Ever had a pricing bait-n-switch?

[Champy]

Recently called a couple of dealers looking for an implement. All prices were in the same ballpark ~$50 +/-.......so I went to where I bought my tractor to keep the business local. They had quoted me $540 on the phone, but when I showed up the price had jumped to $700! I was surprised (since I went there planning on writing a check), and even asked them to meet another dealer's quote without success. Now I'm going 25 miles away to buy the same item for $525 (I called them twice to verify price) .....maybe I should consider getting all my parts, maintenance and service done at the second dealer too.

Anyone else had a dealer jump prices from what they quoted? Is this common?

Thanks

 

[LoneCowboy]

Never
i'd be pissed
Did you talk with the manager/owner?

That's ridiculous, esp for a part.
a part costs X.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Recently called a couple of dealers looking for an implement. All prices were in the same ballpark ~$50 +/-.......so I went to where I bought my tractor to keep the business local. They had quoted me $540 on the phone, but when I showed up the price had jumped to $700! I was surprised (since I went there planning on writing a check), and even asked them to meet another dealer's quote without success. Now I'm going 25 miles away to buy the same item for $525 (I called them twice to verify price) .....maybe I should consider getting all my parts, maintenance and service done at the second dealer too.

Anyone else had a dealer jump prices from what they quoted? Is this common?

Thanks

I've had a few TRY, only to see me walk away.

A dealer that's been in business for a while has seen it happen a few times, no hard feelings most likely. It's a competitive business, and you can't win 'em all.

If it's $20 difference, maybe I'll stick with the shortest trip. $175, I'll take a ride. Most people would. The dealer probably would himself, in the same situation.

I've bought the majority of my newer "stuff" from one salesman at a local dealer. I bought a new 6' Bush Hog 286 last spring. He carried BH, but was $140 higher than another dealer close by. I bought from the cheaper priced dealer. Higher priced dealer still sent me a Christmas card.

I've been quoted prices by a salesman who was recalling the LAST piece he sold. Prices go up. Dealership won't let him sell for less than new price. I'm not excusing that. A GOOD salesman won't quote prices unless he's SURE. Giving a price then raising it can create hard feelings.

 

[Cliff_Johns]

This is not unusual when someone who is not supposed to come up with prices decides they know more than they do. For instance, if a dealer commonly gives a 20% discount for parts, then the person quotes a 20% discount, but in reality that may be only for parts not shipped by truck, or parts in inventory, or parts for major customers, or parts for tractors they sold.

The trick anytime you call for a price, is to ask for the persons name when you get the price. It makes all the difference in the world when they ask that person and they admit to giving that price.

There are people who will go to a dealership and claim to have received a price over the phone, but never called at all.

Cliff

 

[Champy]

I don't see how there was any salesman incompetencies involved here. The same salesman who sold be the tractor; FEL; RC; etc.... was involved, and he's the exclusive guy for CUT products. Needless to say I was dumbfounded........quoting 540 and then jumping to 700 was not "in the ballpark". I walked and will buy from another dealer.

The real downside is that I always make an effort to buy from local business owners. If he had been within $50 I still would have bought it. Now instead of making a couple extra hundred, he's at risk of losing all my business - repairs; maintenance; upgrades; implements; trade-ins; etc.... over the life of my tractor ownership.

 

[randy41]

i dont know if you did this when you called but i will get the name of the person quoting the price and see that person when i go to buy.

 

[fireplum]

i dont know if you did this when you called but i will get the name of the person quoting the price and see that person when i go to buy.

I would have told salesman to write up a slip,with price qouted,
And, I will be there in a hour/day to pick it up.

 

[Champy]

i dont know if you did this when you called but i will get the name of the person quoting the price and see that person when i go to buy.

Randy - Yeah, I knew who it was by name, and it was the same guy I talked with in person that gave me the quote.

At one point I thought it may have been a year-end make my sales quota kind of a deal because the quote over the phone was given just after Xmas, and now I go in and it is a higher price - but when I called the other dealer their price is still the same now as before, so go figure.........

 

[YanmarFever]

Dont walk, RUN to the other dealers, then drive by & show him & the manager what you bought at their competitors.

That ought to make his day, like he made yours

We stick by our prices, no matter what, our word is still worth something.

Ernie

 

[daTeacha]

I would at least talk to the owner/manager, tell him what transpired, and why you don't plan to bring him any more money. Then give him a chance to check it out and offer some logical explanation or maybe to make amends in some way. Don't let the salesman's mistake or greed ruin your relationship with the dealership since you might need them for an emergency repair some day.

My dealership is a family owned business that has quite a few family members -- brothers, cousins, etc. working there. My salesman is one of the two brothers who own the place, which was started up by their father 40 years ago. When I ask him a price, he tells me it's a ballpark figure and that he will be happy to look it up if that price didn't scare me off. He never quotes a firm figure without checking what they have invested in an item first. The other sales guys and the parts guys work the same way. Their ballpark figures are usually within 10%, but sometimes they get surprized when they check the books -- either way.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

I have two dealers I use regularly and one I will use for convenience, he is a little higher priced but closer.

I went by my #1 dealer at the time to get pricing on an FEL (bota 723) with bucket and tooth bar. My regular salesman was busy and I had to see the new salesman. Turns out the new guy had worked for New Holland and I remembered talking to him at NH and he was one of the main reasons I bought a Kubota. But I received a price from him anyway of $4000.00 for FEL,QA,and HD Bucket and $300.00 for toothbar. I wrote it down on the back of his business card. A couple of weeks went by and I stopped by on a Friday to let him know I would have my tractor there on Saturday for him to install. He told me there was no way he gave me that price he said it would be $4300 for the FEL and $325 for the tooth bar. I pull out my cell phone in front of him and called my #2 dealer and asked for a price; $4000.00 for FEL, QA, HD bucket and $350 for tooth bar. I asked the salesman if he wanted to match it or get within $50.00. He said "no way can he sell it to you for that". I told the #2 guy on the phone I would have my tractor there tomorrow morning.

To make a long story short my # 1 dealer was bought out by a guy who ran a dealership in Kentucky, within two weeks this salesman no longer had a job.
Seems he had done this to several good customers.

I still use these two dealers and sometimes there is $100-$200.00 difference in implements but it is usually due to the amount they buy. One dealer my buy 10 sets of forks and the other gut buys a trailor load.

I would let the owner know and ask for an explanation!

 

[BillyP]

Randy - Yeah, I knew who it was by name, and it was the same guy I talked with in person that gave me the quote.

At one point I thought it may have been a year-end make my sales quota kind of a deal because the quote over the phone was given just after Xmas, and now I go in and it is a higher price - but when I called the other dealer their price is still the same now as before, so go figure.........

You got this quote just after Christmas and 3 weeks later the price has went up? I don't know how long a quote is good for. Maybe some other dealers will tell us.

 

[kloswerkes]

The price change could also have been the result of a new price list that came out. I'm in the market for some extra rear remotes for my NH TC45D.
The last price list out shows them for ~$220 ea.
The current one shows them for ~$500 ea.

The salesmen around here mostly work out of the 3 ring binder.
If their binder isn't up to date, I get quoted the old price. When I go to order, they actually "check", and find out it has increased.

Not saying it was what happened in your case.
This was my experience, FWIW.

 

[Champy]

FYI - A short update on this pricing deal.........I went to another branch of the same dealership (but 25 miles away) and bought the rear blade for $498!

I believe the first salesman was trying to see if I was willing to pay List Price and/or was attempting to upsell me to a larger blade "since the prices are so close"....etc..

 

[Kendall69]

I had a service bait and switch. I was quoted on phone and in person $500.00, for some service, so I had them pick the tractor up. After tearing it down, they called and oh by the way now it will be $1000.00. I said NOPE!, I have a signed quote for all services ( quite clearly ) at $500.00 I said stop the work I'll be by to pick it up. went to pick it up they said it's $750.00 for tearing it down. I said see you in court.
I sued, they paid me $3,500.00, plus they put it back and delivered it for free.

My loss was the use of my tractor because they would not return it and I subcontracted a local company to till my fields.

 

[RedRiver]

You got this quote just after Christmas and 3 weeks later the price has went up? I don't know how long a quote is good for. Maybe some other dealers will tell us.

That's kind of what I was thinking about.

A lot of times dealers will have certain items in stock for a lower price that they are trying to move in order to get new inventory in and a lot of times that new inventory has had a price increase. Coincidentally price increases usually come at the beginning of the year.

I'm curious as to what explanation the dealer had about why the price went up?