Rather than posting negative comments about fellow forum members, did you know that you can click on a members name and then click on “Ignore Member”? Hopefully this will make your experience here more enjoyable.
People get their happiness in different ways. Public insults and forums squabbles are a perfect fit for some. I just wanted to make it clear that talking about a stove I love is different than me trying to sell a stove. But my response to him wasn’t clear. If anyone is concerned about my motives, look at the handful of suggestions about using that stove that I have made, and to what users..no one around me at all.
So here’s what’s happening. Imagine Oscar is the only meat place in your state and he is selling T-bone steaks, er make that porterhouses, for 30$ per lb when across the state line the same exact steak is at 15$ per lb but they can’t sell to you because you’re out of their area. You know that Oscar is gouging the heck out of you right? Nothing you can do but kick him in the jimmy.
This is the deal with BK stoves. I luckily live in the cheap state and you live on the expensive side of the line.
We are talking 20+ years ago. Small town folks just didn’t gouge their neighbors. If they did, the whole town heard about it. I was just reflecting on the past. I know things are much different now. We had the occasional sore jimmy in Warrensburg, but normally it would get the desired result
In defense of the dealers, my local shop was quiet about where the money really goes, the distributor, even when I pressed him on it.
I can’t for the life of me understand why BK adds Fireside (the east coast distributor) into the equation. The only reason I can see would be to reduce turn around times to the east coast dealers. If so, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say 99% of potential BK customers would be more than willing to wait an additional 3 to 7 days for their stove to arrive if they could save the $750+ markup Fireside seems to be adding to the cost of each stove.
I wish BK would give Fireside the boot as this cost (fixing) discrepancy on the east coast does little to make potential BK customers in this area feel warm and fuzzy knowing everyone west of the river pays far less for BK products. With the power of the internet, it’s not like the info is not available…
In defense of the dealers, my local shop was quiet about where the money really goes, the distributor, even when I pressed him on it.
I can’t for the life of me understand why BK adds Fireside (the east coast distributor) into the equation. The only reason I can see would be to reduce turn around times to the east coast dealers. If so, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say 99% of potential BK customers would be more than willing to wait an additional 3 to 7 days for their stove to arrive if they could save the $750+ markup Fireside seems to be adding to the cost of each stove.
I wish BK would give Fireside the boot as this cost (fixing) discrepancy on the east coast does little to make potential BK customers in this area feel warm and fuzzy knowing everyone west of the river pays far less for BK products. With the power of the internet, it’s not like the info is not available…
If you press an East Coast BK dealer, they can get the price down considerably. I was quoted $3,500 for the BK Princess, I spent a lot of time on the phone with the guy, I agreed to pick up the stove at a place of his convenience, I found a friend who also wanted a BK (so we gave the guy two stove’s worth of business). in the end I paid $2,330 (with the gold door and the x-large surround). That is pretty close to what they go for on the W. Coast.
You did better than I did on the east coast Mike. I was buying four BK stoves and I couldn’t find a single dealer on the east coast that could come close to matching the west coast pricing. I even talked directly to the distributor. In the end, it was significantly cheaper to ship from the west coast, even though I really would have preferred to give our money to the local east coast economy.
This is the deal with BK stoves. I luckily live in the cheap state and you live on the expensive side of the line.
I’m the same way. If I know I’m being overcharged I won’t buy something. I had the same experience with a Blaze King Princess. Price is $3300 and “they never go on sale”. Even in the spring, they won’t be on sale because he will easily sell out of them. Last March I was going to spend my tax rebate on something. Woodstock had a great sale and this guy nothing. He started to say maybe $200 off. That was enough for me. I’ve heard of guys shipping them from the west coast for a little over $2k. Even if the woodstock were the same $3300 price, I would have bought it over the blaze king, just for principle. No actually I would have bought another steel stove, an Englander for $1k.
Where does the extra $2300 come from? It’s a bigger stove, and a cat but a large chunk went where, Oh yeah, the dealers wallet.
wow, that is rediculous gouging. I got my BK princess insert (2300$)installed with two stories of double walled, insulated, stainless steel pipe for(800$) brand new, and they delivered and installed 60 miles from their shop. my local two shops only carry Lopi and one other I wasn’t crazy about, for 1000 more, so it was a no brainer. Highbeam, PM me for details, they are in Chehalis
I’m in the process of looking into taking on the BK line. As a retailer you barely make 30% margins when you factor in shipping. Now for those of you who say “wow, that guy is gonna make $1000 offa me, why can’t he be happy making $200..I mean, 200 bucks is 200 bucks”
Having looking at 25 years worth of income statements, running a fully staffed hearth business on a 30% gross margin makes for a negative net profit when you factor in rent, insurance, payroll, trucks, uniforms, etc.
If I was selling stuff in a big box store where we never had to service/install anything and was doing 100 million a year instead of 1.2 million, 30% would be juicy.
So anyhow, the dealer is making 30% more or less..so how much do you figure the distributor is adding?
From what I know of distributors, if they need to stock product, handle warranty, customer service etc, they need to make about 20-25%.
Does this seem in line with the west coast / east coast pricing differences?
Thats bad news. I miss that place. Every time I drive thru to call on dealers I would grab a half dozen “More Than Mustards” Excellent stuff. I wish them all the best
If you press an East Coast BK dealer, they can get the price down considerably. I was quoted $3,500 for the BK Princess, I spent a lot of time on the phone with the guy, I agreed to pick up the stove at a place of his convenience, I found a friend who also wanted a BK (so we gave the guy two stove’s worth of business). in the end I paid $2,330 (with the gold door and the x-large surround). That is pretty close to what they go for on the W. Coast.
