It seems like everyone is going the way of Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowes and the other giant merchants. However, I have to wonder if there is a better way to go.

First, I want to explain the problems with purchasing a mower from someone like Home Depot. Let us say I purchase a  Cub Cadet 27 HP, 54 In. Hydrostatic Garden Tractor for $2,999.00 from Home Depot. I am not sure what the prices are from the dealer but I am sure they are going to have a hard time competing with Home Depot, on price. Let us say that I save $200.00 by purchasing the mower from Home Depot.

I take the mower home and use it for 30 days when I start having problems with the engine. My local dealer will not fix the mower because I did not purchase it from him and Home Depot has no way to fix the mower. Maybe you think I am making things up, let me give you a couple links.

Old man has to assemble his own mower, once assembled he finds that the blade is hitting the deck. Home Depot will not let him return the mower unless he removes all the gas. The man is 60 years old.

Here is an even better one.

Roberta of Keithville LA (06/10/07)

My husband and I purchased what we believed was a John Deere riding mower from Home Depot in 2005. It was the most expensive model they had, nearly $3000, and we also purchased all the available attachments. Within a few months of mowing, 1 time each week, 1.5 acres, the mower started having mower deck problems,,,uneaven cutting,pulleys wearing out. My husband went to Home Depot and they could not assist in the repairs except telling him to go to a John Deere dealer.

My husband visited the local Deere dealer and said the guy just rolled his eyes and said Not another one The dealership informed my husband that we purchased basically a generic lawn mower, that John Deere merely stamped its name on. The dealer showed my husband an actual John Deere brand mower and it was twice the machine, more heavy duty and built like we expected a John Deere to be.

Upon learning this my husband returned to Home Depot and informed the manager that he was feeling ripped off. We explained our disappointment to the manager and he just stared at us with a blank, “I don’t give a damn” type of expression.

So here we sit, with a mower that basically does a poor job at mowing our lawn, and we have no alternative but to deal with the fact we were deceived and taken advantage of by a false advertising campaign by John Deere and Home Depot.

And another

Fred of San Antonio TX (04/10/07)
I was needing parts for a Murray Lawnmower I bought four years ago. I tried calling the only parts place listed in Texas in my owners manual. After 8 failed attempts I tried the internet, and ran across complaints about Murray mowers. Low and behold I read about someone else that had a leaking gas tank. The second summer I used the mower

I noticed gas in the oil when I checked it. I changed oil and after I mowed I noticed it again.

Then I started noticing gas left over in the tank when I was finished mowing, was not there the next time I mowed. Finally I found it was leaking from the fuel line after the filter. I called Home Depot and they basically told me to contact the dealer.

And another

John of Hannibal MO (04/07/07)
John Deere L120 riding mower. Vibrates and shakes so bad can not hardly stand to stay on it let alone cut very tall grass. Took to dealer got charged for $120 and they said it is a little better but still vibrates. These mowers I find are not even John Deere mowers they are made by AYP. The high price is for the green paint and decal.

I am not blaming Home Depot or John Deere. The problem falls on the consumer. The consumer demands a low price and refuses to do business with the dealer. Home Depot is trying to compete with Lowes and Wal-Mart and has to demand a lower price from the manufacture. The manufacture has to make cuts on the quality in order to compete on the price. The consumer is screwed and rightfully so; after all, it is his desire to save a dollar that caused the problem.

The sad part is that by the time the consumer figures out that he should be purchasing from the dealer and not the mass merchant there might not be in dealers left.