Buying Advice A dealer looking for your input

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Dumping for most of us business owners means that someone is selling below cost. This is done when you need to free up operating capital that is tied up in inventory. I have done it on occasion, and will probably have to do it again someday.

My understanding is that new Kubota tractors are owned by the Kubota company and the dealer does not buy and pay for them like new car dealers do. They probably can but probably don't for many reasons. The new Kubota tractor sale does not free up operating capital for the dealer but can bring in the money from the profit above the price Kubota says to send them when the unit sales. Believe the "dumping" statement was a slip caused by frustration.

 

[GERALD9326]

Morgan, I live in Ohio and I just bought a new Kubota BX 2660 from one of my local dealers. I am a first time Kubota customer, and have only previously owned 2 John Deere lawn tractors that I bought at the local big box store. A couple of the previous posters hit the nail on the head when they refered to the internet as the possible reason you lost your sale. People today have the ability to educate themselves quickly on the product they want and the price that they are willing to pay. Try to google "Kubota BX2660 price". There are hundreds of threads, including this site, where customers are discusing the price they paid for a tractor,when they bought it, how they avoided paying taxes, and who they bought their tractor from. That's exactly what I did and it played a big role in who I eventuly bought my Kubota from. I considered buying from a local out of state dealer just 10 miles from me. I liked the guy, my wife thought he was handsome and not paying taxes could have probably happened. But I didn't want to risk getting caught and the price was at 13300 with a 60" MMM. I also considered buying from an in state dealer 120 miles away with a fantastic price with a FEL and MMM at 13800. But I would have had to borrow my neighbors trailer and drive there and back and I didn't think I needed a FEL. He was at 12100 without FEL. My local in state dealer just 8 miles away quoted me an over the phone price of 11700 with MMM with free delivery. I got quotes over the phone from 6 other in and out of state dealers within a hundred mile radius and most people were at 13000+ with MMM. I got all the quotes within 3 days.
After meeting the local dealer, who my wife says is not nearly as handsome as the first dealer we met, and test driving the tractor, I decided to go with the lowest price and closest service for what I thought I needed.
The customer you have definitely does not plan on paying tax or you would have made your sale. Don't beat yourself up over it. People just want to perceive that they are getting the best deal they can. You did nothing wrong. This guy is a 2 percenter. If the other 98 percent buy from you, and it sounds like they will, you will no doubt be successful. If you offer the best product and service, for the best price for the most people, how could you not be.
I also like what one previous poster suggested. Call the guy, congradulate him on his new tractor, and let him know its ok to buy the next 10000 worth of attachments and added options from you. Also, from what I have read on these threads, this guy is probably going to want a bigger more expensive tractor some day. Keep up the good work.

 

[mkane09]

Here's my situation regarding my local dealer. A couple of years ago, I was the tractor newbie that you talked about in the original post. I went to my local dealer to get recommendations, find out differences in tractors, blah, blah, blah. His price quote for an L2800 HST floored me. So, I went looking online and found a 2007 with 20 hours on it in Missouri, bushhog, landscape box with rippers, trailer. Made a deal and had it delivered. When I took it in for the 50 hour service, the dealer's first question was "Did you buy that here"? Why should that affect the service I get on my Kubota? Will I EVER buy a tractor from him? No. So, something to think about. Just because you didn't sell the FIRST tractor to your customer, doesn't mean you won't EVER win him over. Just make sure your service to him on that first tractor is SO GOOD that he'll want to buy from you when it's trade-in time.

mkane09

 

[locknut]

I am a Kubota Dealer in the NE area. I have been at this for over 6 years now and absolutly loving the results. Great people that have filled my customer slots and a great product to equip them with. But I dont want to get comfortable with where I am. Like any good dealer I want to make sure I get better and giving people the buying experience they deserve.

Here is my scenario: I spent 6 WEEKS with a guy discussing a tractor. He was clueless and that is more than fine. I took at least 4 hours every week to get him on different machines driving around and using the attachments until we found the machine he was comfortable with and we both felt would do the jobs he had lined up. We then moved onto discussing attachment options and then getting his wife on board and excited. All in all it was going great, ( I even stayed 3 hours after close one night ). When the time came for him to buy he had me write up a formal quote and I gave him the best price I could, i did that right up front. Three days later I call him up to see if there were any more questions I could answer for him and I find out he bought the package from a dealer in PA because he butchered my price just to dump the tractor.

My question to you guys ( the buying market ) : Is service no longer important to people? Is a cheap price more important than Unbeatable service?

Shame you didn't sell that customer,but I see some red flags.Sending you a pm for some free professional advice

 

[Shantycoke]

After the time you spent with your prospective customer, I too feel that you should have at least had a shot to work with this guy on price. With that said, I have dealt with lots of people on lots of high dollar items, and when I'm shown the consideration that you showed that guy and his wife, I'll pay a little more. No doubt. I go into my dealers place and the owner greets me by my first name. That says something, and that's why he has a ton of my money and a lot of my buddies buying tractors from him. He asks about the kids, my tractor, my wife, dogs, you name it. I went to the local Deere dealership, was treated like an idiot and got the shaft. I won't even buy a chain for my saw from him, and I let people know what a scumbag he is. But, he did sell me on anything but Deere. You did the right thing and lost a sale. I guarantee that word of you working with people the way you do will get you plenty of sales to make up for the one you lost. Best of luck to you, my friend.
Pat

 

[mikefromnh]

Just spent way too much time skimming through this thread.

The OP is from NH so sales tax may not have been an issue. Unless the buyer was from another state and is actively looking to avoid paying tax.

Wish there was a dealer like Morgan where I now live (mid-coast Maine)

I find a lot of people who travel to make large purchases don't account for travel expenses or their time properly. If I had to drive my truck 300+ miles to save 600 -- It would not be worth it.

I would not have wasted someones time and then dumped over $600 -- but I wouldn't throw away $600 either As others have said some sales people develop a sixth sense of who not to waste time on (it can take years to fully develop)

 

[tulenutn2o]

I am a Kubota Dealer in the NE area. I have been at this for over 6 years now and absolutly loving the results. Great people that have filled my customer slots and a great product to equip them with. But I dont want to get comfortable with where I am. Like any good dealer I want to make sure I get better and giving people the buying experience they deserve.

Here is my scenario: I spent 6 WEEKS with a guy discussing a tractor. He was clueless and that is more than fine. I took at least 4 hours every week to get him on different machines driving around and using the attachments until we found the machine he was comfortable with and we both felt would do the jobs he had lined up. We then moved onto discussing attachment options and then getting his wife on board and excited. All in all it was going great, ( I even stayed 3 hours after close one night ). When the time came for him to buy he had me write up a formal quote and I gave him the best price I could, i did that right up front. Three days later I call him up to see if there were any more questions I could answer for him and I find out he bought the package from a dealer in PA because he butchered my price just to dump the tractor.

My question to you guys ( the buying market ) : Is service no longer important to people? Is a cheap price more important than Unbeatable service?

How much did they beat your price by? distance away? I would give you a 2nd shot.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

My understanding is that new Kubota tractors are owned by the Kubota company and the dealer does not buy and pay for them like new car dealers do.

Yes, we do pay for them at a point. We have a set number of months before we start paying interest on whats on our lot.

 

[amg280]

For me it really came down to price. I saved well over 2K off my BX by buying it out of state, even after delivery. Like someone said, thats an implement or two. My local deal wouldnt budge. Obviously not in the ball park. There were 3 local dealers I tried. It was a no brainer.

But one thing is for sure, I would not have invested so much time at my local dealer using his equipment and knowledge if I had knowing known I was buying somewhere else. Peoples time is important, and I respect that.

 

[radioman]

Wow- just read this thread and I think the OP is better off not getting the deal. I say that because even though you spent alot of time to get one sale and didnt get the sale. The "failure" to get the sale is actually a sucess. Having a clueless person not able to comprehend the operation of a tractor and need "hours of teaching" will probably be nitpicking and needing warranty work for every little thing causing a rift between the customer and OP if you get my drift.

Sometimes it better to let bygones be bygones.