Dealer Fun (minor semi-annual rant)

Chubby

There's any number of places there to purchace an EGG, but your comments about Smitty are right on the money!

I also have experience dealing with Smitty...and he is what I think a Dealer is supposed to be...whether as a Customer...
or If I'm BGE with him as my defacto representative.

Not only has he built his business around,(and for) the Bay Area Big Green Egg Customer, but one visit and you find out,
he's as excited about being an Egger, as he is selling the product!

Plainly put...as a Dealer...Smitty supports his Customers...and in turn, (even @ 200 miles away)...they support EggsbytheBay!

As a Consumer...when I find that philosophy being put in practice in a business...I support them...end of story!

Evans

An Egg Downunder

I know where you're coming from. Unfortunately, in Australia, there is only one dealer - Barbeques Galore. I ordered a new thermometer for my egg - twice. Both times they tried to sell me a Weber meat thermometer :S

I've got a cracked firebox and I mentioned the 'lifetime' warranty to the saleschild who looked at me blankly.

They're now selling new BGEs at a 30+% discount so I guess they're getting rid of the last few in the country because it's just too hard for them.

fishlessman

i would rather buy my egg online and risk the warranty than buy from those guys.

AZRP

I went in to the local dealer to get a replacement fire grate and was told that only the ceramic parts on the Egg are warranted. They said they would order me one for $40. The mothership sent me one. -RP

crghc98

new store in Abington (a patio/brick type place)now selling them, on rte 123. I went in and introduced myself. They were new, and they were learning, but the guys were definitely interested. They have a whole area of outdoor kitchens, and are planning to build one for the egg, to do demos etc...

Mentioned wicked good as they were only stocking BGE and they said I was the second person who asked for it....got an email a month later that they were now carrying it. I'm hoping as my dealer closed up shop.

BigA

I know your exact feeling! Prior to me buying my Egg i had been thinking about it for about 3 months and there happened to be a Sportsman Show where the local dealer was going to be doing shows and class's.. well i get there and they had some dry pork that they were serving people! I tried talking to the guy cooking and he didnt know anything, he didnt even know what size egg he was cooking on, i walked over to the other salesman there and he just happened to get a call on his cell phone and talked on that for 15 min, i stood there and looked at him for 15 min to see how long he was going to make me wait and when he finally got off the phone he looks at me and says " You want to buy a Big Green Egg" I said " Yes I sure do" he says "What Size" I responded "Large" he said "great lets get it written up and paid for and we will deliver it" I said "what makes you think I am buying it from you" He looked at me with like what the hell do you mean look, I said let me make this easy on you, you stood there for 15 min talking to who ever about tonights party plans, and your bumbass cook over there doesnt even know what size egg he is cooking on. WHy would i want to give my business to you, i will drive to Atlanta before i buy from you. Then i left along with everyone else that was standing there, about 10 other buyers, he said "we are the only people in town that sell them, i said yes you are but you arent the only town in the state that sells them, there just happens to be one 30 min down the interstate - Seeya and Goodluck, all of those other customers asked me where the other town was and I told them, they all went to Cullins and bought them. I should have gotten a commission check!!

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

that's some funny stuff.
i didn't have the heart to give my local guy much grief, he's a friend of a friend. is didn't want to create any bad blood in case we met up somewhere. \

funny thing is, he never remembers me at all. i have been in there a number of times, and each time it's like the first time he's ever met me. i don't buy tons of stuff, but sheesh.

so i probably could have been as rude as i wanted to be, and he'd have never made the connection. :laugh:

BigA

ya, it is funny how customer service is basically put on the wayside!!! I knew we would never cross paths again. I am sure he got fired.

fishlessman

200 miles is like traveling cross country for a newenglander :laugh: twice in the last year ive argued with my credit card company for shutting my card off, reason they shut the card down was because i didnt inform them i was going on a trip and the card was used in three states. try making someone understand that a twenty minute drive isnt necessarily a trip if they are from texas or another big state. :laugh: :laugh: i cross two state lines just to buy a fishing lure and i have to call and tell them im going on a trip twenty minutes down the road :ermm: maybe i need a different credit card account for each state

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

we may be small out here, but in one day we could conceivably go skiing, then to the beach, deep sea fishing, graduate from a few top colleges and universities, watch world-championship baseball, football, basketball, and even hockey, then have cardiac or brain surgery at some of he best hospitals in the country, followed by dinner at a great restaurant and a walk along the freedom trail if you wanted. ok, maybe not one day... there'd be the brain and cardiac surgery recovery and the matter of the celtics playing the same day as the bruins. :laugh:

but other than that, all doable within fifty miles.

heck, new york is a down-and-back day trip.

i'd trade quality for quantity any day :evil:

fishlessman

what amazes me is how different the people are in just three states within a 20 minute drive, accents, lifestyles, dress, sense of humor :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: strange little world up here. ten years down here in mass, i need to move 5 minutes north just to fit in

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

well... we have a couple hundred years' worth of people poulating a region with enough barriers to keep them separate for much of that time.

then the giant westward land-grab, coupled with relatively instant transportation, and there's a population that formed essentially simultaneously.

'we're different because we were behind chicken wire for a couple centuries. out west, they are all wandering open farmland

no enclaves of french canadians populating, say, manchester NH for half a century. just anybody and everybody.

think of us as a pet store, with all the weird breeds caged separately.

them? well, they are running the streets inter breeding like crazy. :laugh:

all good. same, but different

BENTE

yea us southern guys, i drive two hours to atlanta. the dealership i have in town is a brainless group. everytime i walk in i half expect them to show me where the propane hooks in.

wise one tried talking to them about doing a demo cook. they looked at him like he had 3 heads. so if i have any new friends that do not want to drive 2 hours to atlanta i send them to milesofsmiles place to check them out. at least they are nice enough to their customers to send them an invitation to egg cooking classes. i try to support them as much as i can but i have bought my 3 eggs from atlanta. but i guess 2 hours would be a luxury to you

Chubby

In the "Forum" section of my elder neighbors Penthouse magazines,(where as you might expect I was reading just for the articles)!!

Stike said...
"them? well, they are running the streets inter breeding like crazy"

Good to know they really were true...lmao!!!!

Evans