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"...ordering your new Egg online?"

Essex County
Essex County Posts: 991
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I just saw the new button on the homepage, "Thinking of ordering your new Egg online?". So, does this mean the warranty on my egg may be voided because I purchased it online from a firm in Tennessee?[p]I would be happy to buy from a local dealer if my local dealer had some knowledge about the product and some interest in ordering accessories for me. My "internet dealer", on the other hand, shipped my egg from TN to MA without a scratch and provides a full array of accessories at reasonable prices, including shipping.[p]If I had listened to my local dealer, I'd be cooking on a Ducane gasser.[p]Paul

Comments

  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    Essex County,
    Yes, a bit surprising. However, I don't think they mean (nor could they get away with) that the simple act of ordering it online voids the warrantee. I think what they intend to convey is that if you buy it online and the dealer won't make good on any damage that occurs during shipping, you can't expect BGE to replace the broken parts under warrantee. I think the threat to void the warrantee is to prevent you from ordering online, receiving damaged goods, waiting two months, and then calling BGE and claiming that it exploded when you heated it up during normal use. [p]TNW

    The Naked Whiz
  • Kelly Keefe
    Kelly Keefe Posts: 471
    Essex County,[p]I think you overlooked the key word there: unauthorized. My sneaking suspicion is that your "Internet Dealer" is, in fact, an authorized BGE dealer who happens to do business over the Internet. That's a different story. [p]Kelly Keefe
    Jefferson City, MO

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    Essex County,
    not sure of the intent, but i would believe that hearthside must be an authorized internet dealer. im thinking that they probably sell more eggs than any local dealer out there. if your looking for a local dealer for accessories try the one in north hampton. they replaced my cracked egg and didnt give me the greif that i had with the dealer thats closer to us.all of my eggs were bought from hearthside.

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Kelly Keefe,
    Then maybe they should have another link to authorized online dealers. The opening lines of this info box, "Thinking about buying your Egg online?...Think again.", are designed to discourage online buying, period. There is nothing in there that says, "use only authorized online dealers." It says to use your local dealer.[p]Paul[p]
    Paul[p]

  • Trouble
    Trouble Posts: 276
    Essex County,[p]Perhaps it's worth a call to the Mother Ship. If the warranty is good, you'll have some peace of mind (and a valid warranty) and if it's not, at least you'll know. [p]If the warranty is good, perhaps an email to hearthside encouraging them to put the words "authorized internet dealer" on their BGE page would be a good thing for everybody.[p]Just some thoughts...[p]J
  • Trouble,
    Good points as were those made below. I'm not particularly worried about my warranty. (And I did miss the word "unauthorized" on first reading) But darn it! I want BGE to thrive! I look forward to the day when there's an egg on every deck and patio! I don't see this warning as a boon to sales.[p]Paul

  • edbro
    edbro Posts: 300
    Essex County,
    I would have gladly supported my local dealer but he wanted over $200 more than the online price for a large after tax. My loyalty can only run so deep. I would pay a premium for the advice, convenience, etc; but not that much.[p]This sounds like the local dealers are pressuring the home company in order to control higher prices.

  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    -DELETED-
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • I think the key word here is "may" - it is my understanding that hearthside has a very good reputation with the factory so there shouldn't be a problem. I just bought my large egg there and was very pleased with their customer service. I thought that I was missing a part and they were very good and were going to send me the part fedex with no verification. I later found the part but I wouldn't hesitate to use them again - and I did save about $200 (a received better customer service to boot)
  • Kelly Keefe
    Kelly Keefe Posts: 471
    Essex County,[p]I see you point, but look at it from their standpoint: [p]First, I doubt there is such a thing as an "Authorized Internet Dealer". A dealer who is authorized IS authorized. Anything else would run afoul of fair trade practices. That's why there are MSRP prices instead of "You'll sell it for this or not at all" pricing. You cannot tell an authorized dealer how to do business or at what price point they have to sell at as long as they meet the basic guidelines that govern how they become dealers in the first place.[p]That being said, it IS in BGE's best interest to encourage you to shop your local dealer. To start with, the message was concerning shipping practices. Doesn't it make sense from BGE's point of view to limit the number of times a product is shipped to minimize warranty claims for product broken in shipment? BGE has standardized shipping proceedures designed to reduce possible breakage to the lowest extent possible. To put a point on it: BGE ships product to its' distributors who then ship it, all using standarized practices, to the local dealers. That's two times the product is shipped. If a third party "dealer" enters the picture then it's 3 to get it there and 4 to get it to you. You just doubled the chances of something getting broken. Now if an AUTHORIZED dealer/distributor ships it to you, after purchasing it over the Internet, they know HOW to ship it safely.[p]And this doesn't address the need of BGE to offer some sort of protection to its' distributor channel. I don't know, and don't care to know, the details but there must be some reason BGE has a channel of distributors rather then selling direct to dealers. I also further doubt that the distributors don't cut some cut of the action along the way. You can't do business for nothing. [p]Along with this line of reasoning is that the distributors, if they're worth anything, have a responsibility to the dealers they service. I know in my particular case I was looking at Eggs at what I found out later was the distributor for my region. When they discovered where I lived their response was, and I quote: "We have a dealer there. Why don't you go see them instead." (I might add here that this particular distributore DOES sell via the Internet.)[p]And I'm glad they did. My local dealer, sadly an ex-dealer now, gave me excellent service although being new at the time they too weren't as product knowledgable as I'm sure BGE and the regional distributor would have preferred. That being said, I'm glad they steered me to my local dealer. I got a better price on my large than I would have gotten at the distributor and didn't have to figure out how to get the large 100 odd miles home.[p]Sorry to be so long winded. ;-)[p]Kelly
  • I couldn't find this button, but I hear there is some bad feeling between the BGE folks and Hearthside. I'd love to be able to order from a local dealer, but the one here in Lexington wants $1182 for a large BGE.
  • stike,
    i just voiced this same concern to the mothership. i am in total agreement with you, although we do have several pretty knowledgeable local dealers in this area. there was once, though when i was considering buying mine i asked the local dealer how to cook indirect on the egg and he told me you use cedar planks. i knew right away he was full of it, but i let him keep talking anyway. there was another time when i had to tell a local dealer that bge does in fact make a cast iron grate for the large and it can be ordered.