I am considering buying a new stihl, but all the dealers I have spoken with want full msrp. I would like to do a little better than that. Especially since I can get that deal at any of the dealers so which one really wants my business? It looks like the service at each of the ones I have checked is about the same. Anyone know of any dealers around Tulsa, and especially west of Tulsa that would go a little farther to earn my business?
Stihl dealers
- Thread starter jimmie600
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parrisw
Tree Freak
Maybe, you can talk them into throwing in some extras? extra chain, files? ect ect ect.
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
Offer them cash or cheque (instead of credit card) for discount.. that's worth 5% (about 25% of their margin).
Are you talking a $200 saw or a $1000 saw?
Are you talking a $200 saw or a $1000 saw?
BloodOnTheIce
Addicted to ArboristSite
The price of the saw, makes a big difference on what we can do price and extras wise. I have more room to work with a 361, or 441 than a 180, or 250.
I agree that saying cash will help too it ranges between 2-5% of the sales price will go to the credit card company. The more the customer is willing to commit to the sale the more I'm willing to commit to it.
I agree that saying cash will help too it ranges between 2-5% of the sales price will go to the credit card company. The more the customer is willing to commit to the sale the more I'm willing to commit to it.
Every dealer wants your business but they would like a deal that they are making some profit on.... just like every one else in business. You want a quality tool with a service guarantee and there's a ticket to it.
Choose a dealer that will offer you good service. The short joy of the discount you are looking for will be long forgotten if you get no service afterwards.
I like a fair price for a tool or service; win-win feeling is key in every deal !
cheap people are no fun to do business with, whadya think ?
ericjeeper
Addicted to ArboristSite
everyone wants something for nothing
But every business has to maintain a profit or the business will cease to exist. Instead of wanting a great deal on the saw. Try to work out a discount after you have purchased the saw on PPE and maintenance tools.
A one time customer is not going to get a great deal most generally.But the guys that spend hundreds of dollars a month will see a better discount,.
But every business has to maintain a profit or the business will cease to exist. Instead of wanting a great deal on the saw. Try to work out a discount after you have purchased the saw on PPE and maintenance tools.
A one time customer is not going to get a great deal most generally.But the guys that spend hundreds of dollars a month will see a better discount,.
adkranger
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yup, I like deals like the rest of consumers out there but never request a deal on a first visit. I frequent the smaller, independantly owned shops myself, cuz that's where I generally get the best service. This service comes at a price, one that I'm willing to pay for. I have never failed to be "compensated" for my patronage over time and to me that's priceless. I don't see the small shops getting rich off chainsaw sales, 'round here it appears just the opposite. I see more going out of business, of course this is in the highly small business restrictive State of NY.
To some, the bottom line price on an initial deal is the most important consideration, that's OK too. To each their own.
To some, the bottom line price on an initial deal is the most important consideration, that's OK too. To each their own.
PB
Addicted to ArboristSite
That is the important question. Dealer back home is up front in saying that with the small saws there is very little "wiggle" room.
They will give you accessories, Mine give me a case and an extra chain on a ms 250. They probably won't do nothing on the price. The extras they throw in are worth something.
THALL10326
The Champ
Earn your businness, hmmm. Discounting is what earns your business, not so sure many would want your business if discounting is the only way to get it. Do you make the grocery store earn your business by asking for discounts on groceries? I assume not because you like to eat, I bet those dealers like to eat too.
PES+
Addicted to ArboristSite
A thought
Maybe you can wait for a guy to take pre-orders and open a dealership.
He would sell at cost and the more pre-paid orders he got the lower the cost to each individual would be.
Eventually this guy could in theory become the largest saw dealer in the world in sales volume.
The trick may be being able to do it more than once.
Maybe you can wait for a guy to take pre-orders and open a dealership.
He would sell at cost and the more pre-paid orders he got the lower the cost to each individual would be.
Eventually this guy could in theory become the largest saw dealer in the world in sales volume.
The trick may be being able to do it more than once.
Log Splitter
ArboristSite Guru
From one salesman to another, that was a great post. I'd rep you for it but I need to spread some more around before I can hit you again.
West Texas
ArboristSite Guru
I have a new dealer in the area; small, just starting out, in a small town. He is nice to deal with. But, when it comes to discounts he says that he has more wiggle room on parts and accessories than on the saws. And I think he said that he earns discount on volume of saw sales too. For a new dealer, just starting out in a small town, his hallmark is friendliness, service and an apparent desire to keep you as a customer. But he has to make a profit in order to stay in business too. I think its a two way street, I'll support him and he will support me. As Jack says "That's as good as it gets." 
Otherwise its 175 miles to the next nearest dealer.
Otherwise its 175 miles to the next nearest dealer.
Earning a customer's business based solely on price may make sense when the lost margin can be made up on volume, but for the average guy who buys a saw every few years and some chain and accessories from time to time, there isn't enough volume off that customer to make discounting make sense. The margins on most Stihl products at MSRP is less than 25%, so shaving a few percent off the price for a low-volume customer doesn't make a lot of sense from a business standpoint.
Cash does help sometimes, since they can wiggle a bit since your CC fees aren't eating their margins up. But for the one-saw guy who isn't really "worth" that much as a customer, I'd be surprised if they'd entertain more than a couple percent worth of price reduction.
Cash does help sometimes, since they can wiggle a bit since your CC fees aren't eating their margins up. But for the one-saw guy who isn't really "worth" that much as a customer, I'd be surprised if they'd entertain more than a couple percent worth of price reduction.
gink595
Addicted to ArboristSite
Good luck, I paid 380.00 on a 310 he gave me 10.00 off and threw in a case and a little model Stihl chainsaw for my kid. I almost felt bad for trying to beat him up on price afterwards.But now when I go in there which seems to be once a week lately, he doesn't charge me full price on other purchases. I just bought a pair of chaps and took off 5 bucks because he said I bought my saw from him. I'd go to the smaller dealer that has people that will recognize you when you come back in. Not a power dealer that has a rotation of people you will most likely never catch on the days they work.
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
And.. if you are just calling around for the "best price", that rarely works. Almost ever dealer around here quotes MSRP over the phone, but.. face to face, we'll wiggle if there seems like a mutual need. A spare chain, mix oil, bar oil.. and you can be getting near to 10% on a mid-size consumer saw...
Well, I looks like I need to backpeddle a bit here! Of course, cost is not the only concern, but, so far as earning my business goes, I do require that they at least act like they are glad to see a customer in their store. Lets keep in mind that I am going to the saw shops, not the box stores, so the quality of service is one thing that I am looking for. With the Husky dealers that I have visited, they each gave different prices, some better than others, and all were very friendly and quite helpful. Now that I am thinking about a Stihl, possibly a better saw, I was expecting the same. What I have gotten, though is people ( sales people) who know less about the saws I am looking at than I do at two of the shops and one who never acknowledged that I was there. Another dealer pretty much told me that he only sells the pro-stuff, he was by far the best dealer I would be thrilled to make my purchase from him, as I am convinced that I would never have a complaint with the way I was treated there, but he doesn't deal with anything that falls within my budget. So, aside from him, all the dealers I have visited are the same price, one looks to have a great service dept (though I am sure that they mostly deal with the commercial customers). Its also the farthest from home, and the one where I got no help whatsoever. Another, I just got no good feelings from. The third, I liked the sales guy, its closest to home,but he really didn't know anything about the saws, and they don't do service at that store, they have another location about 20 miles away that does service. I am looking for something to tip the scales one way or the other, and price is what I had come up with. I don't mean to offend anyone by that, but with that out of the equation, nobody really stands out. I wish I could find a small shop where the owner is one who takes care of you. I figure that I would probably never even need service, but I will need a place to get oil, chains, filters, whatever, so it needs to be convenient and helpful. Sorry this post is getting so long, but I want it to be clear that my position is not that "I want to buy at cost and I don't care if you can't feed your kids". I do know how it is to run a small business, and I know all too well that big businesses with more buying power can bury you on price. They rarely even try to compete on service, so I do the best I can reasonably do and make sure that I have happy customers. That is what I am looking for, someone to treat me as I would my customers.
mountain_man
ArboristSite Operative
It's the new generation of American values.. Nobody wants anyone to make any money anymore. They're all more concerned with how cheap they can get it. Rather then thinking of something in that way try to consider by paying near MSRP for your stihl saw you're saving thousands on the wood you wont have to buy that year and the years after! Perhaps this will shed some light for a few people. I own a retail business and everyone thinks we have a huge markup... Sorry we don't and most don't either. Enjoy :bang:
Josh
Josh
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Dennis Cahoon
Addicted to ArboristSite
Screw those high priced Stihl dealers!.....Buy from a Sponsor on A.S. Hahahahahaha!
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
but Dennis - the AS sponsers can't ship saws mail order anymore, so it can be a long drive! oh, sure, ways can be found to get around the distance, but if he wants local service...
oh, sure, ways can be found to get around the distance, but if he wants local service...
