Shopsmith Forums

Hi Everyone,

On this subject of the Shopsmith Demo's, the company a few years back discontinued them except, guess where, the west coast. They still offer them here, but it is down to only one demonstrator. I believe it is Bill Childress.

Last time I checked both Bill and Mike (Smitty) were working as a team at the demos, one doing the work, and one doing the ordering. If I understand it correctly, Mike and Shopsmith had a falling out and now only Bill is demonstrating.

The demo's are now held at fairs, home improvement shows and Home Depot. They are no longer associated with Lowe's. With only one demonstrator, it takes a while for him to get around the area. The next one in Calif. is set for the end of August in Northern California. The "Owner's Website" has a schedule listed like the Traveling Academy does. You check the locations by putting in the mileage and zip code.

A few years ago Shopsmith hired several teams of demonstrators all around the country, but the concept didn't last very long. They found that with travel and insurance expenses, they were losing money. Most of their sales continue to be on the west coast, so that is why the program continues out here.

Other owners have offered their services as being demonstrators, but the cost is too high right now. Having to carry liability, workers comp and travel insurnace, I can see why they are avoiding the live demos right now. That is what they told me when I offered my experience to be demonstrator. They are also on a hiring freeze, so no one can get job with Shopsmith right now.

For Mike (Smitty), the story goes that he started doing demo's privately at home improvement stores without the company's knowledge. He would order the machines as a private civilian. He was taking advantage of a program that Shopsmith had in which if you had a friend that bought a Shopsmith, and your friend put your name on the order application, Shopsmith would send you $100.00 for each of the first five you helped sell. Anymore after that they would send you $500.00. He would add his name on the order form and take the money. He also represented himself as a Shopsmith employee, when he wasn't. I believe this is the main reason Shopsmith is no longer associated with Lowes.

After this major falling out, Mike started offering private woodworking classes using the Shopsmith name and logo. He created a website and said he would travel anywhere in the country to give private classes. His website was filled with Shopsmith photos and logos. Again, more trouble. I believe Mike currently has a lawsuit against him by Shopsmith, and has currently disappeared off the Shopsmith radar.

For the Traveling Academy, unfortuntely the class sizes are dropping. I attended the TA two weeks ago in Fresno, CA, and only five students were there for each class, the same students all three days. Rick Davis told me it has been that way for a while now. When I attended last year at both the Bakersfield, CA and Fresno classes, they were full. No less than 15 students per class, with the woodturning classes being sold out.

I don't know if it's the economy, the word just not getting out there, or everyone has learned all they can from the academy. I hope it picks up because I like attending them each year. Rick always has something new to teach us, and this last one was no exception. I'd hate to see the company put an end to them like they have so many other things.

Everyone here on the forum says we need to support Shopsmith. I believe this, but there are only so many tools you can purchase. I am planning on creating a private Shopsmith event at my workshop where I live, and hope it works out and is a success. I think this kind of support is needed more. Getting Shopsmith owners together for a weekend will be a great way to support our woodworking passion.

You can do all of the internet marketing you want, but it is the demos that sell the tool! That's how I got started!

The folks in Dayton are missing the boat in just covering one part of the U.S. I don't believe for a minute that there aren't as many woodworkers (or for that matter potential woodworkers) other than out West.

BPR

There are many ways to market something. Some use catchy commercials aka McDonald's. Others use infomercials like Kaboom, still others use samples like all the food samples at Sam's in the afternoons.

Things are changing. Notice Home Depot and Ridgid tools. At one time HD had a display that included Ridgid's tablesaw, jointer, bandsaw, drill press and etc. Today most HD require you buy one of these from looking a picture. Yet Sears still markets by display. Which is better? I don't know. Each methods seems to work for their particular store.

I have never seen McDonalds giving out free samples or taste tests and they are successful. Yet Sears believes they must have a actual machine on display to sell theirs. HD sells from pictures.

I guess ideally using every method would be best but unless ad money is unlimited that is impossible. So what is the answer? I'm willing to bet if any of us could give Shopsmith a guarantee for success we would be working for the company making really big money. But I think we all know there is no guarantees for success. What works for one company at one point in time will not work for all companies at all points in time. Shopsmith has decided to venture down the internet highway. Only time will tell if that was the right decision or not. But until then there is little any of us can do but watch and hope.

I liked the demo's but for me no matter how impressive a demo was it would not cause me to buy and wait for delivery. I'm the type of person if I want it I want it now. If I have to order it, I don't. How did I get my Shopsmith. I went to a Demo and watched and the salesman came over and said do you want to order one and I said no. He said why not, I told him I don't order and wait. He said okay, I have one in my storage unit, follow me to my home and I will load one into your truck for you. He did and that is how I got a Shopsmith.

Purpose of my story the best demo in the world would not sell me a Shopsmith. So live demo's are not the cure all either.
Ed

Anyone know if they're going to be at the Spokane Fair in Sept?

Written by ryanbp01
The folks in Dayton are missing the boat in just covering one part of the U.S. I don't believe for a minute that there aren't as many woodworkers (or for that matter potential woodworkers) other than out West.

Hi Ryan,

I didn't say there are more woodworkers out West. I just want to clarify that Shopsmith just seems to sell more tools in the West. I do not know why this is and don't want to venture into trying to figure it out.

What I do know is that I have been told personally by Shopsmith Reps that they have been selling more tools here in the West the past few years than anywhere else, and that is why they have been keeping the Demo's and most of the Traveling Academy's going out here. To me, this wouldn't be cost effective as the company is located in Ohio, unless they are making the majority of their profits out here.

I do know there are many woodworking club's in CA, including two in my area. The one I am currently a member of has 80 members and is still growing. I also belong to a model railroading club, and it only has 15 members, and it has been that way for a few years now. Seems the woodworking bug is growing more than other hobbies, at least where I live in CA.

Hopefully as Rick Davis and the Traveling Academy makes its way through the Mid-west and East Coast, that the classes fill up and show Shopsmith that the demand for their tools is growing in these areas. If the class sizes are small, that tells those high in the company that they still need to continue focusing on the west.

Just because Shopsmith has lower sales in areas other than the west doesn't mean there are no woodworkers in these areas. It just means Shopsmith is not as popular in these regions.

I understand that North Carolina is currently the country's hot-bed for woodworkers. Many woodworkers have actually been moving there to take advantage of this. How many of them use Shopsmiths I do not know.

Woodburner: thanks for your comments. I am in NC (central part of the state) and wonder where/what you heard that speaks of the woodworking hobby in our state. I do know that we have some good retail outlets for woodworking equipment and supplies. I personally only know one other near me that owns a SS and his dates from the late 50's or early 60's but he still uses it. I remember the first time I saw it in his basement and I thought what a neat machine! I missed the last TA in our state and have regretted it since. Hopefully another will be scheduled soon. Till then, I really enjoy this forum and the advice and insight from all you more experienced SS owners. Thanks! Steve

Woodburner,

I appreciate your clarifying the issue for me. It is something that I have long suspected, but now feel is confirmed, about the number of machines that are sold in your area compared to here. Especially after reading the comments from others that have been able to pick up machines that are 40+ years old, refurbishing them, and being able to update them with little or no problem. After all, it does make sense to go where the money and interest is.

BPR

ryanbp01 wrote:Woodburner,

I appreciate your clarifying the issue for me. It is something that I have long suspected, but now feel is confirmed, about the number of machines that are sold in your area compared to here. Especially after reading the comments from others that have been able to pick up machines that are 40+ years old, refurbishing them, and being able to update them with little or no problem. After all, it does make sense to go where the money and interest is.

BPR

It might make sense if instant and localized gratification is all that is important.

This is a large country and to market to only a small portion of it does not seem to be a realistic plan.

Furthermore, as I watch ebay and craig's list, it does not seem that the customer base is in that area. There are a lot of machines offered for sale outside of the west and northwest parts of this great country.

Woodburner seems to conclude that more Shopsmith's are purchased in the West. That seems consistent. Since that area is marketed much more heavily than the rest of the country - you are likely to sell more in that area. I believe that this reinforces my opinion that Shopsmith cannot rely on word of mouth and/or web marketing.

I fear that far reaching business decisions are going to be made based on the results of the ongoing tour of the TA through the eastern and central parts of the country. What campaign is going on to let a would be potential customer know that Shopsmith is coming to town in those areas.

I hope it is more than I get to tell me that the TA is going to be in Tucson. I received one email about three or four months ago. I don't see that as a viable marketing campaign. We'll see. I hope there are more students in the class this year than there was last year when I got almost one on one attention from Rick. This small class (3) was great for me but not so good for Rick or for Shopsmith.

Ed, that is how it worked for me. I went to the demo, they had several on hand, so I bought one. If I would have had to order then wait, I probably would not have bought it. Right now, I've been waiting 2 months and 22 days for the pro planer I ordered. Actually, I'm getting close to canceling the order and just picking up some other brand. First, I was told June 26th, then July 18th, then an email apologizing with an offer to buy some videos at a discount, but no time frame on when it might ship.

One of the things Rick mentioned at the TA, was Ebay was killing SS. But, you receive the part or item in just a few days.

woodburner wrote:...Hopefully as Rick Davis and the Traveling Academy makes its way through the Mid-west and East Coast, that the classes fill up and show Shopsmith that the demand for their tools is growing in these areas. If the class sizes are small, that tells those high in the company that they still need to continue focusing on the west.

Just because Shopsmith has lower sales in areas other than the west doesn't mean there are no woodworkers in these areas. It just means Shopsmith is not as popular in these regions...

I live in the West. I frequently meet people that think that ShopSmith is no longer in business. I straighten them out right away.

My point is that I live in the West, you know; where SS is doing better then the rest of the country. If so many people that live in the West, where SS is doing best, think that SS is out of business, what are people in the rest of the country thinking?

I know that it is expensive to advertise. I feel that SS is operating on a shoestring budget. If they can turn the company around with sales in the West and from Internet orders, maybe we will see advertising sometime down the road. From reading related posts on this forum, I believe that SS believes, that advertising does knot work for them. They think, like what some have posted here, if only in a round-about way, that the only way to sell their unit is via live demonstrations. IMHO, that wood be fine, as long as the country knew that SS was alive and well. The country does knot know this. Advertising is the ONLY way that they will find out. By cutting back on the demonstrations (one of only two visible means of SS advertising, the other being the internet), SS only perpetuates peoples perception that SS is no longer in business. Costly or knot, they simply must increase their advertising (the demonstrations) to remain in business.

Threads on this forum have addressed this issue before. Many folks here have attempted to give those at SS ideas. Ideas that seemingly get ignored. I think that the real issue is money. Not enough of it. Advertising requires it and if SS had it, they wood be advertising. I hope that SS makes it. They are trying.