4mcntrls
Active VIP Member
Seems outrageous to punish OTS when you can go on eBay and by from numerous cat dealers and have it shipped to you. Doesn't make much sense!
Sneaky move Letbridge AC Dealer
- Thread starter DPike
- Start date
I think some folks need to take a chill pill before rolling accusations that Precision had anything to do with this. Sounds like OTS shipped something across the border, maybe it got brought up by the local dealership or not, I didn't read that part but maybe its further down the page that I didn't pay a subscription fee to read...... If they found out, would be interesting to hear their side of it as I could see some loud mouth walkin' in and wanting the same deal his buddy got across the line, bitchin and moanin' about the canadian prices....fawk yeah if you were the local dealer you'd all be pissy too when you buy that same product for more and there is an official (or unofficial) policy that states dealer territory.
AC can't control the customer and where they shop so there has got to be more to this than what is being said. Ultimately, for Cat to come down with a heavy hammer and close a dealership (losing all their market share?) over what Christopher is calling "one of the best in the industry"? Really? If sales and service volume was good and this was an isolated incident, I'd hope that some manager at Cat is being fired for flushing market share down the sh!tter over a single, IMO, minor infraction. Slap on the wrist maybe for first dealership infraction....by a new employee.
Gotta be more going on here than what is being said on Slowest. I remember when Christopher was hired and they changed the site and openly said it wasn't going to be a paid subscription either.......
AC can't control the customer and where they shop so there has got to be more to this than what is being said. Ultimately, for Cat to come down with a heavy hammer and close a dealership (losing all their market share?) over what Christopher is calling "one of the best in the industry"? Really? If sales and service volume was good and this was an isolated incident, I'd hope that some manager at Cat is being fired for flushing market share down the sh!tter over a single, IMO, minor infraction. Slap on the wrist maybe for first dealership infraction....by a new employee.
Gotta be more going on here than what is being said on Slowest. I remember when Christopher was hired and they changed the site and openly said it wasn't going to be a paid subscription either.......
teeroy
Active VIP Member
from what I read it was the Lethbridge dealer that placed the order from OTS, kind of like a sting operation.
4mcntrls
Active VIP Member
FYI. From Snowest posted by FreeAgent. AKA Michelle at OTS
If they enforce mine they better be prepared to enforce all dealers ie country cat ie babbitts ie kens sports ie D and D Racing(who just got caught selling a sled into Canada) ie EVERYONE!!! I didn't ask for this but I sure as hell am not going to tell grown men and women NOT to voice their opinion. Honestly Kevin why such a Buzz kill? Do you honestly think I'm the only damn dealer who has 1. made a mistake and 2. shipped parts into Canada? Nooooooo I'm not and other dealers continue to do it. This time was an accident I was not present ( I was at the doctors because I seriously thought I was dyin) and I had a new employee who didn't know she couldn't. She was coerced into sending the part and was told she ordered stuff from me all the time...LIE #1 she had order one other time one month before I got the first letter from cat. I smell a set up and considering it went to their dealership and they lied to cat that they were customers and not dealers it makes me wonder what other lies they told. I don't know why this jerk hates me and honestly I think it's childish and under handed that they had to set up my employee who feels horrible! Had I been at work that day that belt would not have gone out PERIOD! End of story there is nothing else.
If they enforce mine they better be prepared to enforce all dealers ie country cat ie babbitts ie kens sports ie D and D Racing(who just got caught selling a sled into Canada) ie EVERYONE!!! I didn't ask for this but I sure as hell am not going to tell grown men and women NOT to voice their opinion. Honestly Kevin why such a Buzz kill? Do you honestly think I'm the only damn dealer who has 1. made a mistake and 2. shipped parts into Canada? Nooooooo I'm not and other dealers continue to do it. This time was an accident I was not present ( I was at the doctors because I seriously thought I was dyin) and I had a new employee who didn't know she couldn't. She was coerced into sending the part and was told she ordered stuff from me all the time...LIE #1 she had order one other time one month before I got the first letter from cat. I smell a set up and considering it went to their dealership and they lied to cat that they were customers and not dealers it makes me wonder what other lies they told. I don't know why this jerk hates me and honestly I think it's childish and under handed that they had to set up my employee who feels horrible! Had I been at work that day that belt would not have gone out PERIOD! End of story there is nothing else.
I keep hearing"dealership" but not an actual dealer name. So was it Precision? Or is this an assumption?Lets get this cleared up. And Michelle if this is true and they are pulling your dealership over this, I would suggest hitting up brp as they are the leader in market share anyways.
0neoldfart
Active VIP Member
This isn't a new thing, from any corporation. BRP has closed down smaller dealers in the past to favor the "big box" stores, cat with attempts to limit cross border shopping. As a consumer, I spend my money where I feel like. There are several Cat and Polaris dealers in my area, but I chose to purchase my parts and sleds from dealers that are not in my local area, as I've found much better after sales service from them. I ditched BRP in 2008 when my local dealer was closed down when he didn't want to move his location to a metro area, and replaced with a larger metro store who couldn't care less about my business. I have not purchased any sleds across the border, but in my own mind if I chose to do so and void my warranty to save a few $$$, that should be MY choice as a consumer. These corporate attempts to railroad consumers into purchasing locally from a dealer who does not meet thier needs is simply ridiculous - and provides no incentive to potential new small dealership owners.
4mcntrls
Active VIP Member
Agreed. It is to bad these corporations can't pull their head out long enough to see what the real problem is. The great dealers are few and far between
Beels
Active VIP Member
I'm not picking sides here and have no skin in the game, but I can guarantee that OTS broke the terms laid out in their dealer contract and is now paying dearly for it. Right or wrong.
wow, that seems weak to me.
Did I really read her post correctly from SW and this is all over the new employee shipping a friggin' belt? Good gawd.
An open letter to Cat?
To whom it may concern,
As a canadian consumer in the snowmobile industry, I will not allow a manufacturer to dictate my purchasing options or locations. I am fortunate enough to have a good local Arctic Cat dealer in Calgary, however, if I didn't, I certainly would purchase my OEM Cat parts from whomever and whereever I choose. Where canadian dealers are negatively impacted by fluctuating dollar prices and risk of cross border shopping, I'd like to see the manufacturer work with these dealers to help them for the benefit of all. Unfortunately geographical proximities cause issues and there is no way around that, only the option to recognize it and facilitate it within the dealerships. In my opinion, any dealership should be relying primarily on their local reputation to maintain their customer base, in the service industry, consumer reputation is pinnacle to success. In the age of information and the speed at which it spreads (word of mouth on internet forums, facebook, etc), transparency with consumers is paramount.
I proudly support my local dealer for their benefit and mine, and do not feel the need to shop south of the border, even with a difference in price due to canadian dollar values as I know our economy reflects pricing. I know many of my fellow sledders feel the same and also shop locally. While there will always be consumers looking for the bottom line price, not all of us approach buying decisions from this same perspective.
moyiesledhead
Active VIP Member
Great letter Bart! Did you send it?
4mcntrls
Active VIP Member
Cat401
Active VIP Member
Was this the only offence that the manufacturer reprimanded the dealer on??
Or was this one of many?
trench
Active VIP Member
What a joke, if this is true I hope that the guy initiating this has some bad Karma come his way. I buy all my parts and accessories on line and have them sent to a US address, savings are usually over 30% The only time my local dealer will get money from me is when I have no other choice. I would like to support his business but not at the expense of being ripped off just because of the fact that I'm a Canadian!
Cat401
Active VIP Member
You send them to a US address...then what? Do you drive across the border to get them?
moyiesledhead
Active VIP Member
Sure. We do that here too.
Cat401
Active VIP Member
yah but his avatar shows him in Sturgeon county....north of Edmonton....long ways to drive to save a couple of bucks...that's why I asked
I understand for you guys that live near the US border but as you get further north, I am curious to hear how that can be a saving
moyiesledhead
Active VIP Member
Hmmmm.....that's a long drive. I wouldn't be doing that.
Cat401
Active VIP Member
maybe trench can explain
There are places that you can ship to in Montana that will forward the freight to your Alberta address
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