Discussion:
Internet deals??

Last week a customer inquired about a telescoping boom that mounts on the forks. Before I checked the manufacturers price list I went online to see what the national "bargain" companies were charging for this product.
A huge internet only company showed a "list price" of $1158.84 with a hugely " discounted" price of $1093.00. A large auction sight had a buy it now price of $1049.99. A national catalog house had the same product for $1154.34.
I then went to the manufacturers price list and the list price was $984.00 less the dealer discount! So much for internet deals.
Look at some of the "reconditioned" forklift trucks. They sure look nice, beautiful paint jobs, new tires and a new seat. It doesn't matter that the original seat was a suspension seat and the seat they put on is a standard seat that you can't see over the steering wheel. The side shifter hoses are hanging in the air, the lift handle points back, the tilt handle points forward and the best part is that it only has 1823 hours on it. I wonder if the layman noticed that this beautifully reconditioned truck was equipped with a foundry package too.
  • Posted 27 Feb 2013 23:00
  • Discussion started by duodeluxe
  • United States
duodeluxe
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Showing items 1 - 9 of 9 results.
Thank you everyone for your contributions. As suggested by "edward t" and endorsed by "bbforks" we have started a new thread to focus on creating a code of ethics for internet sellers of forklifts and the questions that buyers might ask to be answered.

We have placed a new thread (Code of Ethics for selling forklifts on the internet) in the Forum "Business Management".

Thank you, and as always we look forward to your learned comments.
  • Admin
  • Posted 4 Dec 2013 14:17
  • Modified 4 Dec 2013 14:20 by administrator
  • Reply by Admin
  • Queensland, Australia
Contact me about any forum administration issues.
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I get calls all thr time, i can buy it of the internet, my responce, buy it.
  • Posted 3 Dec 2013 05:18
  • Reply by towmotor
  • Ontario, Canada
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Ed- excellent idea! I believe an independent code of ethics reference, along with a check list of what questions to ask an internet seller of equipment would make our collective jobs ALOT easier.It would help to weed out the crooks & make selling a decent used lift profitable again. I don't even try to sell anymore because of all the "deals" on the internet, you just can't compete with the numbers if you're trying to be honest.
  • Posted 1 Dec 2013 05:33
  • Modified 1 Dec 2013 05:33 by poster
  • Reply by bbforks
  • Pennsylvania, United States
bbforks (at) Hotmail (dot) com
Customers love technology- until they have to pay to fix it!
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AS far as how I handle telling a customer he got taken, I usually apologize for the entire forklift industry, as the actions of those 'less than honourable' folks taint all the rest of the industry. [and to myself I say "wow, what a gold mine, this truck will be something good to the service Dept. budget"] and then I tell the customer I will do the best I can to keep his bills as low as possible and still give him a "safe and serviceable" forklift and that I will be as honest as anyone would be with him.
I have been considering working on a set of questions to "open source" that I would like everyone considering buying a forklift or using forklifts today to have to get the answers for in advance of dealing with anyone to confirm their ethics. perhaps what I need to do is start a thread here on forkliftaction to get input as to what those questions should be, or maybe to create a "uniform forklift industry code of ethics" thread, to get input as to what the code should say.
  • Posted 28 Nov 2013 23:47
  • Modified 29 Nov 2013 00:03 by poster
  • Reply by edward_t
  • South Carolina, United States
"it's not rocket surgery"
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Yeah...we can not believe more on Internet prices. In mainly cases, internet sites and ads shows that they are giving the biggest discount price but in realty the discounted price is much more than the prices given by the offline dealer.
  • Posted 28 Nov 2013 22:44
  • Reply by xavier_s
  • Western Australia, Australia
Airfab Pty Ltd
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Just had this senario happen again. The lure of the cheap price over rides sound reasoning & BAMM- another piece of crap lands in my lap. How do you nicely tell a customer that they just got screwed? Somehow I think my bills fixing this dinosour will tell him for me!
  • Posted 13 Mar 2013 08:44
  • Reply by bbforks
  • Pennsylvania, United States
bbforks (at) Hotmail (dot) com
Customers love technology- until they have to pay to fix it!
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I had a couple customers buy a truck on the cheap of the internet - their rationale it was cheap & it looked good & had a 30 day warranty (but they had to pay shipping both ways). We were glad to do all the repair work after they found what it cost to ship a lift LTL (both ways) and it is very hard to hear a rod knocking or a motor bearing going out, etc. on a "pretty" picture and very difficult see all the over spray on the cylinder rods & radiator core too. Caveat Emptor!
  • Posted 1 Mar 2013 22:49
  • Reply by johnr_j
  • Georgia, United States
"Have An Exceptional Day!"
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It is not justforklift trucks

Almost everything is available locally as cheap.The internet provides crooks to unload things that are not quite right with impunity.

we have all bought from the internet, sometimes the convenience makes it worth the risk but mostly we are taking a chance.

Nothing is better than "seeing , feeling etc" first and that can only be done with a local supplier.
  • Posted 28 Feb 2013 20:16
  • Reply by Normandy
  • Co. Cork, Ireland
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I hear ya duo- I tell my customers all the time not to buy off the internet- but they hardly ever listen. They wind up buying some piece of ****, but they got it at a great price! I shouldn't complain though- I get alot of work putting these pigs back in working order as they gradually fall apart.
  • Posted 27 Feb 2013 23:51
  • Reply by bbforks
  • Pennsylvania, United States
bbforks (at) Hotmail (dot) com
Customers love technology- until they have to pay to fix it!
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