Shopsmith Demo Experience

JonE · Post by **JonE** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:03 pm

Dusty, I don't know about that. I have a couple of 20 and 30 something nephews and work associates who are woodworkers or have interest. I'm pretty optimistic about the new generation of hobbyists. Think of the success of DIY shows and networks on tv. The internet abounds with people learning, teaching sharing woodworking knowledge and passion. What used to require taking classes or finding a master woodworker to share his/her knowledge...now YouTube, and you can find just about anything.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 4:14 pm

JonE wrote:Dusty, I don't know about that. I have a couple of 20 and 30 something nephews and work associates who are woodworkers or have interest. I'm pretty optimistic about the new generation of hobbyists. Think of the success of DIY shows and networks on tv. The internet abounds with people learning, teaching sharing woodworking knowledge and passion. What used to require taking classes or finding a master woodworker to share his/her knowledge...now YouTube, and you can find just about anything.

I so hope that you are right. My fears are based only on my exposure to today's youth and the fact that the industrial arts (wood shop, etc) are less a part of school curriculum.

sawmill · Post by **sawmill** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 5:10 pm

I have 3 grandson and one granddaughter and when they come here they always want to go to my shop and see what we can build. I just hope I am around long enough to teach them to use my power tools. I have been showing the oldest about using the handtools. Next summer he will be here for 2 weeks and then we will see. But a lot of the younger people may be interested but have on one to show them. I was a 4 H leader for many years and we did wood shop. After the first year there were just 2 many kids for one person to spend the amt of time needed.

reible · Post by **reible** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 10:46 pm

I don't like the sound of what happen here. If this is some sort of policy change it might hurt sales to us core people cause if they do that to me I'll not be going to demos to buy anything anymore.

I've been to maybe 6 demos in the last couple years. Out of those I have spent money at 3 of them. Two were not active with no one around so no demo.... I did stop and talk and the guys looked like they were bored having no people stopping by.

The one I went to that featured the powerpro I mostly want to see it for real, I didn't have the money so there was not going to be a sale. If asked I would have said I'm not buying today, had they ask me to leave then it would have been very unlikely that I would have one today. The next demo that came up when I did have the money I drove about an hour and a half so I could buy it. Got the kit version and the double tilt that day. At another demo I got the lift kit and at another I got the V120 miter gauge.

So anyway that is how I see it.

Ed

ljhhontx · Post by **ljhhontx** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 11:13 pm

While not asked to move on, I had a similar experience in San Antonio a couple of years ago. When asked if I would be buying today I told him I was a current owner but would not be buying. He finished what he was doing and walked away without further conversation. I had walked in while he was finishing up a demo and he didn't seem interested in showing anything to me after finding out I wasn't there to buy on site. Reminded me of the vacuum cleaner salesman that dumped the contents of the bag on my mom's floor many years ago, not a pleasant experience.

skou · Post by **skou** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 11:31 pm

billmayo wrote:I went with another Forum member to visit the Shopsmith PowerPro demo at Lowes in Lakeland, FL on Friday. What an experience. After introducing our selves and saying we are Shopsmith owners, the demo person asked if we were buying anything today. We said no but was interested in what the PowerPro could accomplish. He told us to move on as he only wanted to to demo for people who might be buying today. Then another shopper stopped by the Shopsmith, he told us to move away so he could demo the machine to this person. He refused to give us his name (no name tag) and told us he had better things to do and moved away from us after the demo to the person who had stopped by.

It was a public place? Well, inside a store isn't really a "public" place, but it is close to it.

I would have given my impersonation of a bird, and STAYED right there, and demanded security to remove me.

Shopsmith supposedly HIRED this guy? We're scrood! (It's spelled wrong on purpose.) If that is who they want representing Shopsmith, the company is going to disappear.

(I'm safe, because Shopsmith stopped making MY edition, in 1953. But, a LOT of new parts will fit.)

steve

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 4:31 am

skou wrote:It was a public place? Well, inside a store isn't really a "public" place, but it is close to it.

I would have given my impersonation of a bird, and STAYED right there, and demanded security to remove me.

Shopsmith supposedly HIRED this guy? We're scrood! (It's spelled wrong on purpose.) If that is who they want representing Shopsmith, the company is going to disappear.

(I'm safe, because Shopsmith stopped making MY edition, in 1953. But, a LOT of new parts will fit.)

steve

I'm not sure but I do not believe these guys work for Shopsmith, i.e. they are not Shopsmith employees. They work, I believe, strictly on commission.

That having been said, I am looking forward to the Tucson show down at Lowe's Corral - the place where user meets demonstrator.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:24 am

dusty wrote:I'm not sure but I do not believe these guys work for Shopsmith, i.e. they are not Shopsmith employees. They work, I believe, strictly on commission.

That having been said, I am looking forward to the Tucson show down at Lowe's Corral - the place where user meets demonstrator.

Do leave any 'chips' at home - go with an open mind.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:36 am

JPG40504 wrote:Do leave any 'chips' at home - go with an open mind.

I don't know what it is that you are implying.

I am going there with the idea that he might be able to sell me something.

dgale · Post by **dgale** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:53 am

dusty wrote:I'm not sure but I do not believe these guys work for Shopsmith, i.e. they are not Shopsmith employees. They work, I believe, strictly on commission.

Unfortunately such individuals do represent Shopsmith, regardless of their pay arrangement, and are the worst possible PR for a company that needs positive PR and exposure.

Imagine if you went in a car dealership and were greeted with the same question and response - I don't think they would sell nearly as many cars. My response to such a question from any salesman would be "no, I'm not buying anything today" and it's then their job to convince and persuade me otherwise.