Snapper mowers for sale at Sears?

[Steve]

Snapper mowers for sale at Sears? Are you a fan of Snapper mowers? What's your view of them being sold at Sears? Sears Adds Snapper Brand to Its Line-Up of Lawn and Garden Products - Beginning this spring, Sears becomes the exclusive national retailer to sell the Snapper brand of lawn equipment. The select Snapper branded products to be carried at Sears stores nationwide include three new self-propelled walk behind mowers, two new lawn tractors and a new zero turn riding mower. All three product lines are newly designed to be homeowner friendly and affordably priced.

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Snapper has done the same thing as many of the other companies have done, they seen a market for homeowners to have simular equipment as we use but by far not compairable by any means. John Deere Releasted a Consumer model as well last spring, this is a big peace of crapp. I'm sure the quality Snapper has put into the name for years has just gone out the door. These manufactures are making it harder on us when they make lesser quality equipment and sell it to the homeowners, Now home owners are not seeing a need for our services because if they have a consumer model Z (in their eye equipment like ours) and they can finish the yard in less time than the traditional methods saving them time for the family and other things. I know this to be fact I know of 3 small LCO that sold everyhing because they were losing customers from this marketing. Customers were buying consumer Z's and thinking they can save money by purchasing equipment that works like ours and illiminate our services. I don't like what these manufacturers are doing. What do you think?

[Steve]

Very good points.

I wonder how it hurts their brand as well. I am guessing these Snapper mowers will be different models, that won't compare with Snappers purchased at commercial shops.

Do you feel John Deere hurt their brand by offering their mowers in Home Depot?

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Team Gopher @ Jan. 11 2008,10:27)]Do you feel John Deere hurt their brand by offering their mowers in Home Depot?

Yes because it isn't a John Deere it only has the name the smaller (42") z units parking brake is this finger spikie thing that pokes into the rear tire with such force it makes a indents in it cheap way of doing it, the deck is stamped and the hyro pump is weak along with to many other issuses to mention goes for 2899.
The funny thing is they are getting great reviews and its not even a John Deere. Wonder how the reviews will be in 3 years? LOL. When a $500 hydro pump goes out or the $700 stamped deck blows apart. Wonder how they would like it then?

This goes for the Cub Cadet and Toro also big peace of junk.
Quailty and Craftsmanship has gone to crap. Just so they can sell to homeowners and cut us out of a buck and here is why I say this, here's a review quote from someone in my area.

Deere EasyTrac Z225, April 25, 2007
By Niceoutside from Fairfield, OH (read all my reviews)


"I've got a couple of acres. Gardens, 600 feet of Woods in the back, Playground Equipment, Tricky Slopes, 8 Blueberry Bushes in two foot mulched circles out in the grass. One tough mother to mow.
I had a troy bilt commercial walk behind and have used a john deere tractor in the past. With the Walk behind 3 hrs., with the tractor 4hrs.
In comes the John Deere EZ Trac. 1 HR 15 Minutes with less Weed Wackin'.
This thing really moves. Tried it out in the cul de sac with the neighbors and it was a blast.
Started mowing in the front around my wife's flowers and I was in love. On the straight-aways I just flew. I was done so quick it was unbelievable. This thing is worth the money. Zoomed around the trees, Zip-Zip. By the time I was done I felt very confident. You can cut around a soccer ball with this mower, without hitting the ball and takin' the grass.
I was a big supporter of the Zero-Turn walk behinds but I have nothing but praise for the Ride-ons. I'm in the market for a hammock now for my saved time."

See what I mean about showing off? This guy has no clue.

I wouldn't buy these mowers if I wasn't in the business, as Joe Home owner, you get nothing for the price and the BIG name and a BIG JUNK PILE of CRAP just so they can show off to their neighbors.

The larger 48" unit goes for 3999 and it is a little better but not much and I still wouldn't buy it.

I can get the Scag Freedom 48" for 4895 or the wildcat 52" for about 5500 out the door and have commercial quailty in a mower that I wouldn't use no more than once a week as a home owner I would have it for 20+ years not 2 or 3 like the others from home depot.

[Steve]

Very interesting! I do think the average person gets the feeling when they walk into Home Depot that these are professional grade products because the names are usually associated with professional grade equipment.

[StartALawnCareBusiness]

Snapper has a long history of dipping its toe into the consumer market. *Do you remember the scene in Forest Gump where he used a Snapper rider that was so popular in the early 80's?

Snapper had a similar agreement with Wal-Mart in the late '90s early 00's shortly after Simplicity bought them out.

Wal-Mart hammered them year after year to bring their price down. *Wal-Mart was trying for a sub-$100 price tag on the basic model.

Simplicity's CEO made a decision pull his deal with Wal-Mart because it was hurting Snapper's reputation as well as ticking off their commercial dealers.

Long term, these are bad deals for mfg's. *There will be ever increasing downward price demands from Sears and Snapper's quality and reputation will suffer.

However, I think Snapper's methodology is not long term with these deals. *My prediction is that they will keep this relationship with Sears for three or four years. *Building name recognition, this branding will pull serious LCOs toward Snapper's commercial line which has a great reputation. *

Eventually, Snapper will pull their contract with Sears and focus solely on their commercial line for 1/2 a decade.

I would rather they not sell a retail mower. *However, if they do, I would at least want them to change the color scheme so a commercial mower is easily distinguishable from a retail machine. LCOs want their customers to know they buy quality equipment and not some cheap mower from a retail store.

Keith

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (StartALawnCareBusiness @ Jan. 15 2008,2:21)]Snapper has a long history of dipping its toe into the consumer market. *Do you remember the scene in Forest Gump where he used a Snapper rider that was so popular in the early 80's?

Snapper had a similar agreement with Wal-Mart in the late '90s early 00's shortly after Simplicity bought them out.

Wal-Mart hammered them year after year to bring their price down. *Wal-Mart was trying for a sub-$100 price tag on the basic model.

Simplicity's CEO made a decision pull his deal with Wal-Mart because it was hurting Snapper's reputation as well as ticking off their commercial dealers.

Long term, these are bad deals for mfg's. *There will be ever increasing downward price demands from Sears and Snapper's quality and reputation will suffer.

However, I think Snapper's methodology is not long term with these deals. *My prediction is that they will keep this relationship with Sears for three or four years. *Building name recognition, this branding will pull serious LCOs toward Snapper's commercial line which has a great reputation. *

Eventually, Snapper will pull their contract with Sears and focus solely on their commercial line for 1/2 a decade.

I would rather they not sell a retail mower. *However, if they do, I would at least want them to change the color scheme so a commercial mower is easily distinguishable from a retail machine. *LCOs want their customers to know they buy quality equipment and not some cheap mower from a retail store. *

Keith

Very well put Keith, sometimes topics like this get me fired up the thinking process over runs the finger typing process.

Best Quote and very good point

"I would rather they not sell a retail mower. However, if they do, I would at least want them to change the color scheme so a commercial mower is easily distinguishable from a retail machine. LCOs want their customers to know they buy quality equipment and not some cheap mower from a retail store. "


Tim

The big difference with Snapper then and now is that now they're owned by Briggs & Stratton....

Briggs to Buy Equipment Maker - Briggs & Stratton Corp. agreed to pay $227 million to purchase Simplicity Manufacturing Inc., the Port Washington maker of lawn and garden equipment, altering the landscape of an industry that employs thousands of Wisconsin workers.

This deal has been made and B&S have been the new owners for about a year or so... they've made a LOT of changes within the company (for the good).

I know all this because my mom-in-law works for the manufacturing plant here in Georgia. *(Yes, it means I get SCHWEET discounts).

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (pmblair @ Jan. 16 2008,1:21)]I know all this because my mom-in-law works for the manufacturing plant here in Georgia. *(Yes, it means I get SCHWEET discounts).

Lucky Dog!