Comparison what is your take on direct selling for tractors and implements?

[DFAM]

Just wonders whether you are interested to buy these stuffs directly from The OEM if the factory offers 2yrs parts warranty and online parts purchase system.

The drawbacks are quite obvious, no labor warranty and inflexible payment. While the big benefit is getting what you want at a quite low price.

So your pros and cons, thanks.

[chim]

It will work as long as people feel they are getting quality equipment at a good price - AND - there is a good support for the products. Cash payment will eliminate some customers, while others will appreciate the savings. Paying cash has less to do with being rich and more to do with being responsible. If you can afford to buy something and make payments on it, you can afford to wait and save and buy it for (less) cash. With cash in hand you can buy for less than the best 0% financing deal.

Two examples of why it would take a while to win people over that we encountered at work, and I believe we are not alone:


1. Two out-of-country pieces of equipment our company has bought in recent years are a Montana tractor (S Korea) and a PANDA duct leakage tester (United Kingdom). Both have needed parts, and both were a very long wait. When problems arose with the PANDA communication was a real problem. The people spoke English, but the time difference made it hard to connect except via e-mail.

2. We had to replace several owner-provided 16" weldneck pipe flanges that cracked when placed in service. A recent shipment of 1/2" clevises from a vendor is being returned because they have little paper tags that state "Not To Be Used For Lifting". A quality clevis only costs $3 more. In both cases the materials were stamped "Made in China".

[savageactor7]

Without dealer support I'd predict epic fail...not everyone is Mr Fixit like like the posters here.

[MESSMAKER]

Without dealer support I'd predict epic fail...not everyone is Mr Fixit like like the posters here.

I think you are spot-on.

[chim]

Without dealer support I'd predict epic fail...not everyone is Mr Fixit like like the posters here.

I believe there IS a lot of truth in that statement, but how much support is there for Nortrac and some others? They may not be in the same position as Kubota or Mahindra, but they do have some market share without dealers in every 'burg.

[Bluegill2]

Direct from China might be a problem...

[RoyJackson]

Without dealer support I'd predict epic fail...not everyone is Mr Fixit like like the posters here.

I agree 100%...

Also, as the OP is trying to sell from China, parts may well be impossible to obtain. And, shipping a import duties may well drive that "low cost" way up.

Frankly, I wouldn't buy anything from China...not as a direct importer. The quality isn't there and too much "fly by night" or even out and out scams going on with Chinese manufacture.

[Baby Grand]

I don't play if there's no skin in the game.
In the described business model, I have everything to lose for some notional discount, compared to ... what?

[jonyyuma]

IMHO...The personal take on your Chinese metal is "the Quality varies so much, it is almost impossible to tell the strength of the metal or its fasteners? I take it you were talking about container lots? That said "I have been pleased" with some of my Chinese purchases..

[stevem5215]

The Chinese reputation is the biggest issue IMO. I have a Chinese made FarmPro (Jinma) 2420 (204) and have found it to be of varying quality. Sure, it does the job but I wouldn't say it's the best tractor for the job either. It's just "ok".

Now, if the OP (original Poster) would have a really nice website to browse (instead of the crappy chinese ones we see) and have full parts breakdown available with real english speaking ordering people along with a technical support dept that would actually be in english along with help when needed to tear something apart with pictures and a service manual that's understandable in real English not "chinglish" as the Jinma ones are. And if they offered a decent price in comparison to the other chinese tractors available locally then they might have a chance at success. Otherwise I wouldn't even bother since you will need a local dealer to decode all of that stuff I just mentioned above. How do i know ? Well I OWN a CHINESE made tractor and that's all the stuff I just mentioned above that I have personal experience with.

Steve