About Stark Street Lawn & Garden
Stark Street Lawn & Garden, a locally owned outdoor power equipment dealership with six locations across Oregon, has been serving local customers since 1965. Known for factory-trained experts who assemble every unit before it leaves the store and for backing it with full-service shops, they’ve built a reputation for hands-on support and local trust.
The Challenge: Adapting to Online Demand with Clunky Redirects
As buying moved online, Stark Street needed a simple way to sell without losing its in-person touch. Their first “buy online” solution redirected shoppers from their website to multiple OEM-hosted sites to complete the purchase. It worked, but it was clunky—each brand had its own process, and customers often had to bounce between pages to complete an order. Managing those separate sites also meant extra work for Stark Street’s team. They wanted to simplify the process for everyone involved.
Customers research across multiple brands and narrow to a short list. As eCommerce giants chip away at small-business market share, adapting has become essential. We want to show up where they shop and capture as much visibility as possible.”
– Chad Wheeler, Online Specialist at Stark Street Lawn & Garden
The Solution: Whole Goods eCommerce Keeps Shoppers Onsite
When Dealer Spike announced our “buy online, pick up in-store” tool, Whole Goods eCommerce at Stark Street jumped at the chance to test it early and found it far easier than their old setup. The impact was immediate. New customers discovered them online, and for the first time, they sold big-ticket equipment through their website. Their advertising dollars started working harder by keeping checkout local.
Rather than wrestling with shipping or battery regulations, Stark Street relied on in-store pickup and local delivery. Delivery drivers make home drop-offs, providing a personal handoff and eliminating headaches from shipping carriers. It’s another way “buy online, pick up in-store” fits naturally with the way OPE dealerships already operate—no Amazon-style logistics required.
The Outcome: Real Results Dealers Can Measure
Since implementing Whole Goods eCommerce, Stark Street has sold more than $20,000 in whole goods online, accounting for approximately 10% of their online business. Even more significantly, they sold riding mowers online for the very first time, including tickets as high as $4,600.
More than half of their online buyers are brand-new customers, proving that “buy online, pick up in-store” doesn’t just serve existing walk-ins—it brings in fresh, local business. Returning customers are also coming back, making online purchases and in-store pickup part of their routine.
A recent Stark Street customer who bought a log splitter online shared their experience:
“Simple and easy. I bought it online, got an email that it would be ready the next day, and when I showed up, they hooked it up to my truck. They’d already assembled and tested it. Awesome interaction from beginning to end.”
This is exactly the kind of feedback you want from your customers, and it shows how solid business practices, coupled with Whole Goods eCommerce, can strengthen your reputation and make the process manageable and hassle-free.
Get started—pick one brand, get it listed, and you’ll see how easy it is. It’s like having a 24/7 salesperson for your store.”
– Chad Wheeler, Online Specialist at Stark Street
Stark Street’s story proves that selling online isn’t extra work—it’s the next step in staying competitive in the outdoor power equipment industry.
With real sales, new customers, recaptured ad dollars, and the same trusted in-store service, Whole Goods eCommerce helps local dealers stay visible and sell more inventory.