Purchase experience with Barlow Equipment

[Fiziksgeek]

Well my experience are should I say lack of experience. About a month ago I filled out a build a package deal. I recieved a response that they recieved my questioner. That was the only response that I got from them. So I went with my local dealer who I have a good relation with.

It says on their website:

"You will get an e-mail or phone call from us only if we can accept your offer or if we can get reasonably close. Unrealistically low offers may not get responses"


Perhaps your offer was lower than they could accept? Even if that were the case, it would still be nice to get a response.

 

[ustobefarmer]

I didn't see that on thier website. That was the first place I inquired about pricing. It seems like a crazy ideal to name your price, but if it is to low they won't contact you.nI had no ideal what to put down for a price. It would have been nice to get a reply saying that I was to low and then we could have negotiated on the price.

 

[varmint]

Well, to be fair, other posters have said that Barlow's get a phenomenal amount of email traffic, so not replying to all, especially those that seem to be just fishing (phishing?) might be excusable. If I was trying to cut a deal, I would follow up and try to establish contact.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

As you can see, I'm starting off with a smile. I sold Real Estate in a former life and Somerset is sort of a Lake Community/Farm Community. Use to get lots of Northerners interested in Lake lots. I first showed them around at some expense and time and find out they were lost in tall cotton concerning prices or thought we were stupid. After a bit of time I started pressing their expectations of the amount they were expecting to pay. When they gave a stupid figure I'd get off the phone or get away from them as soon as possible with I'll call you if I find something like that. Sure Steve Barlow has that happen often and he responds or doesn't respond by his method of "no comment". It's sort of the way many people in this area do business. We just don't start negotiating with people we think are insulting us or are so lost on true cost/value that will take our response as an insult.
I currently rent property at what I know are the best prices per month for anything equal in the area and below most competitors. When someone asks if my price includes utilities I used to tell them they had dialed the wrong number and hang up but I've mellowed a bit and now exclaim loudly are they trying to jerk my chain or are they serious. Now those that have no idea of the price of rent, well, let someone else educate them and those that think they are negotiating with me have truly dialed the wrong number. Accept the facts that there are cultural differences between national regions and you will be better able to deal across borders. There are big differences here between people and how they deal across county lines so going north from here is a different world. Different culture. :cool2: Been to every state and some different countries and people are different, not right or wrong, just different.
Give Barlows a low ball email offer and you'll probably not get a response is what I believe will happen. I give him a price or he gives me a price and it's yes or change the conversation. That's the way I've dealt with him. The offer is made and accepted or..... well...... we don't really say anything if it's turned down.... we just start talking about family or weather or something going on in the community and then one of us wanders off and the word no is usually never used.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

If I were making an offer, as I might be doing someday soon, how do I know what he may consider a low ball offer? I certainly have no intent of insulting anyone, but I want to get a good deal also.

So perhaps good question for those who have done business with Barlow's is this: What is a reasonable price to ask for? MSRP -5%, -10%, -15%....? Is it different depending on the model/price? higher price=higher discount? $15K tractor=10%, $30k tractor=15%...?

 

[GolfAddict]

I've seen many, many posts claiming they give rather spectacular deals. I can see how this may inadvertently cause them to get some pretty low ball offers. Then if they aren't going to respond, I guess due to a Kentucky custom of not telling someone "no":confused2:, it can make them look bad to non-Kentuckians.

Seems to me it would make everything simpler, and also avoid misunderstandings and unintended insults, if they just didn't take offers. Build up the package, send it to them, they respond with the best deal they can give you for it. If their deals are so good, seems they'd make as many or more sales that way.

 

[s219]

The one time I got a quote from Barlow's, I just e-mailed and asked for a price, since I didn't really want to play the guessing game. They came back with a very fair offer that was much better than local pricing. I suspect they use the "make an offer" web form as a bit of a filter -- it eliminates the unrealistic lowballers on one extreme, and lures and catches a few rubes who offer more than the typical price. It's an interesting way to sell.

Typically, when I see "make an offer" sale prices, I usually get the impression that they know so much more about the pricing and market value than me, that I'd probably pay too much if I made an offer.

 

[grnmtnboys]

My process was to inquire about prices locally, see what folks paid online and then make an offer from there; I saved $2,500 bucks vs going with the local dealer, which includes delivery. Savings are even more when taking the lack of taxes into account, but we'll have to see where that goes.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I've never made an offer but one time I did say I'd have to have more for my trade in or I couldn't do any thing while crying loudly at not being able to make the trade. I ask the price and then how much they are giving me for my trade in. If their price is in the range I've already determined then I say print out the papers for me to sign. If the trade in is below my bottom line I determine whether I trade it in or not and say I'll keep mine and buy your or just say OK do your paper work.
As a business owner I have my local comfortable for me style which produces enough income to suit my goals so I see no need to do different to get more business when I'm happy/satisfied with the volume I have. Change to suit others? No, not when I'm OK with my piece(s) of the pie and don't want more headaches by having more business. Satisfied, as I believe Steve Barlow is. Bigger isn't always better in business nor in tractors. :cool2:

 

[varmint]

Having read many posts about Barlows, it seems like they give their low price, and it is usually very competitive with whatever is out there. Maybe it's a take it or leave it situation, fair to both parties, and shaving the last $100 off the selling price isn't good form. As for trades, I find it hard to imagine that you couldn't pretty much always do better selling it yourself. After all, any dealer has to mark it up, and runs the risk of taking in something with issues that they're going to be stuck with. I have never had trouble selling a clean used Kubota, even around here, which is not a farming environment, really.