why dealer verses a box store

[rbrewer]

why do people suggest going to the independant dealers verses buying a mower at Sears, Lowes, or Home Depot. Same machines, right??

 

[beenthere]

Right.
Seems to have a lot to do with where you expect to get your service when repair and parts are needed.

 

[timb]

Assuming you've got a decent local dealer (and I'm sure there are all kinds)...

For me it has a lot to do as well with getting the correct answers to questions you ask, and getting good advice as to what model or what attachments will serve you best - from someone who's been dealing with nothing but these products for 25 years, not the high school kid at the box store who spent most of the day cleaning up the paint spill in aisle five and probably won't be working there come fall semester.

I get real tired of walking into a store/dealer/etc., for a major purchase and finding out that with just a little basic research into something beforehand that I know more than the guy who wants me to hand him hundred$ or thousand$ in commission for doing me the favor of taking my money.

OK - something of a rant, but yeah, I think it's worth working with a "real" dealer if you can find a good one.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="red">
why do people suggest going to the independant dealers verses buying a mower at Sears, Lowes, or Home Depot. Same machines, right?? </font>


* Free Delivery versus you having to haul it home.
* Parts Department that ACUTALLY has parts, including simple things like filters!
* Service, by TRAINED mechanics, because you will eventually need it.
* Pick up & Delivery when you need the service.
* Someone who can ACTUALLY answer a question without saying "Dude" or "whatever"
* Recommendations for the correct model, based on EXPERIENCE, because while you may want the bigger model or the smaller model, they can advise you on the CORRECT model.

* Then there are reasons like supporting a local business that will keep money in your local community. The types of businesses that support the local "little league" baseball team or the bowling team your friend bowls on. Etc.

And probably a couple dozen other reasons.

 

[slammer]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="red">
why do people suggest going to the independant dealers verses buying a mower at Sears, Lowes, or Home Depot. Same machines, right?? </font>


* Free Delivery versus you having to haul it home.
* Parts Department that ACUTALLY has parts, including simple things like filters!
* Service, by TRAINED mechanics, because you will eventually need it.
* Pick up & Delivery when you need the service.
* Someone who can ACTUALLY answer a question without saying "Dude" or "whatever"
* Recommendations for the correct model, based on EXPERIENCE, because while you may want the bigger model or the smaller model, they can advise you on the CORRECT model.

* Then there are reasons like supporting a local business that will keep money in your local community. The types of businesses that support the local "little league" baseball team or the bowling team your friend bowls on. Etc.

And probably a couple dozen other reasons.

)</font>

Very well said Bob.

Slam

 

[kenmac]

I was talking to local J.D. dealer about the J.D. lawn tractors sold at home depot. He said that the J.D. lawn tractors made for sale at home depot are the lower grade so that H.D. can sell them for less. He said that he sells the upper grade but also has to sell the lower grade at the same price as H.D. to compete.So this is one reason that some buy from a dealer vs.H.D.H.D. may not tell you that there are 2 grades of these lawn tractors, so that you can decide if you won't lower grade or upper grade, cause all they have is the lower grade.

 

[BRIGUY]

Here are some of my observations.

A few years back I purchased an Echo Trimmer and Blower from My dealer.

Home Depot (I do like Home Depot) has Echo products but not the full line and either of the Items I purchased. I price matched the models they stock with the same Model at My Dealer. Emerichs full price was 5-15% lower than Home Depot's sale price. The dealer also gave me a another 10 or 20 bucks off for buying the 2 machines on the same day. The equipment was assembled full of fuel, test run by there mechanics, and at least 45 minutes was spent with me after the sale outside showing me how to best start and use the equipment. The Echo stuff is emissions compliant 2 stroke so you can not adjust the fuel mix (they run lean) They explained that because of this I need to pay special attention to Fuel filters, and to let the engines warm up a long time before use when it is cool out.

They always have parts in stock and have recomended a different heat range plug and larger fuel filter for better performance and longevity. If 10 years from now I pop a motor (unlikely) I think they stock long and short blocks)

Home Depot I would have gotten BOOP BOOP your total is 500.00$ sir. Thank you and have a nice day.

My dealer has a dozen factory tranied mechanics on duty. Box store 0.

I saw a guy assembling lawn tractors and gas grills in the garden center using vice grips and slipjoint pliers.

I was at Lowes one day (I like Lowes too) they had a sale on returned and demo power equipment. I didn't buy any thing, but the sales guy told me that they sell enough equipment to keep the outside contractor they pay to come in the store to do assembly and repairs busy 2 days a week!!!!

1 guy 2 days a week not a Lowes employee

Lowes does sell a lot of power equipment, so much less attention must be given to each unit.

I'm not here to Bash Lowes or Home Depot I spend a lot of $$ there and like there stuff. I just dont buy power toys there.

Sears and me are done forever (other long stories)

 

[gamble77]

Well I have stated this before and everything that has been said in this post has hit the nail on the head but here is the best way I know of explaining it...

Would you ever consider buying a brand new vehicle from a dealer who didn't do warranty work on-site, had no trained mechanics, and automobiles wasn't their "main product". And even if you answered yes to that question would you still buy from them if there was another dealer in your area who did warranty the unit, had trained mechanics, and knew the product in and out plus would be willing to sell you the unit at the same price or cheaper?!?!?!

If you answer yes to the second question then by all means head to Lowes or HD today and buy all the equipment you heart desires.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I sell Cub Cadet, and there are differences with the box store tractors EVEN WHEN the model is the same. The stuff we get has some intricate differences that will make it hold up longer.

 

[timb]

Brian made a very good point. Even when the box stores (and like him I've dropped a good bit of coin at both Lowes and Home Depot over the years) carry a 'quality' line of equipment - I've found that the local 'real' dealers (Echo, Husqvarna and the like) sell the same models at the same price or even a little less (they know they have to compete). But they carry the full line, not just selected models so you can make that more informed purchase. And the pre-sales AND after-sales support has shown no comparison.

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( why do people suggest going to the independant dealers verses buying a mower at Sears, Lowes, or Home Depot. Same machines, right?? )</font>
<font color="red"> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx </font>
Do some searches on the subject here .
You'll see more than I could begin to post about it here.

 

[LBrown59]

<font color="red"> why do people suggest going to the independant dealers verses buying a mower at Sears, Lowes, or Home Depot. Same machines, right?? </font>

<font color="blue"> *And probably a couple dozen other reasons. </font>

=========

<font color="purple">
*Here's one of them.
In some cases if not many cases the price may well be higher at a box store than at the dealer for the exact same product.

These box stores capitalize on convenience, however convenience can be a costly loss.
</font>

 

[LBrown59]

<font color="blue"> Here are some of my observations.
</font>
********
This is one of mine :
When the box stores first came into being they were known as or called discount department stores.

They started out and attracted customers with lower prices and a wide selection or variety of products.
As the years went by consumers got hooked on the low prices and the convenience especially the convenience.
The Box Stores took advantage of that by increasing prices and the consumer never noticed because they were hooked on the convenience.
The variety of a wide selection has been reduced also.
K Mart is a good example.
Because The Box Stores have reduced the Variety of items they stock the convenience factor is slowly fading away also.
What's convenient about running to a Box Store to pick up and item that they no longer sell only to then have to go to the dealer or independent business to acquire the item when you could have skipped the Box Store and gone to the dealer or other business in the first place got what you wanted gone home with it and been down with the matter?
I'm finding this aggravation becoming more and more of a problem at the box stores.

The Box Stores it seems are more concerned with unethical pocket lining than customer service.

<font color="red"> Nothing wrong with a business generating a profit however there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it. </font>

 

[Jim_Presley]

I purchsed an Deere L118 from a local Deere dealer this week. I had spoken to a sales guy there a couple times over the last few weeks. When I went in this week, another guy happened to be standing there and asked me if I needed any help. I said I was interested in a L118, so he went over everything about it with me, other models, options, my needs etc. Wrote everything up, entered the order and took me out to it and went through all the controls etc. He then took it and washed it, dried it off, and then placed it in my truck with the forklift. Seems I had chanced upon the senior owner of the place. Yeah, he had a big office in back, but obviously the front was still important to him.

I liked that. They have my business.

Jim P

 

[slowrev]

The Box Sores it seems are more concerned with pocket lining than customer service.
//
both are in business to make money. Dealers just make a higher percentage of their profits off of service so they promote it more.

Box stores concentrate on sales and suffer minimal service to keep people buying boxes from them. How much service does a box require anyway ??

If there were no pockets being lined neither box stores or dealers would be there /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Just my opinon though /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Ben

 

[JHowell]

The machines aren't all the same. As was stated before the machines sold at the HD or other box stores are usually the lower end models. I usually recommend going to a dealer because the prices are going to be close enough. The dealer should have better knowledge of their product. The dealer carries the parts to service the product. Again, all of this has been said.

I recommend going to the dealer even if it means paying a little more for one reason. It keeps more of your money in your hometown. When you buy that mower from the HD they take your money, put it in a bank which the home office has access to. Essentially that money is whisked away, never to be seen again. With the dealer, all the profit stays in your hometown. Or at least the hometown of the dealership. That's money the salesman or the dealership owner will spend at your place of business or your neighbors place of business. Personally, I'd rather help my neighbor than some stranger 1000 miles away.

 

[Birdman]

In addition to all the other good reasons listed you also get.
Free hats, ink pens, key chains, calendars, etc...Plus I get a card in the mail at Christmas and throughout the year I get invited to hay days, forage days, lube days, filter days and so on.