Hearthlist Digest #339 - Monday, September 6, 1999
 
Selling over the net.
  by "Polly Barnes" <[email protected]>
internet sales, cont.
  by "tony" <[email protected]>
 

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Subject: Selling over the net.
From: "Polly Barnes" <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 11:56:24 -0500
 
     Wake up folks, I sell over the net as Discount  Stove & Fireplace, and
we make a bigger effort at customer satisfaction on  our web store than we
do in our brick & mortar store. We try for 100%  customer satisfaction in
both places but allow for more customer goodwill on our  web store. We
offer a toll free number for them to call to get questions  answered, and
not just for stoves we sold. We help people all day long that have  stoves
from others stores. Sometimes it is just a phone number or place to call
sometimes it is technical advise. We send out parts that are not covered
under  warranty just to keep our customers happy, we also try to make calls
for them if  there are problems with their delivery.  We are far from
perfect but we are  here trying to do a good job not just taking the money
and running. I know that  all the web stores don't operate this way but
neither do all the brick and  mortar stores. There is not one issue that
can be discussed as being a problem  selling on the net that won't also
come up with a brick and mortar store selling  as cash and carry. Should we
then not allow those types of sales.  The  items that Jim said should not
be sold over the net, do you install 100% of  those items in your brick and
mortar store? If you do, great and  congratulations. If not you have the
same problems as selling them over the  net.  I have been in the Hearth
business for almost 20 years, I was just in  the wood stove business, then
we added fireplaces, then fireplace doors, and  then gas products, times
change. Brad Barnes  Discount Stove & Fireplace [email protected]
 
 
 
 

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Subject: internet sales, cont.
From: [email protected] (tony)
Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 12:16:04 -0500
 
O.K. here's my 2 cents:
1.The majority of successful internet sales seem to consist of CD's.
books, electronic items , garden supplies and collectibles.
All pretty innocuous stuff requiring no service per se.
 
2.It is a rare hearth sale I make that doesn't require an actual service
call after the fact.  Sometimes, a week later, sometimes a month or a
year later. Pilots need to be adjusted, venting needs troubleshooting,
flame impingement, bad valves, too many embers, bad burn pattern....
 
3.Some of the above problems can be insurance nightmares at the least or
life threatening at the worst. I don't think they can be answered or
solved with on line manuals or FAQ's on a web page.
 
4.The nature of this industry is that no one wants to work on a product
they haven't sold or installed, so where is this long distance customer
going to get service?  Before long, they will wish they never bought
"Brand X" and flood the mfr with calls/complaints, hence Travis
Industries strict internet policy.
 
Just because the medium (internet) exists and it can be done doesn't
mean it's a valid way to sell GAS hearth products.
Anthony Palmer