Tompkins Outdoors has a lot of different products for those who enjoy spending time outdoors, whether that’s on the water or in the garden.
Scott Mosbeck says that among mowers zero-turn models have been growing in popularity. The style offers different versatility and a bigger mower deck than traditional lawn tractors.
“We’re getting into lawnmower season and it seems to be we have a lot of zero-turns, we’re selling more and more of those every year,” he said.
“They’re more convenient, more maneuverable and quicker lawn cutting.”
The name ‘zero-turn’ comes from the fact that the machines can do a full 360 degree turn without moving very much when the two driving wheels move in opposite directions.
The zero turns are useful for people with large pieces of flat property, Mosbeck says.
“…Bigger, flatter properties, if you have hills they’re not as good on steeper hills,” he said.
When people have property with a difference in terrain, lawn tractors seem to be the way to go.
“We’re selling more in lawn tractors that way,” Mosbeck said in reference to hilly properties. “Then with the lawn tractors too, you can add some attachments, so a lot of people will buy those and then you can put a snow blower and stuff on them, so you kind of have a dual purpose machine. You take the deck off in the winter and then put the snow blower on the front.”
Mosbeck says alongside the tools, toys are in demand as well.
“It’s been a lot of ATVs and side by sides in the last while, and then boats and motors,” he said. “It’s the time of year for that for sure.”
Tompkins deals in Yamaha ATVs, side by sides and boat motors.
When it comes to boats, people are into a wide range of options.
“It varies, but we sell a lot of tiller models like a 17 foot with a 50 horsepower motor, that’s probably been the most popular so far this year,” Mosbeck said.
“But then we’ve got up to 18, 19 feet with 175 and 200 (horsepower) it’s kind of a little bit of everything.”
Mosbeck said luckily most of the stock they have now was imported before any tariffs could affect it, but he expects to see prices increase next year due to steel and aluminium tariffs imposed by the U.S.
When it comes to financing any of the products Tompkins sells, Mosbeck says it’s relatively easy given that buyers have the option to finance directly with Yamaha and John Deere, rather than having to deal with outside banks.
“John Deere have their own finance company so there’s a lot of promos and every different model kind of has a rate,” Mosbeck said.
“But they have some really reduced finance rates to get basically any mower and to be reasonable and get anybody set up with anything, same with Yamaha too on their boats and motors.”
