The Death of DOLMAR

I have no idea on that but it sounds like Stihl is a lot Deere in how they operate so it would not surprise me if service is a requirement of selling them.

 

That would make sense to me.

 

with Deere box store models are not quite that same as dealer models. but the name sells - at a higher price point

 

Runnings in Putnam CT sells Stihl. I’m not sure if they work on them or not. For those unfamiliar Runnings is a much upgraded version of TSC

 

ace hardware sells stihl saws now in South western Montana . Can't get real chain from them, but they stock everything else. They don't service any equipment though.

 

Ace Hardware here sells Stihl products and they service them too.

 

Lowes, Maynards, Home Depot type box stores only carry the homie stuff. Not sure if TSC or (our local knockoff of it) Family Farm and Home are considered box stores or not, but they had a full lineup from small 2 series to the 395 Huskies

 

I agree MasterMech , Deere doing what they did with the name and same color as the consumer low end stuff really made things confusing and IMHO only made things worse.

 

What big box stores are you taking about? Northern tool ect? Yes while it is a chain store they actually have to have a shop and mechanic at that location to service the saw or they can’t sell them. They still can’t do on line sales and shipping, need to pick up in store. Was only a matter of time for them to look for more nation wide stores because husky, dolmar and effco let everyone and anyone sell them. Home Depot and all the box stores don’t sell Stihl because of no service department. If Stihl hadn’t gone to larger chains they would probably have missed out on 30-40% of their sales because joe homeowner wants to make one stop for all purchases not stop 10 places anymore.

 

They can’t sell any gas equipment at all without a certified tech and shop still in the rules, I think a few ace without a shop have been allowed to sell some of the homeowner battery stuff but that’s it.

 

The saber line came in after they bought homelite and ran them into the ground, all a John Deere saber was is a homelite Jacobson with green paint.

 

Well they DO sell gas stihl weed eaters, and chainsaws. NO tech at all. Call them. Anaconda Ace Hardware, in Anaconda Montana.

 

Well they’re not supposed too, must have had a shop at one time or told Stihl they did because that’s completely against the rules. The only northern tools that handle Stihl have a shop if they don’t have one they can’t sell them. Stihl doesn’t want the customer to wait extra time while they ship a saw out to fix it and wait on it coming back.

 

No. They never did have a shop at all. I've known all the managers for the last dozen years or so. They only started selling stihl about three years ago. My local stihl dealer hates it, because they are the ones who services the saws sold there. The service manager told me they are going to stop servicing saws purchased at other dealers. I don't really know what is going on, but I imagine stihl is trying to keep up on sales with Husqvarna. Huskies are sold every where around here. Crazy how fast things are changing.

 

this is off anaconda ace’s website of services provided so they’re lying one way or another because they are saying Stihl repair and equipment rental. So either they had a shop and quit or they skirted the rule somehow and hid it from Stihl because you need on site service to sell Stihl. My wife works at a Stihl shop and a friend works for stihl

 

They have no shop. Only way I see this possibly happening is to have service work contracted out. It is a very small store. They don't even have storage space for extra inventory. Last thing I knew they rented was some paint sprayers only. This has me intrigued. I'll check it out next time I go that way. Should be tuesday or wednesday. I have to pick up 20 gallons of stain. I'll save this thread, and report back to you or, PM you.