Marketing Issue [RE-wrenches]

Daryl DeJoy penobscotsolar at midmaine.com
Thu May 15 15:41:47 PDT 2003


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         We get 3 to 4 calls a month from people who bought it elsewhere 
and want us to install it. We do, but at $60.00 per hour instead of our 
going rate here in Maine of $40.00 p/h. Most end up buying some components 
from us anyway, since rarely, if ever does what they bought meet their 
needs. I'm quick to point this out early in the game as I don't want to 
take the blame later for them not having enough power. Usually they tell me 
that in the end they should have bought it from me in the first place and I 
sometime get jobs later from these jobs.
         I do agree with Bob that it is ultimately the manufacturers 
responsibility to see that only qualified people sell their product, but it 
would still be nice if HP didn't support that lowballing. (if those sellers 
are whoring equipment, that makes HP their pimp....) That said, HP will 
still be on my own shelf. I find it a great read, regardless of my 
disagreement with this particular policy.
Daryl DeJoy
Penobscot Solar Design




At 12:16 PM 5/15/03 -0400, you wrote:
>HP and its discount advertisers have a market to serve, and to my mind
>it is primarily do-it-yourselfers. Trouble is that in this age of Home
>Depot and the like everybody thinks they are one, and expects
>do-it-yourself pricing even though they are clueless. It's romance vs.
>reality. Unfortunately when the reality sets in for a wanna-be DIY the
>low-baller they bought from can't help.
>
>Dealer / installers have invested lots of time, energy, and money
>becoming educated and perhaps licensed and that should not be discounted
>or given away free. It gets very tiresome explaining why my prices are
>what they are compared to some garage/basement/warehouse somewhere.
>
>Prices usually follow experience. The lower the price (be it components
>or labor), the less willing or able the seller is to provide competent
>service and support. That's how I put it to my customers, some people
>get it, some never will. Some people actually do feel better about
>paying more, seeing it as a sign of seller competency.
>
>I don't mention HP to my customers, just as I wouldn't mention a
>discount internet seller.
>
>Kirk Herander
>Vermont Solar Engineering
>POB 697
>Burlington, Vt. 05402
>ph 802.863.1202 - 800.286.1252
>fax 802.863.7908
>Xantrex Certified Dealer
>NYSERDA-Approved Eligible Installer
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: David Palumbo, Independent Power & Light [mailto:ipl at sover.net]
>Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2003 9:05 AM
>To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
>Subject: RE: Marketing Issue [RE-wrenches]
>
>Kurt,
>I stopped selling HP years ago because of this. I recently had to (it
>was
>that, or a $10,000 system was going to walk out the door) give a
>customer a
>$400 discount on an OB FX inverter. I took the time to calmly educate
>the
>customer, but he still wanted me to nearly match the HP ad price.
>
>I contacted Christopher Freitas at OB and he assures me that they are on
>top
>of that particular situation and is taking the necessary steps to make
>sure
>that their products are not treated in this fashion.
>
>Legally there is nothing that we can do about it. HP makes their living
>off
>of these solar porno ads. They have made their decision based on a lot
>of
>factors, I know that. I disagree with their conclusions. They do promote
>local dealers in their magazines but are hypocrites by allowing these
>ads.
>
>I deal with some customers who either know of HP, or even subscribe to
>HP,
>but it is a very small percentage of my customer base. I view HP as a
>hybrid
>of a trade magazine for RE dealers / RE enthusiasts magazine. Most of my
>customers are not enthusiasts, or hobbyists, they just need good
>reliable
>off grid systems. If I had to lower my prices even 30% of the time to
>keep a
>HP reader happy I would no longer be able to stay in business. Therefore
>I
>do not tell them about HP.
>
>Dave Palumbo
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: sunwise [mailto:sunwise at cheqnet.net]
>Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2003 12:55 AM
>To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
>Subject: Marketing Issue [RE-wrenches]
>
>
>Greetings all,
>
>We've had this discussion before, but I need to re-visit it or
>something.  I also want to mention that
>
>
>As a solar guy, I highly encourage people to purchase HP Magazine, and
>even bought a couple subscriptions for my area libraries (they're half
>price for libraries!).  I also used to have a policy of offering a free
>one year subscription to anyone who bought a system from me.  I also
>sell HP mags retail out of my shop during the summer (retail outlet
>closed for winter).
>
>This said, it is difficult for me to have an SP75 hanging on the wall
>with a $385 dollar price tag on it, and a stack of HP magazines directly
>below with a centerfold ad from Terra Stellar (or some such outfit) with
>the same PV listed for little more than my cost.
>
>Do I stop selling HP (please, no), post a list of the ten commandments
>(including "if you bought it from them, call them with your
>questions/problems), or consider it to be part of the whole solar
>process (of going broke?).
>
>I believe we need RE to move into more conventional markets if we expect
>it to become more widely accepted, but does this directly translate into
>a Walmart and Sam's Club mentality?
>
>I had planned to post this to marketing, but the address is missing from
>my newer computer (almost a year old) and apparent no one is using
>Marketing any longer.
>
>Kurt Nelson
>SOLutions
>
>
>
>This issue may be of interest to Wrenchs and MArketeers alike, and as
>the
>
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