Backordered parts?

[hanz63]

Just curious if this year seems worse than other years? I'm not dead in the water on anything, but odd stuff. Like Kohler valve cover kits, odd air filters, common chassis things just go poof and I guess they'll get here when they do.

[KE4AVB]

Sometimes it is your source that is the problem. Here I got two distributors and OPE. Usually Garner is usually out of everything Kohler, RBI usually Kohler in Stock, and OPE is pot luck. Here lately I been having to check all three for parts and prices.

Currently RBI has 24+ of each of the stamp steel covers in stock.

I currently got three governor/oil slingers on back order from Briggs thru A&I which uses Power Distributors. But these can found otherwise too as I just got in one from Partstree. Yes I had to pay more than usual but it was a necessary purchase to get a customer back up and running as he blew both his mowers.

Anyway when comes to getting you got to do you leg work.

Currently I just suspended ordering from A&I due multiple problems over the last few years. The straw the broke the camel back is the refusing to reply to my e-mails. Apparently they are so busy that my sales rep cant even reply to my emails. To help them catch up I just reduced their work load on my part until 2022.

Now I have back order items taking up to 4 months form one distributor but I now check both of them before ordering as Gardner took 4 months to get in tie straps and RBI had them in stock. I just could kick myself for not checking earlier.

[38racing]

Not related to outdoor equipment but up here in Ontario our stores were locked down to online order and curbside pickup. One of our hardware chains would take and order online for delivery and pickup at the local store. Then they would just cancel the complete order even with everything being in stock. I called the store and was was able to get 2 of the items immediately. They ordered the 3rd item and had it in a few days. Took 20 days and 2 phone calls to get my refund of the online payment. Rather than not taking online orders they would take and then cancel. Nice way to lose business in the future.

[KE4AVB]

Yelp businesses are quick to take your money but are as slow as Christmas on refunding it. One order here a couple years back took 6 months to get a refund.

But business practices can cause lost business. Here I was buying from Walmart for my business when they started refusing my sales tax exemption. I fought with them for nearly a month until I finally just gave up and stop buying from them and I actually nearly all my personal purchases too. So they might not miss a few thousand dollars but it is gone anyway to some other business including Amazon.

[hanz63]

That is odd on how businesses choose to treat people. It has to be rough in Canada. But even that, to not communicate or hijack your $$. You are probably right on regarding it is a distributor issue. My main one services multiple states with multiple lines. End of last year they backordered Oregon blades that I didn't get until the stock order. PD had lots of them. PD is in a panic now by the way it sounds. Normally I'll do a second stock up but none offered. Speaking of blades, the Deere dealer couldn't even get 48c blades from their warehouse. And when they did it was a handful at a time. I guess Stihl is even worse. So on your sales tax exception, isn't that taboo- possibly not even legal in your state? And if you paid tax on it and shouldn't have, can you just submit a form to get the tax off your bill? I don't get into the big W very often, but I do like their carb spray. They shipped me a bunch with free ship this spring. One box came with two, one with a dozen or something. Different days or possibly weeks. Wrapped in baggies. Comical really.

[KE4AVB]

On PD they revoke my access because I wasn't buying a ton of stuff from them. They were giving about 10% when A&I is giving nearly 20% on most items yet the orders still go through them for the Briggs parts.

[Norm]

Back ordered parts issues..YES, from my point of view there is a problem. I'm in Canada btw.
And further, was just advised a couple of weeks ago that we will also be seeing more price increases. Blades, belts and ...
Why? From what I'm seeing, a shortage of inventory in the warehouses going into 2020. (pre covid)
Follow up with where do most parts come from? Offshore of course, and many of the countries we rely on are still in different levels of shut down.
Next, shortage of "NEW" equipment in 2020, and even less built for 2021. (again covid)
Now, assembly factories are starting to tool up, they are ordering parts. If I was producing and building new equipment, my suppliers would either sell me 1,000 (or 10,000) or of items or supply the parts warehouses (less volume).
Also, as a suppler selling to factories, my priority on lines would be for newer equipment.

and it goes on....

STENS, Rotary, Oregon are all having issues.
I have even seen carb O rings for Tecumseh on back order this year.
MTD parts have been an issue for a year or more..feast or famine there.
Briggs...depends on if it is in Canada...
Stihl...just remember where most of their parts come from
Husqvarna...mixed reviews, saws and hand held..some issues, larger OPE more issues.

In Canada, we do not have the options many US markets have. Our sources are fewer, and most if not all of those order from US warehouses, so that belt your waiting for in the USA may take a week or two, for Canada that week or two gets to the primary warehouse, then it needs to get to us or our local supplier/warehouse.

Not to be a doom and gloom guy, if you think this year is bad, imagine how 2022 may be..all the assembly plants tooling up, demand for new equipment..and

[KE4AVB]

I do see problems the next few years with about everything because the Covid mutilating now.

Just gives me a n accuse to do more research and cross reference parts.

But one of problems is customers not understanding that costs for parts has gone up considerably lately. I just had a customer that demanded that I fix his mower for no more $500 when I did estimate it came out to $650. I can't help it that he let someone that didn't know what they were doing to screw up his 20 yr old CC mower. Another customer goes out and buys an engine from HFT and wanted me to install it. I not able to do it as the PTO doesn't match up and now he wants me to buy his problem. Just wait until he find out the price for the tire; I see him having a heart attack.