We're not just talkin', we're walkin': We gave up our Kubota dealership to deal Kioti

[OrangeGuy]

I guess I have to agree with Farm with Junk and Dargo. I just visited kioti's website and used their dealer locator to see if there was a Kioti dealer near me (Minneapolis). According to their dealer locator, there is one dealer within 100miles. However, when I went to that dealer's site, Kioti was no where to be found. This dealer is a car tire and tuneup dealer who now is advertizing they are a Mahinda dealer. Contrast this with my local Kubota dealer who has been in business as a farm equipment/construction equipment dealer since 1946. Their Kubota business is absolutely huge.

If I was in charge of Kioti's management, I would stop copying the Kubota products in hopes of their reputation rubbing off on them. I don't doubt their product is of good quality. Reverse engineering the market leader does have its advantages. However, from a marketing perspective, they will always get tagged as a follower. This alone makes it difficult for them to attract large, established dealers to sell their products. It appears to me to break away from the "follow the leader" image, they are changing "color" and trying to establish distribution relationships with Bobcat and others. This could work as it has for Yanmar and John Deere.

OrangeGuy

 

[crazyal]

Around here (other parts of the world could be different) Kioti dealers came and went. Finally it looks like one dealer has kept the line for 3 years or so but they only have maybe 6 or 7 tractors on the lot. I think there is another local dealer that has had the line for a little while now but I never go that way so I'm unsure.

When i was looking I wanted a front mount snow blower driven off a mid PTO so I could mount a pto sander on the 3pt hitch. The Kioti dealer flipped some pages in a book and said he'd have to find out. Kioti's website also didn't have the answer readily available so I moved on.

Last year I looked Kioti had a front snow blower listed but looking now and I can't find it. What's even more odd is they list a center PTO as an option but the only attachments listed are a FEL, Backhoe, tiller, and mowers. When you click on mowers they talk about mid and rear mowers but only show rear mowers as an option. Why have a center PTO if you aren't going to make attachments to use it? If you go to Bobcat's site they list a whole line of attachments including a front snow blower as an option.

Does Kioti give you the option thinking you'll just go to your Bobcat dealer to buy a snow blower? Does kioti sell a snow blower and I couldn't find it? I guess that's my issue with them, they could do so much more. Even bobcat has issues with their site. When you use their tractor builder option they list a spreader as an option yet when you add it the picture that comes up is a spreader for the back of a UTV.

 

[Western]

crazyal, You made a good point, I too have had trouble on Kioti's site. It is far from impressive and hard to navigate with limited information.

I like my little DK35, a few things on it I don't like, but can deal with. Partly since I am used to some older models which felt a little "more solid" .I sure miss my Case:laughing:

My dealer moved and I heard he went out of business, in fact he was the one that told me about TBN! They where great to deal with and actually went over the tractor and the after delivery "shpeal"(sp) better than my previous JD dealer.

I don't know about the corporate end of it, but am convinced a good solid dealer is a must. My dealer "sold" me the tractor since I was skeptical, it sure wasn't the Kioti web page or any of their literature. Do they even have any Literature?:laughing:

 

[jake98]

I don't know about the corporate end of it, but am convinced a good solid dealer is a must. My dealer "sold" me the tractor :

Mine too, and I'm glad he did.
We have two dealers now within 30 miles, both appear solid. I'll have to ask them how they really feel next time I'm there.

 

[jake98]

If I was in charge of Kioti's management, I would stop copying the Kubota products in hopes of their reputation rubbing off on them. I don't doubt their product is of good quality. Reverse engineering the market leader does have its advantages. However, from a marketing perspective, they will always get tagged as a follower. OrangeGuy

Based on what?? Orange paint and four tires? This is non-sense. :confused2:

 

[Verticaltrx]

Based on what?? Orange paint and four tires? This is non-sense. :confused2:

Nowadays they are starting to distinguish themselves a little more, but it used to be the Kioti models were very similar to older Kubota models.

With that said, a little known fact is that Kioti and Kubota actually made a tractor or two together, must have been 20+ years ago now. IIRC it was only overseas and the deal eventually fell apart. Seems like after that is when Kioti really started trying to copy Kubota.

Regardless, I think the business end of things is why they have struggled so long. I only know of two Kioti tractors in this entire area, one is a newer 80hp cab/4wd/loader (which does look a lot like the M-series kubota), and the other is a few years old about 30-40hp. The guy with the big one I see him using it almost every day, the smaller one seems to sit around various places on their property 90% of the time. There is one Kioti dealer in this entire region and he only has a few tractors on the lot. I think he makes most of his business selling hay equipment and the tractors are sort of a sideline.

I briefly looked at Kitoi before I bought my B3200, but the reason I didn't get one is a) complete lack of dealer support, b)didn't really have a model I was interested in, and c) it's hard to predict the future of a company that seems like it's just been struggling for so long.

 

[bullbreaker]

Nowadays they are starting to distinguish themselves a little more, but it used to be the Kioti models were very similar to older Kubota models.
With that said, a little known fact is that Kioti and Kubota actually made a tractor or two together, must have been 20+ years ago now. IIRC it was only overseas and the deal eventually fell apart. Seems like after that is when Kioti really started trying to copy Kubota.
.

Heres some interesting history on that.
The 登ther Orange Tractor. Kioti. | OrangeTractorTalks

Boone

 

[5030]

I suspect when you compare Kioti to Kubota, Deere and to a lesser extent CNH. the profit margin on a Kioti is better than the others and when in business, it's all about profit margin no matter what anyone says. I prefer Orange or Green over a brand like Kioti becaue if I need a part (I never have by the way), I know I can get it without delay and I farm with my tractors so the service/parts availability is everything.

 

[ChuckinNH]

I drove a Kioti CK25, or CCK30 (can't remember which for sure) when I was tractor shopping, and would consider them strongly if I were to buy a slightly larger tractor. I think the dealer in my area will survive, and the dealership has grown, and expanded, but it is still pretty much a one man show, and that did make me nervous. Now the odds of him living longer than I do are very good, so I am less concerned. Kubota does make a very good product though, and there are three well established dealers in a 50 mile radius of me. Massey, and New Holland are growing in this area too, especially Massey. I know my great neighbor just couldn't keep driving by all those shiny red tractors three miles from here.

Good luck with your new Kioti dealership! The following is small yet, but quite loyal, and vocal.

 

[jake98]

The following is small yet, but quite loyal, and vocal.

The anti-Kioti crowd is quite vocal too, for some reason.. it may be my imagination, but it always seems to come from the other orange owners.