Re: Price-gouging to farmers?

Posted by jdemaris on November 08, 2006 at 08:28:27 from (66.218.17.239):

In Reply to: Re: Price-gouging to farmers? posted by buickanddeere on November 07, 2006 at 21:43:35:

My point was, and still is - the prices are based on consumer availability - and not on a corporation needing just X amount to make a fair profit. I was working for Deere when this pricing crap started. Seems around the late 70s, early 80s, farmers, loggers, dirtmovers, etc. got better at finding alternative sources for parts and lower prices. When the Internet got rolling, alternative sources got even easier to find. Deere started a policy of researching alternative part sources and prices - and lowering their's to compete. When Deere, et. al. has a part they figure you won't find anywhere else - the price skyrockets and you wallet empties. From a corporate view-point - it makes good business sense. Corporations care about no one or nothing except profit. They will only drop prices when sales fall off.
When Deere had their big parts-strike mid-80s - for almost a year - initiated by the UAW and union greed - Deere Co. was in a mess. We had many good loyal Deere customers who felt betrayed and began to either seek alternative sources for parts - or quit Deere altogether. Many never came back.
And yes, as you said - parts that are made in large quantities are cheap - as opposed to esoteric stuff. But, in my mind, that does not give a company the right - to charge you $200 for a part that cost them $5 to make - because they know you cannot get it anywhere else.
I just put all new bushings in my Case 580CK backhoe. All but one were available afermarket. All the aftermarket bushings cost $5-$10 each and just a fraction more from Case. The one bushing that only Case has - cost $45 instead of $10. I bought an aftermarket and cut it down to size.
In regard to your comment about the Deere G. I was working for Deere when they gave up all their two-cylinder stuff. I did not pay attention on how it was done and what the legal aggreements were. But, it was kind of sad. At that time - we had "block men" from Deere - that had the power to grant or nullify warranty claims - and they told us that Deere Company would stand behind any part they ever made - if proven to be defective. That is quite a promise! I had a Deere BO at the time with a sand-casting hole in the cylinder block. Only half-serious - our block man came to see us from Syracuse and I told him about my over-forty year old cylinder block that had a factory defect. He got me a new one, no charge, from Deere.
Try that today - and I don't think you'll get too far.

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