I spoke with the folks from the Lung Association yesterday. The funding for this program is the result of a class action lawsuit. I am not sure which one.
Got the voucher, need advice
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John Ackerly
Burning Hunk
I assume if you buy a pellet stove at a big box store for around $1,500, you can use the other $500 from the rebate towards installation? That could put you out of pocket only a couple of hundred bucks. Scott Williamson says one of the Englander's is a great value, performs really well and is reliable. Not sure if that model is still on market.
smwilliamson
The Stove Guy
You may have contacted me earlier. The vouchers aren't designed to get people free stoves and the thing about it is, as a dealer, there is a LOT of work we have to do to make it happen. Most dealers in the program are pushing MSRP numbers to make up for the song and dance.
Yep, I called you, had some general questions for you regarding Enviro. There may be a lot of song and dance, but it would seem to be worth it for the dealers. The owner of the shop where I purchased my stove came over to do the measure today. He also checked out my neighbor's house, as they also have a voucher. For an extra 10 minutes time, he sold another $3000 stove. He said that they sold 3 times as many stoves in May as they did last May, and June is even busier. He said that they have a big dumpster for recycling the old stoves after they render them unusable. He is even advertising this program in the local papers.
I will compare that to another shop that I called when I was shopping around, the guy told me that if it took him him a full day labor to remove and dispose of the old stove, he would charge me for a full day of labor. Thanks, but no thanks!
If you figure that they have 1.8 million dollars to give out in these vouchers, which have to be used in a relatively small geographic area, this is going to boost sales for the local dealers who embrace it. If the average voucher amount is $2000, that is 900 vouchers. Let's say the average sale is $3000, plus $1000 in installation charges, that is 3.6 million dollars in business out there. I would imagine that this voucher program will run several months before it runs dry. I don't see how a dealer would NOT want a piece of that action.
Hi whitetail- well said. I think you will find most shops do embrace this project. But Scott is right, it has to be done correctly, or someone gets boned over. Its well worth the effort for the dealers to get it done though. We have probably seen an increase from last season, but 3 times as many stoves?? That's probably a little liberal info, or maybe last year was off for them, don't know- ha.
About the MSRP- Enviro's program is a rebate off of MSRP prices, a lot of dealers sell at MSRP and others discount- we discount too, but the program is tailored for prices off of MSRP pricing. If a shop discounts further off of that price, then its just good for the buyer. Good luck. Just remember too, service after the sale is more important anyway..
About the MSRP- Enviro's program is a rebate off of MSRP prices, a lot of dealers sell at MSRP and others discount- we discount too, but the program is tailored for prices off of MSRP pricing. If a shop discounts further off of that price, then its just good for the buyer. Good luck. Just remember too, service after the sale is more important anyway..
smwilliamson
The Stove Guy
Well, if he sold no stoves last May and sold three this May, there you go, 3x as many stoves, though technically, 3 x 0 is still 0, but you get the idea. The average voucher is not $2000 either, it's $750. The 2k vouchers are for folks who meet a lower financial status. Not that yer poor is you get a larger voucher but most are getting $750.
Also, that $350 Enviro rebate isn't entirely from the manufacturer either. It's a split in the form of a non-refundable credit. Dealer absorbs half and the manufacturer credits the dealer's account after all the paperwork and such is done for the other half...so $175. I have 20 days terms with Enviro but it takes a lot longer than 20 days to get your credit back. Same crap goes for Warranty work and parts...we pay for them up front and then wait for the actual credit.
So when your getting your stove with your voucher and using the mfg rebate, there is very little liquid cash hitting a dealers end of day receipts, but all of the up front costs associated with day to day business still exist, maybe even more so cause this all happening during a time of year when stove sales are generally very very very slow, so we are lower staffed. So we now wait, baited into thinking that there's all this business coming in when in reality it's a lot of work that we pay for up front, hoping we did all the paperwork right and some $$ will eventually make its way back to us.
Yes, it would be great to sell 3x as many stove this June as last June....but we have to work 4x as hard to get it done and basically float the entire cost. That's why there aren't so many "deals" out there for the voucher program.
Also, that $350 Enviro rebate isn't entirely from the manufacturer either. It's a split in the form of a non-refundable credit. Dealer absorbs half and the manufacturer credits the dealer's account after all the paperwork and such is done for the other half...so $175. I have 20 days terms with Enviro but it takes a lot longer than 20 days to get your credit back. Same crap goes for Warranty work and parts...we pay for them up front and then wait for the actual credit.
So when your getting your stove with your voucher and using the mfg rebate, there is very little liquid cash hitting a dealers end of day receipts, but all of the up front costs associated with day to day business still exist, maybe even more so cause this all happening during a time of year when stove sales are generally very very very slow, so we are lower staffed. So we now wait, baited into thinking that there's all this business coming in when in reality it's a lot of work that we pay for up front, hoping we did all the paperwork right and some $$ will eventually make its way back to us.
Yes, it would be great to sell 3x as many stove this June as last June....but we have to work 4x as hard to get it done and basically float the entire cost. That's why there aren't so many "deals" out there for the voucher program.
smwilliamson
The Stove Guy
smwilliamson
The Stove Guy
Dude, I'm totally sorry...I thought you were part of the MA Energy Program, sorry, my bad.
No problem, I suspected we were talking about 2 different things, especially when you mentioned that the average voucher amount is only $750. The Lung Association voucher is $1000 if you upgrade to a woodstove, $2000 if you upgrade to pellet($3000 if you are low income) and $4000 to upgrade an old non-certified boiler. I will send you a PC with the details of where I bought it.
smwilliamson
The Stove Guy
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