Since we seem to have a lot of posts about what people think Shopsmith should or should not be doing why not collect them all in one thread so in case some one at Shopsmith should care to read them it will be easier to do.
Now I have another thread for suggestions of things WE can do, so post those ideas in that thread:
https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=324
Remember this may all end in /dev/null but have fun posting.
Ed
Suggestions For Shopsmith
Moderator: admin
In a different thread, I think it was Nick that said the woodworking magazines will not even mention Shopsmith, let alone review them. Perhaps SS should be marketing the major accessories (Planer, Bandsaw, Jointer, Strip Sander, etc.) as standalone tools, along with the power stand of course. It could be mentioned in the info that the tool can be used with the Mark V without the power station, in case a potential buyer wanted to go that route.
When they hold the demos maybe they could ask some of the owners in the area to help answer questions. Make it understood that these owners don't work for shopsmith. Maybe they could give the owners a discount slip for their time. I know I would take more stock in talking to an owner than someone who was there just to sell the product. The last demo I went to they had a saw set up but did not have any attachments to look at.
Some good ideas here I think!
I really like the discount idea... yea I would be more then happy to spend a couple of hours having people ask questions for a good discount... hey I might even be willing to do it for a free lunch.... OK maybe even for free just to keep shopsmith around a bit longer..... so where do we sign up????
Ed
I really like the discount idea... yea I would be more then happy to spend a couple of hours having people ask questions for a good discount... hey I might even be willing to do it for a free lunch.... OK maybe even for free just to keep shopsmith around a bit longer..... so where do we sign up????
Ed
sawmill wrote:When they hold the demos maybe they could ask some of the owners in the area to help answer questions. Make it understood that these owners don't work for shopsmith. Maybe they could give the owners a discount slip for their time. I know I would take more stock in talking to an owner than someone who was there just to sell the product. The last demo I went to they had a saw set up but did not have any attachments to look at.
COUNT ME IN!!!
Eric
Rock Creek Designs
Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat!
Rock Creek Designs
Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat!
Does Shopsmith offer appareal? Does it come in really big sizes? I would wear a 5XL polo shirt to club meetings, shows, and around town.
If clothing is not profitable, perhaps a good logo graphic (reversed) could be posted to be used so that at least folks could use computers to make their own shirts.
If clothing is not profitable, perhaps a good logo graphic (reversed) could be posted to be used so that at least folks could use computers to make their own shirts.
Rick Dubbs
2004 520 w/bandsaw, jointer, belt sander, DC 3300, Universal Lathe Tool Rest, Talon chuck, & Lathe Duplicator
2004 520 w/bandsaw, jointer, belt sander, DC 3300, Universal Lathe Tool Rest, Talon chuck, & Lathe Duplicator
Ya know, I hadn't even thought about that. Why doesn't Shopsmith have apparel? I, for one, would defitely buy a ball cap and a shirt. I mean, the blue apron with the Shopsmith logo is sexy and all, but not quite fitting for wear around town.rdubbs wrote:Does Shopsmith offer appareal? Does it come in really big sizes? I would wear a 5XL polo shirt to club meetings, shows, and around town.
If clothing is not profitable, perhaps a good logo graphic (reversed) could be posted to be used so that at least folks could use computers to make their own shirts.
Eric
Rock Creek Designs
Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat!
Rock Creek Designs
Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat!
The marketing arrangement with Lowes is not working out. There are a lot of reasons for this;
1. In spite of Lowe's TV ads, they have a lot of employee turnover and it's rare to find anyone in the tool department who really knows woodworking.
2. They have no Shopsmith displays, pictures, or literature. It may be somewhere but they can't find it.
3. The demo's appear to be announced in advance to local Shopsmith owners but not to the general public. The demos then have a few of us "choir members" there and very few walk-ins have enough interest to stay very long.
4. During a demo, the tool managers are nowhere to be seen, apparently having no interest in learning anything about Shopsmith.
5. In a store that sells everything from light bulbs to roofing materials to BBQ grills, on a given day the number of serious woodworkers coming into the store is quite low.
I suppose I could go on but the general drift is that Lowes is not the key to future marketing success.
Shopsmith would be better off establishing a marketing relationship with Woodcraft. The demographics are much better and the employees are knowledgeable. The local franchises have a large customer data base and could bring in serious prospects for a demo.
1. In spite of Lowe's TV ads, they have a lot of employee turnover and it's rare to find anyone in the tool department who really knows woodworking.
2. They have no Shopsmith displays, pictures, or literature. It may be somewhere but they can't find it.
3. The demo's appear to be announced in advance to local Shopsmith owners but not to the general public. The demos then have a few of us "choir members" there and very few walk-ins have enough interest to stay very long.
4. During a demo, the tool managers are nowhere to be seen, apparently having no interest in learning anything about Shopsmith.
5. In a store that sells everything from light bulbs to roofing materials to BBQ grills, on a given day the number of serious woodworkers coming into the store is quite low.
I suppose I could go on but the general drift is that Lowes is not the key to future marketing success.
Shopsmith would be better off establishing a marketing relationship with Woodcraft. The demographics are much better and the employees are knowledgeable. The local franchises have a large customer data base and could bring in serious prospects for a demo.
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Ed in Tampa
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 5834
- Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:45 am
- Location: North Tampa Bay area Florida
The biggest suggestion I have is that Shopsmith get the standalone machines in front of woodworkers. I would love to see some examples of what the overhead pin router can do, but I will guess I will end up buying a router table before I ever see a demo.
I would put together a CD/DVD of the standalone machines showing all the gee whiz and Wow things they can do and send it out to the catalogue mailing list. If there was room I would put a demo of the 520 on it as well. On the 520 I would point out all the improvements and perhaps go through some of the adjustments like aligning the fence, or adjusting a Aux table both of these are bound to impress an older machine owner.
If cost is a factor make a DVD of what each machine can do and add some value by either furnishing some plans or take us through some step by step demo's that we could follow along to use the machine and to build some things. Then sell them for a reasonable price.
Also I mentioned in another thread that we had a Shopsmith store in our city at one time. The store was managed by a man that was simply excellent but as I understand it he didn't make his sales and was replaced.
The new manager was terrible and actually drove people from the store. I visited one day and the man was simply nasty. I then called Shopsmith and a regional marketing director told me I was wrong and didn't understand retail business. My parting comment to him was I would guess the store would be closed within a year. 6 months later Shopsmith closed it.
I say get the business back into the hands of people that know woodworking and want to leave behind a legacy, instead of the marketing people that think only of today's profits.
Ed
I would put together a CD/DVD of the standalone machines showing all the gee whiz and Wow things they can do and send it out to the catalogue mailing list. If there was room I would put a demo of the 520 on it as well. On the 520 I would point out all the improvements and perhaps go through some of the adjustments like aligning the fence, or adjusting a Aux table both of these are bound to impress an older machine owner.
If cost is a factor make a DVD of what each machine can do and add some value by either furnishing some plans or take us through some step by step demo's that we could follow along to use the machine and to build some things. Then sell them for a reasonable price.
Also I mentioned in another thread that we had a Shopsmith store in our city at one time. The store was managed by a man that was simply excellent but as I understand it he didn't make his sales and was replaced.
The new manager was terrible and actually drove people from the store. I visited one day and the man was simply nasty. I then called Shopsmith and a regional marketing director told me I was wrong and didn't understand retail business. My parting comment to him was I would guess the store would be closed within a year. 6 months later Shopsmith closed it.
I say get the business back into the hands of people that know woodworking and want to leave behind a legacy, instead of the marketing people that think only of today's profits.
Ed
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dusty
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 21481
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:52 am
- Location: Tucson (Wildcat Country), Arizona
Suggestions for Shopsmith
There are two distinctly different thoughts going on here (more actually).
Why doesn't Shopsmith (or someone else) offer "Shopsmith Apparel"? The answer, they do to a very, very small degree. I have a Shopsmith hat and an shop apron.
Furthermore, I have placed an order (with my daughter who operates an embroidery business) for some more. I have requested some colored t-shirts, a couple henleys and a new brightly colored baseball cap that all feature Shopsmith. The problem is "logo copyright". The familiar Shopsmith logo cannot be utilized for projects like this without the express permission of Shopsmith. We are doing a take off that does not utilize the logo and we are not doing these for resale but for my personal use.
She would gear up if there was an obvious and authorized demand but there hasn't been so she hasn't. If someone from Shopsmith called, I guarantee there would soon be an inventory.
Second point: If Shopsmith is waiting for business miracles to happen as a result of their relationship with Lowes - well, we better start tooling up with something besides Shopsmith. I happen into Lowes on a very regular basis simply because they are close by and because I have a general interest in all of the stuff they have for sale.
Except for the one 3 or 4 day period, a couple months ago, when Shopsmith had a demonstrator here in Tucson, I have seen ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION OF SHOPSMITH. If this is a marketing campaign, it's a new approach to me. I find myself inspecting the Deltas and the Ryobis and the Porter Cables and comparing them to what I have.
Actually, in my analysis Shopsmith comes out 'pretty darn good' but that doesn't do much for the stock prices.
At the risk of being admonished for telling Shopsmith what they should be doing, I am here to say that Shopsmith should be spending their marketing dollars in a manner that has a chance of creating a return "for Shopsmith".
Incidently, and in closing this comment, I purchased nearly all of the Shopsmith equipment that I have as a direct result of 1) a demonstration booth at the Texas State Fair in Dallas and 2) the efforts of a sales staff in a Woodcraft outlet on Marsh Lane in Addison, Texas. Within a month after that fair closed, I became one happy, and forever dedicated Shopsmith owner. My only regret is that no one today has the opportunity to repeat that satisfying experience and I am afraid that be the reason why the profits on sales curve that we saw here on this forum looks as depressing as it does.
One last comment (question). Why do we never hear directly from those with the greatest interest in Shopsmith - the Folkerths. John, I read your little blurb in the catalog. I would really like to hear a very sincere state of the company address from My Lifetime Woodworking Partner directed at us your lifeline to the future. How about an email address (yours) where we can communicate directly during these difficult times. I vent in the online forums but there I feel like I am preaching to the choir.
Tell us, PLEASE, what can WE do to help the outlook?
Why doesn't Shopsmith (or someone else) offer "Shopsmith Apparel"? The answer, they do to a very, very small degree. I have a Shopsmith hat and an shop apron.
Furthermore, I have placed an order (with my daughter who operates an embroidery business) for some more. I have requested some colored t-shirts, a couple henleys and a new brightly colored baseball cap that all feature Shopsmith. The problem is "logo copyright". The familiar Shopsmith logo cannot be utilized for projects like this without the express permission of Shopsmith. We are doing a take off that does not utilize the logo and we are not doing these for resale but for my personal use.
She would gear up if there was an obvious and authorized demand but there hasn't been so she hasn't. If someone from Shopsmith called, I guarantee there would soon be an inventory.
Second point: If Shopsmith is waiting for business miracles to happen as a result of their relationship with Lowes - well, we better start tooling up with something besides Shopsmith. I happen into Lowes on a very regular basis simply because they are close by and because I have a general interest in all of the stuff they have for sale.
Except for the one 3 or 4 day period, a couple months ago, when Shopsmith had a demonstrator here in Tucson, I have seen ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION OF SHOPSMITH. If this is a marketing campaign, it's a new approach to me. I find myself inspecting the Deltas and the Ryobis and the Porter Cables and comparing them to what I have.
Actually, in my analysis Shopsmith comes out 'pretty darn good' but that doesn't do much for the stock prices.
At the risk of being admonished for telling Shopsmith what they should be doing, I am here to say that Shopsmith should be spending their marketing dollars in a manner that has a chance of creating a return "for Shopsmith".
Incidently, and in closing this comment, I purchased nearly all of the Shopsmith equipment that I have as a direct result of 1) a demonstration booth at the Texas State Fair in Dallas and 2) the efforts of a sales staff in a Woodcraft outlet on Marsh Lane in Addison, Texas. Within a month after that fair closed, I became one happy, and forever dedicated Shopsmith owner. My only regret is that no one today has the opportunity to repeat that satisfying experience and I am afraid that be the reason why the profits on sales curve that we saw here on this forum looks as depressing as it does.
One last comment (question). Why do we never hear directly from those with the greatest interest in Shopsmith - the Folkerths. John, I read your little blurb in the catalog. I would really like to hear a very sincere state of the company address from My Lifetime Woodworking Partner directed at us your lifeline to the future. How about an email address (yours) where we can communicate directly during these difficult times. I vent in the online forums but there I feel like I am preaching to the choir.
Tell us, PLEASE, what can WE do to help the outlook?