windthrown
361 Junkie
You cannot talk to, "Dolmar directly." You have to go through the regional distributor here. The PNW distributor sucks.
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Dolmar 5100 Cylinder Problem
- Thread starter schroedogg
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You cannot talk to, "Dolmar directly." You have to go through the regional distributor here. The PNW distributor sucks.
Javelin
Addicted to ArboristSite
Buddy if I had this kind of trouble with all the hard work I have put into promoting dolmar someone at dolmar is going to be talking to me! Email them directly I would try the usa then go to the german side of it! If these failures are legit then they should be all over it or your distribator is covering it up which makes no sense on there part! But I have seen some funny things in the past with certain distribators!
Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
windthrown
361 Junkie
From the Dolmar web site:
DOLMAR offers their products worldwide through a selected network of specialized dealers. To ensure best sales and aftermarket service we do not sell directly to endusers.
It should also read that they do not deal directly with dealers.
I have talked to several ex-Dolmar dealers that were (and maybe still are) listed here on the Dolmar web site. The ones that would talk about it had problems getting saws (back ordered through the distributor), problems getting parts (through the distributor), problems getting any warantee work approved (again, through the distributor), and most importantly getting PAID for warantee work (you guessed it, through the distributor). Do you see a pattern here?
SawTroll
Information Collector
I suspect you are right - there are good and bad distributers as well as dealers, I presume......
Javelin
Addicted to ArboristSite
I just went to the usa web site you can leave a message to dolmar on it!
Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
I believe it routes you to your regions distributor though... I think I tried it once?
I could be wrong though?
Javelin
Addicted to ArboristSite
You might be right but I think it would be worth a try!
windthrown
361 Junkie
You would be correct, actually. I got all replies to that site back through the distributor in Portland. I used it to ask about the dealer location in Salem, OR and about starting a Dolmar dealership a year or so ago.
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Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
Okay... I figured I had tried it. I was all gung-ho about setting up, but they just flat took the wind out'a my sails. I'm just as happy now ordering on a 'by-sale' basis. Not only is it hard to move Dolmar due to lack of brand recognition... This economy just makes it worse.
I know for a fact if I was holding an inventory, I'd be sucking hind teet.
I agree with most of your post & points...and you and I, from what I can tell; really only dissagree on the impact of "websites for enthusiasts" on the sales of saws and in particular Dolmar saws.
I also agree and understand the "Big" companies aren't going to actively chase these threads...too many too little time. Part of the reason they don't like the "goings on" at places like this is simply because they can't control the message.
Husqvarna figured out the mass market thing with the Poulan's and Homeowner Husqvarna's. Dolmar rides the Makita brand, reputation, and sales channels for their mass marketing efforts. Solo is left out in the cold...The Chinese are just beginning to make their presence known with the Troy Built's, Yard Machines, and Oregon's on eBay etc. Big retail companies have huge exposure and Husqvarna EARNED has the right reputation in the Pro world to build on. Lowes, TSC, Sears can sell the crap outa them with the right pricing using the Internet for straight advertising and online selling.
Stihl seems to be reacting in a different way. Instead of developing a line of low cost homeowner saws to sell at box stores, they are buying into the John Deere sales channels..simply because its cheaper than expanding their existing one AND the type of person going into a John Deere store isn't as worried about price as they are quality. Taking this route Stihl can sell their current class of saw product along with the landscaping tools and stay at the higher price points. John Deere stores have always made a point of connecting with their customers with both follow on sales and service and this is similar to the way Stilh dealers typically work. Stihl rapidly expands the RIGHT kind of market exposure, compete with those Husqvarna stores..all for less cost than building that amout of exposure with their own resources. (Are there JD stores in your territory?)
As for Dolmar, they really don't seem to have a strong marketing presence ..anywhere..other than running under the Makita banner. I see blurbs in the trade magazines from time to time but the dealers along with places like this seem to be the "point of the spear" for marketing Dolmar Pro Saw products. Which is why I feel this type of place makes proportionally even a greater impact on Dolmar than most. To get a small business (dealer or Pro) to invest in a "off brand" product line..they are going to do a little research. 20 years ago that was done thru reference calls and typical stuff from that period of time, usually initiated by a sales type. Now that is mixed with Internet research....and that again leads to places like this. If I'm going to invest 5 digits in a product line & floor plan..I'm going to do a little home work!
As you said saws were being sold long before places like AS. The Internet is a relatively new technology, especially with respect to saws. So of course they were selling saw before AS. Companies used what ever communication technology was best in a given period of time.
Back to the homeowner who is the largest consumer of saws along with the the small contractor who is looking for specific tools for jobs...My premise is simply that as the Internet has become more prolific and a larger part of our lives, more research is happening for all types of things by those who are connected...choosing tools is included especially when they cross the $200 dollars line. There are more and more "Consumer Report" type places, Home& Garden type websites, Hobby websites along with the Box stores adding "review" spots on their more expensive products. This also leads more to use search engines to augment their research leading them to places like this. This a a rapidly moving target so generalizations don't work for anything but small slices in time. But since this is a Dolmar 5100s thread..I'm not nearly as interested in the Homeowners (or enthusiasts)..I'm more interesting in the reaction from Pro's and Dealers!
I hope your right, actually. As I said before I really like what Dolmar is doing in offering a really exciting performance oriented product. Your point about the economy again makes a case for finding less expensive ways for marketing types to cast out their "nets", "trolling" for interest...internet becomes yet again a focus.
My guess is even as a successful dealer, no matter how cozy you think you are with a Stihl sales/marketing employee; you only get the vision of Stihl's thought process they think is most benificial..to them. My guess is right now Stihl will make every effort to keep their core dealers from feeling threatened by the shifts in the sand from both the economy and the changing plans. They still need you to to forecast/buy saws and other products...probably right now.
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volks-man
Arboristsite.com Spooner
Okay... I can't make you believe anything that's being said in this thread. Freedom of though, choice, and speech is awesome!
If you don't believe it, then don't... Nobody here will lose sleep over Funky's saw problems... Well, except maybe Funky.
metals,
i don't want to come across the wrong way. i have no problem believing the bulk of the info in this thread. the only thing that really ran up the red flag with me was the '50 saws' thing.
if you know this guy and vouch for him, great. i hope he is telling the truth and all gets sorted out for him and his customers.
it only seems like it may have been an exagerration. again, i hope i am wrong. perhaps my faith in humanity can be restored yet.
regards,
v
Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
metals,
i don't want to come across the wrong way. i have no problem believing the bulk of the info in this thread. the only thing that really ran up the red flag with me was the '50 saws' thing.
if you know this guy and vouch for him, great. i hope he is telling the truth and all gets sorted out for him and his customers.
it only seems like it may have been an exagerration. again, i hope i am wrong. perhaps my faith in humanity can be restored yet.
regards,
v
I wasn't there to count saws with him, and he could be exaggerating about the number? Would 36 out of 100 be better? Or 50 out of 200?
Fact is, I know what he's going through with the saws and distributor... First hand.
In 2007, there were 41,000+ people living in Bonner County... If 1/2% of that population bought a 5100, that would be 205 chainsaws sold. 50 bad saws out of 205 sold in a year, seems believable to me... Especially if it's a batch defect. And that doesn't count the folks like myself, that dropped by the shop to see the guys, and have a chat... My brother was wicked close to walking out with a 5100!
volks-man
Arboristsite.com Spooner
i think in a round about way we might be agreeing on this. i could be wrong though.
please understand i am in no way trying to be confrontational about this. i stand by what i said before. i believe dolmar has some of each: bad batches, bad distributors, bad dealers, bad luck even.
"almost every" out of "about 50" would look fishy to me while discussing any product.
and yes, 36 of 100 or 50 of 200 is more believable.
Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
i think in a round about way we might be agreeing on this. i could be wrong though.
please understand i am in no way trying to be confrontational about this. i stand by what i said before. i believe dolmar has some of each: bad batches, bad distributors, bad dealers, bad luck even.
"almost every" out of "about 50" would look fishy to me while discussing any product.
and yes, 36 of 100 or 50 of 200 is more believable.
Yup, I'm not trying to sound confrontational either.
Damn computers won't get tone-of-voice out.
Funky is a good guy... And if there were some exaggerations there, I can't blame him. He went to bat for Dolmar to his boss, and it turned like a rabid dog and bit him in the butt.
I personally think the 5100's as a whole are good saws... I also think them guys in Sandpoint are getting the short end of the stick on the deal.
If those saws weren't already gone, I'm sure Funky would be happy to post pics.
Yup, I'm not trying to sound confrontational either.
Damn computers won't get tone-of-voice out.
Funky is a good guy... And if there were some exaggerations there, I can't blame him. He went to bat for Dolmar to his boss, and it turned like a rabid dog and bit him in the butt.
I personally think the 5100's as a whole are good saws... I also think them guys in Sandpoint are getting the short end of the stick on the deal.
If those saws weren't already gone, I'm sure Funky would be happy to post pics.
You know Rob Moe ???
.
Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
If you're talking about the Robert that owns that shop in Sandpoint... I don't "know" him like a drinking buddy, but met and chatted with him for a few hours.
Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
I've only dealt with Ron, and then got switcherood to OEI.
I enjoyed talking to Ron on the phone... Seems like a really nice guy... Dealers still have all these aforementioned problems though.
sachsmo
Addicted to ArboristSite
Thinking Thall has many good points as far as the big corporate mucks don't give a crap about the "little people". My guess is, as long as the big bonus checks and such keep coming in. But he may be wrong on his thinking when it comes to homeowner purchaser's not researching on the net. I for one did, and always do on big ticket items. TVs, mowers, saws, cars, even the computer I'm typing on. For one, if these threads were showing up 2 years ago, it would have been very tough buying a 5100. So to me, the bashing, and bad reviews do have a big effect on the buying public. At least the ones who do their homework. And if they're researching saws goggle will take them here!
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