Deere (John Deere)'s defining moves.
The defining strategic moves at Deere (John Deere) — each one explained and grounded in the record.
The Ecosystem Lock-In · Ecosystem Lock-In
John Deere Sells You the Tractor. The Repair Is the Subscription.
A farmer who owns a $500,000 combine still can't fully fix it - the diagnostic software is redacted by design. Deere's parts and services revenue grew 22% from 2013-2019 while equipment sales fell 19%. The lock-in isn't a bug; it's the business model, and the FTC is now in court over it.
8 min
The Ecosystem Lock-In · Ecosystem Lock-In
John Deere Sold You the Tractor. It Kept the Key to the Engine.
A farmer can own a $500,000 combine and still be unable to legally fix it, because the full-function diagnostic tool stays with the dealer. In January 2025 the FTC sued over it; in April 2026 Deere paid $99M to settle a parallel case - with no finding of wrongdoing.
8 min
The Crisis Response · Decision Forks
John Deere Signed a Repair Truce and Kept the One Tool That Matters
In 2023 Deere signed a repair pact with the Farm Bureau and the headlines called it peace. Two years later the FTC said Deere still hadn't released the working Service ADVISOR tool—and farmers won $99M anyway. The truce was the strategy.
8 min
The Money Machine · Business Model
John Deere Wants to Be a SaaS Company. Right Now It's Mostly a Pitch Deck.
Deere set a target of 10% recurring revenue by 2030 and talks like a software business. But its data platform is free, its per-acre billing is barely begun, and no filing shows a single recurring-revenue line. The ambition is real. The numbers haven't arrived.
7 min