stihl's online sales policy

[wrsni]

No one does, despite eddys claims

 

 

What gets confused in a conversation sometimes is the fact that a 33.3% discount from RRP actually gives the dealer a 50% mark up.

 

Don't really know the Stihl situation but I've owned and run a motorcycle shop as my "day job" for a dozen odd years now and dealt with companies large and small so I've a fair idea how things should work and what's wrong when they don't.

[wrsni]

Sorry had to dash out mid-post.

 

cont'd.........

 

The Stihl policy seems a bit outdated, every manufacturer and supplier knows that the internet whilst limited in it's potential has to be at least a part of your distribution policy and is better addressed and incorporated rather than ignored and if it's done correctly the "non internet" dealers will be OK with it.

 

Just another thing, if they genuinely value quality of service over scale and turnover then ALL their dealers large and small will HAVE to be on the same terms.

[Graham]

What gets confused in a conversation sometimes is the fact that a 33.3% discount from RRP actually gives the dealer a 50% mark up.

 

Don't really know the Stihl situation but I've owned and run a motorcycle shop as my "day job" for a dozen odd years now and dealt with companies large and small so I've a fair idea how things should work and what's wrong when they don't.

 

I too ran a shop side by side with tree work. The two were totally unconnected. I got sick and tired of the requests for discount on purchases and price matching. "So and so is doing it at £?" Ended up making £20 on a £500 sale. If you're working on a 50% mark up then everytime you discount by 10% you're reducing your profit by 30%.

[wrsni]

Ended up making £20 on a £500 sale.

 

Quite correct, and the worst thing about that is that the customer thinks you owe him a massive debt of gratitude as he's given "you" 500 quid!

 

Oh, and lets not forget that eighty something quid of it is only tax that you're collecting for HMRC before you even start.

Edited November 12, 2013 by wrsni

[adowning7]

anyone else think the policy should not apply to basic consumables such as oils, files etc?

 

New saws in particular I much prefer having them handed to me complete and in the knowledge they have been run etc

[Eddy_t]

anyone else think the policy should not apply to basic consumables such as oils, files etc?

 

New saws in particular I much prefer having them handed to me complete and in the knowledge they have been run etc

 

Applying the policy to the consumables and parts is where my main gripe is, why do I need to go to my dealer to be told how to fit a part on something a) they know nothing about, b) they can't work on (as there is no chain brake) and c) they don't have the ability to obtain parts for! As for oil, you gotta be real thick if the dealer has to explain that one!

 

Saws, I agree, but in the case of charitable organisations or governmental bodies such as the rspb, natural England or the wildlife trust, the budgets are on a shoe string, so need the cheapest deal possible, which a local dealer may not offer, either because they're a sub dealer or they just don't want to, after all, they have us all by the balls now regarding stihl products

 

 

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[doobin]

Applying the policy to the consumables and parts is where my main gripe is, why do I need to go to my dealer to be told how to fit a part on something a) they know nothing about, b) they can't work on (as there is no chain brake) and c) they don't have the ability to obtain parts for! As for oil, you gotta be real thick if the dealer has to explain that one!

 

Saws, I agree, but in the case of charitable organisations or governmental bodies such as the rspb, natural England or the wildlife trust, the budgets are on a shoe string, so need the cheapest deal possible, which a local dealer may not offer, either because they're a sub dealer or they just don't want to, after all, they have us all by the balls now regarding stihl products

 

 

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Why are charities and government agencies a special case?? That's exceptionally weak as an argument if you don't mind me saying, although I agree with the first bit of your post.

 

Oh, and if you think charities and government agencies actually try to achieve value for money...well!

[Eddy_t]

Why are charities and government agencies a special case?? That's exceptionally weak as an argument if you don't mind me saying, although I agree with the first bit of your post.

 

Oh, and if you think charities and government agencies actually try to achieve value for money...well!

 

Value for money? No! But an extra £50 could buy a few chains or a new bar, but all of us are guilty of trying to get a better saw for less money, I was just using those as an example where the budget for equipment is negligable

 

 

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[Stephen Blair]

Just look at it as a bonus thing that we enjoyed for a few years and now its back the way it was.

Seriously if you buy Stihl, what is there to go wrong between Apf visits?

I've bashed them about for years up trees, in hoppers of chippers in transit, dropped out of trees and dropped 100 times a day on the ground while wrestling stuff at Chippers, and they keep going. I've got a couple of carcasses I can rob for casings or plasticky stuff.

Stihl have been going for 90 years, turned £2.62 billion last year, they know what's best for their business.

[Johny Walker]

if you dont like or disagree with stihls policy ,go buy another make of kit & get over it ,or just haggle your dealer ,theres more stihl dealers now than ever before ,thers somthing like 10 ,in a 10mile redius of me ,