Power Profiles

Woody’s Outdoor Power – Caldwell, ID – Nov. 14, 2005

CONTACT
Woody’s Outdoor Power
316 North 21st Ave
Caldwell, ID 83605
(208) 459-0662
www.woodysoutdoorpower.com
OWNERS
David Wood
BUSINESS PROFILE
Woody’s started as a small engine repair shop but changed its name to Woody’s Outdoor Power in 1977 when current owner David Wood purchased the business outright from his father.
From 1977 to 1997 the business operated at its original location, eight blocks from the new store that opened in March 1997. Situated on 3.2 acres, the dealership has plenty of space for buildings, storage and a test track for ATV customers.
The main building is 8,000 sq. ft., with 3,000 sq. ft. of showroom, 2,000 sq. ft. of office and 3,000 sq. ft. in the service area. Woody’s also has 6,000 sq. ft. covered by awnings for covered outdoor display and storage.
Sells Arctic Cat snowmobiles and ATV, along with Kymko. Outdoor power equipment brands include Ariens, Echo, Gravely, Honda, Husqvarna, Simplicity and Snapper. Woody’s also sells Featherlite and Image enclosed and open powersports and utility trailers. Woody’s employs 11 full time people and three part timers.
WHAT’S HOT?
“The M7 is the best-priced 140hp snowmobile, bar none,” says Wood. “And it delivers. It has been the leader out there and we’ve sold out of that. We actually ordered in twice as many snowmobiles this year as we have in the past because we sold out so fast last year. We still have some inventory to sell and here it is just October. Last year we ended up selling 45 sleds and this year we’re probably going to end up selling 90 or 100.
“It will be the first time we’ve sold that many snowmobiles in a season since the mid 90s. And it comes from the M snowmobiles, it’s just driving people in here. Our King Cat’s sell. That snowmobile is still very popular in sales and that snowmobile is the one to buy to whoop on somebody stock-for-stock.”
As for ATVs, Wood says the Arctic Cat 3-year bumper-to-bumper warranty is huge.
In parts, the new Speed Rack (MRP) is really exciting for the Arctic Cat ATV, says Wood. People can quickly pin on a backrest on their ATV. They can quickly pin on a chainsaw holder. They have cooler mounts. They have gun scabbards. Folks like that. Arctic Cat is putting a three-year warranty on any of those SpeedRack accessories without a zipper.
The snowmobile accessories that people are going for are performance parts. Single pipes, light canister, air intakes, they are buying that before the snowmobile even leaves the store.
CUSTOMER BUYING TRENDS
“With snowmobiles it seems like it is definitely not the family sport that it used to be, where you go out and buy four snowmobiles and a trailer and take the family out,” says Wood. “The price of that today is $20,000 to $30,000.”
ANTI-POWERSPORTS ISSUES
“We always have people trying to lock us out,” says Wood. “Mainly environmentalists trying to lock in more ground. We have a ski resort who shows up and takes away some of the best snowmobiling in Idaho. I’ve snowmobiled there since 1971. And that’s where Tamarack built. They got an agreement with the Forest Service. And now they’re trying to expand for Sno-Cat skiing and they are closing down more and more of our snowmobiling area.”
PARTS AND SERVICE
“We service everything,” says Wood. “In my service department we service our commercial guys first. Second, we service all of our homeowner folks that we’ve sold items to. Third priority is to service the items that box stores sell that we also sell, like Husqvarna and Honda generators. And the fourth item we service in that order are purchased somewhere else.”
Woody’s employs five full time service technicians, along with a service manager/writer who also stays on top of the warranty work.
PROMOTIONAL HOME RUNS
“We don’t do a great deal of advertising here at my store,” says Wood. “We get a lot of word of mouth by doing good service. I stay involved with our local community by sponsoring asphalt drag racing at Firebird [Raceway]. We take our snowmobiles out there and we run them on the asphalt. I own three dragsters. My service manager runs one of them, my son runs one of them and I run one of them. I stay involved with the local rodeo scene. We have a couple of the largest rodeos on the circuit and I sponsor them with some advertising. I’m sitting on the busiest street in Canyon County. We usually push out every morning 20-30 ATVs, lawn tractors, children’s ATVs, snowmobiles. When you drive by here it just looks like a candy store.”
WORDS OF ADVICE
“Listen to your customer’s concerns,” says Wood. “Give them what they’re asking for and make sure that warranty is being taken care of for your customer. Hours of operation — you need to be there for your customer. And just have quality products and stock parts for them — those wear items, that’s why they call them wear items.”
—Blake Stranz
If you would like to share your story with the readers of Powersports Business, please contact Blake Stranz at bstranz@comcast.net.

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