Helping SS: Sawdust Sessions on DVD

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 5:16 pm

Hi,

There has been some talk about putting the Sawdust Sessions on to DVD. I have been thinking about how SS could use this to their advantage. What I am about to suggest might be scoffed at at first, but if you think about it, it really would be a cheap way to increase interest and sales.

First off, several sessions can be put onto one disk. For those that want the sessions as they are produced, let them buy them. We will talk about price shortly. For purposes of creating interest and sales, I suggest that SS gives them away. They could randomly provide a disk in customers orders. They could also randomly include one when they ship a ShopSmith DVD Information Package. Each of these free random disks could start out with a preamble describing the great customer support that SS has a reputation for, and inform the viewer that customer service support includes these great Sawdust sessions.

When a customer gets one of these free disks, he starts to build a collection. If he gets a duplicate, he can give it to a friend, generating more interest in the SS Mark V.

If a customer wants to add to his collection, he can buy the disks that he wants to fill his collection. Now lets talk about price.

As I see it, the main reason that SS is creating these Sawdust Sessions is to generate interest and thus sales. If that is true, they really will benefit by getting these on DVD and getting the DVD's out to the public as quick as possible. They should charge a small fee, but I do not believe that it should be very much. Shipping charges are another subject. If they can ship to potential Mark V customers, a ShopSmith DVD Information Package @ no charge, why do they want so much $ to ship out DVD's that they charge us for? They need to rethink that.

I purchased the DVD that Rick Davis recently did and I was not disappointed. It was a little on the high side, but I ordered it with other items to avoid the shipping charge. From reading other posts, many customers agree that SS wants too much to ship DVD's.

What do you guys/gals think?

edmo51 · Post by **edmo51** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:01 pm

Although I haven't seen any of the SS DVDs. From reading others comments they seem to be both instructional and informative.

Here are a few suggestions, to go along with A1Guttermans'.

--- provide to members a subscription service. Similar to some of the woodworking magazines I subscribe to. EG for x dollars per month/year you automatically are mailed the latest DVD. In addition you can order past productions at anytime for a discounted fee.

--- As someone on this board mentioned on an earlier thread, it seems ShopSmith could greatly increase sales by increasing their marketing efforts. I own a Leigh D4R Dovetail Jig. Excellent products with high quality customer support and services.

edmo51

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:25 pm

a1gutterman, are you making this as a counter proposal to what has already been indicated to be the plan - or - are you maybe not aware that there is a plan.

Shopsmith's intention was to air a new Sawdust Session approximately every other week (on a Saturday). Those who registered (as we do now) would be able to watch the session live. On the Wednesday following a live performance and until the next live performance that video could be viewed by the general viewing audience (as we do now). That session would then be entered into the Sawdust Session archive. Once in the archive - sessions (DVDs) would be available for purchase (at a price not yet disclosed).

Obviously, if Shopsmith would decide to use these archived sessions as advertising tools, they would be available (at virtually no cost to SS). It would seem very appropriate to entice potential customers with copies.

I believe this mechanism would already be in place but for the technical difficulties that have plagued the plan until now.

Today's Sawdust Session, while it had some transmission difficulties, was an excellent session. Audio and video was terrific. That will be evidenced when one views the recorded session beginning Wednesday. I sense that the test period is almost over (as is the on going free ride that we have all been enjoying).

Cost is another matter for debate. A debate not for us (the users) but for Shopsmith management.

Shopsmith is in the business of manufacturing and selling the Shopsmith tool line. DVD sales, Traveling Academy, The Shopsmith Academy and Sawdust Sessions are all advertising/marketing tools (costs). They are a neccessary expense of doing business but I don't believe Shopsmith should expect to make a huge profit from their sale. If these advertising/training tools are effective, Shopsmith should expect to recover their costs to a bit better than breakeven. Equipment sales will then produce the profit margin.

Shipping/handling costs are also a necessary evil that presents itself. There should be no expectation of making a profit on shipping and handling. I'll not say more on that subject (at least not now).

In the meantime, since I don't ever want to be without my Shopsmith, I am attempting to make certain that it runs as well as it has in the past. I am laying in a few spare parts and I expect to use it for another 10 to 15 years. Then I will give it over to those in the family who have indicated an equally enthusiastic attitude toward woodworking. I expect it to last at least as long for them as it has already served me.

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:52 pm

Shipping DVDs via MediaMail is very cheap <$1, even via Priority Mail it is <$3 for overnight delivery. I would have to be desperate to pay $8-$10 to ship a DVD, this is the issue today.

I was very happy to see Shopsmith offering Hand-ON DVD's with a purchase at a significant discount and without additional shipping a few months ago.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:01 pm

paulmcohen wrote: I was very happy to see Shopsmith offering Hand-ON DVD's with a purchase at a significant discount and without additional shipping a few months ago.

I missed that. Hope they do it again. More importantly, I hope I don't miss it again.

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:46 pm

dusty wrote:a1gutterman, are you making this as a counter proposal to what has already been indicated to be the plan - or - are you maybe not aware that there is a plan.

Shopsmith's intention was to air a new Sawdust Session approximately every other week (on a Saturday). Those who registered (as we do now) would be able to watch the session live. On the Wednesday following a live performance and until the next live performance that video could be viewed by the general viewing audience (as we do now). That session would then be entered into the Sawdust Session archive. Once in the archive - sessions (DVDs) would be available for purchase (at a price not yet disclosed).

Obviously, if Shopsmith would decide to use these archived sessions as advertising tools, they would be available (at virtually no cost to SS). It would seem very appropriate to entice potential customers with copies..................

Hi Dusty,

I am quite aware of the proposed plan that was presented. I believe that SS is prepared to entertain all ideas, and this is one that I am offering them for consideration. To answer your question (highlighted above in blue), YES (although it is not much different then theirs; just adding the give-aways:) ).

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:13 am

The way of the future in not in hard copy. It is much cheaper to do things on line. Young folks want things on line, they want to download, they want it now, they want all on line viewing-hearing for free.

SS could charge a few cents for access to on line viewing, but not all that much unless you could download and keep a copy. If that was done then we're at the point of sharing....vicous circle we have gotten into!

You forget to include in your costing factor the human beings that make, handle and ship the DVD. It's not much in the way of time, but when burning a DVD, labeling it, storing it and packing it takes some time and that time has to be paid for. Then you have the person on the phone taking the order, the shipping dept, the billing dept....oops the DVD is not made do we back order it, do we stop everything and make it....time is money. Now what about when you get it and it is a dud or scratched (its happened to all of us)? You've paid for it right so what happens, who pays to replace it?

IMHO, the way SS is working now with their on line sessions now is OK. Once the session is over, they have no bandwidth charge as it is hosted on Google.

hardway · Post by **hardway** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 2:16 pm

Pardon me since this my first post and I am extremely new to using the Shopsmith and woodworking in general. I fell I have made a wise choice in buying this machine just based on the level of support that is available online.

In any case, I have found that since I have installed the latest free update on my RealPlayer, I have the option of downloading the Sawdust Sessions video on my hard drive. The advantage of playing the downloaded video through RealPlayer is that I can get a much larger screen size for veiwing (a little grainy if too large). Additionally, the saved files at their largest are 60 to 100 MB so I have saved them all on my hard drive. The pictures take some extra work since they are not part of the video. I intend to burn my own DVD with all the printout pictures and PDF's and put them in a notebook (I know nothing about copywrite laws).

Also, for a future session, maybe a demo on how to use the Mark V for what they sell the Kreg pocket hole jig. It seems to me maybe you do not need this jig if you have a Mark V?

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 2:27 pm

Hi hardway,
Welcome to the forum!

Pardon me since this my first post and I am extremely new to using the Shopsmith and woodworking in general. I fell I have made a wise choice in buying this machine just based on the level of support that is available online.

I think that everyone here also believes that you made a wise choice, and we are all here to help if and when we can.

I intend to burn my own DVD with all the printout pictures and PDF's and put them in a notebook (I know nothing about copywrite laws).

Before you do this, you should probably ask for permission from SS:) . IMHO you should be able to do this as long as it is ONLY for your own use and you do not, in any way, make a profit from its use. Even Microsoft allows "end users" to make one copy of their software.

Also, for a future session, maybe a demo on how to use the Mark V for what they sell the Kreg pocket hole jig. It seems to me maybe you do not need this jig if you have a Mark V?

It is easy to drill pocket holes with the MarkV. During every SS demo that I have ever seen, the demonstrator has demonstrated it.

ryanbp01 · Post by **ryanbp01** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 5:46 pm

We have had discussions about copying and storing dvd and hard copies in other threads. This is not freeware! Shiopsmith is providing this as a free service for all to use. Based on these earlier discussions, plus a private email I received, I would assume this would have an adverse effect on all of us. In the words of one of our most prolific writers: "Don't screw the pooch".
BPR

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