The Manufactured Housing Forums

I wonder how many sales Palm Harbor is losing by forcing their customers to sit down and endure the sales pitch before ever allowing them on the lot to look at the models. I stopped in at one of their dealerships the other day just on the spur of the moment - I was actually headed somewhere else and not home-shopping that day. I explained to the overly zealous salesman that I just had a few minutes and wanted to look at this monster of a house he had on the lot but he insisted on whipping out all kinds of information that I already knew and then tried to force me to give him my address and phone number when I had already specifically told him that I did NOT want to be contacted. I finally had to get up and leave due to having to be somewhere else at a certain time and I never DID get to see the monster house. I was put through this same drill several months ago at another Palm Harbor dealer on a day when I DID have the time to listen and I DID look at some houses at that dealership, but I resented the forced lecture and just assumed that it was a practice of that particular dealership. Now I assume that it's the Palm Harbor policy, but folks, it DOESN'T work! All you sales professionals - wake up! You may have a superior product and you may be very enthusiastic about it and that's great, but if I don't like any of your floorplans, I 'm not going to buy. And when a customer TELLS you that she's done her homework and knows about the superior quality of your product, BELIEVE HER!
I'll never go to that dealership again and because of those tactics, I probably won't buy a Palm Harbor. The hard sell doesn't work!

A month ago I made the trip from New York to Florida looking for a retirement home. Before I left, I had decided on either a home made by Homes of Merit or Palm Harbor. I visited 8 retirement communities in several different towns on the east coast. After selecting my town and community I visited the manufacturing sites of both these builders. My experience was very different from yours. Both builders were not pushy in the least. Both had beautiful homes. Both let me look at all the models without pressure. I finally sellected a plan made by Palm Harbor homes. I suggest you keep looking for a dealer that doesn't use the high pressure tactics. That would drive me away too. Trust me, you can still find some nice people to deal with. If possible, make a trip to the manufacturing site yourself. Don't give up!!!

Hello Therese,

I have been saying this for years and talk about this very subject in my comparison guide. Palm Harbor had a sales guru come in and put together a sales system for them. I don't like it either but Palm Harbor sure does.

Randy Eaton

I've had the same kind of both experiences, pushy and not pushy, if I decide to do business with P.H. I'll go back to not pushy. Besides they are closer to where I'll be living.

You have visited 2 Palm Harbor owned sales centers....This is the program and is making folks like you mad country wide....BUT...most folks are not like you and Palm Harbor knows it...Most shoppers have never seen this site, Randy's book and their only experience with manufactured homes might be thier uncle used to own a singlewide...Unfortunately PH system is very fixed...the sales persons you meet are doing their job the way the PH required them to...It is not their falt...

Notice the lady from Florida that posted here...She looked at the homes at independent dealer lots and had a very good experience...This is why I suggest that you shop with locally owned independent dealerships in your area....They will offer a wide variety fo priduct and will be flexable enough to approach you in a way you feel good about...Good Luck

The same happened to me. I was driving thru town and passed a Palm Harbor dealer close to me. I decided to stop and do a little "tire kicking"...I just wanted to see what they were like. I again got the whole sale pitch before I was even allowed to look in a home, and was followed like a hound. I didnt like it at all and will not buy a Palm Harbor. I am looking for a manufactured home right now to put on some acreage I have, and will not buy a Palm Harbor. Period.

Mr. Murray, the story this latest Palm Harbor salesman gave me was - his lot was FACTORY OWNED, not a "mom and pop" dealership which meant that he could sell me a house considerably cheaper than Mom and Pop could. I don't know if this is true or not --and I couldn't determine what kind of prices he had since I never got to see the houses. I got the impression - just from his general demeanor - that they prey on the consumer who knows very little about manufactured housing (just like you said). Even when I asked him a few questions that should have alerted him to the fact that I've done a little homework (thanks to tTHIS great web site), he kept on yakking as if I was totally ignorant of the product. As already mentioned, I finally just had to get up and leave because he was still into his unnecessary sales pitch and I had to be somewhere else by a certain time. If these people had any sense, they'd realize that it's the visual product that sells the home. Most female home-buyers "fall in love" with a house and a lot of us tend to screen out any negatives once we've"caught the fever". A car salesman doesn't sit the buyer down and tell them all about the great braking system and the shocks and gas mileage before letting a potential buyer go for a test drive. JUST THE OPPOSITE!!! He/she lets you drive the car and then you're already SOLD, even if you find out that the gas mileage isn't so great, or the price is a little higher than what you want. Housing works the same way. I realize that Randy is always preaching (and rightly so) that we need to look beyond the glitz, but I already knew that Palm Harbor is very highly rated. That sales guru that Randy Eaton mentioned earlier really took Palm Harbor for a ride, because he's ALL WET . I will probably not go back to Palm Harbor. I like Horton and Clayton, which don't use those strong-arm tactics and which also build a good house, according to this site.

Actually the factory owned stores always try to make you think that they some how can sell cheaper....Really...just the opposite is true...Usually a locally owned independent dealer has a much lower overhead...
When I worked for a factory store...many years ago...the factory charged the dealership with about $ 20,000 per month in overhead fees that my local neighbors did not have to contend with...Good stores are lucky to sell 10 homes a month...This money comes from these buyers...

Actually the factory owned stores always try to make you think that they some how can sell cheaper....Really...just the opposite is true...Usually a locally owned independent dealer has a much lower overhead...
When I worked for a factory store...many years ago...the factory charged the dealership with about $ 20,000 per month in overhead fees that my local neighbors did not have to contend with...Good stores are lucky to sell 10 homes a month...This money comes from these buyers...

This is a very good subject that is difficult to expound upon within these confines.
It is really called pre-qualifying a customer. How this is accomplished can have positive or adverse consumer reaction, if done improperly.

There is the open door dealer. This is where the customer is allowed to look at homes at their leisure and fall in love with the home that is most appealing. This to leads to lost sales. Why? Because, most people choose the most expensive home on the lot. When the customer realizes they cannot afford the home, the sales person has a very difficult time in "selling down." The customers pride sets in. They will buy, but usually not from that dealer.

The closed door dealer. This dealer will not show a home until all the necessary information is extracted from the customer. This to leads to lost sales. Many customers do not like the third degree before looking at some homes.

It is an age old debate concerning the open and closed door policy. Palm Harbor is not playing on consumer ignorance in their sales approach. They are playing on the consumer's ability to buy a Palm Harbor. Most consumers have sticker shock when finding out the selling price of a Palm Harbor verses most other product of similar "dimensions." They must justify the price, and the customers ability to afford their homes, hence their sales approach. No, I do not sell Palm Harbors. High end product like Palm Harbor represents a small percentage of the mobile home consumer base in relation to all manufactured homes sold because of their prices. They understand full well that the masses cannot afford their homes. It is a cold hard fact, and because of this, a lot of people are offended at their sales approach.

It is much easier to test drive a $30,000 Ford without much inquire or input from the sales person. However, to test drive a $150,000 Mercedes, one might experience a few necessary and appropriate questions. Well, unless your trading in your BMW.