1984 - Volume #8, Issue #1, Page #33
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Replacement Parts For Half Price
A small Illinois manufacturing firm is doing a booming business selling new replacement parts for discs, planters and other equipment for up to 50% less than you'd pay for the same parts purchased through local implement dealers."By selling direct to eliminate the middleman, we're able to lower prices from 30 to 50%," says Gene Shoup, president of Shoup Mfg., Kankakee, Ill., and inventor-manufacturer of the popular Shoup front-folding corn-soybean toolbar planter. "Farmers who buy replacement parts from us pay only for good service and high quality. There's no middleman, no four-color advertising and no fancy store fronts built into our rock-bottom prices. What's more, our replacement parts are made to fit and wear just like your original equipment."
Shoup got into the parts business two years ago almost by accident. He'd introduced a new hinge kit which allowed wide rotary hoes to be folded for transport. "In selling it, I discovered that farmers were reluctant to æhinge' machines with worn out wheels which, at the time, cost $42.14 to replace from Deere dealers. Seeing an opportunity to produce replacement wheels of comparable quality for less cost, we began making them, using the same bearing Deere uses. We sold our replacement wheels to dealers for $18.84 and our dealers, in turn, retailed them to farmers for $26.00.
"Within two months, Deere dropped its dealer list price to $26.50, leaving us no alternative but to sell factory direct to farmers for $18.84. That decision opened the gate to other high-wear replacement parts. We're now able to save farmers up to 50% on parts for Max-Emerge and Cylco planters, most makes of rotary hoes, and Deere and International discs and cultivators.
"Our parts are guaranteed. If not satisfied, return them within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. Telephone orders are shipped UPS (when weight allows) the same day they're received," Shoup points out.
Here, excerpted from his latest parts catalog, are price comparisons on popular high-wear replacement parts:
Scraper assembly; replacement for TruVee opener. Replaces Deere No. AA2644 ù Shoup sells it for $4.13 (compared to $6.89 suggested list from Deere dealers). "If you only want to replace the scraper blade, we sell it separate for $2.50. Deere makes you buy the entire scraper assembly just to get the blade," Shoup notes.
7 1/2 in. cast spools for IH discs ù Shoup's price is $17.83 (compared to $30.46 suggested Dealer's price).
Scraper for 490 and 480 IH discs ù Shoup sells them "factory direct" for $3.20 (compared to $7.27 Dealer's price).
Replacement rotary hoe wheels; 21-in. dia. with original equipment sealed bearing. Replaces wheels on Deere, Yetter, M and W, and Hiniker rotary hoes. Bolt-on bearing flanges used for easy bearing replacement ù Shoup sells them for $20.96 (compared to $30.11 Dealer's price).
Max-Emerge gauge wheels ù Shoup sells them for $39.95 (compared to $64.25 Dealer's price).
Cultivator 4 by 12 in. tires ù Shoup sells them for $7.69 (compared to Dealer's price of $11.95 at Deere, $16.23 at MF and $14.25 at IH).
In addition to his cut-rate prices, Shoup offers a 5% discount on orders over $100. "The initial order to new customers is shipped COD, or charged to a Master Card, Visa or American Express credit card," explains Shoup. "The first order opens a charge account for any additional parts a customer may want to order."
For more information, including a free 30 page catalog of replacement parts Shoup offers, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Shoup Mfg., 145 South West Ave., Kankakee, Ill. 60901 (ph 815 933-4439).
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