May 13 -- If the grass-cutting season hasn't arrived yet where you are, you can be sure that it'll be there before long. That means shopping for a lawn mower, if you don't already have one, or replacing that workhorse you've been using for the last umpteen years.
People seem to be taking that chore seriously. According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Walk-Behind Lawn Mower Study, a larger proportion of buyers are considering more than one lawn mower brand, compared with 2009.
The study measures customer satisfaction with walk-behind lawn mowers by examining six key factors: durability; ease of use; maintenance; performance; price; and warranty. The study is designed to provide information that helps customers with purchase decisions, as well as to assist lawn mower manufacturers in their efforts to improve customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.
Honda ranks highest in satisfying customers with walk-behind lawn mowers for a second consecutive year, achieving a score of 766 on a 1,000-point scale. Honda performs particularly well in three of six factors: ease of use, durability and performance. John Deere (760) and Toro (742) follow Honda in the ranking.
Robert of Wesley Chapel, FL, bought a Honda, but isn't particularly happy with it."I carried it in for broken throttle -- this was the second time I have had to carry it in for the same problem within eight months of purchase," he tells ConsumerAffairs.com. He says the manager of the store where he bought the mower told him he should have purchased extra warranty coverage. "I told her I didn't think I would need extra coverage on a $693.99 lawnmower -- especially in a eight month span of owning it."
Michael of Audubon, PA, says he thought he was buying a Toro mower, but " you are not buying a Toro just the name. Toro had a great reputation and you get these companies buying just the name and well it is crap. The mower since the first week I got was trouble. The push handle would not lock in place so the handle would be useless and would not allow you to mow. I found out that TORO was made by Murray and Murray was made by MTD. You do not know this when you buy it,they just use the TORO name to sucker people in."
The study also finds that this year, nearly 70 percent of walk-behind lawn mower owners say that they considered more than one brand while shopping, compared with 62 percent in 2009. In addition, since only approximately one-third of lawn mower shoppers selected the brand they wanted to purchase prior to visiting a retailer, there is ample opportunity for lawn mower manufacturers to influence decisions at the point of purchase.
"Most walk-behind lawn mower shoppers go to a retailer without doing much research beforehand and primarily rely on in-store displays to educate themselves about the different brands and models available," said Christina Cooley, senior manager of the real estate and construction industries practice at J.D. Power and Associates. "Without spending much time up front investigating what lawn mower best meets their needs, the shopper is likely to base their decision mainly on price."
J.D. Power and Associates offers the following tips to consumers who are shopping for a walk-behind lawn mower:
1. The lifespan of a lawn mower averages between seven to 10 years, and consumers typically spend approximately $300 on their walk-behind mower, on average. Therefore, it pays to research several brands and models to determine the best lawn mower for your needs before making the investment. Without performing this research, the lawn mower may fall short of your expectations.
2. In conducting your research, seek out the following: manufacturer and retailer websites; recommendations from friends and family; in-store product displays; and retail staff.
3. Visit multiple retailers. Many lawn mower owners choose a store at which to shop first, and then select a lawn mower from the brands that are available there. Going to more than one retailer may present you with more options from which to choose.
In addition, it's a good idea to look at lawn mower ads carefully to make sure the machine you think you're buying is the one you get.
The 2010 Walk-Behind Lawn Mower Study is based on responses from more than 2,900 owners who purchased a new lawn mower within the past 24 months and who have used their lawn mower a minimum of four times.
Someone should educate Michael of PA. None of TORO's walkbehind mowers are made by Murray or MTD, they are made by TORO. Murray doesn't build anything since they have been out of business for several years.
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