stihl's online sales policy

[littlerob]

i think what it boils down to some thing like that i was told by a barrister about a year ago he siad if i lent out any of my equipment to some one and if they had a accident to say with a saw and cut his leg of or somthing bad i would be legally liable as its my bit of kit and i should have show them how to use it and all the safety aspect of it so it maby that why stihl want there stuff to be hand over and to make sure you have been told about how to use and how to be safe with it just to cover there backs legally maby im wrong or right or im just thinking a load of poo by the way in no stihl fan but it sort of stops no pro's buying them

[Goaty]

It can be a nuisance but it keeps the respect with the machines, i.e someone turns up without safety gear and a shops own brand saw, would you leave them to it???

 

Whereas a pro with good equipment is here for the long run to keep his good name.

 

As well as the brand safety image, Their Chainsaw operators don't get negative labeling like for example "organ donors" with motobikers. (Nothing against bikers personally.)

[hiluxstihl]

apparently here its because they want to match the machine to the customer... not being judgemental but i know more than the dealer about the saws, they only have the franchise 2 years... it might also be how they justify the price, seeing as you are getting the dealers time rather than something thats mass retailed..

[morten]

I believe that Stihl's "concern for the consumer" argument is purely a fig's leaf to hide the real reason, which is to maintain the relatively high profit margin of their resellers.

 

If Stihl allowed online sales, the online selling prices would quickly drop, and thus put pressure on the resellers to also drop their prices further. Customers would end up going to the authorized reseller for advice, but in the end buying the products online. Faced with such a price pressure, many of the resellers would possibly drop the Stihl range altogether (in favour of Husqvarna), and Stihl would end up losing sales, and more importantly losing many qualified resellers and service agents.

 

The "no online selling" is a much used practice of high-end (professional use as well as fashion) brands. Trading standards regulations may prevent such sales channel restrictions from being applied, unless the manufacturer (or their agent) can come up with a safety argument. And that is exactly what Stihl has done. But I simply don't buy that argument. Anyone can go to their local DIY store and buy a chainsaw without getting ANY advice, or PPE recommendations. And if any advice is given, it'll be from an 18 year old lad that has never operated a chainsaw.

 

Are Stihl's saws any more dangerous to the general public than a McCulloch?

 

Call me a cynic, if you will, but I simply don't buy Stihl's arguments, although I perfectly understand why they are doing it: Profit!

[spudulike]

Does any one know if Stihl force this in the US? The US is the worlds biggest market and funnily enough the only Stihl website to have online manuals available.

 

Mortens version sounds about right, having worked for a German company for 29 years it all sounds a bit famillier - the company forcing their practices on the public but then having to bend the rules in the US as they wont take any rap:001_rolleyes:

 

In our company all of Europe has to purchase products from our German HQ but the yanks do their own thing!

[Les Cork]

"which is to maintain the relatively high profit margin of their resellers."

 

Not in the UK mate, in my 31 years in the sales side of the chainsaw industry the dealers margin has dropped over the last 20 years. We have lost many good dealerships who can't sustain a business anymore and the end user has never had it so good.

 

Service levels also need to move inline with the going rate as well as costs have soared and the dealers who have trained skilled mechanics find it near impossible to get the rates car mechanics etc get yet they do much the same job.

 

Next time any dealer doesn't have the parts in stock when you want them remember the margin he would have made for the machinery would have bought the parts in a higher quantity.

Prices across Europe vary quite a bit as well.

[Steve Bullman]

I believe that Stihl's "concern for the consumer" argument is purely a fig's leaf to hide the real reason, which is to maintain the relatively high profit margin of their resellers.

 

If Stihl allowed online sales, the online selling prices would quickly drop, and thus put pressure on the resellers to also drop their prices further. Customers would end up going to the authorized reseller for advice, but in the end buying the products online. Faced with such a price pressure, many of the resellers would possibly drop the Stihl range altogether (in favour of Husqvarna), and Stihl would end up losing sales, and more importantly losing many qualified resellers and service agents.

 

The "no online selling" is a much used practice of high-end (professional use as well as fashion) brands. Trading standards regulations may prevent such sales channel restrictions from being applied, unless the manufacturer (or their agent) can come up with a safety argument. And that is exactly what Stihl has done. But I simply don't buy that argument. Anyone can go to their local DIY store and buy a chainsaw without getting ANY advice, or PPE recommendations. And if any advice is given, it'll be from an 18 year old lad that has never operated a chainsaw.

 

Are Stihl's saws any more dangerous to the general public than a McCulloch?

 

Call me a cynic, if you will, but I simply don't buy Stihl's arguments, although I perfectly understand why they are doing it: Profit!

 

Thats a bit of a short sighted statement.

 

If it werent for the internet policy, anyone could sell the saws which means you'd have a stack of ebay sellers selling from their garages with next to no overheads unlike the official stihl dealers who have to cover these costs in their mark up.

 

As Les said, the dealers would soon get tired of this and parts/servicing etc would then become an issue. So whilst it might seem great in the short term getting your saws cheaper than the dealer, in the long run i believe it would be bad for everyone. I think Stihl are doing the right thing personally

[mdt]

whilst i agree with it for chainsaws, strimmers and stihlsaws, i do think it goes a bit too far when needing a fuel combi can that checks have to be made to make sure ok to buy it.

[Mesterh]

Thats a bit of a short sighted statement.

 

If it werent for the internet policy, anyone could sell the saws which means you'd have a stack of ebay sellers selling from their garages with next to no overheads unlike the official stihl dealers who have to cover these costs in their mark up.

 

As Les said, the dealers would soon get tired of this and parts/servicing etc would then become an issue. So whilst it might seem great in the short term getting your saws cheaper than the dealer, in the long run i believe it would be bad for everyone. I think Stihl are doing the right thing personally

 

 

I thought Stihl and Husky insist that you have a shop to sell from so the above couldnt be done.

 

 

If it was truly a safety issue then fair enough for chainsaws etc but not for a box of files and some chain oil.

 

 

I also dont think it helps your local small dealers as they probably cant get such a good rate when buying in bulk from the manufactures so will always be more expensive than you big retailers.

 

Its strange they way you dont see dewalt,hitachi,bosch,makita etc etc (who make some fairly dangerous power tools) pushing this type of online sales policy idea.

[Megatron]

IMO, it is to support their dealers. How many people go to a dealer with the intention of just buying a saw (or anything else) but come out with PPE equipment, extra chain, bar oil, 2-stroke oil, files etc. If you were to order online chances are you would have just got the saw. There is no way dealers could survive without the footfall through the door. The Stihl policy is worldwide AFAIK.

 

Husqvarna shafted their dealers when they changed their policy. I believe they are appearing in some of the "big box" stores in the US now, only downhill from there.

 

The only thing I don't understand about Stihl is national parts availability. Why can't we get 3/4 wrap handles etc