Stove Manufacturers Websites (Discussion, No Links)

coalstoves · Post by **coalstoves** » Fri. Jan. 04, 2008 2:31 am

I have a folder that contains links to all coal related sites and the stove company sites never seem to get updated Keystokers about the worst all the great photo and video tools and features available today you think they would showcase the product more .
Hell we have a couple of personal pages that get updated all the time and we ain't even selling anything .

Now a day it seems the best web site usually gets the business or at least the best shot at a potential customer .

Leisure Line used to have a video of the stoker mechanism they use and I can't find it anymore ?

Post by **Richard S.** » Fri. Jan. 04, 2008 2:56 am

Websites are not cheap to maintain unless you can do it yourself. I've seen prices ranging in the $25-$50 dollar range simply to make minor changes such as adding text, something that takes literally seconds if you know how to do it.

The other options include getting one that is easily updated built for you but that doesn't come cheap, the software I'm developing now for example will be free to use by anyone who gets their site developed and hosted by me but will carry a hefty charge if you want to take it elsewhere. That's not to say the site won't be avle to be moved as that's not the case, it just won't be easily updated without the software. Pretty much what you have with a lot of sites now.

There's a lot of other cheaper alternatives like open source content management systems but you do need at least a little bit of HTML knowledge and how a server operates if you want to do it yourself. If you take this forum software for example you can download it right now, get yourself a $5 hosting package and be online with it in minutes. What you don't get is the customization. For that matter you can do it for free if you can live with ads.

As for the companies not maintaining their sites and ignoring the potential altogether by not having one they are going to wake up some day and wish they had. At some point there is going to be major shift and the yellow pages will disappear overnight, those without established websites are going to be left out in the cold.

Matthaus · Post by **Matthaus** » Fri. Jan. 04, 2008 7:11 am

coalstoves wrote:........... you think they would showcase the product more....

And here I thought the glass was half full, what was I thinking!?

av8r · Post by **av8r** » Fri. Jan. 04, 2008 10:01 am

Richard S. wrote:Websites are not cheap to maintain unless you can do it yourself. I've seen prices ranging in the $25-$50 dollar range simply to make minor changes such as adding text, something that takes literally seconds if you know how to do it.

The other options include getting one that is easily updated built for you but that doesn't come cheap, the software I'm developing now for example will be free to use by anyone who gets their site developed and hosted by me but will carry a hefty charge if you want to take it elsewhere. That's not to say the site won't be avle to be moved as that's not the case, it just won't be easily updated without the software. Pretty much what you have with a lot of sites now.

There's a lot of other cheaper alternatives like open source content management systems but you do need at least a little bit of HTML knowledge and how a server operates if you want to do it yourself. If you take this forum software for example you can download it right now, get yourself a $5 hosting package and be online with it in minutes. What you don't get is the customization. For that matter you can do it for free if you can live with ads.

As for the companies not maintaining their sites and ignoring the potential altogether by not having one they are going to wake up some day and wish they had. At some point there is going to be major shift and the yellow pages will disappear overnight, those without established websites are going to be left out in the cold.

I charge $65/hour as a minimum for anything I do including site updates. Places more value on my time and keeps clients from calling every 5 minutes. They learn to manage what they need and bring me a group of changes instead of onesey-twoseys.

Most of the people I know already use the internet as their phone book, research tool, entertainment, etc. What may protect these small, niche businesses is the fact that they are small, niche businesses. People will *have* to go looking for these places and they'll gravitate naturally to the internet as a resource either by themselves or with the help of a more technologically savvy person. Having said that, if a company's web presence appears to be poor or an afterthought, that company may be rejected as a potential option by the consumer. I do it all the time...so do lots of other people. It's a true paradigm shift and some businesses just won't come up to speed in time. Natural selection in the business world I guess.

High quality digital cameras are plentiful, cheap and simple to use. Video is the same way. A site with low quality images, poor design, etc could be interpreted by the consumer as a lack of interest.

I think guys like Stoker-man and EFM have the right idea. Posting like he does will pay back in spades. It's nearly free and the audience you get is huge and on target.

dbrisky · Post by **dbrisky** » Fri. Jan. 04, 2008 10:58 am

Hey, is that bigziff from DooT

alk?

Post by **pvolcko** » Fri. Jan. 04, 2008 2:57 pm

Keep in mind, the coal business and stove business is seasonal. Most sites get updates in the late spring/early summer and will get some sporadic updating during the summer in prep for the sales season starting in the fall. Once that starts sites aren't updated because the products aren't changing, dealer networks are set, and everyone is consumed with production and sales work.

Also, this business is about selling large steel boxes with heavy, cast burning grates. New stoves are introduced maybe once every 10 years. Existing stoves maybe get cosmetic changes or slight changes in the venting configurations -- or new fangled thermostatic control systems

-- but generally once they are designed and are put on the market they do not change much. This naturally leads to infrequently modified websites.

coalstoves · Post by **coalstoves** » Fri. Jan. 04, 2008 3:09 pm

pvolcko wrote: Also, this business is about selling large steel boxes with heavy, cast burning grates. New stoves are introduced maybe once every 10 years. Existing stoves maybe get cosmetic changes or slight changes in the venting configurations -- or new fangled thermostatic control systems -- but generally once they are designed and are put on the market they do not change much. This naturally leads to infrequently modified websites.

Thats a good point, as a consumer who starts just about any and all major purchases with a web search I like to see the site updated periodically even after the purchase I like to go back to see "Whats Goin On" fresh photos different colors other angles -- news, views and insights, especially product videos and with youtube it's a snap to get it out there and consumers to veiw it .
I haven't used the Yellow Pages in 3 or 4 years unfortunately I'm prolly missing out on some good folks who just haven't caught on yet .

av8r · Post by **av8r** » Fri. Jan. 04, 2008 3:49 pm

pvolcko wrote:New stoves are introduced maybe once every 10 years.

Another thing I hadn't thought of is that most of the people that are looking, are probably looking for the first time, so the site not being updated really won't apply. I still think that poor quality images and or lack of multiple views of the product for sale is not conducive to better sales. The sites I like the best are those that provide detailed images with multiple angles, schematics and dimensional drawings. I may the odd duck, but I like details.

coalstoves · Post by **coalstoves** » Fri. Jan. 04, 2008 6:31 pm

I don't think a consumer marketing approach needs to be limited to innovations in the product itself nor do I think there is a universal marketing approach so updating is essential in reaching as many folks as possible .

But I'm not educated in marketing nor have I worked in advertising, I'm just a Truck Driver who buys things

spc · Post by **spc** » Fri. Jan. 04, 2008 7:39 pm

pvolcko wrote:new fangled thermostatic control systems

Paul

CoalHeat · Post by **CoalHeat** » Fri. Jan. 04, 2008 8:18 pm

That's where I chose my stove.

Post by **pvolcko** » Sat. Jan. 05, 2008 4:52 pm

spc wrote:
pvolcko wrote:new fangled thermostatic control systems
Paul

hehe... just some self deprecating humor.

I tend to agree with people here, that more aggressive online presence and marketing can be beneficial to this business, especially in the last couple years and moving forward with the high energy costs and people seeking alternatives. It isn't likely to be as beneficial as it is in other industries and product markets, but there are certainly still many customers to be reached in these new ways.

I was just pointing out some of the reasons why the coal stove business has been slow to develop in this direction.

billw · Post by **billw** » Sat. Jan. 05, 2008 5:07 pm

Something to consider about your internet marketing. I'm a 55 year old fart that came up with the idea to switch heating systems to coal from oil because of price. The first place I went for information was the internet. It allows you to learn and look at alternatives without some dam salesman asking if they could help. The point is the internet is the first place most people go look for products. I even look up stuff for my 76 YO mother.

I wish I invented the internet instead of Al Gore, I could've retired by now.

Post by **Richard S.** » Sat. Jan. 05, 2008 6:51 pm

Well I think you only have to look at the success of this site to get an idea of how well it can work, my stats continue to climb daily. As of right now I'm receiving about 1000 unique IP hits per day which is the most accurate measurement to gauge how many people are viewing your site. Each IP hit is only counted once in 24 hour period no matter how many pages they view and is individual to one computer connection. Those 1000 people are also producing 2000 visits in 24 hour period, a visit is determined by a unique IP hit but with a time limit, in other words it's how many times the came back during the course of the day.

All told average over the last 4 days has been 36,000 pages per day. You'd also have to take into account that the regular members are going to inflate that number, my best guesstimate is that your average viewer is probably viewing 5-10 pages. If you can keep them for 5 that is pretty good, 10 is very good...

I think another thing that many business's overlook is the power of advertising available. If you buy a small add in the yellow pages it's something like $500. That $500 would go a long way in a Google ad campaign. The big difference there is you are targeting your audience and only paying for people that are interested in your product.