I did my best to "work a deal" as I always do. In this case I didn't have a local dealer so I knew I was going to have to deal with one a little ways away. Since I was going to have to do that anyhow I got a list of a number of dealers and went to work. I knew exactly what I wanted and had priced competative models so I had an idea where I wanted to be on price. I made some calls, faxed some letters and essentially put my business up for bid. Having a rather non-descript company name may have helped. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Let me say a couple things here. If I'd had a local dealer I doubt I'd have been able to do this and probably wouldn't have wanted to do it. I'd rather support a local business when I can if they're close on price.
Since I wasn't local to the dealers I did my best to sell the fact that this was "plus" business for them with no overhead other than taking my phone call. I emphasized that they didn't have to inventory the item and pay floor planning on it and wouldn't have to pay someone to offload, assemble, display, sell, deliver or load it. I explained they'd likely have my money at least a couple weeks before they even got their invoice from First Choice on the box blade and even longer on the rotary cutter. Just take my certified check from the FedEx guy and call First Choice on their toll free number and have them ship to a different address. What could be simpler?
I made my deal on the box blade, a rotary cutter and a couple non-First Choice items, too, so I don't have a dollar amount on just the box blade but I'd say I ended up with better than LandPride or Woods/Gill quality for not much more than King Kutter pricing. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
After the fact I mentioned something about the possibility of more deals like this coming his way via the Internet (thinking this would be a good thing). To my amazement, this old boy told me in no uncertain terms that he didn't want to become "an Internet implement dealer." He changed like someone threw a light switch at the mention of "Internet." /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif Based on that I can't be comfortable recommending him for this kind of stuff now and won't. I got the impression had I said mine was an "Internet" deal, he'd have passed.
Oh, well... to each their own, I guess.
Anyhow, I imagine Jim or Pieter will give you a list a dealers near you and you can take it from there like I did. Please understand, I'm not saying my way of doing this is the best or even good. I'm only saying that for me with my background and being able to "talk the talk" with the dealers, it worked for me. Again, if you have a local dealer that's where I'd go.
