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If local shops will carry the stock, I'll pay extra to support them. When I ask for parts and they say they'll have to order them, I say, "Thanks anyway, but I can order them."

Having said that, searches usually turn up a tune-up kit containing oil, spark plugs, standard blades and parts I don't need. Why pay shipping on quarts of oil? Those which sell individual parts often require a deep dive/tedious slog through several pages.

For my Timecutter 4235, I just want to replace the high-lift blades and have a couple of extra air filters on the shelf, maybe a tube for a leaking rear tire.

Who's your go-to for least-hassle wear parts?

jack vines

Sign of the times Jack.
No one keeps a big parts inventory because ACCOUNTANTS think they are managers & run most shops
To an ACCOUNTANT an efficient shop makes a big profit from the smallest amount of capital possible
SO they order in parts as required rather than spending money to have then sitting on the shelf .
Thus they order the parts from the warehouse on 30 to 90 days credit then sell them to you before they have to pay for them
Thus they have made a profit for no cash outlay
The same thing happens with just about all of the big on line retailers like Jacks, Parts Tree. Messecks, Pro-Parts, Small Engine suppliers etc etc
In their case they use the computer to predict the sales on a week to week basis & order the minimum stock needed to cover the predicted sales.
If they are ordering direct from the factory for things like air filters then the factory will have a minimum order which is why the big places will brag about having 2,000,000 parts in stock
Most will be filters that they order in batches from 500 through to 20,000 because when you order 20,000 a $ 10 filter drops to $ 4 so at $25 retail it is a big profit differential to cover the actual cost of storeage.
I buy my fuel filters in 200's direct from China and pay $ 1.45 + freight for an item I bill out at $ 6.50 which is $ 2 less that the on line retailers sell them for.
Bought in 2,000 lots the price drops to 45¢ so at $ 8 to $ 10 the on line retailers are making a killing .
BEcause I have limited space . I keep the parts needed to service & repair my customers mowers so I keep an inventory of 2 sets of normal parts for each customers mowers , more for the more popular ones , so 10 pair of Husqvarna 42" blades & 5 pair each for MTD & Murray .
Several of the local mower shops now send customers who "need it now" to me because I am more likely to have the parts in stock .
From the USA I order from Pro-Parts Direct , Jacks Small engines , Small Engine Suppliers, Messicks and K&C.
Plus Randys for obsolete hand held parts
So no one stop shop,
Locally I order from RGS & Stens + 15 retail stores
From China I have 11 suppliers
and Dave in HK for cube carbs & bits although he seems to have vanished from the face of the planet ( thought to be in a mainland "re-education' facility ).

Personally I think you are doing yourself and your local dealer a disservice when you say “Thank anyway, but I can order them “. When you order them you are taking the risk that you’ll get the part you need. I never order anything on my own unless there is no other way to get it. I’ve been burnt way to many times. If the dealer orders it he takes all the risk. Depending on the dealer you’ll get it just as fast. What are you telling the dealer when you make that comment? You’re good enough for me only if you have what I need in stock, I hope not. He is more valuable to you than any tool in your box. When customers came to me asking about a problem, my first question to myself ”how valuable is this guy to me?” Guys who support me through out the the year get more help than the guy who wants free info and I don’t see him again until he needs a spark plug. Just my stupid opinion, ain’t worth a darn.

Rivets said:

Personally I think you are doing yourself and your local dealer a disservice when you say “Thank anyway, but I can order them “. When you order them you are taking the risk that you’ll get the part you need. I never order anything on my own unless there is no other way to get it. I’ve been burnt way to many times. If the dealer orders it he takes all the risk. Depending on the dealer you’ll get it just as fast. What are you telling the dealer when you make that comment? You’re good enough for me only if you have what I need in stock, I hope not. He is more valuable to you than any tool in your box. When customers came to me asking about a problem, my first question to myself ”how valuable is this guy to me?” Guys who support me through out the the year get more help than the guy who wants free info and I don’t see him again until he needs a spark plug. Just my stupid opinion, ain’t worth a darn.

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Yep, telling him he doesn't get the business unless he stocks the parts. Also, because I'd never go into a repair shop and ask for free advice on how to fix my machine. Their experience is their stock in trade. I'll bring it to them and pay their price or figure it out myself. Why would a walk-in think the shop should take the time and effort to give it to freeloaders? Just my stupid opinion, ain’t worth a darn.

jack vines

You asked? “Why would a walk-in think the shop should take the time and effort to give it to freeloaders?”. Because that is a part of doing business in this industry, happens everyday. A good dealership knows that it is something they need to do to increase their business. They are constant optimist’s who hope that they can change the mindset of 1% of the people who do this. Just like those who come here with questions, knowing full well they don’t have to pay for anything here, to pick the brains of the experienced techs on this site. We know that we won’t get any monetary gain, but do it because we are wired that way. The only thing we ask is that the OP let us know how things work out and maybe get a thank you, which only happens 5% of the time.

You can order from dealers on line. This way you are supporting a dealer and you are getting OEM parts. Not aftermarket. It is becoming a tough business to survive in. Between over head, insurance, rent, etc. you have to deal with customers that do not want to spend $100 to fix their mower. On top of that Toro or Fill in the blank, expects you to sell so much in new machine every year while the box stores are also selling their stuff for less. It is now a very tough business to survive in. We have so few dealers around where I live. I tip my hat to anyone running a dealer ship that does repair on all makes. They deserve a break but it is the forces of our global ecomomy and the corporates want quarterly profits with out concern for long term relationships.

I am independent shop and it is impossible to stock everything other the most common used items. Even with my limited inventory I still have nearly $40,000 cost in parts. Plus many of my suppliers are only 1-2 day out delivery wise when they have the parts in stock. When I first started back in 2009 it was taking a week to get parts. Things changed as I got distributors online. This is a lot better than having items sitting on the shelf for years a time before someone needs them.

One plus dealing with a local shop is that they can get you the right parts when you provide the info needed. Personally I hate guessing.

But with Covid and the dang battles and wars over seas going on things are getting worst every day lately. And now workers are getting into the habit of slow working. I send Hydro Gear several emails last week and have yet to hear back from a single one of them. I final called yesterday just find that Gardner was the one I needed the info found which had sent to me Hydro Gear. Arrgg. But at least I still found out some the info I needed to make a decision on applying for a dealership. Just so aggravating that Gardner and Hydro Gear are slow walking the info to me. I got to let my customer know if I can get the parts or not.

So how do you feel about this, I have a full-service repair and parts place near where I live, and I do know that they started selling parts online. I needed a spindle for my mower deck 46in Craftsman, I find they have a part listed on their web site on E Bay for $28.95 plus shipping when I see who they are I just go to their business place and ask for the spindle, and they ring it up and it's like $38.95. I tell them that I had looked it up online and the price and they tell me they don't sell their parts in store for online prices. Couldn't understand that so I just said thanks and didn't buy it from them. Found another seller with the same part for the same $28.95 and free shipping so did that instead. Was I wrong or is this a normal practice?

It can be they are drop shipping items that are sold on line to avoid having to pay shipping to their local site.

Anyway I don't do online for the same reason as shipping from my location is ridiculous as the closes place is the USPS office.

As for go to place it once was A&I but when they their shipping costs they became too expensive to place small orders. (under $200). I have recently just dropped them so I no longer one of their dealers. Anyway most my current suppliers are one to two day out shipping wise.

Guess that still doesn't make since as to why they sell parts for more if you go to their shop and store than they do online. Why add on extra funds if I'm picking it up? So, in this case I tried to use my local smaller seller but had the door slammed in my face because I was picking up the part instead of paying for shipping it. They did have the part but inflated the price.

Agree, John, that's just ridiculous. I'll pay more to support local businesses, if they have the part on hand. If they say they'll have to order it, I can do that myself.

jack vines

OldDiyer said:

So how do you feel about this, I have a full-service repair and parts place near where I live, and I do know that they started selling parts online. I needed a spindle for my mower deck 46in Craftsman, I find they have a part listed on their web site on E Bay for $28.95 plus shipping when I see who they are I just go to their business place and ask for the spindle, and they ring it up and it's like $38.95. I tell them that I had looked it up online and the price and they tell me they don't sell their parts in store for online prices. Couldn't understand that so I just said thanks and didn't buy it from them. Found another seller with the same part for the same $28.95 and free shipping so did that instead. Was I wrong or is this a normal practice?

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That has been my experience as well. Try calling and tell them you will pick up the part you see ebay and you want to save on the shipping. See what they say. If they are drop shipping they may not be able to do that. If they are fulfilling orders locally, why wouldn't they?