Each year in the annual Rural Lifestyle Dealer Equipment Forecast & Business Outlook Survey  we take the opportunity ask for dealer feedback on hot-button issues.

With a constantly changing and evolving marketplace, in the 2012 survey we asked “Have the shopping habits of your rural lifestyle customers changed in the past three years? If so, what's changed?”

We received great response covering a gamut of opinions and ranging from the thoughtful, "The Internet has made them more knowledgeable about the equipment they are looking for. It has also made it possible to look for equipment over a wider area." To the, well, not so thoughtful, "No."

We love hearing from dealers to get their thoughts and enjoy even more sharing those thoughts with you.

Please feel free to offer your thoughts in the comments section below the rest of the responses.

Here’s what dealers told us when asked "“Have the shopping habits of your rural lifestyle customers changed in the past three years? If so, what's changed:”

• I don't think so as much as we are changing to adjust to them.
• No but more coming because of brand
• Yes, pricing much more an issue
• Not much
• They are more careful how money is spent. Financing is a big part of each sale.
• More thrifty -- buying more economy (cheaper) tractors.
• They are more interested in price than they used to be. It is very competitive.
• Somewhat - More checking equipment online
• The Internet has made them more knowledgeable about the equipment they are looking for. It has also made it possible to look for equipment over a wider area.
• Getting tougher to deal with these types of customers. Loyalty is a word few understand until they have a problem with their purchase.
• Most customers have qualified the purchase with online information. 2- Quality used to be #1 now price and financing are equally important. 3- Customers willing to drive long distances to get a better deal. 4- Wives have much more input in what is purchased.
• Low end dropping out (Economy) Few new ones entering Small (illegible word) farms diminishing High end customers buying slowing down (economy)
• More are looking to Internet shopping
• Yes, squeezing the dollar. Numbers are the same, but margins are lower.
• Seem to be more focused on what they want. They have tried to do some homework before entering or asking for help.
• YES, CUSTOMERS ARE HOLDING OFF BUYING UNTILL AFTER THE 2012 ELECTIONS.
• More educated about the product they are looking for, a lot of research. More brand specific. Younger customers, know very little about the industry (not specific product). Buying larger properties w/ big plans for that property. More credit turn-downs.
• More internet research being done before coming to store. Customers are very aware of special offers and financing. Also more educated than ever on positives and negatives of a specific piece (online forums) than ever before.
• Customers have been more driven to use the computer and choose from what they need, or want. The problem that we face is that when the customer comes to the store, they have their mind made up and when you start to explain why you think there is a better model for them, they put up a defensive stance because all of their time they put in had made their mind up.
• More informed
• Internet has opened up the shopping; buyers are educated before they arrive.
• Seem to be price shopping more now.
• Yes, the equipment they are purchasing is getting larger.
• More emphasis on repair and maintenance of existing equipment, not so likely to replace units as in past years
• Much more cautious. Money is tight.
• Shoppers are much more aware of the dollars they have to spend and more wives are involved in the decision to buy a tractor, maybe not at first, but surely at the end.
• More interest in small scale economical seeding, tillage and harvest equipment
• Yes, people are looking for sells, and better deals with discounts.
• Customers are more informed when they enter the dealership; due to internet availability people can research particular equipment before they enter the dealership
• The internet continues to grow in importance as the source for customer information
• Negative news reporting creates doubts about their future which causes most people to put off purchases until they just have to buy, and most of my customers are working at the same industries for years and many are working overtime for the last 3 yrs.
• Yes. Few years back they were looking for full featured tractors, with a lot of extras, today, it is more back to the basics. Still want the tractor, but skip the fancies
• More frugal than ever...
• Customers are much more likely to repair rather than replace and extend service life of equipment as long as possible.
• Yes, they have slowed down on their purchases
• Customers are becoming less knowledgeable and demand our dealership to know what their needs are and how to help them
• Less capital spending.
• Money is tight; sales are down drastically but have leveled off
• More internet shoppers---they know what they want when they come in
• Quite a few of these customers have had to go back to work or take second jobs. They now tend to shop with more emphasis on saving time.
• Most are paying with cash. Less financing or credit card purchases. Most are internet shoppers for information.
• Yes. 90% of the customers know what they want and you cannot lead them to a better decision even if you know the unit the customer has picked out is not right for the job they want to do!
• Yes, they are more deliberate and conservative in their spending due to the level of uncertainty in the economy.
• Buying only when they have too
• More informed because of internet. Willing to travel 50+ miles away for a better deal (saving as little as $100.00)
• Yes, most of them are nervous and either don't have money to spend or they are holding on to what money they have. Discretionary spending has tightened dramatically.
• Due to extreme dry conditions, sales are basically non existent
• Internet
• Not really
• No
• More educated buyers. Pretty much know what they want.
• A lot more research is being done on the Internet before coming to or calling a dealership.
• Price vs. quality
• No
• Money is much easier to part with
• No
• Want Cheap
• Not noticeable
• Less money to purchase product
• More demanding - impatient - wants part and equipment now
• NO
• The use of the internet as a source for research increases EVERY DAY.
• No
• Not much
• No change
• More paying cash and not financing
• Tightening up
• Yes - Many phone calls. From ad in Farmers Exchange and Internet
• Yes - More Internet
• More Internet shopping
• Yes, more shopping and getting information from the Internet