Mail order restrictions by Stihl?

[Jon Lad]

I need some new pole hedge trimmers and found them at a good price online from this dealer in Devon. I rang up to place an order, the lad asked me where I was calling from. I told him and he said that Stihl had told them that they weren't to sell their products and post them out to customers. That you were to go on to the Stihl website, find what you want and look up the location of your local dealer and go and buy it from them.

I was really amazed by this, and couldn't quite believe what I was hearing. He said they could send out any other manufacturers products but not Stihl.

I am interested if anyone else has had experience of this.

[Steve Bullman]

yes of course, its standard stihl policy and applies to all dealers

[liamjordan]

yeah its been stihls policy for ages, with all their chainsaws, strimmers, hedge trimmers ect.

[Mozza]

Yup, Its ze rules these days, No postage from stihl dealers on machines

[Frank]

Its all to do with customer service,Stihl are very proud of their products and their service, buy from your local dealer, they can give you the personal touch, advice / after sales service etc etc. Get to know your local dealer and spend some money and you should usualy get good prices too.

[Frank]

No dealer should be advertising stihl products online.

[Gareth Dalzell]

Yes exactly the same over here. I can get great prices from English dealers but they can't send them over. I've spoken to a few of the dealers and from what they've said, if Stihl catch them sending stuff out of their area without a face to face initial contact, they get chewed and can forfeit the dealership. We did have one company that would send stuff over but they were wound-up last year unfortunately. It would actually pay me to take a van over, make up a good sized order and bring it home myself - it may happen yet.

[Jon Lad]

I think I'll stick to Husky, I'm not big into artificial markets.

[Steve Bullman]

they're going the same way

[Mozza]

Huskys the same now too i think, or soon will be