"Box Store" saws ?

[JustinM]

I'm curious especially in todays economy you would think making your product available to more of the general public through box stores and internet sales would be a smart thing for business. What's you guys take on this ?

IMHO it all comes down to how you run your business. Stihl & Dolmar are clearly trying to maintain a level of "quality" in their complete product lines. Even their lower end "consumer" saws are better built than the husky equivalents (which, as someone mentioned already are basically just orange poulans, made in the poulan plant).

There is no question that if Stihl and Dolmar/Makita started selling their consumer lines in the box stores they would make more money now - but at what cost for the future? In order to be competitive in those stores we'd see lowered quality on the ms 290s and Dolmar 510s for sure.


I remember a few years back you could go to an electronics store and buy anything labeled Sony, Panasonic or Canon and you would be buying a quality piece of equipment. Nowadays that is not true. Panasonic and Canon both had dips in quality for a bit (although IMHO have gone back to their roots & weeded out the lower tier stuff in their line) while Sony continues to sell varying levels of equipment. You no longer can be guaranteed a quality product just because it says Sony on it (even though the high end Sony stuff is still exceptional). Husky has gone the way of Sony while Stihl and Dolmar are looking more like Panasonic. Who will be the big winners? i dont know, but I think the Panasonic model is one that shows more forward thinking and foresight.

Just my 2¢ though.

 

[tallguys]

Wow, a 75cc solo for $1000?? Guess there ain't no blue light special in that aisle!!

Same as I was thinking. Who in their right mind would pay over $700 for a Solo 50cc? Heck, thats more than even a Husky 346XP!:msp_w00t:

 

[Chris-PA]

IMHO it all comes down to how you run your business. Stihl & Dolmar are clearly trying to maintain a level of "quality" in their complete product lines. Even their lower end "consumer" saws are better built than the husky equivalents (which, as someone mentioned already are basically just orange poulans, made in the poulan plant).

There is no question that if Stihl and Dolmar/Makita started selling their consumer lines in the box stores they would make more money now - but at what cost for the future? In order to be competitive in those stores we'd see lowered quality on the ms 290s and Dolmar 510s for sure.


I remember a few years back you could go to an electronics store and buy anything labeled Sony, Panasonic or Canon and you would be buying a quality piece of equipment. Nowadays that is not true. Panasonic and Canon both had dips in quality for a bit (although IMHO have gone back to their roots & weeded out the lower tier stuff in their line) while Sony continues to sell varying levels of equipment. You no longer can be guaranteed a quality product just because it says Sony on it (even though the high end Sony stuff is still exceptional). Husky has gone the way of Sony while Stihl and Dolmar are looking more like Panasonic. Who will be the big winners? i dont know, but I think the Panasonic model is one that shows more forward thinking and foresight.

Just my 2¢ though.

Funny, but I remember Panasonic audio products to be in the same class as Sound Design - cheap junk in a thin pressboard housing with an overdone front panel. And no sound quality. But here's the thing: I'm and electrical engineer, and the son of and EE professor. Back in the day when audio equipment was big we would laugh at the silly audiophiles and the absurd specs of the equipment, and marketing hype that surrounded it all. We understood the circuit designs and what the specifications meant. So much money for nothing but nonsense, a brand name and bragging rights with the rest of the in crowd.

I can't help it but I see that at work here too. People are really spending like $900 for mid range saws? Well, if you've got it and that's what you want, but someone somewhere in these corporations is wondering how long they can keep pulling this off. When you are massively overcharging for products it's great while the goose still lays but you're very vulnerable. If the price falls due to economic conditions or competition from decent lower price products then having the high volume distribution channel starts to look like a good call.

 

[Kenskip1]

Box Store Saws

Here is my take on BS.Now just suppose that you needed a saw.But you have been doing your reading. A Husky 455 would suit the bill just fine.Trouble is a dealer is half way across the state.Sears has this very saw for $399 as of yesterday.Home Depot as well as Lowe's have this saw on sale also. Now that you have done your reading all about it you head to the store make your purchase and be done with it.Tractor Supply is another good example. What I am boiling down to is that not all box stores (BS) are a bad thing. True the other saws make me cringe but the manufacture mentioned is the one I am talking about.Echo is also one that is in my local Home Depot.Not all people have the resources to head to a dealer but many other simply whip out the plastic and make the purchase.It is a matter of convince for them.JMO Ken

 

[Vibes]

Is Husky allowing internet sales again? I've been seeing a lot of new 346's on Ebay lately.

 

[Fasttimez]

Is Husky allowing internet sales again? I've been seeing a lot of new 346's on Ebay lately.

I've looked into alot of these saws on ebay and it seems to me the majority of these saws are at pawn shops for one reason or the other offered as new in the box. I've also been reading about the record theft rates from box stores regarding power tools. Now I'm no detective, but it would seem that 1 and 1 makes 2 in this situation. 1 listing on ebay had an Echo CS-8000 listed for a buy it now price of $400 new in the box. This particular saw retails for over $800. Something just doesn't add up to me about these ebay listings.

 

[Trapper63]

You can tell what sells at the box stores by looking on craigslist. Echos, low end huskys and the like. Don't see so much Stihl...I like there approach to marketing.
It is what it is though, they all make money and as a consumer, I have a lot of great saws to choose from.

 

[Vibes]

I check the feedback records of the sellors on Ebay. One guy had been selling lots of OPE stuff. New and used. Just wondering.