Hustler to sell at HD and Lowe's

[Prattslawn]

Announced a few days ago, Hustler will start selling the Raptor and Raptor HD online through Lowe's and Home Depot. A select few location will carry the 60" version in store, I was told mainly in Oklahoma and Texas the rest of the country will be online sales only.

Here is the letter


February 21, 2014
Dear Hustler Turf Dealers and Distributors:
First I want to take this opportunity to thank you for a tremendous 2013. All of us at Excel Industries
offer our sincere thanks and gratitude for all of your efforts. We are excited for the upcoming season
and are hopeful that the new Raptor SD and our new highly competitive programs will bring you great
success.

We are continually looking at how to grow our business and help you be more successful. Win-Win is
always the best outcome. There are a few challenges that we both share. One is brand awareness; the
more people know the Hustler brand, the more likely they will purchase one. Another is capturing a
portion of the large percent of zero-turn buyers, who for one reason or another, buy from mass retail.
In order to improve both of these challenges, we will be selling the Raptor and Raptor SD lines in a test
run with Lowe?s and Home Depot. Both are online only except a small number of Lowe?s stores. In-
store sales will be limited to the 60? SD only.

There are a number of benefits for your company:

A. There is no pricing advantage for purchasing a Hustler from Lowe?s or Home Depot.
B. Exposure ? Millions of brand impressions drive traffic to the hustlerturf.com dealer locator.
C. Retail stores will sell a certain number of zero-turn mowers no matter what brand is being offered. A Hustler sold in that store is a lost sale to a competitive brand, not a lost sale to you.
D. Increased business ? Customers will come to you for service/parts and give you the opportunity to sell other products, or up sell to larger mowers.
E. Last year we tested with TSC, and Oklahoma had more locations than any other area. They also enjoyed the most growth, validating that it is in fact good for your company.

Lowe?s and Home Depot customers who come to you for service, parts, and sales are potential future
customers if they are treated fairly. We appreciate all that you do in representing the best line-up of
zero-turn mowers on the market.

Sincerely,
Paul Mullet
President, Excel Industries



[GW_Y&G]

so much for giving DEALERS a good homeowner line in the sub-$3000 category.

[Dave]

Lowe?s and Home Depot customers who come to you for service, parts, and sales are potential future
customers if they are treated fairly. We appreciate all that you do in representing the best line-up of
zero-turn mowers on the market


Cannot speak for Lowes but I have been told by home depot that they are servicing the mowers that they sell . what a shame

[GWB2006]

:: Letter from Paul to Hustler Dealer reps::

Guys! We seem to be experiencing a large number of dealer initiated cancellations. Could you please provide some insight into this issue?

Thanks, Paul

::Reply letter from Hustler Dealer reps to Paul::

Yeah, review the letter you sent them dated February 21, 2014!






Also, in response to this statement in the letter, which is really just the corporate BS for trying to placate your dealer base:

"Lowe?s and Home Depot customers who come to you for service, parts, and sales are potential future
customers if they are treated fairly."

So, you're telling dealers that after the Home Depot Hustler buyer finally wears out their mower after 10 years or more, that they MIGHT come in and buy a new one from the dealer? What the hell is the dealer supposed to wait on THAT for?

[roym]

I can just imagine joe consumer or wannabe landscape contractor setting up and doing a pdi on a z-turn. He will be cussing to everyone who will listen about his pos. Of course he could bring it to the service center only to be pithed about the charge IF the dealer will do it.
I suggest letting him and the store know you will look after him for a straight fee based on individual model assembly time, it definitely won't be covered under warranty. If he brings in a partially assembled unit, it will be straight time and full pop on parts required. Either way he waits his turn. No preferential service, look after your customers first.

[GW_Y&G]

Hustler Selling Mowers Through Home Depot and Lowe's

[oldtimer]

Dealers are concerned that this step shows Excel doesn?t view the dealer as an important partner. ?It sounds like Hustler doesn?t value the dealer very much and is looking to hurt the dealer,? says a dealer. ?Why would you want to be a dealer for that brand if they are going to undercut you at the Big Box where they are probably going to sell it for 10% less than the dealer because they are buying at an enormous volume??

I think Hustler is on the right track with this move. Look how well it worked for Snapper!


JimB

[GWB2006]

Originally Posted by Prattslawn

There are a number of benefits for your company:

A. There is no pricing advantage for purchasing a Hustler from Lowe?s or Home Depot.


If I were you Hustler dealers, I think I would be calling your brand president and ask him how he figures there is no pricing advantage when Lowes and Home Depot (or Home Depot at least) have a 10% discount available for military/retired military on all purchases (I have already come to find a few times now that I have lost Toro sales to Home Depot due to this, when somebody can save $300 up front on a 50" mower, they are going to do it no matter what) and how is a dealer supposed to match that? They (HD and Lowes) also usually offer a 10% discount if you do not already have a Lowes or HD credit card and you sign up and use it for that purchase.

If they intend there to be no pricing advantage, then I would like to know how they plan to get around those two instances? Also, is a Hustler paid rep going to be standing in the L&G departments all the time to keep the sales people from offering a discount to people for whatever reason?

[pugs]

Only way I could see this as a good thing is if it were completely limited to online sales only and each of those sales that the box store completed were then handed off to the closest dealer to fulfill. Dealer gets some percentage for setting up machine and some fee based on mileage or something for delivery.

I know that will not happen but...

How are these online orders being filled? Do people pick it up at the store or does it get delivered to them in a crate for them to setup themselves?

[grouch]

Another one bites the dust. Same sort of thing happened in the rental industry with the growth of national chains - manufacturers began selling directly to them on national accounts. Local dealers were completely shut out unless warranty was needed. Many local dealers refused to perform warranty on equipment sold this way and if the manufacturer threatened them they simply stopped selling the line.