Should Dennis (BackwoodsSavage) get royalties from WS?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
Status
Not open for further replies.

BurnerPB

New Member
Hearth Supporter
Sep 17, 2009
13
CNY
Just kidding.

I was reflecting on how Dennis and some other posters are extremely helpful when it come to the WoodStock stove products. I find myself "pushing" WS as well. There products & service is top notch.

Mike
 
Royalties would be nice huh Dennis? Maybe a large discount when they come out with that new big stove. :lol: I find the company a breath of fresh air how they go out of their way to help you without pushing their product down your throat.
 
Yes, he should!! :cheese:

Just kidding...I appreciate the information Dennis and others have shared about their fireview stoves and I have never felt as if I was being "sold" a stove.

Kenny <>{
John 3:16

Fireview (in storage pending installation >:-( )
 
"Word of mouth" from satisfied customers is the most effective advertising available. And there is certainly no shortage of them on this site. I'd say, though, that Dennis is the leading ambassador of good will for Woodstock, at least here.
 
I had to laugh when I saw this thread!!! Yes, he should!!!

Probably very few really realize the full story about how I ended up buying a Woodstock stove. To make a long story short, we sort of wanted the Fireview but also were looking at a few other brands. Then there evidently was a misunderstanding as I was quoted one price by one and another (by a different person) the second time I called. Perhaps I misunderstood the man or perhaps he just spoke wrong. However, through my business dealings in the past, when someone told me one thing and then switched, I simply wrote them off and forgot about them. I usually do not care to deal with anyone like that. So it was with Woodstock.

Evidently the folks at Woodstock talked about this situation and one day I received a telephone call from them. I was not interested but did not hang up the phone. I was asked if I would go look at a Woodstock stove in the home of someone near us. Well, maybe as I had never seen a Woodstock stove other than in pictures. Still I wasn't really too warm to them. But in the end we did go to a couple's home and talked to them about the stove and about the company in particular.

As it turned out, the name Woodstock gave me and his address was someone I had known many years ago and had some business dealings with both him and some of his relatives. Very good people and very well known in the area. So Woodstock then called to clear with them on the date specified. It was agreed.

I was sad that the folks did not have the stove kicking out heat; it was almost out. But we got to talking and although I won't post any specifics, I will say that what I was told about Woodstock by that man sold me right then....almost. My wife and I talked about this on our way home and then thought about it a little more.

The Spring Sale was on (a big sale then too) but was ending soon. Lots of dollars off. As you know, we ended up buying the stove.

Was everything perfect? Absolutely not, but close. I had told Woodstock that the stove would not be installed until late that summer, so after we received the stove, it just sat in our carport in the crate until early September.

As I unloaded the stove into the carport I noticed one past of the carboard had been rubbed and I could see something, it looked like perhaps the stove door and paint rubbed off but not scratched. I casually mentioned this but did not ask for anything. I received a can of spray paint.

In September when we got the stove out of the crate to put onto the hearth I noticed the firebrick was not the best so I called. I received new firebrick. I had several questions and still do from time to time and Woodstock has been very helpful.

Other than that first experience we couldn't be happier with Woodstock and the Fireview. We had to do a little learning because this stove is a bit different than any stove we've had in the past. However, the learning curve was pretty short. I got advice and help from Woodstock and from people like Todd on this forum.

We have had the stove 2 full seasons and now going into our third. As I have stated in the past, we have saved a bunch of work and a lot of dollars with this stove because we cut our fuel needs in half! Nobody else has reported this much in savings but it has been so with us and not only have we cut our fuel in half, but we also are much warmer in the house.

I understand what a tough cookie these folks are trying to bite by selling only direct. I'm sure they lose a lot of sales simply because there are no Woodstock stoves in sales rooms across the States. However, that might also work to their advantage because most folks will do a little more homework before buying direct. Also, word of mouth is a good advertiser.

End result is that I am very pleased with Woodstock and the Fireview and therefore I feel that it is correct to tell others about it and try to help them with their decision and perhaps after they install the stove.

Now about those royalties...
 
Dennis, your story is a perfect example of how a business, ANY business, can take a potentially negative experience with a customer and turn it into something positive; something that works to their advantage in the long run. Oftentimes information gets lost in translation and misunderstandings can quickly slam the door on opportunity. But willingness to listen and be fair can change the outcome.

When we purchased our Fireview Woodstock had stoves in dealer showrooms. That's how my eage-eyed husband spied it. I was looking longingly at an ivory porcelain enamel stove (can't remember what kind) and trying desperately to drum up some spark of enthusiasm on his part. Frustrated by his lack of interest I asked him what he wanted since the "yard sale special" was definitely out of consideration. He turned, saw the Fireview and said, "Now THAT'S a good lookin' stove". And so it was. We saved longer to buy it.

I returned home from work a few days before Christmas and it was sitting on the trailer behind the car. It was a surprise for me. I came home the next day and it was in place and we had our first fire. 1991. The rest is history. Woodstock Soapstone Stove Company is a sterling example of how to "do business". We have never hestitated to show and demonstrate our stoves to interested parties, too.
 
I wish they made a model suitable for our hearth installation. Its obvious they're great stoves. Our friends just got a Keystone and I'm very impressed and they're very happy with it. We went with a non-catalytic version for our latest stove and I'm very disappointed about the amount of visible smoke and creosote it makes.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
I had to laugh when I saw this thread!!! Yes, he should!!!...
It might help to pay the lawyers if you were to get dragged into court over the seat you use when splitting firewood. Now, I'm not making any accusation, but perhaps you shouldn't post pictures of it. I hear that police are cracking down on this sort of thing.

(broken link removed to http://www.idfa.org/key-issues/category/environment--sustainability/plastic-milk-crates/)
Milk companies spend between $80 to $100 million annually to replace stolen plastic milk crates.
 
Bobbin said:
Dennis, your story is a perfect example of how a business, ANY business, can take a potentially negative experience with a customer and turn it into something positive; something that works to their advantage in the long run. Oftentimes information gets lost in translation and misunderstandings can quickly slam the door on opportunity. But willingness to listen and be fair can change the outcome.

When we purchased our Fireview Woodstock had stoves in dealer showrooms. That's how my eage-eyed husband spied it. I was looking longingly at an ivory porcelain enamel stove (can't remember what kind) and trying desperately to drum up some spark of enthusiasm on his part. Frustrated by his lack of interest I asked him what he wanted since the "yard sale special" was definitely out of consideration. He turned, saw the Fireview and said, "Now THAT'S a good lookin' stove". And so it was. We saved longer to buy it.

I returned home from work a few days before Christmas and it was sitting on the trailer behind the car. It was a surprise for me. I came home the next day and it was in place and we had our first fire. 1991. The rest is history. Woodstock Soapstone Stove Company is a sterling example of how to "do business". We have never hestitated to show and demonstrate our stoves to interested parties, too.

Bobbin, I couldn't agree more with you. That is why I am not afraid to tell others about the company and the stove. Hey, that was a nice Christmas present.
 
LLigetfa said:
Backwoods Savage said:
I had to laugh when I saw this thread!!! Yes, he should!!!...
It might help to pay the lawyers if you were to get dragged into court over the seat you use when splitting firewood. Now, I'm not making any accusation, but perhaps you shouldn't post pictures of it. I hear that police are cracking down on this sort of thing.

(broken link removed to http://www.idfa.org/key-issues/category/environment--sustainability/plastic-milk-crates/)
Milk companies spend between $80 to $100 million annually to replace stolen plastic milk crates.


Do you suppose there might be some connection there? I have been employed by both Borden and McDonald... Hey, I even have some of those old milk boxes they used to leave at a customer's house when delivering milk. Handy thing they are. Pee on the lawyers.
 
There's the old standard theory in marketing, about happy customers telling one or two people about their experience and unhappy customers telling nine or ten. I think the ratio improves a bit when a customer is extremely satisfied. Some people may be hesitant to talk up a product for fear they will be seen as a shill by others. There are a lot of skeptics out there.
 
You are right LLigetfa. Unfortunately, bad news travels much faster than good news.

And I think there are more skeptics when it comes to direct sales! I've been there and it can get tough, but it can certainly be done and done well.
 
Interesting link to the milk crate article. If it only costs them $4 to make a new one, why don't they sell them? I would slap a $20 bill down and take 4 of them home. That would give them a tidy 20% profit margin. They already have a great distribution system in place for the product. I think anyone would rather own something legally instead of "accidentally removing it unlawfully" (as others have apparently done :) ). Hey if this simple concept would work for the dairy industry, perhaps we could have Micro$oft try it.
 
’bert said:
Interesting link to the milk crate article. If it only costs them $4 to make a new one, why don't they sell them? I would slap a $20 bill down and take 4 of them home. That would give them a tidy 20% profit margin. They already have a great distribution system in place for the product. I think anyone would rather own something legally instead of "accidentally removing it unlawfully" (as others have apparently done :) ). Hey if this simple concept would work for the dairy industry, perhaps we could have Micro$oft try it.

That is genius! I can't believe any dairies haven't thought of it yet.
 
The reward of spreading 'the good word' about a company or product is the continued viability of that company or product. I wish I had a nickel for every restaurant, mom & pop store, food item, etc. that is no longer around because people didn't know enough about them.

In fact, there's a local hardware store that went out of business just as my wife and I were moving to town. HD and Lowe's put them out, TSC came in, and the talk at the counters each weekend is how much we miss the old Hammar Hardware.

S
 
Status
Not open for further replies.