Is Harman Giving People the Shaft?

This an issue with every type of stove they make, its not just the coal units.

That analogy would be true if pellet stoves were available but the fact is no equipment is being shipped. The dealers were told that we would get 110% of the average of our last three years purchases. If you had already reached that milestone well, no more units. Harman is the only line that I sell, in the past when they told me a ship date I received the merchandise within three or four days of the date. As I said in a previous post, if Harman told me I wasn't going to receive the stoves in a timly manner I wouldn't have told my customers that I would have a stove for them. The ship date of the first special order I made this spring (ship date 6/22) was rescheduled 11 months later

At the start of last season my Harman dealer told me he didn't have any stock of coal stoves.I asked him why and he said that coal was taking a Siesta.
I thought people were buying almost all pellet stoves and he didn't want to take up inventory space with coal stoves and he probably could just order one if he had to.
I think he knew then that something was going on.
He used to display every pellet stove Harman made plus their magnum coal stoker and two or three hand fired coal stoves. In May all he had to show for coal was the Magnum stoker on display.

He also sells other brands of pellet stoves.

Our local hardware store just started carrying a brand of pellet stove, called, I think, St. Croix, from NY. There didn't seem to be any shortage of them. What's the quality of this brand?

I have a friend that has a St Croix, He seems satisfied with it. The St Croix needs to be cleaned weekly but other than that it seems good. I am debating carrying them next year as an alternate to Harman

St Croix makes some very good pellet and corn stoves.

Steve.N wrote:That analogy would be true if pellet stoves were available but the fact is no equipment is being shipped. The dealers were told that we would get 110% of the average of our last three years purchases. If you had already reached that milestone well, no more units. Harman is the only line that I sell, in the past when they told me a ship date I received the merchandise within three or four days of the date. As I said in a previous post, if Harman told me I wasn't going to receive the stoves in a timly manner I wouldn't have told my customers that I would have a stove for them. The ship date of the first special order I made this spring (ship date 6/22) was rescheduled 11 months later

Does Harman have a network of "floor plan" dealers, a network of registered dealers free to buy open stock, or can anyone place an order? (It may be a combination of all three.)

If Harman were my company and the demand for solid fuel appliances was skyrocketing, I would take care of my floor plan dealers first, my best open stock dealers next and others last. Obviously Harman is overwhelmed with orders and perhaps have an internal production problem. But, I reiterate, without a contract for delivery, retailers should not be selling goods for delivery times based on past delivery. Like all the stock brokers say, "past performance is not a guarantee of future performance".

As far as I know all Harman dealers are the same, some buy more some buy less but I believe we all buy through the same process.

When an order is placed and Harman gives a price and ship date I look at that as an assurance of performance, maby not as binding as a contract but still something the dealer should be able to believe in. Comparing to the stock market is a poor example because when you buy stock you get no assurance what the price will be tomorrow or next week. That is true speculation

What I don't understand is if their dealers put in orders for a certain amount of stoves and Harman didn't think they could fill the orders why didn't they tell the dealer last spring when the orders were placed?

Were did all the stoves go that Harman said they would make for their dealers? With that said I'm glad I got mine this past June as look what's happened.

I got my Type A from Lowes (SuperVent) and I'm glad all the pieces came in. No shortage. Most must be buying Pellet piping.

That is the 64 thousand dollar question. Harman makes a great product but I don't know if I can ever trust them again. Next season they certainly will not be my main product line.

Well, I was all set to order my VF-3000 this week. I was quoted a price of around $4000.00, with the domestic water coil option. My neighbor just got one delivered, with that option, and the oil burner option. $7202.00 !!!!
I can't imagine the oil burner option costing $3000.00.
I'll be looking at EFM's. Anybody know if there's availability/price gouging problems with these?
Can I order from the factory?

It pays to shop around. I was quoted $3,000 over factory list price for my Axeman Anderson from one dealer. That was in April.

Latest from Harman

What about orders on Central Heat, Specifcally the VF 3000? My dealer has told me December....

i ordered my Harman boiler probably the end of may, or beginning of june. I was told my boiler was to be produced beginning of july. no-go. called the dealer yesterday, he has now given me a production date of early october(he did actually give me a specific date, I just don't remeber). he claims that date is written in stone. "not before and not after". I really want to believe him. the only real glimmer of hope that I am holding onto, is the fact that the dealer already had ordered these units. he said after these, it was probably gonna be 2009. so, for now all I can do is get everything else in place, and hope I get an early christmas present. I would really hate to back out of this deal now, I think all manufacturers will soon be backlogged with orders.