Ordering parts from your dealer

[Modifiedmark]

I never charge shipping on parts that ride with an order that I am already doing. A "special order" is an additional order that is done specifically to get whatever that customer wants, and for that the customer will have to pay shipping. I average 3 Husky orders a week, so on saw stuff this pretty much never happens.

It's more likely to happen where we have to get something from a supplier that we don't order from very often.

I think this is the right way to do it and the way that most do.

Thing that gripes my behind is the Stihl dealers around here, not stocking common parts that they should have to begin with.

I understand the Stihl business way of trying to protect there dealers and why they have so many proprietary parts used on there saws so you have to go there for parts. But this is a two way street as well. If Stihl wants me to go to there dealers for there parts, then I think its only reasonable to expect them to have most of the common and consumable parts in stock.

I mean come on, if your going to make your rim sprocket different then everyone elses, should I have to order it to get it?

You make 1 trip to the dealer to order it, then another back to pick it up and get to pay shipping on it also?

I went to order a few things over the phone a week or two ago and the SOB was going to insist that I pay for it in advance with a credit card before he would even order it.

I told him to get bent that he should at least stock one sprocket to begin with and if I did stiff him on it and didnt pick it up that he needed it anyway.

Well he went ahead and ordered it and when I picked it up he looked and had sold 3 of them this year already. Why not stock one?

Rant over, sorry...

 

[MacLaren]

My local Ace shop is an Echo dealer for saws, trimmers, etc. They don't even carry wedges.

The dealer I'll more than likely go to from now on is a True Value.

That's too bad. These ACE stores carry everything Stihl. Well, except the pro saws, but as far as wedges etc, yeah Id have to say they are pretty decent. Can True Value store owners carry Stihl as well?

 

[AKDriveSprocket]

I have a great dealer in my town. They don`t carry much so they order a lot and often. Some times it takes two weeks for them to get the part in but I don`t pay shipping. Most of the time about a week. Thats fine I have other saws to use.

 

[MadMax5578]

That's too bad. These ACE stores carry everything Stihl. Well, except the pro saws, but as far as wedges etc, yeah Id have to say they are pretty decent. Can True Value store owners carry Stihl as well?

All the True Values I've been to in Connecticut carry Stihl. There is one right down the road from where I work that carries the pro series saw's as well (seen a 660 on the display shelf collecting dust). I don't know if they have a special deal or anything, but they have a fair amount of saw's, trimmers, blowers, etc. I would be in heaven.....if I weren't a Husky guy!!

 

[eyolf]

Of course every dealer is going to be different, but the shipping/handling thing sounds like its getting more and more prevalent. I wonder how many small shops are struggling to stay current, have seen lines of credit shrink or dissapear, and distributors are responding by demanding cash for orders?

The shop I prefer to visit started charging me shipping even on parts in stock. I got kinda mad, and collared the owner: I told him it would feel easier to me if he just raised his prices by another 10 or 20%, rather than charge me a shipping fee on a part that was on the shelf when he bought the old owner out!

But in the end he's hanging on by a thread, like a lot of people nowadays.

 

[Justsaws]

Of course every dealer is going to be different, but the shipping/handling thing sounds like its getting more and more prevalent. I wonder how many small shops are struggling to stay current, have seen lines of credit shrink or dissapear, and distributors are responding by demanding cash for orders?

The shop I prefer to visit started charging me shipping even on parts in stock. I got kinda mad, and collared the owner: I told him it would feel easier to me if he just raised his prices by another 10 or 20%, rather than charge me a shipping fee on a part that was on the shelf when he bought the old owner out!

But in the end he's hanging on by a thread, like a lot of people nowadays.

A lot of shops are getting squeezed hard from both ends. The shop that I used to get most of my parts from dropped half of it's previous sources because the distributors changed the way the accounts were set up.

 

[SawTroll]

If your dealer doesn't have parts in stock, do they charge you a shipping or freight charge to get those parts in? Even when it goes on their daily or regular order with everything else? ......

None of my dealers ever did, regardless of brand (major brands, that is)!

 

[SawTroll]

Of course every dealer is going to be different, but the shipping/handling thing sounds like its getting more and more prevalent. I wonder how many small shops are struggling to stay current, have seen lines of credit shrink or dissapear, and distributors are responding by demanding cash for orders?

The shop I prefer to visit started charging me shipping even on parts in stock. I got kinda mad, and collared the owner: I told him it would feel easier to me if he just raised his prices by another 10 or 20%, rather than charge me a shipping fee on a part that was on the shelf when he bought the old owner out!

But in the end he's hanging on by a thread, like a lot of people nowadays.

I have seen a couple of good dealers (one Husky and one Stihl) "die" from their other business, but never because of the saw business as such!

 

[USMC0802]

Interesting, some of the hostile responses. It is true about the minimum order for free shipping. So, wait a little or pay a little. Fair enough I think. A small shop would still likely order once a week. Not every part you need should be at your beck and call, and on the dime of the shop-keep until you need it. Nobody is trying to screw you over for the $4 broken starter pawl on your 455. Chill.

Yesterday, when the guy on the phone says, "Get your order to me by noon on so I can get it in with the order from our other store," I shouldn't be paying $12 shipping. Hell, it's only $9.99 to cross the country with Bailey's for the same parts. What's really frustrating is I placed this order on Thursday last week and the guy told me they'd have it by Tuesday. I called yesterday and they hadn't even sent the order out yet. If I'm going to pay $12 shipping, I want my order sent the minute the phone is hung up. It ended up being alright as I needed to add a part to the order after a spring broke on the 066 on Sunday, but you get my point.

That's too bad. These ACE stores carry everything Stihl. Well, except the pro saws, but as far as wedges etc, yeah Id have to say they are pretty decent. Can True Value store owners carry Stihl as well?

I only know of one big True Value store here and it's a full line Stihl dealer. I'm thinking they used to be their own independent shop and were bought out by True Value as they kept their previous name. Maybe part of the buy out was they keep their Stihl line up.

All the True Values I've been to in Connecticut carry Stihl. There is one right down the road from where I work that carries the pro series saw's as well (seen a 660 on the display shelf collecting dust). I don't know if they have a special deal or anything, but they have a fair amount of saw's, trimmers, blowers, etc. I would be in heaven.....if I weren't a Husky guy!!

Same, pro saws, all the sharpening tools, chaps, arborist helmets, etc.

Of course every dealer is going to be different, but the shipping/handling thing sounds like its getting more and more prevalent. I wonder how many small shops are struggling to stay current, have seen lines of credit shrink or dissapear, and distributors are responding by demanding cash for orders?

The shop I prefer to visit started charging me shipping even on parts in stock. I got kinda mad, and collared the owner: I told him it would feel easier to me if he just raised his prices by another 10 or 20%, rather than charge me a shipping fee on a part that was on the shelf when he bought the old owner out!

But in the end he's hanging on by a thread, like a lot of people nowadays.

Maybe these dealers need to figure out how to stay in business and remain profitable without giving the customers the fist every time they call or walk in the door. Actions like these are what alienates customers and drives them to internet dealers, especially when you have staff at some of these internet shops that are more knowledgeable than the people behind the counter at the dealer.

 

[spike60]

Yesterday, when the guy on the phone says, "Get your order to me by noon on so I can get it in with the order from our other store," I shouldn't be paying $12 shipping. Hell, it's only $9.99 to cross the country with Bailey's for the same parts. What's really frustrating is I placed this order on Thursday last week and the guy told me they'd have it by Tuesday. I called yesterday and they hadn't even sent the order out yet. If I'm going to pay $12 shipping, I want my order sent the minute the phone is hung up. It ended up being alright as I needed to add a part to the order after a spring broke on the 066 on Sunday, but you get my point.

But there's an even worse point here that you might have missed. Not only is this guy banging you with a bogus freight charge; what he's doing is sitting on the order until he builds it up so that it qualifies for FREE freight! He expects you to pay shipping, but he sure doesn't want to pay it himself. This guy could teach a class on how to be a crook. Just amazing. I could never intentionally screw my customers like that.

 

[USMC0802]

But there's an even worse point here that you might have missed. Not only is this guy banging you with a bogus freight charge; what he's doing is sitting on the order until he builds it up so that it qualifies for FREE freight! He expects you to pay shipping, but he sure doesn't want to pay it himself. This guy could teach a class on how to be a crook. Just amazing. I could never intentionally screw my customers like that.

I don't know if it's intentional or not, but they do have two stores and I don't know if they do enough volume to get free shipping. They may just place one order per week between the two stores, have it delivered to one store, and send the other store's stuff over rather than place two orders separately.

Either way, unless it's a dirt cheap chainsaw case, or I only need a single chain, I'm done with this shop. They don't stock chains bigger than 25" and have very few as it is.

The other shop, the True Value store, they don't charge shipping on anything that they consider consumable repair parts that they feel they should stock - hoses, sprockets, etc, even if they don't have it. If they should, and they don't, no shipping charge. If it's something they don't stock, it's $4 for the order, regardless of the volume.

 

[Fish]

It is easy to sink a fortune in parts, that may or may not sell.

But a customer that wants a 4$ part will have to wait until I make an order,
as anything I order costs me at least $9 to get in. If the customer wants
to pay the $9 shipping, I'll order it right away.

I am a nice guy, but not an idiot.....

 

[teatersroad]

.. I want my order sent the minute the phone is hung up. It ended up being alright as I needed to add a part to the order after a spring broke on the 066 on Sunday, but you get my point...

Loud and clear.

Not every customer is a welcome customer.

 

[olyman]

If the dealer has any common sense at all, he will require a down payment of at least half before he orders, unless it is a real common part.......

Sorry guys, but I have been there.......

got that right--wayyy too many want you to cover the shipping--on a 2 dol part--aint happening--

 

[longbar]

Loud and clear.

Not every customer is a welcome customer.

Every customer is welcome online!! And I pay shipping to my door not theirs!!!

 

[olyman]

It is easy to sink a fortune in parts, that may or may not sell.

But a customer that wants a 4$ part will have to wait until I make an order,
as anything I order costs me at least $9 to get in. If the customer wants
to pay the $9 shipping, I'll order it right away.

I am a nice guy, but not an idiot.....

correct---

 

[Fish]

Every customer is welcome online!! And I pay shipping to my door not theirs!!!

Not really pertaining to this thread very much...

 

[sunfish]

Any business that doesn't charge shipping, already has it figured into the price.

Only time not, is when a 'free shipping minimum' is going on, and this is more like a special sale. The vendor can cover the shipping if the order is large enough.

No such thing as free shipping. Somebody is going to pay

 

[longbar]

Not really pertaining to this thread very much...

sure it is. Why deal with a :censored: dealer that charges every customer shipping on a mass order when I can get online, order parts and not deal with the dealer and pay shipping to my door and not theirs? The dealers arent the only ones hurting for money and when they try and stick you every way they can to stay in business it will only hurt them in the long run. You pet a dog he comes back you kick him and he aint comin back. Im not sayin they're all like that cause we have a few around here that try to hook a customer up when they can and I DO go back to them.

 

[Stumpys Customs]

Picked up a couple of intake gaskets for a husky that were "special order" , and the dealer didn't charge shipping. Thought that was nice of them.