Hearthlist Digest #260 - Monday, January 25, 1999
 
y2k oversell
  by "Grant Darrow" <[email protected]>
 

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Subject: y2k oversell
From: Grant Darrow <[email protected]>
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 23:10:10 -0500 (EST)
 
My woodstove and chimney sales have gone right thru the ceiling since the
first of december. (pre 1993 levels).  I don't even mention y2k to customers
and the subject doesn't come up unless the customer wants to expound on it.
 
It has been with some curiousity that I find myself selling against
companies that openly advertise that their woodstoves are y2k compliant, but
are they really?
 
Just think of all the things that can happen to a woodstove to prevent its
operation and then imagine a y2k disruption beyound the stove manufacture's
or retailers  control that would prevent a quick and timely rectification of
the problem. And the whole time the stove is unusable.  A good example would
be a broken door latch or a broken arched glass door.
 
How about a plugged or seriously comprimised chimney and the local sweep is
booked 8 weeks out and his computer is down?
 
I think it was Crouch that stated that the proper way to sell stoves right
now is to emphasise the customers ability to stockpile fuel. To oversell y2k
compliance could simply be setting yourself up for big trouble if indeed it
isn't compliant and there is indeed a big problem, especially if its right
there in Black and White in your  product brochures.
 
Personally I'm looking forward to setting my clocks back to 1976 ( where I
began in this industry ) and watching  everything thats going (or NOT going)
too happen.
 
 
willieweep, last of the climbing sweeps