Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Authorized Dealer

Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
OK, I know this subject is a repeat, but so is every subject on this site. I want to buy an egg but I can't figure out this whole authorized dealer thing. I just looked at eggguys.com and they claim that they are an authorized dealer all over the entire site. They even have a guy on a video that says it. BGE says they don't have authorized internet dealers. But the eggguys have a HUGE warehouse full of eggs. So these internet guys are getting these eggs from somewhere and with the volume they have and the prices they have you can be damn sure that they are coming from the factory. There are only two possibilities here. Either one of them is a big fat liar or both of them are big fat liars. If I said I was a Microsoft or a Starbucks Coffee Authorized dealer, you can be damn sure that wouldn't last very long.

Comments

  • Broc
    Broc Posts: 1,398
    Debbie -- My local dealer sells Large Eggs packages for about @00 less than the packages advertised on the site you mentioned... that is, by offering an egg which has been used once, during and Eggfest.

    Check out when an Eggfest is coming to your neck of the woods, and save some moolah, and be assured to great service from a reputable dealer and a good Mothership warranty.

    Good Luck!

    ~ Broc
    B)
  • Michael B
    Michael B Posts: 986
    I want to buy an egg but I can't figure out this whole authorized dealer thing.
    Really pretty easy.
    - Go here: http://www.biggreenegg.com/
    - Under Dealer Locator in the upper left corner, put your zip code in the box labeled 'ZIP'
    - In the pulldown menu next to your zip code, set how far you're willing to drive.
    - Click [SUBMIT]

    Any dealer that comes up in the list is an authorized dealer.
  • mtn egger
    mtn egger Posts: 62
    I am a BGE dealer and it puzzles me how internet sales are allowed given the internet selling policy. On a more postive note when I checked out the pricing on the website you mentioned my pricing was lower than theirs. So find a local dealer and find someone in the store eggcited about cooking on the egg and they will be a wealth of information for you. Also add this forum to your favorites and get even more info and help from a lot of eggsperts 24 hours a day.
    Invest in your community, shop local.
  • Eggtucky
    Eggtucky Posts: 2,746
    Debbie
    I don't know the answer to your question local vs internet either. However, I can tell you that I just bought my second egg, a SBGE Friday and it was $30 less than the same one on the website you mentioned, plus the dealer threw in an eggcessory of my choice (plate setter is what I picked) and a bag of lump. I got to inspect my purchase right there in the store, plus he disassembled it and loaded it in my truck for me. I too suggest you get to know your local dealer. Ask a lot of questions and listen and see how 'eggcited' he is. No doubt there are dealers out there that are just there to sell the eggs. But of the two I have dealt with, they were knowledgeable, owned at least one egg personally, and spent as much time with me as I wanted going over everything from how to light it, to burping it, and even cooking my first meal on it. Good luck!!..you're on the right path just looking at the egg! ;)
  • Morro Bay Rich
    Morro Bay Rich Posts: 2,227
    Certainly is one of life's unsolved recurring mysteries. The same question has appeared here over and over and never an answer. :whistle:
  • Crimsongator
    Crimsongator Posts: 5,797
    you say "OK, I know this subject is a repeat, but so is every subject on this site."

    That may be true to a point. So if it is and you know the opinions here about internet dealers, I suggest you are just trying to stir the pot.

    Gene
  • Not so fast there,my zip is 92563, put that in the so called dealer locator and you will be told there is no dealer within 250 mi. I live within 50 mi. of Los Angeles or San Diego and 6 mi. from the BBQ Galore in Temecula,where I Now shop since I found them with the help of this forum.I tried e-mailing BGE to find a dealer when I was trying to buy my egg and got no responce so I bought it from the big internet guy.I would have much rather bought locally but will only jump through so many hoops to spend my hard earned cash.I am ,as my handle suggests,a very low tech person,so don't have the computer skills that many of you have and I really don't think one should have to have them to buy a Grill.When I buy my next egg it will be from George at BBQ Galore in temecula because I finally found him,no thanks to BGE. A little marketing goes a long way,especially in a market this size.
    Rant off.
    Jim
  • Morro Bay Rich
    Morro Bay Rich Posts: 2,227
    Bobby-Q, you there?
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Or perhaps by mentioning that site in particular this is an attempt to direct traffic to that site in order to sell eggcessories?? What better way to increase sales than to direct traffic from the product's most ardent fans to their site?

    Personally, I would not think about buying an egg from any internet dealer. The warranty and dealer interaction/knowledge/support are worth far more than the dollars you shave off the purchase price - especially after shipping costs.

    I believe that these internet dealers are in fact authorized dealers. They have a real brick and mortar store that is authorized to sell eggs. They are not authorized to sell online, but do so in spite of the fact the BGE strictly prohibits that activity. I would be interested in reading their dealer agreement to see how prohibitive it is.
  • Scubadog
    Scubadog Posts: 100
    II have a couple of opinions on this.

    If HQ wanted to stop this, they could. But they won't because are simply in the business of selling as many eggs as they can. That's fine, it's their business. So the simple fact is that if you want the warranty, go to an authorized, non-internet dealer. If you don't care about the warranty, buy from the web. It's their business and they get to run it any way they want. So I'd say get over it or make your own egg and give yoursellf a warranty.

    Now on the flip-side, the HQ website says that the only reason for not providing the warranty is faulty packaging , shipping issues and people having problems resolving shipping and delivery problems. So the simple solution is to have new owners sign and send in a delivery confirmation to HQ stating that they have received their new egg and it is in perfect shape. Then have HQ honor the warranty. Internet buyer pays for shipping on warranty issues.

    What happens to the warranty if I move to another state or if my dealer goes out of business?
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    Stirring the Pot 101 you get an A. Promoting an internet business you get an F.

    For the rest.

    Can BGE stop this? - NO
    Are they trying? Yes

    I can put up a website and claim anything I want. I can tell people I have 100's of eggs in stock ready to sell. Truth is most of these Internet Shops don't have anything in stock. Doesn't matter if they are unauthorized Egg Dealers or sellers of nuts and bolts. When you place an order they buy the product and have it shipped to you. Factory Direct!!!

    Will a dealer or distributor ship to an individual? Yes they will. I would bet that BGE will ship and Egg to an individual, though, I never really asked. Is it easy to fool the distributor? You bet. All I have to do is say I am the person who bought the egg from me. Have it shipped right to my door please . Here is my address.

    If that Egg gets damaged in route you go to the internet dealer that sold it to you and they tell you to claim the warranty. They tell you this because for them to replace it they'd lose money. Well BGE isn't going to replace it.

    As for claiming to be a Microsoft Authorized or Starbuck's Dealer. Microsoft doesn't have "Authorized" Dealers, so any once can sell their product. Starbuck's Coffee can be puuchased in bulk from Sam's, BJ's and Costco to be served anywhere I choose.
  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    Let's not be disingenuous here, CW. Distributors do not, or should not, sell directly to consumers. They are wholesalers and therefore should be selling exclusively to authorized dealers. That list of authorized retailers should be maintained by BGE HQ and made available to the distributors to prevent the leaking of "gray-market" Eggs to internet dealers.

    Internet dealers who buy one or two Eggs at a retailer and then hawk them on the Net will not be a problem for authorized dealers. The fact that there are lots and lots of new Eggs being sold over the Net tells me BGE really isn't serious about dealing with the problem.

    Eggs are not Starbucks coffee.
  • Scubadog
    Scubadog Posts: 100
    I'm stick'n with my opinion because I get to.

    If someone wants good customer service and a warranty, they should go to a dealer. I did.

    If someone doesn't care about those things, go to the net and get the best deal and the internet customer service that comes with it.

    Can BGE find out who is allowing their product to end up on the internet and stop it if they really wanted to? Yes! But they would end up selling a lot less eggs. It’s not like there is an Egg laundering consortium that is falsifying invoices and shipping documents because they are concerned that BGE will find out who they are and exclude them.

    Is BGE in the business of selling lots and lots of eggs? You bet they are and MORE power to them.

    Is any subject or any opinion, popular or not, welcome on this forum providing that it's not rude, disrespectful or attacking someone else personally? It should be.

    (Well, maybe a little rude is OK. )

    Just my opinion of course….. What a country!!
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    Your logic would hold if they were just DISTRIBUTORS. Most of them are also retailers.

    If it was just a simple matter it would have been solved. It's not as simple as it looks.
  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    Sorry to quibble, but it does appear to be relatively simple, albeit a trifle more complex than I had posited. It would appear that distributors (presumably authorized by BGE) are wholesaling Eggs to business entities that are not authorized dealers. The solution, obviosuly, is for BGE to restrict distribution to wholesalers only and to audit them randomly to verify that sales are going exclusively to authorized dealers.

    Question: If I buy a used Egg from someone, is it still under warranty?
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    No it's not under warranty. Original Owner..

    If I was a dealer\distributor and I saw someone buying lots of eggs from me I would probably question where they are going. However, I actually care.

    To most egg dealers the BGE is an after-market item. All they care about is selling their gassers or the outdoor kitchen\patio they will design for the buyer. What do they care if I go buy 10-15 eggs from them.

    What do companies like BBQ galore care if I buy 10-15 eggs from them.

    It is not as simple as you would like to believe.
  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    Yeah, I suppose you have a point there. We focus so much on the Egg here, but the reality is probably such that BGE doesn't have that much leverage over those selling them.
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    Celtic Wolf wrote:
    ...Microsoft doesn't have "Authorized" Dealers...

    Oops, small correction. Microsoft does have "Authorized" Dealers See Micorsoft site Licensing Option then the second option from the bottom.

    As time goes on Microsoft is changing the wording to 'Partners' and Distributors but that conversion is not complete or all encompassing. On the retail side Microsoft has been using the Microsoft Gold Certified Dealer program.

    If Microsoft products are sold outside of those sources or any of the Microsoft authorized distribution levels then the sales are considered 'gray market'. Gray market is alive an well and it appears Microsoft does nothing to curb those sales other than if the products are counterfeit.

    All this has not much to do with BGE other than the online sales may be akin to 'gray market' sales in the computer and other industries.

    Speculation... there is the possibility that once ownership changes from mfg to distributor the mfg has no control or little control of how an item is sold.

    my 2¢

    GG
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    What microsoft considers a "Partner" is one who has spent tons of money training MSCE's They will call you an Authorized Dealer if you have an MCSE on staff or one you can claim is on staff.

    I sell all the Microsoft products I want without having an MCSE, because I buy the product from them.

    Gray market is when I sell my copy of Winders to you because I just bought a new puter that came with a copy.

    Bootleg is when I copy my product and either sell it to you or give it away.

    Comparing Microsoft\Starbucks to BGE is like comparing apples to oranges.
  • Crimsongator
    Crimsongator Posts: 5,797
    While searching for BGE on ebay, I came across a link to an internet site that is proud of being an authorized internet dealer. They even have a short video on the main page saying just that. I just found it interesting.

    G
  • Michael B
    Michael B Posts: 986
    Interesting.
    I just tried it using your zip code.
    It came up with 2 within 10 miles and 20 within 50 miles.
  • Michael B
    Michael B Posts: 986
    I checked eggguys.com.
    I didn't get the side tables, but I did get a plate setter, daisy top, and ash tool. I paid less at a local dealer than the eggguys.com price.