Seems from the follow on comments and from my own example there is a tangible impact to these threads to the "Homeowner Types" as well. For that matter I would suggest that these sites are growing the "enthusiast/ CAD junkies" population. I came here four or so years ago when trying to decide what "mid-sized" saw to buy...I ended up with a 365 husky and a real bad case of CAD! I'm typical of the current trend among most HOMEOWNER type buyers. If they don't have a clear understanding, and the size of the purchase makes a dent on your budget; they research that purchase. The internet is the prime driver here.
Marketing? I have lived thru and been a part the transition from European Motocross race motorcycles to the Japanese domination of all forms of racing..and watched KTM & Ducati muscle in now with tried and true tactics. I have been in that motorsports business myself. I've also lived thru and been a part of the rise AND fall of the major Cad/Cam companies of the 1970's and 1980. I was a part of the effort to drive the cost down and funtionallity up of the companies that TOOK down the big guys. A very integral part I might add. Life experience is a wonderful thing. So now I really enjoy saws..and guess what..Now I can sit on the side lines with no skin in the game and OBJECTIVELY watch history repeat itself yet again. You can't.
I certainly understand how things change and how to effect change. I also understand Pro saws, like racing motorcycles may make a smaller percentage of a companies sales than home owner sales BUT they are a business unto themselves or they wouldn't exist AND they CAN (But not always) be a sales image leader as with Husqvarna/Honda/Stihl/Suzuki/KTM. Key to market success in racing and probably Pro Saw's, is performance, reliability, and results first, then a strong loyal following (both dealers and customers) that can be referenced to grow market share. Many times a company breaking in will focus on a small area and market to "get it right" before going national. (KTM & Enduro/offroad)
Back to the point. The internet has changed the marketing game as it is a low cost way of spreading the message FAST, right to the place where those looking want that info. AT home. AND more people, especially the HOME OWNER type's go to the internet for the first cut of research data, what they find here can effect their buying decision. Period. I know as a dealer/insider industry type with success...you don't understand why the non educated potential buyer's in your area of expertise, don't come and pay homage to your immense knowledge and experience on the subject at YOUR place vs THEIR'S first! (Where YOU feel powerful and strong vs. where THEY feel in control)
Wait..an epiphany..you're online too! And looks like Stihl is morphing away from simply the dealer's store as the main carrier of the message..AND they have a really neat website with a SAW CHOICE calculator..and More and more of the dealers are..online with website. The killer is when you use a search engine for Dolmars 5100s..you end up with listing on the first or second page of the results pointing..here. The researcher finds equal posts for and against the issue; Dolmar takes a hit for the slice in time this shows up in search engines. Then in the same posting, the researcher see's the "light"! Industry experts talking about the tried and true Stilh/Husky or what ever; and the focus of the research changes for THAT prospective buyer and most "Homeowner Types" who visit this thread.
As for the argument that the big guys don't advertise here with conventional "Bill Board" adds? WHY would they when they can spend nothing and have an adaptive advertisement program funded by the time of advocates? Why spend the money when your board member dealers do your work for you? Let the ones on the fringe do that spending thing as they DON"T have advocates yet..It sounds less biased, more credible from the little guy on the bleeding edge anyway!
AND if you don't think they lurk and participate..your not paying attention! Actually my guess is you will find a way to continue bending this thread back to a discussion of Stihl's in the $300-$400 price range. Lets replace the slap against Dolmar with a few plugs for MS290's like a good company man who understands the impact of..these WEBSITES!
You make some good valid points but you miss my overall point concerning the average chainsaw buyer, the biggest buying population in this country. They don't care about chainsaws period. They're usually buying one not because they want one but becasue they have to have one for some type of reason. To them a chainsaw is nothing more than a hammer or any other tool. Don't see any hammer forums do you but I bet every household in America has a hammer in it or nearby somewhere. Most households that have a chainsaw have one, not 10,15,50 or more like the saw guys on this site.
Sites like this are for the chainsaw junkies, the guys that really dig chainsaws. I admit I'm one of them as are just about every poster in this forumn. True, like you point out, some come here to lurk and see what all the saw nuts are saying. However if you read it closely its obvious there is so much bias among the posters it would be awful hard for a man to take away any good wealth of knowledge as to what saw to buy. He could get some good info on how to fix a saw he's having issues with but as to what to buy this site would drive that buyer insane from all the bias.
I realise too the internet has changed alot of things in how people buy. The net is a awesome tool but BS and bias is not. To prove my point I've sent over 3000 units out the door in the last couple of years and not one, mind ya now, not one single customer ever mention AS at all. Fair to say they have probably never heard of it and since they are buying a what they consider a "tool" they could care less.
Far as the big companies view of these boards, unlike you I know the view of the one such big company. I sell their products and I can assure you they frown upon the non-sense that goes takes place on these forumns. Any company with any sense would as well for the same reason, too much BS and bias. You say why would they spend any money in here when they got us doing the advertising for them, wrong once again. They don't have time to be defending every whimper like what is going on in this thread here or all over this board. My 5100 is great, well mine is a POS, well my 346 will outcut your 5100, it will not and blah blah blah. Manufactures are in the biz to make money, not defend every little boo hoo from some saw guru aguring with another saw fanatic. I can assure you the 50 million Stihl spent in advertising last year will wipe out any complaints seen these forumns and reach more people in one hour than this forumn will reach in one or two years. I know you don't agree with me that guys like you and me are the small crowd among the big picture but we are. The makers were selling saws long before the internet and AS. If they lost every sale generated on this forumn among the saw junkies it would be so small it probably wouldn't even registered with them at all.
You are very correct on one thing, yes I'm on this forum like you and many others. Why, to me, like you and many others, a chainsaw is more than just a tool. We fancy it, we talk about them, we like them, we argu over them, sometimes we get down and dirty and fight over them. That my friend is exactly why I said to the average buying pulbic, the biggest buying population in this country, look at us and think we are ignorant,LOLOLOL
Think about it, grown men fussing over what, a chainsaw, whats wrong with them people,LOLOL
Back to this thread relax. This thread will not alter Dolmar at all. Dolmar has much bigger fish to fry than to be bothered with some thread on the internet floating around saw junkies griping about their saws. If 2009 remains like the last few months of 2008 Dolmars problems will be much much bigger than this thread. A 100 million dollar wordwide company is tiny, very very small. I don't think they're wiggle room is gonna be near as much as Stihl and Husky to survive in these tuff economic times, we shall see. If 2009 is anything like the last of 2008 this could be the year when the big dogs push the little dogs over the edge. How far Makita will pump money into Dolmar remains to be seen in these hard times. Makita saved Dolmar from disappearing once but times are tuff now. I personally hope Dolmar survives these hard times and comes out looking good. We saw nuts need to have more brands to argu and fuss over.............