The grass isn’t the only thing getting cut this year.
Look around, everyone’s cutting something. Lawns, prices, or maybe expectations.
Right now literally every purchase now feels heavier. But when was the last time buying a mower felt easy?
The U.S. lawn mower industry isn’t collapsing, but it’s definitely feeling the weight.
Lawn and garden equipment revenue has slipped by 1.4% over the past five years, settling near $9.3 billion in 2025.
It’s never been easy to sell mowers, margins were thin long before tariffs came along. But the tariffs made it hard even harder. Electric and robotic models jumped 30–50%, up from prices that were 10–15% lower just two years ago.
And really, how does anyone sell/buy a $700 mower when people are still catching breath from the tariff spikes?
As if selling wasn’t hard enough, keeping what’s sold running is a whole different story.
Repairs haven’t been any easier either. Parts cost more, labor’s harder to find, and customers wait longer just to get back to square one. Most mower repairs now range anywhere from $75 to $550, depending on the model and the kind of fix needed.
But is there a better way to handle it?
That’s where warranties can help; actually they’re quite the hack in this business. Instead of paying more later, you pay a little upfront. Coverage turns chaos into something predictable, both for buyers and dealers.
The average mower lasts 8–10 years, but most start showing issues within two to three, especially with inconsistent maintenance or heavy use.
So, why take the risk?
Whether you’re selling, buying, or just trying to make this season a little easier, it’s worth asking what keeps your sale (or your mower) steady when things don’t go as planned.
And it’s important to understand the key differences between different warranty options and their coverage.
Some cover factory flaws and some steps in when life happens, and some only show up when the box never shows makes it past the driveway.
A quick look:
Every mower leaves the factory with some backup: the manufacturer's warranty.
For residential mowers, that usually means 2 to 5 years of coverage on key components like the engine, deck, frame, and drive system. It’s designed for lighter, weekly use, the typical homeowner’s lawn routine.
Commercial users, though, play by different rules. Their mowers work harder, longer, and often under tougher conditions. Because of that, their warranties are shorter, typically 1 to 2 years, or limited by operating hours (300–700 hours).
That difference exists because a residential mower trims a few hours a week, while a commercial one runs all day, every day.
Most brands follow the same pattern: John Deere, Toro, and Cub Cadet offer 2–5 years for homeowners, but that drops to 90 days or a year if used commercially.
In most cases, it covers how the mower was built, not how it’s used. It protects against defects in materials or workmanship, like:
It’s protection against mistakes made at the factory, not in your backyard.
The warranty ends where real life begins. It doesn’t cover:
By year three, parts start wearing, and that’s usually when coverage runs out. That’s why most dealers now call extended coverageless of an upsell and more of a continuation plan.
By the time the manufacturer's warranty ends, most mowers have already started showing their first signs of wear, a slipping belt here, a weak battery there.
And with repair costs climbing, extended warranty really helps; it fills the gap between the manufacturer's coverage ending and the repair bills beginning, saving both time and unnecessary expense when things eventually wear out.
Recent industry data shows that:
So yeah, extended coverage starts to make a lot more sense once you’re a couple of seasons in.
Even with all the care in the world, something will eventually happen. Maybe the mower clips a stone, tips over a root, or takes a hit from the sprinklers you forgot to lower.
It’s part of the job, but it’s not usually something the manufacturer or extended warranty covers.
So, we need an accidental warranty that covers the unexpected part.
It’s there for the kind of accidents you can’t plan for but wish you’d covered when they happen.
Ever waited days for a delivery, only for the box to show up dented or worse, not at all?
Yeah, that.
Lawn mowers aren’t easy to ship. They’re heavy, full of moving parts, and not exactly built for bumpy rides. So once that box leaves the warehouse, anything can happen, a drop, a dent, or a “delivered” notification with nothing on your porch.
Shipping protection basically covers everything that can go wrong after the order leaves, but before it lands safely.
What does shipping protection cover?
And it does matter. Nearly 40% of customers say they’d stop buying from a retailer after just one bad delivery, and 1 in 3 Americans have had a package stolen from their doorstep.
Because before it cuts grass, it has to make it home first.
At the end of the day, warranties aren’t just about fixing what’s broken they’re about removing uncertainty.
For customers, it’s the comfort of knowing one bad day won’t become an expensive one. And for merchants, warranties bring predictability. And in an industry where margins are already thin, they also add an extra revenue stream and also strengthen customer relationships.
And when done right, the results speak for themselves.
For instance, when a few well-known lawn and garden retailers, including Great Circle US, SuperHandy, and SLE Equipment, introduced extended warranties and protection plans, take a look at the results:
The numbers told their own story:
“Adding protection plans has been a game changer. Our customers feel more confident in their purchases, and we’ve seen a real boost in both satisfaction and repeat business.” - Mike D., Ecommerce Director
Because in a business built on seasons and reliability, predictability and a little extra margin can make all the difference.
Warranty companies have their own processes to make things right, and customers still have legal recourse under federal and state consumer laws. In short, protection still comes with protection.
You might be thinking - okay, fine; warranties make sense. But how do you actually choose the right partner?
It’s very simple. For buyers, it’s really about trust. You just want to know that if something breaks, someone’s going to fix it fast. And for sellers, it’s about reliability. You need a partner who can handle post-sale issues without draining your time, your margins, or your team’s sanity.
So, when you’re looking for one, start simple:
At SureBright, we like to keep things easy, protection that runs quietly in the background while you focus on selling
Over 500+ brands and 1000+ customers already trust us to make warranties less complicated.
Need a hand? Just say hey!
.webp)
.webp)
_11zon.jpg)
.jpg)
