mowers, which need floor plan credit, and they are hard to sell, as they are just Orange Poulan/Craftsman mowers with an extra 30%
added onto the sticker.

Also, they would expect you to do the warranty work for the Lowes and TSC stores.

No doubt in my mind that you know your stuff Fish. To a T actually. Thought there was an echo from this morning . Thanks for the words, as Ive said before, Im holding to every word!

 

[procarbine2k1]

Say I did go with Tilton/ Jonsered, I have about every piece of equipment covered- but they do not provide a low cost mower, only commercial units. I don't mind the commercial offering, but what could I do about sub $300 push mowers, and sub $2000 riding mowers?
Any mower brands that stick out to you guys? I dont imagine Toro will be an easy brand to start with, but I havent checked. I have mostly only done my research on handheld units, and accessories.

Just wanted to thank you guys for the advice, and insight. Not looking at fortunes here, just a good living in an industry that I am very passionate with. Either way this goes (by all means, could go either at this point), thank you guys.

 

[Brad101]

Troy-Bilt would fill the low cost push and rider market for you. Also wood splitters and tillers and other products. Not hard to get into either.

 

[Fish]

For cheaper mowers, I would go with Poulan/Poulan Pro, Snapper for a bit
more quality/money, Snapper parts sales would be good.
In the cheaper mowers, it is either AYP or MTD.

 

[procarbine2k1]

One thing I have going for me is a strong pre-established location in a high traffic area. Another, total overhead costs will only be around $500 per month. Yes, that number is correct, and all costs have been considered. I will be sharing the location with a well known hardware store.
If this goes through, on board will be Jonsered/ Tilton. Troybilt is next on the list to look at, Toro possibly at a future date.

One problem... This all comes at a big time in my life, with some big family changes on the way. I think this an opportunity that I wouldnt have had, or been prepared for a couple years ago.
I presently have an excellent paying job, with excellent benefits, even though I am miserable with it. I would never put my interests above my family's, and have to make sure that this move wouldnt better suit my needs, but my family's. I have been praying about this, and has my wife- and will hopefully have an answer soon.
Everything else, including the lease is near a full go.

 

[DavesMower&Saw]

One thing I have going for me is a strong pre-established location in a high traffic area. Another, total overhead costs will only be around $500 per month. Yes, that number is correct, and all costs have been considered. I will be sharing the location with a well known hardware store.
If this goes through, on board will be Jonsered/ Tilton. Troybilt is next on the list to look at, Toro possibly at a future date.

One problem... This all comes at a big time in my life, with some big family changes on the way. I think this an opportunity that I wouldnt have had, or been prepared for a couple years ago.
I presently have an excellent paying job, with excellent benefits, even though I am miserable with it. I would never put my interests above my family's, and have to make sure that this move wouldnt better suit my needs, but my family's. I have been praying about this, and has my wife- and will hopefully have an answer soon.
Everything else, including the lease is near a full go.

Toro is easier to get than you'd think. You can get in the door for under 10,000$ the minimum order to get their tractors is 4, or 10 walk behinds to get free shipping. They have 3 different categories of dealers, snowblowers, consumer mowers, and commercial, and you can be one, two or all three. They just started their own finance company this past year and charge a much lower interest rate, and are much easier to work with than GE Finance. Their walk behinds are very good, their tractors are as good as anyones 1,500$-3,000$ tractors,

We're probably going to add Troy Bilt back this year after a almost 10 absence. They offer a low price point we can't match with the Toro walk behinds, we've been needing something in the sub 300$ mark for the last couple years. Along with that they have log splitters which no one locally is willing to drop 2000$+ for the Iron and Oak ones we previously stocking. And we still get 15-20 people a year looking for rototillers.

If you have any specific questions shoot me a pm and I'll help you out.

 

[cpr]

In the midst of a major career change myself, with all the anxieties about making the right choice that goes with it both for me and my family. I have no experience with what you're doing, but I'd say you have the right approach and I'll pray for your success.

 

[procarbine2k1]

In the midst of a major career change myself, with all the anxieties about making the right choice that goes with it both for me and my family. I have no experience with what you're doing, but I'd say you have the right approach and I'll pray for your success.

Thank you so much CPR. Means a lot to me bud, a lot.

 

[Fish]

Any mower line will require you become a Briggs and Kohler dealer, so you need to figure in their cost demands, as silly as they are.

They will force you to stock engines, parts, displays, etc...

As well as the schools, and all of the trimmings.

 

[Ax-man]

I am not trying to derail as I am out of element here but would like to pass this on. I checked into a Sthil dealership last year. I have no desire to sell mowers or trimmers and blowers but just thought I could be a saw expert type dealer for them.

First, Sthil wanted an opening inventory of get this $ 30,000. My mouth dropped. The last time I checked into this many years ago it was only $6000. You had to carry the whole ball of wax also not only saws but trimmers and blowers plus the extras

Second, you had to have approved floor space of so much footage.Approved by them and pass their criteria.

Our area is saturated with dealers now and not a one of them has $30,000 of product on hand in their showrooms. I just wanted to sell saws and do repair work on them because all the dealers expcept one and he is out of our area knows saws.

The rep I talked to was arrogant and somewhat rude. The prevailing attitude was that just because Sthil is #1 worldwide in sales their dealership's are the most covveted and sought after enterprise you could have. Well the trouble with being #1 and king of the hill is that you can be knocked off that pedistal and I would like to see that. Not because of this dealership issue but because I feel their quality has slipped and the markup on their parts is a little hard to digest sometimes.

 

[DavesMower&Saw]

Any mower line will require you become a Briggs and Kohler dealer, so you need to figure in their cost demands, as silly as they are.

They will force you to stock engines, parts, displays, etc...

As well as the schools, and all of the trimmings.

We're signed up with Kohler, Kawasaki, Honda, Briggs and Stratton, and whatever is left of Tecumseh.

Briggs- makes you buy X dollars worth of parts and engines as an initial order. Then you have to meet some pretty basic requirements to stay a dealer. We're a Master Servicing dealer, and we have to buy 3 engines every year, and a certain $ amount to keep our profit margin where it is. And you have to go your Briggs distributors annual service/tech update it's usually a half day thing at local hotel.

Kohler- pretty much the same as Briggs, except we don't have to buy any engines. We buy a couple short blocks, and a bunch of parts and they seem happy. Have to go the tech. update once a year also.

Kawasaki- They're very picky about who they add as a dealer it took a while for them to let us be a dealer. They require you buy about 500 $ in parts and a couple hundred dollars worth of service books as an initial order. We only added them since more and more Toro Zero turns are coming with their engines. Next year almost all Toro's Z's will have Kawi's on them.

Honda- We're partial Honda engines dealer. We're not signed up Honda USA, but a regional Honda Engines distributor. Honda Engines, and Honda USA are two different companies, and because of this they make things confusing for dealers. For example we can do warranty on Honda's on equipment we're authorized to do warranty on. So if a Toro, or Troy Bilt has a Honda on it we can do warranty work on the motor, but if a Ferris Mower has a Honda on it we can't warranty it. And we can order all Honda engine parts, and Honda walk behind mower parts. But we can't order non engine parts for their generators, snow blowers, tillers, or line trimmers. Confusing isn't it? But they're worth getting signed up.

 

[DavesMower&Saw]

I am not trying to derail as I am out of element here but would like to pass this on. I checked into a Sthil dealership last year. I have no desire to sell mowers or trimmers and blowers but just thought I could be a saw expert type dealer for them.

First, Sthil wanted an opening inventory of get this $ 30,000. My mouth dropped. The last time I checked into this many years ago it was only $6000. You had to carry the whole ball of wax also not only saws but trimmers and blowers plus the extras

Second, you had to have approved floor space of so much footage.Approved by them and pass their criteria.

Our area is saturated with dealers now and not a one of them has $30,000 of product on hand in their showrooms. I just wanted to sell saws and do repair work on them because all the dealers expcept one and he is out of our area knows saws.

The rep I talked to was arrogant and somewhat rude. The prevailing attitude was that just because Sthil is #1 worldwide in sales their dealership's are the most covveted and sought after enterprise you could have. Well the trouble with being #1 and king of the hill is that you can be knocked off that pedistal and I would like to see that. Not because of this dealership issue but because I feel their quality has slipped and the markup on their parts is a little hard to digest sometimes.

The 30,000$ includes parts, chain, accessories, displays, signage, advertising, wholegoods, tools, oil and lubricants. They only want you to order about 15 pieces of equipment, as and initial order, but you have to willing to be a whole line dealer. Stihl is the only line of handheld equipment we sell, and saws make up about 30-40% of the total sales with them. I sell as many FS55, FS90 trimmers and BR600 blowers as I do MS250's and MS290's.

 

[Ax-man]

I have to ask this question for you guys that are actual dealers.

If someone was to get injured using a saw that you sold them. Let's use Sthil as an example. Are you backed up by Sthil as far as some type of insurance help or with some legal help or is that something that has to be covered solely by you under your private commercial insurance policy.

 

[lawnmowertech37]

I have to ask this question for you guys that are actual dealers.

If someone was to get injured using a saw that you sold them. Let's use Sthil as an example. Are you backed up by Sthil as far as some type of insurance help or with some legal help or is that something that has to be covered solely by you under your private commercial insurance policy.

a end user should know how to operate a equipment before they operate the equipment

in other words if they injure themselves at there place you are not liable cause you showed them how to operate it and it simply states in owners manuel the what to do and what not to do list

 

[DavesMower&Saw]

I have to ask this question for you guys that are actual dealers.

If someone was to get injured using a saw that you sold them. Let's use Sthil as an example. Are you backed up by Sthil as far as some type of insurance help or with some legal help or is that something that has to be covered solely by you under your private commercial insurance policy.

We have to carry a fairly large insurance policy, I'm drawing a blank on how many millions of dollars it is.
Say we sell a guy a brand new Stihl saw, and a week later he is out cutting and hurts himself. And the user decides to sue, the lawyer will advise them to do a few things. They'll sue the manufacturer Stihl, distributor NE Stihl, my dealership, and if they hurt themselves on the job probably sue their employer and the property owner.

So Stihl will send out a investigator, to gather information about the situation from the dealer. Stihl is looking to find out if the dealer did everything it correctly with regards to the initial sale of the saw.

Did the dealer properly assemble the saw? Was the customer physically capable of using a saw, and did the dealer qualify the customer and fit them with an appropriate piece of equipment? Was the owners manual given to them, and were they made aware of PPE at the time of sale?

Was the customer made aware of the safety features of the saw? and how to use them?

What bar and chain combo was sold on the saw? was it Stihl or aftermarket?
Was is green label or yellow label? Was the customer informed that there was a reduced kickback option available?

Was the customer shown how to properly to start and operate the saw?
Was the customer using the chainsaw for cutting wood? or was he using it to cut some non-approved material? Had the saw been modified or tampered with? Was all the safety equipment in working order when it left the shop?

If Stihl feels the dealer did a reasonable job of doing things the appropriately, Stihl will take care of the dealers legal defense in court.

 

[Fish]

Having some rep saying that the company will defend you legally, or listening
to someone say that they cannot sue you, or hold you liable, is a very bad
idea.

Anyone can sue you anytime, for any reason, and you have to pay for your legal defense,and if you are found to be liable in court, well you will
be screwed there too. So working without insurance is crazy, and have an
umbrella policy of at least a million. At the very least......

Morally right or wrong has nothing to do with it. Nothing personal, just
business....

 

[Fish]

As far as thee Stihl rep being arrogant. Probably, yeah. They will disuade
an inquiring dealer if they think that they won't make a go of it, as they don't like seeing a business go under with a Stihl sign out front.
He probably thinks that trying to be a chainsaw only shop is a bad idea,
and depending on the area, I do too.
If you were in the middle of a bustling logging area, yeah, maybe.....

 

[spike60]

Fact of the matter is that neither Husky nor Stihl are willing to entertain a guy who likes chainsaws amd wants to do a saw shop. Those days are unfortunately well behind us. They want to be in modern full line dealerships that are well capitalized, and truthfully, that is the major reason that they are both on top with the market share that they each have. That's where the action is as far as sales numbers go.

A mom and pop business model, or a shop run out of the garage at the house is not going to have a Husky or Stihl sign on it, except for a few select operations that do decent numbers and are grandfathered in. You can still go the mom and pop route with one of the second tier brands, but you are destined to do second tier numbers.

 

[Ax-man]

Thanks for the straight forward and informative replies regarding the insurance and dealership inquiry. I got that same gist about the Sthil dealership that they just weren't interested in just a mom and pop saw shop.

I really can't blame Sthil either. I am just looking for another way to make money other than doing trees. Something that I am comfortable with. Doing small engines and saws seems to be a good fit for me. I suppose I could do it the hard way and start out as an independent repair type guy and see where it goes. It is like anything else one side of the fence looks good till you get on the other side and then it doesn't look so good.