WASHINGTON STATUTES AND CODES

19.98.008 - Definitions.

Definitions.

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

     (1) "Audit" means a review by a supplier of a dealer's warranty claims records.

     (2) "Change in competitive circumstances" means to materially impact a specific dealer's ability to compete with similarly situated dealers selling the same brand of equipment.

     (3) "Current net price" means the price charged to a dealer for repair parts as listed in the printed price list, catalog, or electronic catalog of the supplier in effect at the time a warranty claim is made and superseded parts listed in current price lists, catalogs, or electronic catalogs when parts had previously been purchased from the supplier and held by the dealer on the date of the cancellation or discontinuance of a dealer agreement or thereafter received by the dealer from the supplier.

     (4) "Dealer" means a person primarily engaged in the retail sale and service of farm equipment, including a person engaged in the retail sale of outdoor power equipment who is primarily engaged in the retail sale and service of farm equipment. Dealer does not include a person primarily engaged in the retail sale of outdoor power equipment or a supplier.

     (5) "Dealer agreement" means an oral or written contract or agreement for a definite or indefinite period of time in which a supplier of equipment grants to a dealer permission to use a trade name, service mark, or related characteristic, and where there is a community of interest in the marketing of equipment or services related to the equipment at wholesale, retail, leasing, or otherwise.

     (6) "Dealership" means the retail sale business engaged in by a dealer under a dealer agreement.

     (7) "Distributor" means a person who sells or distributes new equipment to dealers or who maintains distributor representatives within the state.

     (8) "Distributor branch" means a branch office, maintained by a distributor, that sells or distributes new equipment to dealers. "Distributor branch" includes representatives of the branch office.

     (9)(a) "Equipment" includes:

     (i) Farm equipment. Farm equipment includes but is not limited to tractors, trailers, combines, tillage implements, balers, and other equipment, including attachments and accessories that are used in the planting, cultivating, irrigation, harvesting, and marketing of agricultural, horticultural, or livestock products.

     (ii) Outdoor power equipment. Outdoor power equipment includes self-propelled equipment that is used to maintain commercial, public, or residential lawns and gardens or used in landscape, turf, or golf course maintenance.

     (b) "Equipment" does not include motor vehicles designed or intended for use upon public roadways as defined in RCW 46.70.011 or motorcycles as defined in *RCW 46.94.010.

     (10) "Factory branch" means a branch office maintained by a manufacturer that makes or assembles equipment for sale to distributors or dealers or that is maintained for directing and supervising the representatives of the manufacturer.

     (11) "Factory representative" means a person employed by a manufacturer or by a factory branch for the purpose of selling or promoting the sale of equipment or for supervising, servicing, instructing, or contracting with dealers or prospective dealers.

     (12) "Free on board" or "F.O.B." has the same meaning as described in RCW 62A.2-319.

     (13) "Geographic market area" means the geographic region for which a particular dealer is responsible for the marketing, selling, leasing, or servicing of equipment pursuant to a dealer agreement.

     (14) "Good cause" means failure by a dealer to comply with requirements imposed upon the dealer by the dealer agreement, provided such requirements are not different from those requirements imposed on other similarly situated dealer[s] in the state either by their terms or in the manner of their enforcement.

     (15) "Manufacturer" means a person engaged in the business of manufacturing or assembling new and unused equipment.

     (16) "Person" includes a natural person, corporation, partnership, trust, or other entity, including any other entity in which it has a majority interest or of which it has control, as well as the individual officers, directors, or other persons in active control of the activities of each entity.

     (17) "Similarly situated dealer" means a dealer of comparable geographic location, volume, and market type.

     (18) "Supplier" means a person or other entity engaged in the manufacturing, assembly, or wholesale distribution of equipment or repair parts of the equipment. "Supplier" includes any successor in interest, including a purchaser of assets, stock, or a surviving corporation resulting from a merger, liquidation, or reorganization of the original supplier, or any receiver or any trustee of the original supplier.

     (19) "Warranty claim" means a claim for payment submitted by a dealer to a supplier for either service, or parts, or both, provided to a customer under a warranty issued by the supplier.

     (20) "Wholesaler" means a person who sells or attempts to sell new equipment exclusively to dealers or to other wholesalers.