So Let me please address some question asked about this post
Coalstoves you start out saying that you were going to call and get PRICES but nowhere in your post is there a price mentioned... Because the prices were drastically inconsistent between the dealers and in one case completely inaccurate based on knowledge of the stove . I did not want to post inaccurate prices
Did you leave a message with a price request to see if you would get a call back?? What time did you call, was it even during their business hours?? No I did not leave a message and I am not the only one who doesn't like voicemail, a return call would have came at a time less opportune when I was no longer researching prices . I did specifically note that it was during the posted hours to call which made V.mail a little more frustrating
If you want a price quote on a product, why use a derogatory term for it [fancy thermostat] when you know the real name for the product...[Coal Trol] So maybe the dealer could look up the product by it's real name on his price list for you.?? The reference to the thermostat was not posed in a derogatory fashion but rather from a consumer who new absolutely nothing about it other than the fact it was special and heard this brand stove had it . I did not call to inform the dealer or debate what they told me
Did you call any Keystoker dealers?? How about Harman?? Or Bakerstoves?? How about Alaska? Hitzer?? No the list of stoves I plan to price check was broken down into categories to try and keep a type of order .The first round of calls included Reading and Leisure Line based on the fact that they are the 2 newest entries into the stoker market they both use a similar feed type ( The Carpet ) and they both offer the Coal Trol one as a standard feature the other as an optional upgrade . My next call would include Alaska & Keystoker based on the fact they are old timers in the biz and use pusher feeds . Harman would be my last call because I know it will be the highest priced and usually the last considered because of it . The other companies mentioned do not offer stoker stoves so were not included
Coalstoves,
My name is Karen. You probably heard my name on the voicemail message that you did not respond to by leaving your name and number. I return all messages ASAP.
If you are looking for prices and information we have them listed on our web site at **Broken Link(s) Removed**. I can also give you any information you want about the (fancy) thermostat.
My hours are also listed on the web site and on the phone message.
Hello Karen
I regret not getting a chance to speak with you as I already knew that you would be able to provide not just the price but also leave no detail about the product to the imagination, I have had the opportunity to meet you in person at the store about a year and a half ago it was informative and very very pleasant. I did not message you because the time of a return call may have been inconvenient or awkward for me . I did visit the website linked to and I must commend you on the fact that so far you are the only factory direct dealer that is straight forward enough to post the no BS price right up front, I was more than just a bit put off by the fact Reading wanted to know where I was from before giving a price . My research is based on a customer not doing any web related searches though .
Well there, I hope I have been able to shed some light on how I approached this and what its intent was . I found it to be a little more frustrating than I thought it would be and spent more time on 2 stoves than I thought I would have invested in the whole list . The research and what happened was not at all what I expected and it was not well received by some folks so my desire to finish this little project is fading fast . But we'll seeRendering any opinion on an industry based on a sample of 4 calls isn't something I'd consider wise.
Please don’t mistake this as trying to develop an opinion about a brand of stove or the industry as a whole, it was a price request that’s all, how it unfolded was a bit of a surprise to me also