Today I did the [previously] unimaginable, and bought store exclusive tires, at Walmart of all places. I normally buy from Tirerack or Discounttiresdirect and have them shipped, but I'm in a bit of a jam as the vehicle is moving our family to Kentucky this weekend, and I hadn't noticed just how badly worn the current tires were until today.
I purchased a set of General Grabber STX for our 2002 Mazda Tribute (P235/70/16). Price was $94 each before tax. I had seen these tires on another vehicle before; they appear to be a near carbon-copy of the General Grabber HTS tires, which have solid reviews and are priced well. The UTQG ratings are identical which I'd like to think indicates that tread design was made unique for Walmart (it's slightly different), and that the HTS and STX are otherwise the same. The tire fits our needs perfectly, from the tread design, mileage warranty, price, etc. Price was only slightly lower ($10 a tire or so) than the General HTS I could have purchased online.
All the local tire places tried to peddle their cheap off-brand Chinese/east-asian stuff, their own exclusive tire, or the uber-expensive, overpriced top-shelf Michelin, Bridgestone, etc, name-brand stuff. I usually opt for Michelins or another top-tier brand, but not at local, I-need-it-now prices, which would have approached $800 out-the-door.
Here is the tire:
Assuming the STX is the same (or very close cousin) as the HTS, why do Walmart and the various tire shops opt to sell their own version of tires? Is it purely profit driven? I don't know anyone who heads out and would specifically ask for a Walmart specific General Grabber, or Goodyear Wrangler, or even a Big-O-brand tire, or any of the various unique-to-them tires that Discount Tire sells.
It seems to me that it would cost money to design a tire specific to a given store or chain. I know there's potential for cost cutting (many of Walmart's store-specific tires are just laughable, where the focus is clearly COST-CUTTING, like the Wrangler Trailmark they tried to sell me), but does they money saved offset the cost of introducing a whole new tire?
Every tire chain I called that had their own exclusive tire had a great sales pitch to go with it-- "Cooper tires makes these for us to our exacting specifications-- this allows us to prioritize performance in weather conditions that are unique to Colorado.. That way the tire performs even better for our customer, than the other tires that are available nationwide, blah blah" was one. Another chain suggested that their exclusive tire was made with better materials that allowed them to offer a warranty unmatched by any of their competitors. Typical sales gimmicks that probably entice a lot of uneducated buyers...
Just curious as to what others' thoughts are on the store-exclusive stuff- whether the motive is profit, perhaps going back to the same place for future service.. Or can they really offer a better deal with the same quality and performance by designing/marketing their own?
Any thoughts on the Grabber STX or anyone that has used them? They looked close enough to the HTS that I figured I'd give them a shot. I've only had them on a very short time, so I can't provide any feedback until they're broken in some; but I suspect they'll be a solid highway/touring type tire good for 50k. If they can deliver on that, I'll be a happy camper.
I purchased a set of General Grabber STX for our 2002 Mazda Tribute (P235/70/16). Price was $94 each before tax. I had seen these tires on another vehicle before; they appear to be a near carbon-copy of the General Grabber HTS tires, which have solid reviews and are priced well. The UTQG ratings are identical which I'd like to think indicates that tread design was made unique for Walmart (it's slightly different), and that the HTS and STX are otherwise the same. The tire fits our needs perfectly, from the tread design, mileage warranty, price, etc. Price was only slightly lower ($10 a tire or so) than the General HTS I could have purchased online.
All the local tire places tried to peddle their cheap off-brand Chinese/east-asian stuff, their own exclusive tire, or the uber-expensive, overpriced top-shelf Michelin, Bridgestone, etc, name-brand stuff. I usually opt for Michelins or another top-tier brand, but not at local, I-need-it-now prices, which would have approached $800 out-the-door.
Here is the tire:
Assuming the STX is the same (or very close cousin) as the HTS, why do Walmart and the various tire shops opt to sell their own version of tires? Is it purely profit driven? I don't know anyone who heads out and would specifically ask for a Walmart specific General Grabber, or Goodyear Wrangler, or even a Big-O-brand tire, or any of the various unique-to-them tires that Discount Tire sells.
It seems to me that it would cost money to design a tire specific to a given store or chain. I know there's potential for cost cutting (many of Walmart's store-specific tires are just laughable, where the focus is clearly COST-CUTTING, like the Wrangler Trailmark they tried to sell me), but does they money saved offset the cost of introducing a whole new tire?
Every tire chain I called that had their own exclusive tire had a great sales pitch to go with it-- "Cooper tires makes these for us to our exacting specifications-- this allows us to prioritize performance in weather conditions that are unique to Colorado.. That way the tire performs even better for our customer, than the other tires that are available nationwide, blah blah" was one. Another chain suggested that their exclusive tire was made with better materials that allowed them to offer a warranty unmatched by any of their competitors. Typical sales gimmicks that probably entice a lot of uneducated buyers...
Just curious as to what others' thoughts are on the store-exclusive stuff- whether the motive is profit, perhaps going back to the same place for future service.. Or can they really offer a better deal with the same quality and performance by designing/marketing their own?
Any thoughts on the Grabber STX or anyone that has used them? They looked close enough to the HTS that I figured I'd give them a shot. I've only had them on a very short time, so I can't provide any feedback until they're broken in some; but I suspect they'll be a solid highway/touring type tire good for 50k. If they can deliver on that, I'll be a happy camper.