Hearthlist Digest #348 - Monday, September 20, 1999 Re: Big Box Stores - 09/19/99 by "John" <[email protected]> more e-trade evils by <[email protected]>
(back) Subject: Re: Big Box Stores - 09/19/99 From: "John" <[email protected]> Date: Mon, 20 Sep 1999 10:36:19 -0500 Craig, Has anyone been following what is happening with Union Energy (West Coast Energy) here in Ontario ? They have purchased just about every major successful hearth retailer & HVAC dealer in and around the city of Toronto over the past 18 months. Guess what ? They've lost their shirts and now everyone one of them except one is closed. Rumor is that they will be replaced by fewer big box appliance stores. One Canadian fireplace manufacturer lost every dealer they had in and = around the city of Toronto and to combat that, that manufacturer has opened (or will open) a total of 10 company owned hearth related retail stores. When the chips have fallen, my guess is, in time, it will all be back to where it started but unfortunately..some good honest hard working = retailers will have been forced out. It's sad to watch. John Quinn The Foundry (Formerly of - Napoleon Fireplaces) Orangeville, Ontario
(back) Subject: more e-trade evils From: <[email protected]> Date: Mon, 20 Sep 1999 10:37:19 -0500 While attending the Casual Furniture Trade Show in Chicago last week, I took part in a few seminars and panel discussions.... It appears from the re-occurring theme of the sessions that the casual furniture industry is more confused and afraid of the e-commerce from electronic catalogs than the Hearth Industry has shown to date. Casual furniture manufacturers are reacting in the same gyrating fashions ..... ranging from the absurd of Travis to the unaware and/or uncaring of many others. Several casual furniture manufacturers have decided that refusing to drop ship is the "equalizer" that will keep them innocent of the evils of the internet. How silly... requiring shipments = to be made from the sellers location is not an answer but rather of temporary stop over. Those that are established closest to their manufacturers = gain, while those located further away are penalized. But at least it is a postured effort on their behalf to try to grasp at the new marketing. >>> Even in the casual furniture industry no one seems concerned with sales through printed catalogs >>> but most are alarmed at Internet (electronic catalog) sales. One company on one of the panel discussions stated that they refused the match "Internet quotes". This seemed to strike an agreement from many in attendance >>> but when questioned about how they dealt with printed advertisement and sale prices from printed catalogs >>> the same company touted out their "Price match" and will not be undersold policy. I was left confused .... VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV As "Brick and Mortar" dealers we have a real need to help our manufacturers develop plans that will be beneficial and profitable to us while taking advantage of the sales that will occur because of the = internet ..... in spite of our present positions of confusion and denial.. It was interesting to see that the advances in the Casual Industry are no further than our own hearth industry... the players are just larger and slower... but just as confused by the ever changing unknowns of the internet.... >>> but at least there was beginning dialogue. Ken Fulgione ____________________________________ Visit the Leisure Home Center Let Us Lite Up Your Hearth & Your Home http://www.leisurehome.com/lhc 1-715-835-2112 1-888-295-FIRE VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV Dragons work best together "Forge a Stronger Fire"