Australian chainsaw and parts pricing

[Brewz]

Hi Folks.

I think it is the general consensus from most in Australia that we, along with other countries, pay ridiculous prices for new saws (not that I would buy a new one) and worst of all..... OEM spare parts.

After finding out an OEM Stihl 066 piston costs about $40 in the USA, and being told $282 here in Australia, I recently contacted Stihl australia asking why there was such a disparity in parts pricing between the 2 countries.

Here is what they said:
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Hello Tony,
Thank you for contacting STIHL Australia.

All STIHL Dealerships are privately owned and operated, STIHL Australia does not set the pricing within store on spare parts as this would go against ACCC price fixing laws (controlling or maintaining prices), all STIHL prices are suggested retail prices, our advice is to shop around to locate a dealer willing to do a deal for you.

I have attached a link to the ACCC site for your records.
http://www.accc.gov.au/business/anti-competitive-behaviour/cartels/price-fixing

I hope this helps.

Kind regards,

Andrew Dawson

// Product & Technical Support Manager

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Do you think if I shopped around I could get a piston for $50 AUD?
I doubt it.

Looks like Stihl Australia are playing "hot potato" with the pricing issue.

 

[Landmark]

After finding out an OEM Stihl 066 piston costs about $40 in the USA, and being told $282 here in Australia,

Tony, if you want i can get a 066 piston and ship it to you. Even if shipping is 50.00 you still come out way cheaper. Pm if you need any Stihl parts and i will do what i can.

 

[Brewz]

Cheers mate, Appreciated!
I have been offered this by a few folks in the US and will chase it up if needed.

Right now, I am attacking Stihl Australia over the ludicrous pricing here..... its a principle thing

I just replied to them:

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Hi Andrew.
Thankyou so much for your reply.

So, if I read this right, we are being robbed by local Stihl dealerships on spare parts pricing.
Being a Stihl chainsaw enthusiast who rebuilds old model chainsaw's for work use, I am endlessly frustrated with being forced to purchase aftermarket parts due to current Australian parts pricing.
Yes the Stihl parts are better quality and should demand a premium price, but they are not 600 - 1000% better quality to demand the 600 - 1000% higher price.

Perhaps dealers should be issued with a bright orange balaclava and toy plastic gun to point at customers when supplying pricing?

Can you please confirm if parts are supplied to distributors in the USA at the same price as Australian distributors? (taking exchange rates into consideration)

Thanks

Tony

 

[Tor R]

This I dont understand, where I live we have retail price no mather if it's Stihl or Husky.
Those retail prices is for sure over priced though, but one of the reason is very low currency, prices is the same shop to shop

If Stihl AUS accept that dealers double the price there is something wrong with Stihl AUS, called weak leadership

 

[CR888]

The pricing system here is so bad it makes no sense. One of the main reasons you buy a premium product like Stihl is their parts availibility into the future should you need a rebuild or spares. But it does not take too many parts before your over the new msrp of the saw your trying to fix. I do know Tony most dealers double their cost price of parts to give a quote. I am glad your giving them a little curry on the subject, they deserve to answer a few questions. I am not sure you will have your questions answered honestly. Last time I was at a steal dealer needing some rim sprockets for a few ms261's (silly micro spline ) l asked for 4 rim sprocket and was quoted $132!!lol ($33 each). I said your kidding right and the parts guy was pretty embarassed. I was happy to pay up to say $15 each which is still ridiculasly high but at $33 a pop...l left frustrated and in need of sprockets. MCW hooked me up for $5 or $6 bucks each, I bought 10.

 

[panteliss]

I can not understand how theese dealers keep theirs shops with prices like theese who buy from them ?

 

[Tor R]

I can not understand how theese dealers keep theirs shops with prices like theese who buy from them ?

We have to remember that most customers doesnt live on internet, thats why they can do it and survive also.
What if someone started to grey import from US and advertise on internet in AUS, you bet it wouldnt take long time before reaction would come from Stihl

 

[CR888]

Many tree service guys I know source new saws from overseas but the dollar has changed and not so good as it was when it was near even with the USD. The other thing is tree loppers charge well and usually find a half decent dealer to repair their saws so downtime is minimal and usually get looked after on parts better than someone off the street. With what a working tree service saw earns its user, even our high service costs are accepted and just an oncost to the business. But they want quick service repairs so the saws can be put back to work quickly. But to an enthusiast, farmer or whatever they hate the priceing system and often buy a new saw if it needs more than minor parts. The salesman love steering the guy who needs a new top end straight to the new saw dept after tellimg him how much it will cost to fix his 'old' saw.lol

 

[Brewz]

Yes it is definately set to move more new saws

 

[Windthrown]

Yah, its a funny world. I have shipped MANY saws down under to Oz and NZ and to Europe because they are so much cheaper here. Especially when the AUD was $1.05 USD. Saws in Japan are even more than in Oz, BTW. Now that the USD is overvalued again, it is not such a great deal right now, but still cheaper. Stihl Canada recently had a sale on the 261 for $599 CDN, and the 461 for $1050 CDN which was a screaming deal for us in the states with the strong dollar. It is not just chainsaws though. Bars and loops are the same. I can buy new GB bars made in Oz here for less than they are sold for in Oz. Insane? Yes. Its great for us in the states. Chainsaws still seem to be expensive here to me, and they are treated like gold where I live. I sold down my collection of saws here mainly because they were too great a lure as theft bait. So I cannot imagine what they are like down under or in Europe. May as well be bars of gold for those prices?

 

[Brewz]

How much would you pay for a GB 20" pro top bar in the states?

 

[VinceGU05]

this is a bit old.. but it has RRP and down on the last page it has dealer prices.. i'll let you work it all out.

 

[VinceGU05]

maybe this time it works....

 

[CrufflerJJ]

How much would you pay for a GB 20" pro top bar in the states?

Leftcoastsuplies has 20" GB Pro Top bars for $22 (K095 mount, 0.325", 0.050"). I like the GB bars, and run a 32" on my Husky 395XP. That 32" bar (3/8", 0.050") runs $34 from leftcoastsupplies.

 

[Brewz]

Holy snapping duck poo batman, I can't buy a chain for that much
I am going to ask em what postage to me would cost

 

[Agent Orange]

I'll 2nd shipping parts to you if needed. I used to ship pipe tobacco to a buddy in London as their prices where insane.

 

[DSS]

When Leftcoastsupplies started out a couple years ago, I got some 20" Gb pro top bars for $12. I bought 7 bars of different sizes up to 24" and with overpriced shipping to Canada it was still only $160 canadian.
Talk to Gregg, he'll hook you up.

 

[Brewz]

The 20" pro top bar cost me $92 Aus

It's depressing

 

[stihlman441]

The pricing system here is so bad it makes no sense. One of the main reasons you buy a premium product like Stihl is their parts availibility into the future should you need a rebuild or spares. But it does not take too many parts before your over the new msrp of the saw your trying to fix. I do know Tony most dealers double their cost price of parts to give a quote. I am glad your giving them a little curry on the subject, they deserve to answer a few questions. I am not sure you will have your questions answered honestly. Last time I was at a steal dealer needing some rim sprockets for a few ms261's (silly micro spline ) l asked for 4 rim sprocket and was quoted $132!!lol ($33 each). I said your kidding right and the parts guy was pretty embarassed. I was happy to pay up to say $15 each which is still ridiculasly high but at $33 a pop...l left frustrated and in need of sprockets. MCW hooked me up for $5 or $6 bucks each, I bought 10.

Been there done that with sprocket bull *s-word the Stihl ones are no better than GB brand or whatever for there price
Try taking a U.S. purchased saw in to a dealer for parts or whatever they won't be impressed

 

[Terry Syd]

There may be one good aspect to this greed. I bought a toasted 029 from a dealer for $50. He probably thought I would show up and start ordering OEM parts to rebuild it.

I did have to get a few parts from him, but most of it was a Chinese re-build.