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#Post#: 16284--------------------------------------------------
The Efco Dealer Story (Please read this if you're considering bu
ying one)
By: Chainsawrepair Date: February 4, 2013, 10:37 am
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Chainsawr
I didnt know if Scott username chainsawr was going to make it
here to post his info on efco. Just wanted to share the info and
a heads up.
Scott chainsawr is one of the most honest online dealers of used
and new parts I have dealt with for a long time.
[QUOTE=retoocs555;4135592]Read this before you buy an Efco,
especially if the warranty is a determining factor in your
purchase.
I’ll start at the beginning, for us anyway. We started selling
the Efco brand here at the chainsawr about 4 years ago. At that
time (late 2008 early 2009) Efco was going through some major
changes here in the USA to their sales distribution strategies.
Deals to produce saws for Cub Cadet and John Deere were coming
to an end (I would love to know why, but I have my hunches),
and underperforming regional distributors were being canned in
exchange for ones that would push the brand’s new 5-year
warranty and more professional image harder. Around this time
Efco also changed its policy for online and catalog sales. It
used to be that Efco was like Stihl, no sales of power equipment
unless it physically walked out your door. About 5 years ago
that changed for an ‘anything goes’ policy as long as you could
move more units. So, we signed on with Efco at the beginning of
2009 to join in their new Era of professionalism and push to
make them a real 3rd tier power equipment brand in the USA.
Three years went by of slowly building sales, spending lots of
money on advertising, and trying to sell the hell out of a low
margin chainsaw. I had figured it would take at least 5 years
before we were selling enough in Efco to make it worth our time;
well we never made it that far. For middle range saws it was
always an easy sell, on a 156 over a hardware store 455 Rancher.
No brainer right? The 152, 156, 165, and 132s were all good
solid models at low prices. The small saws, sub 152 (except the
132s), were always problematic, and the MT7200/MT8200 were the
worst performing, floppiest, heaviest chainsaws I have ever had
the displeasure of dealing with. Of all the MT8200s we sold,
there were only 2 that we did not buy back from the customer
after repeated servicing under warranty etc. So, that gets me
to the warranty related section of my story.
In 2009, 2010, and 2011 we were able to essentially administrate
our own warranty on all repairs other than whole saw
replacement, or complete motor failure. We got used to this
situation and got into the habit of doing warranty repairs right
away for the customer to get them happy and going, then submit
our warranty claim paperwork once or twice a year depending on
how many claims added up. For the most part the warranty was
all for small items. 100s of stop switches (boy I wished they
would do away with these, I had some that didn’t even last 1
day!), starter springs, carburetor cap
removal/readjustment/reinstallation. Some of the common, more
serious warranty claims would include coils, and shattered
mufflers along with the occasional new 100% defective saw or new
saw missing parts. Let me stress this, we NEVER ABUSED our
warranty. It covered ‘manufacturer’s defects’ so if it was we
covered it. Giving us the dealer the responsibility to make
these judgments worked very well in our case, I never would
have’ bitten the hand that feeds me’. More than once we lost
dishonest customers who wanted their mistakes covered under
warranty because, they were the customer, and they were the ones
standing in front of me yelling and stomping, “how could Efco
ever know? JUST COVER IT!” but we never did. We were always
honest to a fault in our warranty claims.
So, at the end of 2012 when we submitted our warranty claims
every last one was denied. This was unacceptable to us since
with the 5 year warranty, and low sales margin, we were relying
on the income from warranty repairs to even justify the shelf
space for Efco! Our distributor told us they were in the same
position, having had none of their warranties which they
submitted for other dealers paid. We are talking between
dealers and distributors, tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid
claims by Efco on the Northeast alone. You would think I would
go ballistic, but no I made civil mild protests to Efco. I’m
not the type to burn bridges for spite alone.
January, 2013. We get notice from Efco that our dealership is
canceled and we may reapply with Efco, and that our distributor
has also been canned. I know that this was for no other reason
than to try to wash their hands of the debt they owed us. If it
wasn’t insulting enough that a well established dealer should
have to reapply and start from scratch, they want a minimum
order of power equipment units from the new distributor in order
to establish the new account, that is IF I’m approved by Efco.
They must be insane. I already have $10,000 in un-sellable new
saws in stock.
So, here is what I think Efco’s current sales strategy is. Sell
the majority of the product online or mail order while
maintaining the false image of a servicing dealer network. That
way before somebody buys their next Efco on Amazon.com or
Northern Tool, they can look at the Efco dealer map and see
that, “Yes, there is a servicing dealer near me that can provide
the warranty work!” Unfortunately, know that dealer near you
will probably not provide the warranty work, and if they do Efco
will not be paying them to do it.
The worst part for us is that the majority of F-holes (Efcos) we
sold, we sold based on our personal recommendation. No customer
EVER came in and said “I want an Efco 156” etc. etc. They came
in with an open mind about buying whatever new chainsaw we
thought was best for them, trusting in us. Now, over the coming
years we are really going to have egg on our faces. The number
of times I said, “These Italian saws are tough and you can’t
beat the warranty”, is beyond counting. In order to keep our
integrity this whole situation is going to cost us $1000s in
un-backed warranty work, and buying back saws we can't stand
behind.
So, let it be known. Do not factor the warranty into your
decision to buy an Efco.
I know this is a long post, but I think that many of you will
find it interesting worthwhile reading material. I'm not an
avid forum poster, so you may not hear from me again on this,
but I did want to put our experience out there. [/QUOTE]
#Post#: 16491--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Efco Dealer Story (Please read this if you're considerin
g buying one)
By: jcsmith Date: February 9, 2013, 6:56 pm
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I'm glad I came across this post. I was wanting a 156 or 165
after reading about them on Chainsawr's site a while back.
Thanks for the heads up. Chris
#Post#: 19682--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Efco Dealer Story (Please read this if you're considerin
g buying one)
By: HMLT360Pro Date: May 4, 2013, 12:05 pm
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Thanks for the info-Cut4fun_! I will pass it along the lines!
#Post#: 19732--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Efco Dealer Story (Please read this if you're considerin
g buying one)
By: farmboy Date: May 8, 2013, 7:10 am
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I'm very very sorry about the problems Scott had with Efco's
lack of support both in warranty and parts. Seems to me part of
the problem with the warranty claims was he waited too long to
submit them. However it shouldn't have mattered 5 yr's is 5
yr's. At least he would have recognized the problem sooner.
Having said all that I still like my Efco saws especially the
156. The Echo CS550 the Efco 156 are IMO the best 55 cc saws
on the market. The 152 has also proven to be an outstanding
saw. There was on another site a 1500 tank test going on (in
the woods every day commercially). The last I knew it was over
1200 tanks going strong with no ptoblems. 152 is a clam shell
to boot.
Shep
#Post#: 19743--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Efco Dealer Story (Please read this if you're considerin
g buying one)
By: Old Iron Logging Date: May 8, 2013, 7:51 pm
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The 152 is not a clam shell. Plastic case. Vertically split
metal crankcase.
#Post#: 90590--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Efco Dealer Story (Please read this if you're considerin
g buying one)
By: Chainsawrepair Date: April 19, 2024, 10:07 am
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[quote author=Old Iron Logging link=topic=1570.msg19743#msg19743
date=1368060682]
The 152 is not a clam shell. Plastic case. Vertically split
metal crankcase.
[/quote]
Just to show what you said. Plastic case with a mag case bolted
inside that to bolt cylinder to.
One I had apart.
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