Hearthlist Digest #330 - Sunday, August 15, 1999 Internet babble by <[email protected]> Fw: Looking for parts to my Nordic pellet stove by "Rod Poplarchick" <[email protected]> Re: Home Depot Internet Policy by "by way of Craig Issod" <[email protected]> RE; Internet Babble by "Craig Issod" <[email protected]> For the list... by "Stoveworks" <[email protected]>
(back) Subject: Internet babble From: [email protected] Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 22:43:40 -0500 Craig, You've started a topic I would love to hear more about from watchers on your list. There has been a lot of much-to-do-about-nothing from many of the manufacturers we deal with concerning Internet marketing. The actual number of hearth units sold on the net does not greatly effect the over all sales of any retailer at this time.... yes the numbers will grow .... and yes clerk type operations will be more effected than those operations with professional sales staff. Good dialog now can help us all prepare. Manufacturers that posture without giving real thought to their words are just blowing air in our faces. We do need some dealer policies but not just because of Internet sales. Dealer/manufacturer agreements should not attempt to limit sales but rather make both parties more responsible to each other and for the products they sell. We experience Internet competition occasionally. We have a price guarantee policy in our store. We tell all of our customers that we will match any written quote on any product we provide.... this has resulted in customers bringing in quotes from Lehman's and Hansons and I believe one other Internet quote from Michigan >>> but nothing we could not honor locally. Once a customer considers that the stove they are purchasing weighs 200 to 300 lbs and has to be unloaded from a 4 foot high semi trailer parked in their driveway and then installed by some one competent or licensed >>>> it becomes easier for them to realize you are worth a bit more for your service. I remember working with one lady and her husband on a VC stove sale. She had her Lehman's catalog in hand and their price on VC's was tough to match... As we all know VC has never been a margin stove, so I was hesitant to meet the Lehman price ($1795 enamel) which was well below our price. However the customer obviously needed this stove and a chimney installed.... So I agreed to sell them a chimney system and install the stove that they could order cheaper from Lehman. I even agreed to let them have the stove delivered to our store >>> so they wouldn't have to deal with unloading a 400 lb block of cast iron. Of course they had to agree to pay us for unloading the stove and delivering it for them.... and they had to be responsible for any freight damage that might occur. I told them a story about the stove we shipped to Georgia that arrived on its top >>> and how we had to ship it back and then send the customer a second stove... I think they saw their enamel Defiant arriving in pieces and their project getting delayed for a couple hundred dollars >> which after we charge them to unload the stove was even less of a savings. To make the story shorter. They paid our price for our service... and they were very happy that their Internet research helped them select the stove they wanted and justified the price they were paying us for the stove, chimney and our service. (Of course we don't know how many hundred of units we never hear about that they sell into Eau Claire {;>) every week) Now if that had been a set of patio furniture that a customer wanted to order in a fabric I didn't stock it probably would have gone the way of the dollar savings since I had nothing special to offer and they had little to do to get a few light aluminum chairs and a table out of some card board boxes. The hearth industry is unique enough due to the need for professional service. We can compete with the Internet the same as we compete with the mass merchants. You will loose some sales but in most cases those are the sales you were not going to find very profitable especially if the sale is lost on price. Yes the Internet will keep our margins tighter but as long as we charge for our service and we provide good quality service we will continue to have the advantage locally. P.S. No offense meant to Lehman or Hanson >>> in fact they have a couple of the best Hearth sites on the net >> my compliments. ken
(back) Subject: Fw: Looking for parts to my Nordic pellet stove From: "Rod Poplarchick" <[email protected]> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 22:44:33 -0500 ----- Original Message ----- From: leroy <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, August 13, 1999 6:09 PM > Looking for parts to my Nordic pellet stove if you can help > E-mail me at > [email protected] > Thank you > Lee kleist >
(back) Subject: Re: Home Depot Internet Policy From: [email protected] (by way of Craig Issod) Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 22:45:10 -0500 Maybe Travis should send their Internet Policy to Home Depot?
(back) Subject: RE; Internet Babble From: Craig Issod <[email protected]> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 22:55:12 -0500 Good points, Ken...and I fully agree about the needed service and support. That's why the largest percentage of hearth sales will be made "in person" for the near future. The most important point for industry members to know is that much of the research and initial exposure to specific hearth products will be done on the net. This will result in a more educated customer...and hopefully one that is easier to close. If a manufacturer is not providing good online material and direct referrals to their dealers, then many customers will be going elsewhere. As far as internet policies for manufacturers, this should be fairly simple. It's really the same thing as direct mail. If a manufacturer does not support their products in direct mail catalogs, then they should probably feel the same way about the net. However, limiting dealers sales to a geographical area can be a slippery slope. Our former retail store sold stoves all over the country and quite a few to other countries...even before the net. The good news is that there is plenty of room in the market for all types of sales. ------------------------------------------------------ Craig Issod HearthNet at http://www.hearth.com [email protected] Everything your Hearth Desires ------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------
(back) Subject: For the list... From: Stoveworks <[email protected]> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 22:57:59 -0500 Craig, I agree that the "Net" will most definitely have a major impact on our industry and those we choose to <bold>SERVE</bold>. However, short and long term...I see it more as a product educational tool then a threat to the local hearth dealer. Those that have chosen the path of knowledgeable consultation, fair prices and good old fashion customer support aimed at long term customer relations and loyalty will survive and prosper. Jan and I purchased your business (Stoveworks) for lots of reasons. One of which was for the impeccable knowledge and service reputation Stoveworks had developed. This literally established the business as a prominent southern New Jersey institution. No wired experience or "stinken' robot" could ever replace the twenty years of blood, sweat and tears that you invested in Stoveworks. We are the next twenty years with endless energy to carry the torch, the tradition and further the well earned prominence. Net presence is important, however the manufacturers need to take the lead and <bold>PRESENT</bold> their products to the <bold>MAX!</bold> Increased awareness coupled with knowledgeable <bold>LOCAL</bold> sales and service will result in happy manufacturers, happy dealers and most importantly <bold>happy loyal customers</bold>. In your own words...enough hearth ramblings. It's time to create a few new web pages for http://hearth.com/stoveworks .