Bailey's 2007 = DOLMAR!!!!

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I actually love the Dolmar saws. I talked a friend of mine into being a dealer, and I feel kinda bad about it. I think the main problem is with the reps. My friend said that so far their rep has forgoten to place his order for him 4 or 5 times. He was waiting for a 7300 he ordered for 3 weeks, the customer got tired of waiting and got his money back. Turns out the rep never ordered it for him.
I hope Dolmar gets this worked out, because I like their product.

Andy

I think your friend is yanking your chain, orders don't go through a rep, at least not here. over the net and next day delivery.
 
Same here. I place all my orders via computer. Spring orders or HUGe orders are placed through my rep. sometimes. Why wouldn't the rep want to sell equipment?

There may be some more to this story that your buddy has left out.
 
Wow,
It looks like we kicked the hornets nest again. I hadn't looked at the AS since last Friday, and Monday being what is I didn't have a chance till now. We had a verbal agreement with the sales manager at Power Equipment Co. who was our Dolmar Distributor. We were to sell them at Manufacturers Suggested List Price. We were allowed to run them in our catalog but, not on the inter-net. So we ordered a couple to do the photo layout for our catalog. Every thing is great and we print the catalog. I go to order a couple of pallets of saws in third week of December and they tell me they are declining to fill our Purchase Order. So when I called to see what was going on, I called Power Equipment Co. and was told that they were bought out by a company called MWE. They tell me that they know nothing of our arrangement and that unfortunately (for us) the sales manager who cut the deal is no longer with them. I've got a call in to MWE's Sales Manager to see if anything can be done. I will have to admit the one thing that was bad on our part was that they did actually get on to our website. This was not our intention and these was the first items we've had that we weren't allowed to run on our site. We have a few people hammering data in and it slipped through. It had nothing to do with not being able to access the saws. This is the reason not an excuse. I'll keep everybody posted.
Gregg
 
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Greg...thanks for the information.Most of us know that Bailey's doesn't do business like that...kinda figured it was somebody else's fault. Sounds like the Dolmar distribution setup needs a complete overhaul. I'd like to try that 7900 but probably won't until somebody I know and trust can support it.
 
Can someone explain the difference between a catalog and a website? Don't both end with a boxed product being shipped to a customer? Doesn't the Dolmar dealer agreement prohibit box sales?......................mine does.
 
There was a time when you could buy heroin and cocaine at the corner pharmacy too, just because you could then does not mean you can now.
 
There was a time when you could buy heroin and cocaine at the corner pharmacy too, just because you could then does not mean you can now.

A bad analogy here.
Your talking Federal Drug Laws and a Manufacturers agreement. A bit different. no?
The Manufacturer can and will modifiy their terms of sale as they see fit. Not fair sometimes to the little guy but what do they care.
 
Sedan:
<i>Doesn't the Dolmar dealer agreement prohibit box sales?......................mine does.</i>

I think you're saying that the agreement prohibits you from selling to me even if I do a little homework, find your number, and call you on the phone. I suppose you're correct, but OTOH, in the real world, I'd expect you to interview me a bit to find out why I wanted to buy from you so bad, and if you were satisfied that you weren't gonna get burned, sell me some product.

I think we all want a Dolmar 7900...and some of us can't get one easliy. If current distribution is using thier noggins, they'll be calling potential dealers' attention to this fact when making calls...SugarBush mentions a dealer a few miles away from with one Dolmar saw on hand. I'm almost sure I know who that is, and remember arguing with him when I wanted a 7900 of my own...he didn't have any Dolmar at the time, and assured me that the 6400 would be much better suited to my needs. If I had to have an 80cc saw, he had an Efco in that size.

He looked at me like I was a nut case when I said I had to have the 7900...I have a Jonsered 625 and 670 (w/H272 jug) if I want 60-70cc saws, I have a J621 and 2149 for lighter work, a J2040 for the camper, and a Husky 395 if I need to get serious. There's a hole at 80cc since my bride donated my Jons 2083 to a fundraiser at our church...:mad:

There are a few posts relating to big box stores and big name brands. Some dealers hate it when the big box comes to town, as it siphons off trade, or foists their headaches off on the little dealer. But there are also dealers that have made it work for them...the big-box sells low-end equipment, light-duty stuff, that sometimes won't hold up. If the dealer is willing to capitalize on that, offer trades and parts/accessories, as well as repair services, at least some guys are doing better because of the big-box store.

Of course, every area is going to be different, but I know of a shop in another state that was very afraid when Wally world moved in and started selling Snap-apart riders for about his cost. He shouldn't have worried...half the folks that bought them really needed a better unit, and he ended up taking a number of them in on trades, which he sold at one of those auctions the used-car-lot guys frequent. While he didn't make any money on the half-dozen Snapper riders he dumped, and only made a modest profit on the other units he sold, he says every one of those customers has been back to his store for something.

Repeat customers are like gold...

...And they told two friends, and they told two friends...
 
eyolf.

I agree with the Snapper analogy. I had the exact same situation and considered dropping Snapper because of it. Luckily, out local Wal-Mart stores didn't promote the units and only carried 3 models. Then....(do a little research and I'll find you the article)...Mr. Weir of Simplicity / Snapper corporation made the trek to Arkansas and told Wal-Mart to shove their buying contract up their fourth point of contact. The "little guy" wins over the big box stores. We milk the Box-store cow for every penny we can. I had a guy in today with a 1 year old McCulloch made in Taiwan. Long story short...after pulling the muffler the piston actually would rotate almost a quarter turn around in a circle...I'd say 70 degrees. HOLY CRAP. He walked out the door with a shiny new 460 dolmar, case and spare chain plus 2-stroke oil and bar oil. He almost peed his pants when i ran it through the test log, showed him the finer points and handed it over. He decided he needed some smaller practice before unleashing the saw on "big" wood.

Farm and Sheets made that sale for me. If they handles a quality saw...I don't think I'd have made a new customer today.

As for the idea of buying a saw online or via catalog....I'm totally against it.

Buying a saw via the telephone if you have knowledge and the dealer agrees to set it up, test it fully and ship it because there is NO dealer close enough. I'd sure consider it but it would be METT dependant to be sure.
 
When i was in Florida ,, Clearwater i phoned a dealer, i needed/wanted a 5100 and he sold it to me over the phone for $420.00, could not really dicker on the price my cell phone bill was adding up, trying to find a saw shop that carried dolmar.(roaming/long distance)
i went and picked it up From the warehouse in Tampa. I don't now if they where aloud to do that but i told them that i was from Canada and need it, gave them the sob story.

Lawmart
 
There are a few posts relating to big box stores and big name brands. Some dealers hate it when the big box comes to town, as it siphons off trade, or foists their headaches off on the little dealer. But there are also dealers that have made it work for them...the big-box sells low-end equipment, light-duty stuff, that sometimes won't hold up. If the dealer is willing to capitalize on that, offer trades and parts/accessories, as well as repair services, at least some guys are doing better because of the big-box store.
Smart business people would come to the same conclusion and adjust their business plan accordingly.....Adapt or die.
 
I just got off the phone with the sales manager at MWE and all he could tell me is that Dan Moore from Power Equipment Company never should have cut this deal verbally or otherwise. This answer sure doesn't feed the bulldog but, I guess it's the best Dolmar could do. We will still provide parts and customer service for Dolmar saws since we've sold them in the past. They have a good product, and that's why we thought it would be a good product for us.
 
Greg, Won't they let you have Dolmar on the same terms all of us adhere to? Walk in sales? You guys do have 2 stores.
 
I'm sure they would. I don't think we're being black balled or anything like that. We've been looking real close at our over the counter sales and it accounts for less than 1%. Dolmar is a great product but,for us it's just not good business sense to have a product that is limited to counter sales.
Gregg
 
Sounds to me that Dolmar, or their distributors are doing a good job protecting the local dealers. Isn't that what Stihl has done for years? I just wonder what some of the Stihl dealers on this site would have to say if some Stihl saws got "accidently" listed on a national web site? I think that shows Dolmar is going in the right direction, hopefully.


Mo out!
 
Sounds to me that Dolmar, or their distributors are doing a good job protecting the local dealers. Isn't that what Stihl has done for years? I just wonder what some of the Stihl dealers on this site would have to say if some Stihl saws got "accidently" listed on a national web site? I think that shows Dolmar is going in the right direction, hopefully.


Mo out!

I think a Stihl dealer would be mad enough to spit tacks if they saw a Stihl in a major catalog or online. I'm glad that Dolmar is standing behind the local dealers. Hopefully, increased interest in the products Dolmar has to offer will result in increased sales, increasing number of QUALITY dealers and then the whole thing would snowball. Or, it will all fall down like ahouse of cards. It's always a bit of a gamble in business. Heck, the EPA could get a bug up their butt and eliminate all 2-cycle engines. What would happen then?

Whomever said rolling with the punches and making smart business decisions was right on the money. Work hard and try not to stick your neck too far outta your collar.
 
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