TSC, What were they thinking?(Dark horse)

[Bird]

I am thinking the same, are we that callus that we can't detect a rip off, open your eyes everybody and trust your gut instinct, they don't care about quality, its all about the bottom line, profit, wake up! Dan

ANY business HAS to be all about the bottom line. No profit, no business for very long. But usually the way to keep that bottom line healthy is to provide what your customers want at a price they're willing to pay (both products and/or service). Sometimes there's a trade off between quality and price. The problem for the company is deciding how far to go in which direction, and sometimes they miss their guess. When they do, they have to change or they won't last long.

That seems to be a simple enough concept, and you'd think all the employees would realize it. But sometimes it does seem as if the employees are trying to hurt their employer without realizing that they may be putting themselves out of a job.

 

[weldingisfun]

You are right on target with your assessment, Bird. I would add one more important consideration, one that, unfortunately TSC seems to ignore all too often and that is customer service. TSC is, IMO, sorely lacking and don't seem to care about it. Eventually, that will be their downfall as their competition open stores in the same locations with TSC.

 

[EddieWalker]

Two other stores that have gone the same path and I now avoid are Sears and Napa. Sears has really fallen apart. At one time, I went there first and was always very happy with what I bought there. Now all I can say about what they sell is that I can find it cheaper some place else, or if it's a Craftsman product, it will fail on me fairly quickly. Napa is my most recent disapointment. I always considered them to be the place to go for quality parts, but over the last year, I've had to return too many items that didn't work, didn't last or were just the wrong part completely. I can go to Walmart and pick out a filter on my own, but the guys and Napa can't give me the right filter??? Then the last straw really was in them not having half of what I wanted in stock. I went there for parts to tune up my 98 F250 truck. It's a fairly common vehicle, but they were out of shocks, fuel filter and air filter. I went to ABC auto, and they had everything in stock. I wont even go into the problems I've had with them getting parts for my F600 truck, but ABC always has it in stock.

Eddie

 

[CDsdad]

I've only been in one TSC, and that was in TX. It kind of felt and looked like a walmart for folks with horses. We don't have any around here. I have to browse the dealer's lots for implements or go in for parts or expendables.

We are fortunate to have a great Napa guy. We also just got a new Sears, but I'm kind of with Eddie about them. They do have a better selection and pricing of string trimmers, blowers, and pressure washers than walmart or some of the local guys, but that's about it.

 

[PA hayseed]

How could a BIG chain retailer stoup so low, I quest this is a case of consumer beware, store personal are very apprehensive to answer questions of this dark horse line up, only that it is discontinued before it even really started. The price tag looks good but what about the quality, don't get me wrong if it was worth while they would not be trying to move it out as fast as they can, I am always looking for a good deal, but honesty to the consumers take precedence, if this stuff is junk they should send it back to China, and keep their respect of the consumers, some are loyal but not for long!

W.C Fields said it best, It's morally wrong to allow a sucker to keep his money.

I said it before, and I'll say it again. How can a chinese item, that has to be shipped thousands of miles, by a combination of boat, train, tractor trailer, and be marked to sell at a profit for the company making it AND the store selling it be CHEAPER. It can't just be labor, there is not that much labor in a piece of equipment. It has to be the materials, the product warranty, and possibly something else hmmm.... something else.......... oh, they are communists not capitalists.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

W.C Fields said it best, It's morally wrong to allow a sucker to keep his money.

I said it before, and I'll say it again. How can a chinese item, that has to be shipped thousands of miles, by a combination of boat, train, tractor trailer, and be marked to sell at a profit for the company making it AND the store selling it be CHEAPER. It can't just be labor, there is not that much labor in a piece of equipment. It has to be the materials, the product warranty, and possibly something else hmmm.... something else.......... oh, they are communists not capitalists.

I do not know this to be fact, but heard from a guy that gets lots of stuff from China (we call him Mr China) that the material cost is exactly why their stuff is so cheap. The Chinese government has been giving these guys the raw material to do their manufacturing, therefore they only need to charge for everything else and no material cost. Mr China also says that all of that is about to come to an end in the near future, and that the companies are going to have to start buying the material and that the cheap prices will be a thing of the past. Again, this is all hearsay, but it sure would account for how the Chinese have been able to manufacture things so cheap. I guess that only time will tell.

 

[Skyco]

Cruising an outdoor lot at a TSC today I saw a whole bunch of Dark Horse rotary cutters pushed to the back. There was an internal email attached to them dated 8-12 ordering a stop sale on all of them. It said it was because their spare blades from the KK line did not fit them. It also stated if anyone came back with one they were to be issued a full refund.

 

[queen of spades]

I bought a middle buster (dark horse) for $60 last week. How can they mess up a solid piece of metal? ihaven't used it yet but hopefully it will do what I need it too.

 

[Dargo]

How can they mess up a solid piece of metal?

Honestly?? There is a huge difference in the quality of metals. I can show you some of the heaviest, thickest pieces of metal that are some of the weakest pieces of junk imaginable.

 

[daBear]

I bought a middle buster (dark horse) for $60 last week. How can they mess up a solid piece of metal? ihaven't used it yet but hopefully it will do what I need it too.

I bought a Howse combination middle buster and subsoiler which looked very heavy duty and good to go. However, the fine Chinese steel both are made from lasted a weekend with my mighty 29 hp Kubota before they bent. Junk