Kubota forcing dealers out?

[widefat]

Ah, so that's why the Kubota dealer closest to me started selling Vermeer hay equipment. Hope it works out for them - nice folks. The only place in town I can buy a new Honda Goldwing, leathers, Husqvarna chainsaw, RedMax trimmer, Husqvarna mower, Kubota mower, RedMax mower, Kubota Tractor, Honda Generator, Kubota UTV, Honda UTV, Honda ATV, Landpride box blade, all without leaving the showroom.

 

[Industrial Toys]

All the Family run and dealerships around here are GONE. GM, JD, and others I don't deal with. I feel I owe the big multo-location dealerships nothing, and go to them only as a last resort. I do buy filters and oil from them, especially oil during the January Lube sale.

I have not seen the trend around here as much with Kubota.

 

[Paystar]

Ah, so that's why the Kubota dealer closest to me started selling Vermeer hay equipment.

That, and because Kubota previously had an agreement to sell the Vermeer hay equipment before they started selling their Kubota branded hay equipment.

 

[jmc]

Seems like John Deere was trying to consolidate smaller dealerships into mega-dealers a few years ago. There was a thread about it on TBN. One reason given was that with smaller, closer dealerships, customers were playing dealers against each other.

Here's that thread about Deere's consolidation. ("A few year's ago" was actually 12)

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...-weeding-out-dealerships.html?highlight=Deere

 

[Tomtint]

All types of companies are doing the same. It's the corporate mindset where it's more important to please share holders than it is to service customers. ..it's cyclical and when customers are no longer being serviced well by the big box dealers..they will change brands/ dealers..
Unfortunately in this Walmart world we live in... it gets harder and harder every year to be successful based on providing exceptional service.. price is 99.9 % of the time..the most important factor.

 

[airbiscuit]

It's kind of how things go. When they enter a market, tractor companies need to find anyone they can to open a dealership - so mom and pop organizations suit their needs. As market share and sales volumes grow, so do most dealerships, but not all. As that happens, the tractor companies want their dealers to have skilled mechanics, a more robust parts inventory, and more new inventory on the lot. Customers want those same things.

At some point, too small is too small, and dealerships are forced to close or consolidate. I actually like the smaller dealers better (I think John Deere got too big), but that's the way it is. I would think those small Kubota dealerships would be prime candidates for Yanmar, Kioti or LS dealerships - lemonade out of lemons and all.

 

[Industrial Toys]

You buy a machine and you are paying for ALL the inventory to sit there. You buy a part and you are paying for ALL the parts to sit there. That is an economic reality. That stuff isn't there magically for free.

 

[kthompson]

As a company is successful it will realize which of their products is profitable and which are not. They will work to develop or enlarge the profitable product and exit the less or even unprofitable product. However as say JD exits a market another company may look at the product line or size or what ever JD left and say, we can be profitable in that market and thus we see such as LS and other brands move in. Same with stores such as Sears, Walmart and Dollar General. Ten years ago who would have thought Walmart was worrying about say Dollar General but bet they are watching them.

Sears sadly went from top of the mountain to the bottom all due to their attitude of the customer.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I think SEARS was giving the public something that could not be afforded anymore. Bright, bricks and mortar stores. I was always struck at how HOT those stores wee with the insane amount of lighting. Not dimly lit warehouses with exposed steel lattice joists! Or no bricks and morar at all! Plus lots of customer service.

 

[SDT]

I had two Kubota dealers within 20 miles of me, both handling primarily small tractors and lawn equipment. Both were forced out of business by Kubota supposedly for refusing to take on the full line of Kubota equipment including farm type equipment. Now it痴 50 miles or more to the nearest dealer to buy parts or get repair work done. I frequented both dealers for filters, UDT etc. Certainly not customer friendly to force these dealers out of business.

Everyone is doing it.

SDT