ST. LOUIS — The Equipment Dealers Assn. (EDA) released its 2016 Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Survey Report. This annual report contains valuable information about the relationship between dealers and their suppliers. Both equipment manufacturers and dealers find the data to be beneficial in improving product/service quality and promoting top-ranked products to consumers. This report provides manufacturers some insight into how their products and services compare to their competitors and is often used as a means to support change and improvements within the supply chain. It also offers dealers the ability to evaluate new product lines. 

In this year’s survey, equipment dealers were asked to rate up to seven manufacturer lines they carry based on 12 criteria related to operations and support. Only manufacturers who received the minimum number of ratings are included in the final survey results. This year, 55 different manufacturers are represented in four categories: Full-Line Manufacturer, Tractor Manufacturer, Shortline Manufacturer and Outdoor Power Equipment Manufacturer.

This year, more than 2,300 dealers participated in the survey, a 25% increase over last year’s total of 1,857. Participating dealers rated an average of four manufacturers each for a total of 9,180 individual ratings, a 38% increase over last year’s total of 6,671.

EDA will soon announce the recipients of the 2016 Dealer’s Choice Awards within each of the four manufacturer categories.

In-depth analysis of the Outdoor Power Equipment survey results and coverage of this year’s award recipients will appear as a feature article in the Summer edition of Rural Lifestyle Dealer magazine, which will also have official bonus distribution at the GIE+Expo this fall.