Researching Is a Pain in the Butt

sandman wrote:
check out
HEART LINE
ROUTE 137 NORTH
JAFFREY, NH 03452
603-532-4513

theve got a bunch of stoves. I bought my stoker boiler there (there first coal boiler sale)

they do mostly pellet stoves but have coal stoves and furnaces on the showroom floor.

jim

Thanks Jim, they are one of the guys on my list. They only sell Harman and don't sell coal. I think that will be the place we'll stop at to see the Harman line the next time we go up to NH.

Even though so many of the manufacturers and dealers are not internet savvy, imagine trying to research any product before purchasing without doing research online. When I am considering a purchase the first place I go is the internet. Sure makes things a lot easier and time-saving.

Wood'nCoal wrote:Even though so many of the manufacturers and dealers are not internet savvy, imagine trying to research any product before purchasing without doing research online. When I am considering a purchase the first place I go is the internet. Sure makes things a lot easier and time-saving.

Absolutely, it helps knowing when sales people are trying to BS you.

I buy most of my things online and if I can't I really try and find out everything I can before stepping into a showroom. The biggest thing I want to know is how low the price can go so I know how much wiggle room the sales person really has to knock the price down. Just say no to retail!

Coal Jockey wrote: “I've found this sort of thing quite common with email inquiries. Frankly I think that companies get so much garbage email that they don't take seriously the legitimate email they receive.”

I’m confused, CJ.

Why would Alaska Stove Co., or any other company for that matter, invite potential customers to “Contact Us” if they are not going to take such e-mail seriously?

Since your email was serious, & so was mine, why not deal with it in a timely fashion?

Imo Harman & Alaska are suffering from snafu-itus which, if not dealt with immediately, will definitely result in their lose of market share, at best, or bankruptcy at worst.

It’s like

Wood’nCoal said: “… imagine trying to research any product before purchasing without doing research online. When I am considering a purchase the first place I go is the internet. Sure makes things a lot easier and time-saving.”

about which SPC seconded.

The intelligent consumer has had enough of buying “a pig in a poke“ & are going to use the internet to ensure that they get factual info in order to make a wise purchase at the best price. Any company stiffing them, unless the co. already has a captured & guaranteed market, like Western Electric had with the Bell system prior to Judge Green’s breakup, will soon discover the futility of swimming against the business tide.

While the CEO, CFO, CIO, etc can have their grunts sing & clap like Wal-Mart employees do, those antics are not going to save their business unless they employ the entire Wal-Mart business model. While the Wal-Mart crew are not the quickest in answering questions, nevertheless they always answered mine on the same visit.

Two months & yet no response speaks volumes.

Anyway, have a good one, CJ.

spc wrote:These guys are in Ma. & sell coal & stoves. I never used them though.

That's where I bought my Channing! Great people to deal with IMO. They have floor models of the different brands they carry to do comparisons, helped alot with the decision making proccess.

That place is near where my father in law lives so we're going to try and check it out this month. What are some of you local guys paying for coal and what brand is it and have you heard of or tried from any of these places that I have on my list?

Copied and pasted from the Pea-Nut thread:

My email from Blaschak Coal Corp. gave me one local dealer in Westminster at an Aubuchon Hardware store, but according to Aubuchon Hardware's website they don't have a store there. I did get a hold of one in Orange, Ma that sells it for 370.20 a pallet which he says is 60 40lb bags which equals to 2400lb. Which seems a little high to me, 10 extra bags for almost one third of other prices quotes? A place in Keene (Chabott Coal Co.) sells the Blaschak for 297 a ton pickup or 2 ton min delivered for $5 a loaded mile times about 24 miles is another $120 bucks

Spuria's sells a brand called Ventura Coal? I guess it's out of Littleton,MA for 280 a ton $60 bucks for 3 ton min delivery or That allow people to buy it and store it there for free and they can come and take some as they need it, which doesn't sound to bad for people with no storage space.

Agway sells there own Agway brand of coal, have no idea who's inside their bag? Keene,NH says they have it for 282 a ton and delivered for $50. Gardner, Ma says it for 8.99 a bag, when asked about cost per ton the little old lady says "I don't think we ever sold a ton of it before".

National Coal Co. in Worcester,Ma says Blaschak coal for 300 a ton but with me at 49 miles away I am out of their delivery range.

Bernardston Farmers Supply has Reading coal bagged at 285 a ton and bulk at 235 a ton. Will deliver a 2 ton min for $5 a loaded mile at about 45 miles comes to $225 bucks.

Agway and Spuria's have the best price so far that I could find but have no idea on their generic brand of coal. This is turning out to really be a chore spending the last two days on the phone searching for coal and coal prices. I think so far the Harman TLC-2000 seems like the stove for us being it seems to offer what we need.

I tried looking up Ventura Coal online and I don't see anything on them. The lady at the store said they were from Littleton,Ma? Anyone heard of or used them before?

Looking at non heating coil stoves so far after reading about them on here and through the online manual I like the Harman TLC. It seems to offer a long burn time and a large ash pan for the lowest price so far and it can run without electricity. For a heated coil stove I tried looking up LL because I've seen some prices on them but they don't have any of their manual's online for people to look at, seems a bit out of the times. Anybody have any recommendation's for a Coal stove that comes with a heating coil? I really like something that has the option of running without electricity for those rare days when it might be needed.

I tried looking up Ventura Coal online and I don't see anything on them. The lady at the store said they were from Littleton,Ma? Anyone heard of or used them before?

Ventura Coal and Grain, Taunton, MA.

http://www.venturagraininc.com/homeheating.html

When I called Ventura they said they were bagging Kimmels Coal. The local hardware store carries it.

CapeCoaler wrote:

I tried looking up Ventura Coal online and I don't see anything on them. The lady at the store said they were from Littleton,Ma? Anyone heard of or used them before?

Ventura Coal and Grain, Taunton, MA.

http://www.venturagraininc.com/homeheating.html

When I called Ventura they said they were bagging Kimmels Coal. The local hardware store carries it.

Thanks CapeCoaler.

Does anyone know anything about Kimmels Coal? There web site isn't very plain http://www.kimmelcoal.com/

Adamiscold wrote:

CapeCoaler wrote: Ventura Coal and Grain, Taunton, MA.

http://www.venturagraininc.com/homeheating.html

When I called Ventura they said they were bagging Kimmels Coal. The local hardware store carries it.

Thanks CapeCoaler.

Does anyone know anything about Kimmels Coal? There web site isn't very plain http://www.kimmelcoal.com/

adamiscold,
I can vouch for Kimmels being good coal. I burn it and am a dealer. Some may have gotten a bad batch and gotten sour, but I've not experienced any of that. It may be because of the fact that I source mine from a broker/importer here and Kimmels ships only the best across the border for export. Either way, It is fine coal in 50lb bags.

Thanks Coal Jockey

Adam, CSM bags their own as well. Cost wise...255 per ton, I don't know what brand it is but I bought a ton of theirs and a ton of Blashak and I can honestly say that I see no difference in burnability ( is that even a word?) CSM sells 50lbs bags in lieu of 40lb Blashak wetted bags. Can't go wrong either way IMO.

cms or bernardston are going to be your best bet

brockton ice and coal is a little cheaper but wont be after you factor in the drive.

jim

btw: I plan on getting my rice at the breakers when visiting in pa

BearKnot wrote:

Coal Jockey wrote: “I've found this sort of thing quite common with email inquiries. Frankly I think that companies get so much garbage email that they don't take seriously the legitimate email they receive.”

I’m confused, CJ.

Why would Alaska Stove Co., or any other company for that matter, invite potential customers to “Contact Us” if they are not going to take such e-mail seriously?

Since your email was serious, & so was mine, why not deal with it in a timely fashion?

.

Because many companies are still geared towards the 80's and early 90's. The fact that there is a "contact us" on their site does not mean in any way that they will actually get back to you in that fashion. Some put up token websites to give the appearance of "new" or "modern" or "cutting edge". They don't maintain or support the website. They either don't have the personel to handle it, won't hire someone to manage the daily flow of traffic or simply don't take it seriously yet. This happens quite a bit in many industries. Websites are a "me too" type of thing to some.
Yeah, it ticks me off too.

But what's worse, is when you do call them.... and they refuse to speak to you! (HARMAN)

"Gotta go to a dealer"
"I have a problem with my dealer..."
"Gotta talk to the dealer"
"But that's the problem, they've been here 6 times ..."
"I won't talk to you. Go to the dealer..."
"May I talk to tech support please?"
"NO. There is no tech support. Go to your dealer"
"Ok. Guess what manufacturer my furnace WON'T be coming from.... See ya! "

BS! The consumer is in charge, NOT the manufacturer. As such, we demand better service and attitudes. If you won't provide them, we will go to someone who does.