Home Depot is gonna kill us! [RE-wrenches]

[Mr. Sharkey]

	There hasn't been much discussion on the thread (yet), but I feel that
something is missing form the replies I've read so far. Obviously, many of
you on this list are making a living selling and installing solar and RE
equipment, and that's a *good* thing. But what is also a good thing is that
awareness and use of RE and conservation-related equipment will get a big
boost from the mainstream marketing that Home Depot and others will be able
to provide. All of this is *very good* for the planet and natural resources
that civilization gobbles up, and as such, I'd hope that each of you could
find a way to support making access to the equipment more widespread.
	I have no love of Home Despot. They are a huge corporation, but they have
made public a commitment to being a bit more "green" than many other
marketers, using recycled materials, selling only second-growth cut lumber,
etc. They are also in the best position to create consumer demand for
renewables by making them attractive to consumers, both by lowering the
prices by increasing supply/demand, and by extensive marketing.
	One of the most common complaint I hear form Wrenches on this list is that
there are a lot of "tire kickers" out there who get weak in the knees when
they find out the price of an installed system. Consider that if more DIY
(do it yourself) handypersons were able to purchase PV's, etc, the supply
would go up, the price would go down, and you might be able to actually
sell *more* PV's etc, because the product's base price would be lower,
making the system installed watt/$ ratio better in the eyes of the purchaser.
	Ready consumer access to electrical/plumbing/other materials hasn't run
many contractors I know out of business. There will always be those without
the aptitude, time or interest to install their own RE system, and will
still get a contractor (you) to do it for them.
	35% mark up? well, whatever works for you, but it might be that you'll
make as much profit by selling more product at less of a percentage, and
make your real profit on the service side.
	Imagine that consumer Hi-Fi stereo was as difficult and complicated as
your average RE system. There would be installers who specialize in stereo
installations, the equipment would be available only from a select few
sources at a large mark-up. The result? There'd be damn few of us with home
stereos. Consumer electronics has become plug-and-play simple. When RE
equipment is similarly modularized, connectorized, and compatible, the
industry will take off and everybody involved will see better times.
	Remember, anything that is good for the industry in general is good for
you in particular. I have a hard time figuring out how any retailer
offering RE products for sale to the public is a bad thing if they are
doing a good job of it and offering product support, etc.

	-S

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