3000W Chinese Gensets Info.
professor95 wrote: EDIT ADDED 45/5/2013- When this thread started in March of 2005, I never expected to see it survive this long or amass the quantity of information that has been shared here. In...
Forum Discussion
Recently I commented in a posting that the Sunday two page color add from PepBoys Auto that had religiously featured their line of PowerPro and UST generators had disappeared from out local newspaper.
Several other forum contributors commented that their newspapers still carried the ad insert.
This got me to wondering. Why would PepBoys no longer advertise in a regional newspaper that served a metro population as large as Richmond?
So, I asked some questions of a friend who I felt should know. This is what I learned.
None of the PepBoys auto stores in this area are in Hanover County (where I live). The majority are in Chesterfield and Henrico counties. It just so happens that the nearest PepBoys to me is only about 8 miles away since I am reasonably close to a county line.
The newspaper offers to advertisers what they call “Regional Advertising”. This means that a specific store or business can choose to have their advertising flyers included only in the newspapers delivered to a specific area.
Perhaps you have noticed that some stores ask for your zip code when you make a purchase? Have you ever wondered what they do with this zip code data?
Well, they use it to target advertising.
In my area the zip code of 23111 (Mechanicsville in Hanover County) apparently is low on the list for target advertising. Makes sense since there are no PepBoys stores in Hanover County – which is pretty darn big. So, this advertiser has elected to save a few bucks by NOT including its advertising in newspapers delivered to my region.
That, my friends, is why I no longer know what generators PepBoys has on sale or featured.
The same could very well be true in your area. Thus, you could miss out on sales or special offers on generators that are right under your nose – or at least within a reasonable drive.
Just something to keep in mind if you are checking your newspaper for generator information.
I also did some investigation to find out more about TSC (Tractor Supply). While I cannot unequivocally tell you that all of this is 100% true, my information comes from an individual that I trust (BTW, this particular individual is NOT someone at CPE).
Apparently the decision to stock or not stock a certain item, like a Champion generator, is up to the store manager. If the manager is not convinced that it is to his store’s advantage to have generators in stock, they will probably have a clean shelf. On the other hand, if the manager believes that he (or she) can move them out the door like birdseed, expect to find a good inventory. This type of logic has always bothered me! How do you know how well something will sell if you do not have it on the floor to sell?
Soooo, if you have a TSC store near you that doesn’t have the little yellow Champions make a fuss to the manager and tell them that there are literally hundreds (maybe thousands?) of potential customers out there just drooling over these little yellow gensets but are not visiting his (or her) store since word is out that they do not stock them!
As for the comment that TSC starts all generators before selling them; that would be an individual store’s decision. It is apparently not a TSC policy. What does happen though, is that each and every engine that goes on a Champion genny is run tested at the factory. I have seen some photos of the process and it is really neat how they clamp the engine, provide fuel and oil as well as exhaust. The engines are tested for torque on a huge machine. If they don't pass, they are not used. Best I can explain is it looks a lot like you might if you were connected to IV's, cather, oxygen and EKG leads in a hospital (sorry if that sounds gross - but it is comparitive!).
TSC has a policy that every store employee has the authority to do what ever it takes to make the customer happy. This is posted in big letters on the wall inside every TSC store. While all TSC stores do not necessarily follow the next item in every situation, they do have a reputation of providing one of the most liberal return policies of any such retail outlet. I was once told that a customer returned a pair of worn out boots he had bought almost a year prior and they happily exchanged them for a brand new pair. The same is purportedly true of other products – buy an engine, water pump, lawnmower, etc. and if it conks out 8 months down the road take it back. They rarely send it out for repair – they just exchange it out for a new one. Keep your sales receipt!
I received my new Cabela’s 2008 Fall catalog in Friday’s mail. They are showing the Champion 3,500 watt RV ready generator on page 302 for $399.99. The wheel kit is an additional $49.99. Included with the catalog is a $20 off coupon good until October 15. No mention of shipping cost if the generator is not picked up in a store. Not the best price by any means, but certainly not the worst either.
I am still waiting to hear if Parts America (CSK and Advance Auto) is going to get a new model Champ before the first of the New Year. The factory shut down in China for the Olympic games (two months) will surely have a negative impact on the availability of all Chinese generators by October. My forecast is that we will see a significant price increase after the current Chinese genset inventory from all retailers is depleted.
Several other forum contributors commented that their newspapers still carried the ad insert.
This got me to wondering. Why would PepBoys no longer advertise in a regional newspaper that served a metro population as large as Richmond?
So, I asked some questions of a friend who I felt should know. This is what I learned.
None of the PepBoys auto stores in this area are in Hanover County (where I live). The majority are in Chesterfield and Henrico counties. It just so happens that the nearest PepBoys to me is only about 8 miles away since I am reasonably close to a county line.
The newspaper offers to advertisers what they call “Regional Advertising”. This means that a specific store or business can choose to have their advertising flyers included only in the newspapers delivered to a specific area.
Perhaps you have noticed that some stores ask for your zip code when you make a purchase? Have you ever wondered what they do with this zip code data?
Well, they use it to target advertising.
In my area the zip code of 23111 (Mechanicsville in Hanover County) apparently is low on the list for target advertising. Makes sense since there are no PepBoys stores in Hanover County – which is pretty darn big. So, this advertiser has elected to save a few bucks by NOT including its advertising in newspapers delivered to my region.
That, my friends, is why I no longer know what generators PepBoys has on sale or featured.
The same could very well be true in your area. Thus, you could miss out on sales or special offers on generators that are right under your nose – or at least within a reasonable drive.
Just something to keep in mind if you are checking your newspaper for generator information.
I also did some investigation to find out more about TSC (Tractor Supply). While I cannot unequivocally tell you that all of this is 100% true, my information comes from an individual that I trust (BTW, this particular individual is NOT someone at CPE).
Apparently the decision to stock or not stock a certain item, like a Champion generator, is up to the store manager. If the manager is not convinced that it is to his store’s advantage to have generators in stock, they will probably have a clean shelf. On the other hand, if the manager believes that he (or she) can move them out the door like birdseed, expect to find a good inventory. This type of logic has always bothered me! How do you know how well something will sell if you do not have it on the floor to sell?
Soooo, if you have a TSC store near you that doesn’t have the little yellow Champions make a fuss to the manager and tell them that there are literally hundreds (maybe thousands?) of potential customers out there just drooling over these little yellow gensets but are not visiting his (or her) store since word is out that they do not stock them!
As for the comment that TSC starts all generators before selling them; that would be an individual store’s decision. It is apparently not a TSC policy. What does happen though, is that each and every engine that goes on a Champion genny is run tested at the factory. I have seen some photos of the process and it is really neat how they clamp the engine, provide fuel and oil as well as exhaust. The engines are tested for torque on a huge machine. If they don't pass, they are not used. Best I can explain is it looks a lot like you might if you were connected to IV's, cather, oxygen and EKG leads in a hospital (sorry if that sounds gross - but it is comparitive!).
TSC has a policy that every store employee has the authority to do what ever it takes to make the customer happy. This is posted in big letters on the wall inside every TSC store. While all TSC stores do not necessarily follow the next item in every situation, they do have a reputation of providing one of the most liberal return policies of any such retail outlet. I was once told that a customer returned a pair of worn out boots he had bought almost a year prior and they happily exchanged them for a brand new pair. The same is purportedly true of other products – buy an engine, water pump, lawnmower, etc. and if it conks out 8 months down the road take it back. They rarely send it out for repair – they just exchange it out for a new one. Keep your sales receipt!
I received my new Cabela’s 2008 Fall catalog in Friday’s mail. They are showing the Champion 3,500 watt RV ready generator on page 302 for $399.99. The wheel kit is an additional $49.99. Included with the catalog is a $20 off coupon good until October 15. No mention of shipping cost if the generator is not picked up in a store. Not the best price by any means, but certainly not the worst either.
I am still waiting to hear if Parts America (CSK and Advance Auto) is going to get a new model Champ before the first of the New Year. The factory shut down in China for the Olympic games (two months) will surely have a negative impact on the availability of all Chinese generators by October. My forecast is that we will see a significant price increase after the current Chinese genset inventory from all retailers is depleted.
