Husqvarna Dealer Policy

[mikefromnh]

Husqvarna is rolling the marketing dice and hoping for a good outcome IMO.

If they can sell enough "consumer saws" through the box stores to generate revenue, they can afford to have a few dissatisfied customers that get fed up with poor service when they try to get their saw fixed at WalMart, Canadian Tire, etc.


Sean

It only works for a while. Just think of Black and Decker (or Skill) -- used to be considered good quality, now it is big box low end junk.

 

[Ken45101]

The only local Stihl dealer is the Radio Shack store

That's why the last saw I purchased was a Husky. Turns out that dealer is also an authorized Stihl service center although they cannot sell Stihl due to the Radio Shack's territory.

Actually, they have evolved over the past several years to also handling Cub Kadet, Stihl, and Radio Shack.

 

[Chilly807]

It only works for a while. Just think of Black and Decker (or Skill) -- used to be considered good quality, now it is big box low end junk.

Pretty much what I was thinking too..

Sean

 

[Chilly807]

The only local Stihl dealer is the Radio Shack store

That's why the last saw I purchased was a Husky. Turns out that dealer is also an authorized Stihl service center although they cannot sell Stihl due to the Radio Shack's territory.

Actually, they have evolved over the past several years to also handling Cub Kadet, Stihl, and Radio Shack.

Interesting mix of product lines..:laughing:

I'd be willing to bet that Stihl was happy to get the Husky dealer as service center considering the Stihl selling dealer might not have a great deal of saw service experience. It's nothing that can't be learned or acquired with the right employees, but it takes time to do that.

Sean

 

[CBW1999]

MTD manufactures for most of the branded Lawnmowers, Lawn Tractors and Snow blower's found in the general retail market. Is there someone manufacturing chainsaws in a similar manner?

I wonder if a 'Huskie" bought at a "big box store" is actually made by them? I would thing, similar to the "John Deere" garden tractor available at similar stores- perhaps they 'licensed" the name to similar company as MTD, to mass produce a general consumer product.

 

[Chilly807]

MTD manufactures for most of the branded Lawnmowers, Lawn Tractors and Snow blower's found in the general retail market. Is there someone manufacturing chainsaws in a similar manner?

I wonder if a 'Huskie" bought at a "big box store" is actually made by them? I would thing, similar to the "John Deere" garden tractor available at similar stores- perhaps they 'licensed" the name to similar company as MTD, to mass produce a general consumer product.

Husqvarna is or was owned by Electrolux which has/had access to a lot of different markets and products. I think a lot of the newer small Huskys are actually Poulan based saws, with a few refinements or differences to make them unique to the Husqvarna brand name.

Sean

 

[FredH]

As mentioned by Chilly , I also am not comfortable with a 50:1 ratio for the new Stihl 441 magnum I have or the Two old 041's that I sold . The first 041 , bought used in 1984 , ran on nothing but 32:1 since first purchased by me as did the second 041 bought used in 2003 .

Pull the carb and check the skirt of the piston , still looked new with no heat discoloration . I would rather risk fowling a $ 3 spark plug than torching a
$ 850 saw .

Stihl only sells through authorized dealers that can repair what they sell , or at least that is my understanding . They also set the price . Four ( 4 ) dealers within 60 miles of me , Same saw , Same price except for the California dealer who has to add sales tax .

Fred H.

 

[CBW1999]

Husqvarna is or was owned by Electrolux

That makes a lot of sense now. If you didn't see it in my earlier post, I mentioned that one of my wife's sewing machines is a Husqvarna.

The company she bought it from was a 'sewing and vacuum" dealer, and thinking back, they sold electrolux products. Of course, that was a long time ago, but even "in the day"- machines were sold by "dealers", and serviced on site by technicians.

It would make sense to out source the "common"consumer saw rather than try to maintain 2 manufacturing lines. But is the market that big- to sacrifice quality on a line of "homeowner" products just for the potential volume of sales?

 

[Chilly807]

It would make sense to out source the "common"consumer saw rather than try to maintain 2 manufacturing lines. But is the market that big- to sacrifice quality on a line of "homeowner" products just for the potential volume of sales?

The market is huge, and if not growing, then at least keeping the status quo.

The mentality of buy-it-once and run it forever is a thing of the past with the new generation of young suburban adults (20-40). So, they buy a new saw for $200 and expect it to last maybe 5 years of trimming around their yards, then they buy another one. This is normal to them..

We, on the other hand, are very much in the minority. None of the saws I own are newer than mid-90s, and all but one are pro models that get run hard when they do get used. I expect those same saws to outlast me with reasonable care, and there's no reason they shouldn't. I got every one of them second or third hand for next to nothing, rebuilt them for about $100 each.

The funny thing is, the saw that gets used the most is the closest I have to a consumer saw, a Stihl 023C ! Once at the bottom of Stihl's lineup, it has the plastic body, Mickey Mouse no-tools chain adjuster, non-adjustable oiler, and only 41cc. I use it every time there's medium size firewood to cut, fenceposts or deadfalls to cut, etc. The 242 Husky and 044 Stihl come out on special occasions, like to get the dust off the Husky and use the Stihl for bigger wood.

The 023 is actually a really nice saw to use, light weight, decent power, and good balance.

To get back to Husqvarna's strategy, they are aiming to break into the consumer saw market, previously the domain of Poulan, Sears, Homelite, and God help us, McCulloch. So the saws aren't the greatest.. they don't have to be, since neither is anyone else's in that market segment. Stihl is priced a little higher, but not much, I think they are taking a loss in the smaller saws to stay in the game long enough to see who shakes out on top. Their small stuff isn't that great either, but it gets the job done, the same as the other players.

Sean

 

[RandyT]

MTD is not even close in the manufacturing capacity of husqvarna group manufacturing capacity. Back a few years ago I saw the territory breakdown for walmart. MTD/yardman/yardmachine covered north of I-70 and east of the mississippi, Murray covered south of I-70 and east of the mississippi, ayp/husqverna covered the entire western half of the US and that represented only 5 percent of the manufactering capacity. MTD tends to sell a similar style mower under the yardman/yard machine, TSC huskee, rural king ranch king, troybilt mowers, tillers and such. then the medium grade is white and then cub cadet is there so called premium brand. husqvarna group has husqvarna, poulan, weedeater, dixon, jonsered, redmax, mcculloch, peerless transmissions, and i know I am missing something in that list. I forgot the biggest sector craftsman