Anyone Experiencing Lopi Backorders?

[Hinterlander]

Has anyone else experienced delays in delivery time from Lopi dealers?

I have been waiting for 10 weeks for a blower for my Revere wood burning insert. The dealer claimed last week that the blower was on backorder and would arrive any day. Today, they tell me two weeks.

Any experiences like this out there?

 

[Sundeep Arole]

Yep - ordered my insert in August. Not here yet.

 

[wg_bent]

Yup...That's one of the reasons I own an Osburn.

 

[Hinterlander]

I went to their website, and they have no direct way of contacting a customer relations agent at their headquarters in Washington. Everything points back to the dealer. Problem is, the dealer already has my money, and does not seem real interested in making any phone calls to Travis Industries. Using a google web search, I found a website with a "contact us" link, and sent an email to Travis asking for timing on delivery. You guessed it, no response.

Travis Industries makes a great product, but don't seem like they are "evolved" to the point where they can handle customer support. There are not too many companies out there today that can survive without handling customer issues..

 

[begreen]

I checked with a local dealer (WA state). They have the blower in stock and can ship it to you. Price is $259 + ship. Email me if you want contact info.

 

[ERPARKER]

Uh oh. Now I have that deep sinking feeling. We ordered our Lopi Declaration insert in October. The last time I spoke to the dealer they said it would arrive the first week of December. I'll be giving them a call tomorrow. I guess if it isn't there I'm going to ask them to find out where it is.

 

[Hinterlander]

Don't fret yet...

My brother just installed a Lopi Freedom large insert. It took a grand total of 4 weeks from order date until delivery (and he received his blower with his).

Gotta go dig some oak out of the snow.....

 

[webbie]

I went to their website, and they have no direct way of contacting a customer relations agent at their headquarters in Washington.
Travis Industries makes a great product, but don't seem like they are "evolved" to the point where they can handle customer support. There are not too many companies out there today that can survive without handling customer issues..

The entire industry is pretty much set up this way. It would be almost 100% impossible for the manufacturers to handle not only the questions from this years 60,000 stoves on order, but also the questions from the 1 million plus that they sold over the last 20 years. So the dealer, who in this industry makes a substantial markup partially for this reason, is usually the point of contact. The dealer then works up the hierarchy.....

While it would be nice to imagine a room full of people at Jotul or Travis whose job was nothing more than talkng to end users, economics dictates that this is impossible.

Now, if you buy a woodstock soapstone stove direct from the factory, you WILL get this type of service, but since they are selling direct they can hire customer service people with the extra gross profit.

 

[Shane]

Lopi wood stoves are having 4-8 week lead times right now. Unfortunately that is just the way it is. I assure you that your dealers want to get product to you as quickly as possible it's not in our best interest not to. There is nothing that can be done the factory is working at full capacity filling backorders. I've been waiting for various stoves for months. The reason Lopi does not have direct consumer relations is exactly as Craig explained they are set up to have their dealer network handle this aspect. A good stove is worth waiting for, a good dealer that sells a good stove is also worth waiting for.

 

[Hinterlander]

To stay competitive, they will need to develop some customer support capability internally, and not depend on a dealer network. In Michigan, many of these dealers sell hearth products more as a hobby than as a profession. I can't believe how much variation there is in knowledge at these hearth dealerships. My dealer just guesses at when my order will arrive. Can't take 5 minutes to make a phone call to satisfy a customer that just dropped $3k at their dealership.

 

[ERPARKER]

Talked to my dealer today. My "last week of November" that became the "first week of December" is now the "first week of January". How is the dealer so uninformed, or have they just been lying to me from the beginning?

 

[Sundeep Arole]

I think they have a unspoken rule that if you call them and ask, you get moved by a couple of weeks. At least that is the way I think it is with my dealer.

 

[Hinterlander]

I found a toll-free number for Travis Industries on an industry association website. I was actually able to get through to an agent at Travis, and I asked for a delivery date on my product order. The agent tried to put me through to the Sales Department and I eventually left a voicemail with someone. I don't expect a return call (they don't return email either).

The toll free number is 800-654-1177, they also have a toll number listed at 425-609-2500.

 

[ERPARKER]

My dealer just called. Says my Lopi Declaration is "in the warehouse" but that the surrounds did not come in with the stove but should follow in in a few days.

The salesperson I've been working with was out sick yesterday so it was someone else that gave me the "first week of January" timeframe. I asked him about this and he said that the individual sales persons are responsible for their individual customers and that he'll generally ask a caller to wait to speak to their salesperson if their salesperson is unavailable rather than trying to handle it himself.

So, anyway, they're supposed to be calling me to schedule an installation date. My order date was 10/28/05 so it's been about 5 weeks so far.

 

[Hinterlander]

You may want to call for status on your surround panels. Call the toll-free number and ask for the sales department. Last night, they told me that Lopi does not even have the blower I am waiting for. They have yet to be delivered by their supplier, and they don't expect them to Lopi until 12/13. Hope your panels are not in the same backorder status.

Also, I found out that each dealer has a local sales representative - but the Lopi people would not give me his/her name or number. Go figure.

 

[Shane]

Straight from the horses mouth and it's still not good enough.

 

[BrotherBart]

On the phone it is impossible to determine which end of the horse you are talking to.

 

[tman]

I have had good luck with both issues here. 1)I ordered the yankee bay pellet insert in oct, dealer told me delivered and installed by first week dec. Its in and running. 2) prior to delivery I needed tech questions answered for hearth work emailed travis industry and 2days later got an excellent responce to my questions. I do have an email for a person at travis if that helps anybody. I would like to know if any one has a lopi with the pewter trim on door and grill if the pewter is a dull brass color. Mine brand new does not look anything like the brochure.

 

[Shane]

The pewter has alot of variation, did the dealer clean it with denatured alcohol prior to installing it?

 

[Hinterlander]

Shane - Are you one of those "Sheep People" who allow themselves to be led around by the words of others? Or, are you like most of us who take the initiative to take care of themselves? I've been around for awhile, and have found that nobody is looking out for me, including retailers who are more interested in where there next buck is coming from than taking care of past customers. After many years of experiencing being put on the back burner, I have learned that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and business hates bad publicity.

So tell me Shane, if you gave someone $3,000, and they only returned goods and services worth $2,750, you would just say "oh well, I'm stupid and I will let them walk all over me?".