Chainsaws and More

[manual]

What makes you come back for more, Or dealers what do you sell other than chainsaws to keep them coming back.
I'm not talking new chains and files. other products other then weed whippers and blowers too ?

 

[Lakeside53]

anything in the Stihl catalog..

What keeps them coming back? - consumables like line, gloves, oil, chains, files - usual stuff.

 

[computeruser]

A saw shop that carries a wide array of products related to trees and saws would (and does) keep me coming back. This, of course, presumes that the related products are of good quality and reasonably priced. And they must be in stock! Selling a full range of arborist supplies and tree-related pesticides, wood splitting equipment, wood chippers, and work clothing are good ways to make the shop a go-to establishment.

A saw shop that also sells wood heating stuff - stoves, fireplaces, boilers, accessories - would be a good combination and increase the value of the store to many saw consumers. They should also either handle the installation and maintenace of the woodheat stuff they sell or have a fast, reliable business that they have handle their work.

Being a full-line dealer for your saw manufacturer's product line is also valuable, so long as the shop actually knows about the products and stock parts for 'em. And if the shop also sells lightly-used products, that could keep my business in the store instead of on eBay for equipment I won't use that often and therefore can't justify buying new.

At the end of the day, I want to have to go to as few stores as possible to get the stuff I need AND I want it to be in stock when I get there. I can order stuff online at home and can often get it faster than the dealer can/will, so the ability or willingness of the shop to special order the same stuff I can get online is not of very much value to me.

 

[JUDGE1162]

Wood cutting, spliting equipment, safety equipment (gloves, chaps, helments, ect) stove assessories ( I got a great raw iron, hand made fire poker that I love got it from my local saw shop) a little hardware does not hurt either (nuts, bolts, screws, basic tools) it is nice one less stop in town and has to help with their sales.

 

[manual]

Good post, So far.
I'm looking for Ideas for a start up business.
my area is manily vacation cabins,
One Stihl dealer in next town 12 miles away and Husky dealer 15 miles.
any other ones are 40 miles away.

 

[Lakeside53]

Sell adult DVD's, ice cream and clean T-shirtsopcorn:

 

[Andy1234]

A good looking secretary/receptionist (preferably blond with long legs)

Andy

 

[manual]

Sell adult DVD's, ice cream and clean T-shirtsopcorn:

Naw got a general store that has the market on that.

 

[JUDGE1162]

Food, snack, drinks "BIG Profit items"

I buy jerky everytime I go to the saw shops and during the week when the pro crews come in they are always eating (break time) while the wait for something to be fixed or picked up/droped off. Many saw customers will wait for there service give them something to do.

Carry the highend 2 cycle oils (mobile 1 and a like), maybe have so suped up saws for people to look at. A place to try saws is a nice option not many places have that but would be nice.

 

[manual]

A good looking secretary/receptionist (preferably blond with long legs)

Andy

Ok I'll make a note not to hire the local snow cows and import a secretary.

 

[manual]

Food, snack, drinks "BIG Profit items"

I buy jerky everytime I go to the saw shops and during the week when the pro crews come in they are always eating (break time) while the wait for something to be fixed or picked up/droped off. Many saw customers will wait for there service give them something to do.

Carry the highend 2 cycle oils (mobile 1 and a like), maybe have so suped up saws for people to look at. A place to try saws is a nice option not many places have that but would be nice.

Yea I also thought about a hydraulic hose maker.

 

[blis]

get a huge log and have few test saws around, so ppl can actually try how they feel like...

Oh! and get a fridge full of beer too...

 

[stckciv]

Generators, pumps

 

[NYH1]

Good post, So far.
I'm looking for Ideas for a start up business.
my area is manily vacation cabins,
One Stihl dealer in next town 12 miles away and Husky dealer 15 miles.
any other ones are 40 miles away.

If you think you'll have enough traffic during the non vacation season, it sounds to me you need to become a full line Stihl, Husqvarna and Jonsered dealer. What about Dolmar, are there any Dolmar dealers in your area? I won't even consider a Dolmar because I don't have any good dealers in my area. The ones that do open up don't seem to last that long.

Also wood splitters and wood splitter parts and accessories. Hydraulic hoses and stuff like that could be pretty good too. Wood splitters have hydraulic hoses!

As already mentioned good wood stove and wood stove accessory suppliers are always nice to have around.

 

[retoocs555]

In a vacation area I imagine the following would be the best things to have.

1. Plenty of homeowner saws
2. Wood stoves
3. Cross cut saws and axes
4. AND... Sell firewood on site. A lot of vacationers are too intimidated to call up the local fire wood guys for 1/8 of cord of campfirewood. At least that's the case around here.
5. All the other essentials, workware, PPE, wedges, etc.

With mostly vacation type customers I can't see a huge market for splitters, chippers and the like.

 

[chowdozer]

What makes you come back for more, Or dealers what do you sell other than chainsaws to keep them coming back.
I'm not talking new chains and files. other products other then weed whippers and blowers too ?

Carhart, boots, gloves, raingear. Someone else mentioned generators. Maybe even rental saws and genny's?

 

[doc874]

Vacation

I agree with Retoocs555. Selling your own wood cut and split is a very good idea. The reason people are on Vacation is to escape work, although there are some that would cut their own fire/camp wood themselves so home-owner saws ( Quality saws, Stihl, Husky etc... and accessories for same. ) are the preferred choice. Beer fridge also gives the men a place to hang when the women start to look for projects etc... A big screen TV and some lazy boy chairs would go nicely also with a wood heated lounge. How hard is it to get a liquor license???

Doc

 

[stihltech]

ma and pa

see the ma and pa shops thread.

 

[BostonBull]

We are a start-up full line Stihl dealer and we also carry a full line of Arborist supplies, landscape tools, full reapir service, sharpen chipper knives with a Morbark automatic sharpener, work on chippers and try to have great customer service. I think customerservice is the #1.

Good luck if you decide to start-up.

 

[litefoot]

Make customers feel like it's a privilege to have them in your shop instead of the other way around (see my local Stihl shop). Get repairs done in a timely manner. Be willing to dicker on big-ticket items even if it's just a little bit. It makes customer feel like you're at least trying to work with them. Treat repeat customers extra special. Keep the customer area clean and well-stocked with brand (Husky/Stihl) accessories. Don't give stuff away...you won't be in business long.