Forget lowes demos - shopsmith should do demos at Costco

[dusty]

Yesterday, I went by the Lowe's Store in Catonsville to check out the Shosmith Demo. It wasn't that I was really looking to buy anything specifically and this particular Lowe's is not one I typically buy from anyway (just not a location in my daily travels). But anyhow, I wanted to see the demo that everybody was talking about and get a firsthand look at the New Power Pro. I have to admit that I wasn't all that impressed with Lowes. When I first walked in and asked a couple of the associates (I guess that is what they call them) about the demo they were advertising, they looked at me like I had three heads and had no idea what I was talking about. They were not even interested in checking with a manager or anybody else to see if something was going on. Thus, it just goes solidifying my original opinions on customer service with these big box stores. I did find the Shopsmith Demo. They were set up in the tool area (as I would have suspected) and the guy doing the demo was very nice. I walked up and we talked a bit. And after assessing the Shopsmith system I already have, he gave me a demo of the Power Pro and the upgraded 520 table upgrade. I really liked the features offered by the Power Pro and the beefier fence of the 520. He also showed me the benefits of the double tilting Mark 7 upgrade. That was also very impressive. But, I could tell that he hadn’t had a whole lot of interest while he was there. Plus, they (Lowes) had the demo stuffed between a couple of isles in the tool department. They just didn't allow for adequate space to set up a demo to really promote any interest. One other person walked up while I was there. He listened to some of the demo, nodded a couple of times in agreement and walked away not really interested. I know this is kind of getting long winded. But, the demo guy (wish I had gotten his name) gave me a disk and a price sheet for the special pricing Shopsmith was offering. Plus, he also mentioned that if I were to buy anything on the list with my Lowes Card that I would also get an extra 5% discount. A Ha! That tells me that Lowes Corporate is only offering this opportunity to Shopsmith to boost sales of their credit cards. It was obvious that the store itself (I'm guessing this all falls on the individual store managers) wasn't really interested in helping to promote this demo/event in their location.

Maybe I am just fortunate and maybe I am one of very few but customer service at both the Lowe's and HomeDepot where I shop is excellent. It has not always been that way but it has changed.

I often have someone greet me with a question and in response accompany me to what I am shopping for. I am especially pleased with service in the plumbing, electrical and tools areas.

I do not buy lumber at the box stores - 2x excepted.

[brad_nalor]

Kind of funny us owners are playing marketing strategist for this company. Surely demonstrates some passion and hope there's a future for SS after all. They have the product and the PowerPro truly is a neat, modernized woodworking machine but I have a feeling the majority of buyers are repeat of older machines but how many are new to the brand? Also, they need to toot about the heritage... sort of like what Harley Davidson does.. yeah, I know its not all USA made but at least the factory is here.

I mentioned this earlier when the topic of webinars came up.
Interesting read and the first I've heard of the SS webinar. Have to feel for the company these days. Tough sell by going to fairs and Lowes demos but they have to keep the exposure. To me the company is extremely weak in its marketing for any growth but maybe thats fine with them.

I'm not aware of them having any retail store exposure other than the miniscule and occassional Lowes arrangment. What do they expect? There's some really great independent woodworkers stores and why isn't the factory getting at least a machine in on display and at least one clerk trained about it? Put the machine in the store for nothing and when it sells, bill the store. What have they got to lose?

If I was calling the shots, probably would continue with the webinars, and Youtube infomercial. BUT, add some creative real salespeople such as current owners who would be willing to give a demo or promote locally. I'm sure some wouldn't mind offering a demo for some nice reward incentives from the factory. Perhaps work towards a point reward program for goods, machine OR simply compensate in real dollars with a 1099.

They could do a pre-screen for local reps, qualifiers would take a trip to the plant and get a few days training. Leads could be provided by SS and other prospects by the rep. SS could co-op expense for local newspaper ads, if so desired by the rep.... no pushing here. Seek out local woodworking clubs, etc. Someone mentioned of how surprised some club really welcomed the demo and had a great turnout.

Awesome products don't sell if nobody knows about them. Read some other shop sites and many don't even think the company exist! They don't even click a simple link to find the site! Now thats a marketing problem.

All this armchair DIY internet streaming or TV programs is just an avenue but buyers need to really see, touch, feel, smell and then have that experience of Wow... I can do this or that with this device... the brain clicks and says I must have.

Another place they should consider is the independent franchised Ace Hardware's. Corporate Ace is more friendly then the beano's at HD, Lowes, etc. and the store owners could better relate. There's thousands of them and because Sears is fumbling, Craftsman tools now has a new outlet to sell with Ace. These would be great camps for Saturday SS indy reps to demo and sell.

[brad_nalor]

I wonder if some exposure on the QVC shopping channel would work?
Bill V

Highly doubt Shopsmith would even qualify for QVC. You've got to have big stock on hand and none of this lagging lead time of shipments.

[cincinnati]

Lowe's gives you 5% off any purchase $299 or more using their Credit card.

Since we are all on the subject of telling Shopsmith how to run their business:D . I would try and promote the image of Woodworking as something cool. If you look at the world of Hot Rods and Choppers you see bad boys like Jessie James or Paul Tuetul Sr. Who does woodworking have, Not going to name names here but come on! Not exactly chick magnets. The ladies like the bad boy image. Have a show with some good looking young guy using a Shopsmith with a hot looking girlfriend and Shopsmith would have to start a 2nd and 3rd shift to keep up with the orders.
All woodworking manufactures need to try and go after a younger crowd. Shop Class in High Schools are almost nonexistent now days. Going to be hard to sell a product to a generation that has no idea what it is let alone how to use it.

[robinson46176]

Lowe's gives you 5% off any purchase $299 or more using their Credit card.

Since we are all on the subject of telling Shopsmith how to run their business:D . I would try and promote the image of Woodworking as something cool. If you look at the world of Hot Rods and Choppers you see bad boys like Jessie James or Paul Tuetul Sr. Who does woodworking have, Not going to name names here but come on! Not exactly chick magnets. The ladies like the bad boy image. Have a show with some good looking young guy using a Shopsmith with a hot looking girlfriend and Shopsmith would have to start a 2nd and 3rd shift to keep up with the orders.
All woodworking manufactures need to try and go after a younger crowd. Shop Class in High Schools are almost nonexistent now days. Going to be hard to sell a product to a generation that has no idea what it is let alone how to use it.

I occasionally walk down the magazine aisle looking at the rod and custom type front covers but I hardly ever see the cars...


.

[JPG]

Lowe's gives you 5% off any purchase $299 or more using their Credit card.

Since we are all on the subject of telling Shopsmith how to run their business:D . I would try and promote the image of Woodworking as something cool. If you look at the world of Hot Rods and Choppers you see bad boys like Jessie James or Paul Tuetul Sr. Who does woodworking have, Not going to name names here but come on! Not exactly chick magnets. The ladies like the bad boy image. Have a show with some good looking young guy using a Shopsmith with a hot looking girlfriend and Shopsmith would have to start a 2nd and 3rd shift to keep up with the orders.
All woodworking manufactures need to try and go after a younger crowd. Shop Class in High Schools are almost nonexistent now days. Going to be hard to sell a product to a generation that has no idea what it is let alone how to use it.

Like this'n?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pxT-E36tpY&feature=related

[pinkiewerewolf]

sorry to get to this thread so late.
I totally agree with what you're saying here.
I'll preface this...
I bought the OPR a couple of years ago. Several months ago SS ran a special on the OPR and it had a DVD attached to the package. I thought, I could use more info on the tool. So, I order the DVD. (Got Mr. Sunshine at SS who acted like I was pulling his wisdom teeth with my order request.) The DVD arrives and it is ancient, the older OPR. It was cheesy and out of date. I tried to gleen what I could out of the material but honestly, Nick had it beat, hands down with his pod cast.
Every once in a while, I'll go to youtube and watch a ShopSmith infomercial that is pretty well done but once again, out of date. Today's market is sophisticated and 20something videos (and older) aren't going to sell a lot of products, especially when many (not all) of the examples are just crafty nick nacks. (If that is what you're into, more power to ya but most people won't spend 3K to make Christmas decorations.)
Powermatic and Festool have "The Woodwhisperer." A young, pretty much non-offensive and charismatic guy that makes everything from cutting boards, to jigs, to high-end furniture. Our Sawdust Sessions had Nick. Now, find someone like that, set them up with the equipment and get them on Youtube and make it new, relevant, and available to the masses.
My .02 cents worth.

In this day and age with Internet marketing and streaming video the Internet is the way to go. Unless, your target market doesn’t have those capabilities, which is why they offer the DVD. Serving streaming video is much cheaper than pressing disks and mailing it out.

If Shopsmith should do anything – they should update their pitch. They are doing themselves any favors with the old infomercial from the mid/early 90s. Chances are the pitch can be shortened to a 5 minute sell to reduce production costs. The 30 minute format was meant for TV informercials and since they aren't doing them any more, I doubt the margins on the sales were good enough anyways.

Yes, I understand production is expensive, but watch the Sawdust Therapy infomercial. Can we say sweater vest, dark stained oaks 90s hair/clothes and the youngest person in the video looks about 50.

If it is going to be your main pitch, then don’t start by shooting yourself in the foot. When I some Craigslist item I got a box of old woodworking magazines. Maybe of the popular items in the mags were country themed, i.e. jelly cupboards. A lot of woodworking project are much different then 20 years ago.

[backhertz]

I noted the 5% discount. On Friday, I got 10% off by showing a military ID and using my Lowes card, opting for 18 months free interest- same as cash rather than the 5% instant off. I noticed some places recognize a VA card as a military ID for a 10% discount. I also noticed the Lowes demo price list is lower than the Webinar price list. So I ordered a DIY Powerpro upgrade after canceling one I had order off a Webinar and left a message on another thread. Lowes doesn't have a 18 month no interest special very often.

I had simply gone to observe. But the demo person didn't do things like I saw at a demo back in 2008. There were only 4-5 other long-time Shopsmith owners in addition to me.

I have a number of Shopsmiths which I will restore and probably settle with two Mark 7s. One might just be enough, but I built an addition to the rear of the garage and it has room for a number of Shopsmiths- a 10E/ER of which I will probably mount on the wall- and make a Z-axis threaded control to raise/lower the headstock for a drill press. My back doesn't allow me to do what I used to be easily able to do. I didn't pay much for any Shopsmith item except for a 510-520 kit in the early 90's with a 510 my father gave me along with being the 9th person to pre-order a PowerPro DYI kit and the double tilt upgrades.

I enjoy restoring things like cars. Well I've been there and done that & want to do something with all these Shopsmiths people have almost given to me.
I want to experiment with some different bearings and see if I can achieve zero runout. But that is down the road. Way down the road. I was able to pick up a couple of DC motors that fit perfectly on the 10E/ER motor plate. So I have a lot to play with. My family was in the roller skating business years ago, do I have years of experience with different type of bearings. But that was long before ceramic or hybrid bearings came out. Again I must remember this is a wood-working tool- not a Southbend lathe. I saw someone has chromed their way tubes on their 10E/ERs and other pieces. They are really nice to look at.

As to marketing Shopsmiths, it would be nice to see them marketed/sold everywhere. But that is a decision Shopsmith has to make as they have years of experience of where the markets are best. I learned they haven't demoed at wood working shows in years. Of all the people at the demo on Friday, no one was under age 50 or maybe 60, except for me.

It seems the plan is to get legislatures to mandate Saw Stop flesh sensing technology to help prevent terrible accidents. If mandating anything- what about making people take a safe operation course on anything capable of chewing skin or worse just like is required to be licensed for a weapon. But when will it end? Who is going to determine who doesn't have enough common sense to wear eye protection, push sticks, or other safe methods. A knife or wood chisel can do terrible damage if not used safely. What about chain saws?

Oh, someone brought up the Saw Stop at the demo on Friday. I learned there has already been one accident. It seems if people forget to use proper safety practices, there will be more. I saw one demo where a guy used his finger- not a hot dog and it stopped. I wouldn't even sacrifice a hot dog & would rather eat it than waste it on testing a Saw-Stop. I also learned the Saw Stop can be deactivated for wet/green lumber. Many professional carpenters I know do not use many safety features of their tools if it means taking time. A brother-in-law of mine has shot himself twice with framing nailers. Ouch.

Well, today is the last day one can get the no interest for 18 months with Lowes at the demo places. Good luck!

[woodburner]

Just watched the youtube video (Grandpa's Workshop) posted earlier. Now that is the woodworker who I want to represent the SS company LOL. Funny though, the comments from those who veiwed the video say they really like it. Go figure.

I was in agreement with the need of younger people demo'ing the SS, but maybe I'm wrong. For the longest time, woodworkers have been thought of as plaid shirt wearing, slow talking mature/senior individuals, and not that good looking to boot. I guess this comes from the wood magazines and DIY shows as this is how they all portray us woodworkers in the media. They make it look like some type of lifestyle choice. Maybe changing this might be the wrong way to go. The only real test would be to try and give woodworking a new younger vibe and see what happens, and the wood tool and media outlets will be the ones who will have to give this test a try because if it doesn't work, they will be the first to feel it in their bank accounts.

Being in the world of woodturning also, I have noticed some younger, good looking woodturners getting their names out their. Mike Mahoney from Utah (I've done a demo with him and he is a really nice fellow), and Jimmy Clewes from England (his accent, along with his stories from traveling around the world woodturning, is his calling card. I've done three demos with him) are just a couple of well-known woodturners who the ladies find easy on the eyes (both Mike and Jimmy are married to successful women). Their woodturning how-to videos are very popular too, probably because they have a lot of energy and don't talk sssllllooooowwwww. Being young in the woodturning field has its positives. Don't know if that can translate to the middle-of-the-road woodworker and help sell tools though.

I know one thing, if I can't get to sleep some night, I'll watch "Grandpa's" video. I'll be out like a light in no time.

[JPG]

Just watched the youtube video posted earlier. Now that is the woodworker who I want to represent the SS company LOL. Funny though, the comments from those who veiwed the video say they really like it. Go figure.

I was in agreement with the need of younger people demo'ing the SS, but maybe I'm wrong. For the longest time, woodworkers have been thought of as plaid shirt wearing, slow talking mature/senior individuals, and not that good looking to boot. I guess this comes from the wood magazines and DIY shows as this is how they all portray us woodworkers in the media. They make it look like some type of lifestyle choice. Maybe changing this might be the wrong way to go. The only real test would be to try and give woodworking a new younger vibe and see what happens. The wood tool and media outlets will be the ones who will have to give this test a try because if it doesn't work, they will be the first to feel it in their bank accounts.

Being in the world of woodturning also, I have noticed some younger, good looking woodturners getting their names out their. Mike Mahoney from Utah (I've done a demo with him and he is a really nice fellow), and Jimmy Clewes from England (his accent, along with his stories from traveling around the world woodturning, is his calling card. I've done three demos with him) are just a couple of well-known woodturners who the ladies find easy on the eyes (both Mike and Jimmy are married to successful women). Their woodturning how-to videos are very popular to, probably because they have a lot of energy and don't talk sssllllooooowwwww. Being young in the woodturning field as its positives. Don't know if that can translate to the middle-of-the-road woodworker and help sell tools though.

I know one thing, if I can't get to sleep some night, I'll watch this video. I'll be out like a light in no time.

Which video? Grandpa's shopsmith, or the other one.

BTW slow talkers are usually devoting more human resources to thinking than speaking!:D Some also pause often to breathe!