Torvy
Super Member
I watched that today, too. The part he missed entirely is that as the economy worsens, more buyers will gravitate toward the lower priced brands and take market share from the "duopoly".
He said that JD and Kubota have always been the duopoly. I guess Neil is young and didn't study tractor history. Kubota wasn't even import to the US until 1969. John Deere wasn't a top 3 brand until the mid 60s. The point is that the changes over time also affect the 'top' brands. Kubota and JD both were economy brands until they gained market share.
He also badly overstated the 'brands'. Many of them are just marketing opportunities for manufacturers (TYM, for example, makes all Bad Boy and RK tractors). Kioti makes Bobcat, etc. Even if those marketing brands go away, parts will still be made.
Overall, he is not wrong that one or more brands will go away (I made that point on another thread that Neil even replied to). Sometimes, though, these statements by the big brands are calculated to scare customers away from buying brands with lower prices. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If he scares away enough buyers, it will be even more certain that brands will go away.
He said that JD and Kubota have always been the duopoly. I guess Neil is young and didn't study tractor history. Kubota wasn't even import to the US until 1969. John Deere wasn't a top 3 brand until the mid 60s. The point is that the changes over time also affect the 'top' brands. Kubota and JD both were economy brands until they gained market share.
He also badly overstated the 'brands'. Many of them are just marketing opportunities for manufacturers (TYM, for example, makes all Bad Boy and RK tractors). Kioti makes Bobcat, etc. Even if those marketing brands go away, parts will still be made.
Overall, he is not wrong that one or more brands will go away (I made that point on another thread that Neil even replied to). Sometimes, though, these statements by the big brands are calculated to scare customers away from buying brands with lower prices. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If he scares away enough buyers, it will be even more certain that brands will go away.