Contrasting Retail Service Experience - buying stove in Tas

[Son of a Beach]

My Kovea Superlight stove was great while it lasted but it didn't last long, so it was time to buy a new stove this morning.

I like to support the local Tasmanian bushwalking shop when I can, so that's where I headed first. Unfortunately, the service was not stellar.

When I entered, I walked straight to the area where their stoves are displayed, and when the sales assistant asked if she could help, I explained in quite some detail about the kind of stove I wanted, including remote gas canister, preheat tube, light weight. The sales assistant then proceeded to 'educate' me on the gas ratios that should be used for cooking in extreme cold and that I should buy such-and-such brand of gas because it was the only one that had the gas ratio that suited. I told her that I was not interested in gas right now and that I just wanted to buy a stove. It took quite some time to convince her to stop talking about gas and to discuss actual stoves. Then it took even longer for her to understand what some of the features I was after actually meant (in particular a remote gas canister, ie, stove not screwed directly on top of the canister, but connected by a hose). Eventually, she understood and said that they don't have any such stoves in stock for gas right now, only for liquid (shellite). So she looked up a couple in her catalogue and recommended two that I could order in, including the Kovea (Elemental) Moonwalker for $120.

I thanked her and decided to look elsewhere. I really needed a stove this week if possible.

In the next shop (part of a national chain) the experience was completely different.

Again, I walked straight towards where I knew their stoves are kept. As I walked past one of the sales assistants, she immediately picked up that I knew what I wanted without me even opening my mouth. "Can I help you with anything? Are you after something specific? It looks like you're on a mission.", she said. I explained much the same as before what I was after, and this time she listened carefully, understood, and realised that I had a fairly good idea of what I wanted and why, and that I didn't need a lot of educating about stoves (or gas mixtures). Low and behold, she actually had a Kovea (Elemental) Moonwalker in stock too. She showed me a couple of different stoves and we discussed some of the pros and cons. When I asked her a question she didn't know the answer to, she said straight up that she didn't know, and she attempted to find out (but I beat her to it, looking at the box, while she looked through the instructions). I walked out with a Moonwalker stove for $80 dollars (it was on special, and my wife is in their members 'club').

The two experiences couldn't have been more different in every possible way. Some of the things can't necessarily be helped (can't always have everything in stock, and on special), but on top of the already less than great service, they really made the experience quite frustrating at the first shop.

I do not want to name them, as I really don't want to bring down a local business. But I really do want to encourage people to do better. I like to buy locally where possible, and to support local businesses, but I can't keep supporting a business if it simply doesn't serve me well.

Anyhow, I've now gone from a 60g stove back up to a 200+g stove. I think the extra weight will be worth it for better cold weather performance, and better stability (which is an issue when I often do real cooking when out bush, not just boiling and rehydrating).

Tried it out on the kitchen bench to make my wife a cup of tea when I got home. Works well so far (not much of a test), but I broke the first rule of the safety instructions already (only use outdoors).

[Avatar]

Begs the question, what happened to the Kovea Supalite (KB-0707)? I've been using one of these for a while now.

I ordered a Kovea Spider (KB-1109) from chovin on ebay and it arrived in 6 days. 170g. $83 landed. Sweet.

[Son of a Beach]

With the superlite it was a problem that a few people have had. After working well for quite a while it started to just stall and go out occasionally. Then it got worse and went out every time it got really heated up. It would not start again until it cooled down.

It became incredibly painful to just boil a cup of water. Eventually I decided it would be easier to carry the entire huge heavy Trangia and tossed the Kovea out.

It seemed to be an issue with gas flow when hot. Only started happening after I'd had it a couple of years.

[Strider]

Begs the question, what happened to the Kovea Supalite (KB-0707)? I've been using one of these for a while now.

I ordered a Kovea Spider (KB-1109) from chovin on ebay and it arrived in 6 days. 170g. $83 landed. Sweet.

Woah. They were $50 with free postage when I looked a few days ago.

Supalites have a known issue with the length of the pin that depresses the Lindal valve being too short.

[Son of a Beach]

That explanation certainly fits the symptoms mine had. And I've heard others say that it is worse with some canisters than others, which also fits the pin explanation.

[Avatar]

Begs the question, what happened to the Kovea Supalite (KB-0707)? I've been using one of these for a while now.

I ordered a Kovea Spider (KB-1109) from chovin on ebay and it arrived in 6 days. 170g. $83 landed. Sweet.

Woah. They were $50 with free postage when I looked a few days ago.

Supalites have a known issue with the length of the pin that depresses the Lindal valve being too short.

Your quote is US$ (same price as a Supalite). Shipping is US$23 for this stove (Supalite is US$6)

Aussie dollar was around 92 cents, exchange rate 89 cents, plus the postage cost was applied to each item even though only one parcel.
$56+ $26= $82

[Strider]

Begs the question, what happened to the Kovea Supalite (KB-0707)? I've been using one of these for a while now.

I ordered a Kovea Spider (KB-1109) from chovin on ebay and it arrived in 6 days. 170g. $83 landed. Sweet.

Woah. They were $50 with free postage when I looked a few days ago.

Supalites have a known issue with the length of the pin that depresses the Lindal valve being too short.

Your quote is US$ (same price as a Supalite). Shipping is US$23 for this stove (Supalite is US$6)

Aussie dollar was around 92 cents, exchange rate 89 cents, plus the postage cost was applied to each item even though only one parcel.
$56+ $26= $82

Perhaps you're right - I may have been looking at USD. But its still only AUD$53.25. Free postage.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 1163703297

[Avatar]

Yes. alfresco_gear ebay. Different seller to the one I used - Hong Kong based competition. Bit late now. Thanks for putting me right. Ouch.

[jacko1956]

Wonderful to hear an example of big chain giving better service.
I often feel the speciality store salespeople have an attitude of "I know, so you listen to my advice" about them.

While supporting local is always preferable I find it hard when local prices are so high on many things.

One example.
Early this month I purchased a Leatherman Squirt PS4 for $29.95 (US) at REI in Rhode Island just before my return to Australia.
It was standard price not a special and I get 10% dividend return in March 2014 as a REI member.
Browsing in BCF last week I saw the same item selling for $79.95 (AUS).
Exchange rate is over 90c in the $.
That's about 115% more allowing for exchange rate differences. Plus my 10% dividend.
Hard to make a case for local on that one.

[Strider]

While supporting local is always preferable I find it hard when local prices are so high on many things.

If its something I want to see in the flesh first or smaller items that don't see a large price difference anyway, I'll buy local. Unfortunately though, I only make 1-2 local gear purchases a year and never large ones - I shop on price and am happy to wait for delivery.

I bought a Nemo Fillo pillow a couple of weeks ago. Amazingly I was able to get it from Paddy Pallin at almost the exact same price as Amazon. Happy to support local where I can.

[Scottyk]

Are we talking Launceston SOB?
If so I think I know the store being referred to and I have had similar experiences there. Shame as it used to be the go to shop

[Happy Pirate]

Son of a Beach
I'm guessing I know the store you mean (if in Hobart).
I had the opposite experience to you not too long ago.
I was in Albury looking for topo maps of the Bogong High Plains and I went in to a big national chain named after the capital of a country renown for high alpine hiking.
I looked for ages and eventually asked the sale girl who was busy bopping to the radio, to see their topo maps. The girl looked blankly at me even after I repeated myself and eventually asked her supervisor.
She pointed me towards a tiny rack of maps, none of which related to the local area.
When asked if they were what I was looking for I expressed disappointment as to their small selection and lack of local relevance. I was told there "wasn't much call for that sort of thing here".
I suggested that if they stocked maps that actually related to the local region they might find more customers. I was shown a 1:1,000,000 Alps map as proof they had local content.

I then went further south to a small shop known by the name of a local alpine Eucalypt. There I had great discussions not just on maps but on good routes, map quality variation between states, best walking socks and generally all things bush-walky.
Also a national chain, but not one who has sacrificed outdoor knowledge for hipster fashion.

When you find a good, knowledgeable supplier; stick with them. They deserve the support against the subversion of knowledge by fashion.

cheers
Steve

[Son of a Beach]

My experience from the OP was in Launceston.