I have sent a letter to Weber stephen to ask them why
All of their products are not available here in the USA
Why should all those beautiful colors be available
In the uk market. Why can't we buy the Weber
Pizza cover for the 57cm kettle here? Not the grill insert
But they have a completely different kettle top
With built in pizza stone
Go to this link to see what we are missing
www.riversidegardencentre.co.uk
Weber is an American company. What's the story?
Let's all write to Weber and demand equality!!
No offense, and its too bad you're frustrated, but this is preposterous. It's a business, not a charity. Think about that.
I do love the design of their pizza oven though.
I know it's a business but an American company with American workers should
Make sure your original market is provided
With all of its products before going to other markets
You don't think we would be a strong market for new products?
Quote from: Lemans on February 13, 2016, 04:18:39 PM
I know it's a business but an American company with American workers should
Make sure your original market is provided
With all of its products before going to other markets
You don't think we would be a strong market for new products?
I don't think they just do random things.
So no, in general I don't think we would be a strong market for the products they don't sell here... I think that is why they don't sell them here.
Quote from: MeatAndPotatos on February 13, 2016, 04:36:36 PM
Quote from: Lemans on February 13, 2016, 04:18:39 PM
I know it's a business but an American company with American workers should
Make sure your original market is provided
With all of its products before going to other markets
You don't think we would be a strong market for new products?
I don't think they just do random things.
So no, in general I don't think we would be a strong market for the products they don't sell here... I think that is why they don't sell them here.
This!
This is how businesses operate.
How many of us would not buy a white or slate
Weber?
Quote from: Lemans on February 13, 2016, 04:55:09 PM
How many of us would not buy a white or slate
Weber?
I'm sure dozens of us would. Maybe even a hundred.
But we're not an accurate representation of the Weber charcoal grill potential audience.
Don't get me wrong, I wish they would try. Maybe it'd pull in more millenials.
I want ivory. And smoke. And slate.
I'd even pay extra.
Quote from: Lemans on February 13, 2016, 04:55:09 PM
How many of us would not buy a white or slate
Weber?
Not enough to make a sizeable profit.
Here in the USA, the majority of people like gas grills, which Weber makes in several color choices. Americans also like stainless steel, which..well you know.
WE at WKC are not a majority unfortunately.
So, although we WANT colored kettles, we have to understand Weber makes smart marketing decisions that result in a profitable business that can remain to exist.
Just my way of seeing the subject.
And I think we ALL want Weber to thrive.
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(http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x164/gregs1020/Screen%20Shot%202016-02-13%20at%208.02.35%20PM_zpsr70gfdxv.png)
Reality is that we WKC'rs/Grillfellas are but a fraction of the grilling public and most people actually don't care one way or the other what color their charcoal grill is. Plus the majority of grillers in the U.S. are men, which most American guys are good with black, or the occasional Copper, dark green or crimson. Very masculine colors. BTW, I wish more women would take up charcoal grilling or grilling in general. Beats the hell out of an oven/stove. Food cooked outdoors just tastes better. But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong... Also, in Europe, grilling/barbecuing is still seen as a "novelty" something fairly recent compared to here in the States. Just think, here in the U.S. back in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, the
BAR-B-Q-KETTLE was a more of a novelty in a growing suburban world (hence all the colors available back then) compared to today where its taken more for granted. Remember, with Canada getting colored MT's this year, its not impossible that the U.S. wont see something in the near future. Patience is a virtue.
Quote from: Troy on February 13, 2016, 05:00:17 PM
Maybe it'd pull in more millenials.
^^^THIS!
I think about this when I walk around my neighborhood and the walking trail I have nearby. When I look over the walls in the backyards 90% of people have gassers. We are an anomaly. When I go to Europe, especially Poland (been there 6 times), people grill, but always with charcoal. Weber is going to sell what the people want, and for most, that's a gas grill.
Quote from: crowderjd on February 13, 2016, 05:58:33 PM
I think about this when I walk around my neighborhood and the walking trail I have nearby. When I look over the walls in the backyards 90% of people have gassers. We are an anomaly.
Sadly, you are correct.... :(
But it's up to us to spread the good news of charcoal, according to George.
I think they should at least just offer ALL the options they sell as direct order items straight from Weber. Seems like that wouldn't require a huge amount of extra setup at the corporate level and it would keep us kooks happy! They make 'em all there anyway and have to ship them out from here too.
I am kinda hoping in Kettle Pizza and and other one keep doing well they will bring over their pizza add on... But I think even with the success those products have had they are fairly niche products.
Next time your at the grocery store waiting in line turn to the person behind you and say "Shoot, I forgot to buy a kettle pizza... do you know if they sell them here?" And wait for a stupefied look.
Ya know we are members of the weberkettle forum
Everyone should be on my side . What the hell!!!
Quote from: Lemans on February 13, 2016, 06:51:17 PM
Ya know we are members of the weberkettle forum
Everyone should be on my side . What the hell!!!
Oh we all WANT them to offer everything, we jusy understand why they dont.
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Americans won't pay the prices same prices for premium charcoal grills as the uk or canadian customers do when huge gassers can be had for the same price. Charcoal bbqs is a bottom market product and we will not see fancy colors in the USA without a full scale distributor that's committed to selling them at high volume. The marginal costs of producing fancy colors are likely not economical until you get to the more premium kettle lines.
Quote from: pbe gummi bear on February 13, 2016, 07:09:05 PM
Americans won't pay the prices same prices for premium charcoal grills as the uk or canadian customers do when huge gassers can be had for the same price. Charcoal bbqs is a bottom market product and we will not see fancy colors in the USA without a full scale distributor that's committed to selling them at high volume. The marginal costs of producing fancy colors are likely not economical until you get to the more premium kettle lines.
BINGO! well said
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Quote from: Lemans on February 13, 2016, 06:51:17 PM
Ya know we are members of the weberkettle forum
Everyone should be on my side . What the hell!!!
We are, but it is what it is. Big box stores, control the market. They shelf black by the pallet load. They don't need color for compulsive buying. Weber is trying to get more market share in other areas. Hence, color is their attractor. Same as Craig had said for the US market in the glory days.
Do what others have done recently, purchase on line from Canada. Color in the old days was an up charge, or just ground and pound for a vintage color. They are out there, be patient, know need for instant gratification.
I'll take a slightly different tack on this. Sure, Weber is a business and they have their reasons. That said, it doesn't mean that Weber is right. Businesses make silly/wrong decisions all the time. Perhaps this is something that Weber should take another look at. They've done so with the Weber Q which started out white but finally comes in multiple colors.
an uprising of female grillers should embark on an epic journey to Rolling Meadows, Palatine, etc.
(http://www.kameronhurley.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/angry_mob_by_acwraith.jpg)
and they should carry pitchforks, like the good 'ole days.
Most customers (besides us at WKC ) probably do not realize that ther are other colors besides black. The other day I walked into Lowes and Home Depot. All the kettles were you guessed it .... black! Last year Home Depot displayed a copper. Not this year. This tells me it did not sell enough to warrant shelf space. What a shame.
Quote from: Mark Schnell on February 13, 2016, 06:04:54 PM
I think they should at least just offer ALL the options they sell as direct order items straight from Weber. Seems like that wouldn't require a huge amount of extra setup at the corporate level and it would keep us kooks happy! They make 'em all there anyway and have to ship them out from here too.
They certainly could do this if they restructured their market outlook. But they are entrenched with the old brick and mortar way of selling. If a new company comes along that sells direct to the customer, offering as good or better quality for less, Weber could be killed. I see the gassers particularly vulnerable here but not charcoal. Weber couldn't protect the Flavorizer innovation but nobody can successfully copy the kettle (for long.)
If you want fair go to a small town in the Fall.
I certainly see the colored MTs hitting the US market at some point . The Black kettle is Webers cash cow in the charcoal market its at a price point that consumers are comfortable with . If weber offered colors in the basic line , they would have to charge more as I'm fairly certain they are more expensive to produce . The majority of folks when looking for a new charcoal grill and are given the choice would go the cheap route and buy the black anyway( incidentally black is still one of the top selling car colors) so it makes no business sense in that regard . With the MT your appealing to a more select group of grillers and paying a premium price for a nice color wouldn't be an issue .
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Go to jccayer.com in Canada and you can order
Any color you want and have it shipped to the good old
USA for $263.32 that is for the new 22.5 master
Touch. I ordered mine in ivory ...
When I was in the UAE I saw all sorts of Weber products we don't get here. But what I understand is grills are a luxury item in many places outside the US. Whenever I saw a grill in Dubai it was spotless clean and typically kept indoors. They almost never use gas and the grills and fuel are not cheap.
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/Miscellaneous/lifegivesyoulemons.jpg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/Miscellaneous/lifegivesyoulemons.jpg.html)
First, we all know that Weber is a private company and can do what it wants. Any of us may think they should do it differently. For instance, I myself cannot understand why they wouldn't offer a Gourmet System grilling grate for the 26er. Seems like with one simple move they could open up an an entire market to the rest of Gourmet System line of accessories. But I will probably have to build one myself before Weber gets around to making one.
Second, if color costs more then Copper Premiums would cost more, but they don't. In fact, you can order either a black, copper, or green one from Amazon, right this very second, for exactly the same price and get free shipping if your a Prime member. Which leads to . . . . .
Third, the fact that HD or Lowes doesn't want to carry a variety of colors should not limit our access to them. That's what Amazon is for ! !
So, what have we discovered?
1. Weber can do what it wants, even if it doesn't make sense to any of us.
2. It can't cost more to produce kettles in red or blue or yellow than it does to produce them in copper or green, and we already have access, if limited, to those options.
3. With an overall population five times that of the UK, and a grilling population that's probably even higher, statistically, there should be a market for the kinds of products that we see in the UK or in Canada. The fact that one or two huge retailers aren't interested is mitigated by the availability of the products online.
All that being said, I have no idea how many Orange Crush Performers they would sell in a given year. Maybe they do.
BD
Quote from: demosthenes9 on February 14, 2016, 05:32:43 AM
I'll take a slightly different tack on this. Sure, Weber is a business and they have their reasons. That said, it doesn't mean that Weber is right. Businesses make silly/wrong decisions all the time. Perhaps this is something that Weber should take another look at. They've done so with the Weber Q which started out white but finally comes in multiple colors.
This is easy to do for the Q because the coating process is still a single spray coating. Its not porcelain like it is on the kettles which is a two coat process (black + color). Because of that, you'd have to spray and fire the kettle twice for each colored kettle. This effectively lowers your throughput by
at least half on the same equipment- not counting down time, changeover time, and intermediate cooling / processing time. In the summer months Weber is likely at full production capacity churning out black kettles. It makes more sense for them to fire up the colors when its cold and business is lower- like with the mid winter timing of these colored MT's in Canada.
If you want to make more of an impact for what retailers stock, you should be petitions buyers and merchandising managers at these big box stores. They are the ones that dictate what they want to sell, how many they want to sell, and how much they are willing to pay for it. I'd start at the high end- Williams and Sonoma brands, Sur La Table, Crate and Barrel, and work downwards. Unfortunately these retails still don't have as much weight as the big box stores. I know someone who used to be the seasonal (including bbq and grills) buyer for one of these stores and it's extremely competitive to get your product on the shelves.
Big Dawg nicely said....
Even back in the old MBH days of red, avocado/lime green, yellow brown etc, those color's were typically $10 more than a black kettle. Back then, outdoor grilling was still a growing/niche business compared to today. But in be last 22 years, gas grilling has had the upper hand compared to charcoal. More demand, different manufacturing/coloring process etc. So yes that's why it's easy to find a Q in just about any color now including good old bright red. Compared to kettles that are less in demand compared to gas, so black rules the roost these days. Now I want colored kettles here in the USA as much as the next guy but it has to make good business sense to Weber Stephen. They do read our site and others out there and Weber is listening to the grilling public as well as the die hards and taking things into account. Patience.
For the record: I want a colored modern 26"er. In Crimson or copper, green, slate, or smoke. Hell even Ivory. But that's a ways off if it ever happens. I can dream...
Quote from: pbe gummi bear on February 14, 2016, 10:21:18 AM
Quote from: demosthenes9 on February 14, 2016, 05:32:43 AM
I'll take a slightly different tack on this. Sure, Weber is a business and they have their reasons. That said, it doesn't mean that Weber is right. Businesses make silly/wrong decisions all the time. Perhaps this is something that Weber should take another look at. They've done so with the Weber Q which started out white but finally comes in multiple colors.
This is easy to do for the Q because the coating process is still a single spray coating. Its not porcelain like it is on the kettles which is a two coat process (black + color). Because of that, you'd have to spray and fire the kettle twice for each colored kettle. This effectively lowers your throughput by at least half on the same equipment- not counting down time, changeover time, and intermediate cooling / processing time. In the summer months Weber is likely at full production capacity churning out black kettles. It makes more sense for them to fire up the colors when its cold and business is lower- like with the mid winter timing of these colored MT's in Canada.
I could be wrong about this but I'm pretty sure that color kettles aren't painted black to start out with.
Imo its down to sales volume...
Black probably outsells are all colors in the US ...if black dropped in sales volume and green and copper started outaelling black..business decision mayb be reviewee to start explaning colors
Imo, there is NO legit reason the colors aren't sold here via the internet, at the very least.
Product is already produced in the U S of effing A for crissakes!
Weber, I luv ya, but man you PISS ME OFF on this one. ;D
The issue I have is that the mid-line 22 inch kettle is offered in three colors but the more expensive mastertouch is only offered in black in the US. I'd think the more expensive line old give you the more options. As it s, now we have the option f buying in Canada, but where does that leave us if we need a warrantee claim?
This has been an ongoing argument on here for years. It's not going to happen move on. 400 members of which maybe 20 would buy an ivory is not going to change the way a global corporation operates. How many guys on here would even buy a new one. We would all be searching Craigslist for used ones.
You have been giving a gift. All the colors you want are in Canada and will ship to your door for about $25 more than if you went to Home Depot and bought it. Instead of complaining you should be jumping for joy that you were even given such an opportunity.
I have not even begun to fight!!!!
Quote from: Josh G on February 15, 2016, 08:24:25 AM
All the colors you want are in Canada and will ship to your door for about $25 more than if you went to Home Depot and bought it. Instead of complaining you should be jumping for joy that you were even given such an opportunity.
actually, the shipping was about the same as my local sales tax would have been.
not sure why people are afraid to buy something from another country, half the stuff on Amazon ships from another country and nobody bats an eye.
Quote from: Josh G on February 15, 2016, 08:24:25 AM
This has been an ongoing argument on here for years. It's not going to happen move on. 400 members of which maybe 20 would buy an ivory is not going to change the way a global corporation operates. How many guys on here would even buy a new one. We would all be searching Craigslist for used ones.
You have been giving a gift. All the colors you want are in Canada and will ship to your door for about $25 more than if you went to Home Depot and bought it. Instead of complaining you should be jumping for joy that you were even given such an opportunity.
Hey
@Josh G,
So all the colors go to Canada, and all (well, the VAST majority anyways) of the American customers just want Black.
Just trying to figure out what that says about us Yanks. Guess DirectTV (https://youtu.be/6MOAtlVfo1w) is right.
Or, maybe it simply goes back to Henry Ford, "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black." After all, ole Henry did start Kingsford ! ! !
All that being said, I'm not really a collector. I'd much rather Weber concentrate its efforts on getting a Gourmet System rack for the 26er. I'd buy one of them, brand new, in the box, yesterday.
BD
Quote from: Big Dawg on February 15, 2016, 01:52:00 PMJust trying to figure out what that says about us Yanks.
Don't ever refer to a Texan as a "Yank". I did that once, and I was immediately given a history lesson.
I'm not American, but at least I know that you're not all Yankees ... Just sayin' ....
Hey,
@Lemans , just order all the colours from Canada, and be happy with it.
Then sell them in 5 years with a 100% mark-up. Your fight with Weber is fruitless ...
Quote from: GregS on February 15, 2016, 01:07:59 PM
Quote from: Josh G on February 15, 2016, 08:24:25 AM
All the colors you want are in Canada and will ship to your door for about $25 more than if you went to Home Depot and bought it. Instead of complaining you should be jumping for joy that you were even given such an opportunity.
actually, the shipping was about the same as my local sales tax would have been.
not sure why people are afraid to buy something from another country, half the stuff on Amazon ships from another country and nobody bats an eye.
Very true! Got stuff from Amazon from the UK and who knows elsewhere.
Sorry,
@MacEggs. While I
am a proud D@mn Yankee, I was using the term as it was in Revolutionary times, not post War Between the States ! !
BD
Quote from: charred on February 14, 2016, 01:40:52 PM
Imo, there is NO legit reason the colors aren't sold here via the internet, at the very least.
Product is already produced in the U S of effing A for crissakes!
Weber, I luv ya, but man you PISS ME OFF on this one. ;D
Who is going to hold the inventory of these colored grills?
Who will process and ship these orders?
Who will deal with returns and damaged goods?
How much larger will the customer service team need to be to accomodate all of these new processes and the inevitable challenges that come along with them?
That's probably $500,000 to $1M per year in overhead just to sell ,optimistically, a few hundred grills?
Doesn't sound like a money maker.
Don't forget that if Weber opens up their OWN distribution channel, their key distributors like Home Depot, Walmart, Target, Lowes, and Ace Hardware will likely be pretty pissed off.
It might even be already documented and prevented within distribution agreements.
I'm not saying it can't happen, or that it shouldn't happen. I'm just saying that there are a lot of complications and we CLEARLY do NOT know all of the factors.
Quote from: GregS on February 15, 2016, 01:07:59 PM
Quote from: Josh G on February 15, 2016, 08:24:25 AM
All the colors you want are in Canada and will ship to your door for about $25 more than if you went to Home Depot and bought it. Instead of complaining you should be jumping for joy that you were even given such an opportunity.
actually, the shipping was about the same as my local sales tax would have been.
not sure why people are afraid to buy something from another country, half the stuff on Amazon ships from another country and nobody bats an eye.
half the stuff "ON" amazon?
or half the stuff [sold] on amazon?
I can't remember the last time i've received, or even seen something on amazon that ships from another country.
(and i buy WAYYY too much stuff on amazon)
Quote from: Big Dawg on February 15, 2016, 01:52:00 PM
. I'd much rather Weber concentrate its efforts on getting a Gourmet System rack for the 26er. I'd buy one of them, brand new, in the box, yesterday.
BD
I think a gourmet grate for the 26" would be amazing!!
But it would also probably be $150+, and I don't know if i'd be willing to spend that.
The 26" grill is already an obscure, low sales grill :(
Heck, up until a few years ago, it wasn't even in production anymore.
Quote from: Troy on February 15, 2016, 02:54:15 PM
Quote from: GregS on February 15, 2016, 01:07:59 PM
Quote from: Josh G on February 15, 2016, 08:24:25 AM
All the colors you want are in Canada and will ship to your door for about $25 more than if you went to Home Depot and bought it. Instead of complaining you should be jumping for joy that you were even given such an opportunity.
actually, the shipping was about the same as my local sales tax would have been.
not sure why people are afraid to buy something from another country, half the stuff on Amazon ships from another country and nobody bats an eye.
half the stuff "ON" amazon?
or half the stuff [sold] on amazon?
I can't remember the last time i've received, or even seen something on amazon that ships from another country.
(and i buy WAYYY too much stuff on amazon)
welp, we've received sets of reading glasses and a phone mount for the dashboard from china. the back pack we bought shipped out of canada. those were all in the past few months over the holidays.
i've also bought telescope eyepieces that shipped from china.
we're not "big" amazon buyers like you may be, we maybe buy something every couple months via amazon except during the holidays.
frankly, i'm surprised that
you're surprised by this.
Quote from: GregS on February 16, 2016, 03:46:36 AM
Quote from: Troy on February 15, 2016, 02:54:15 PM
Quote from: GregS on February 15, 2016, 01:07:59 PM
Quote from: Josh G on February 15, 2016, 08:24:25 AM
All the colors you want are in Canada and will ship to your door for about $25 more than if you went to Home Depot and bought it. Instead of complaining you should be jumping for joy that you were even given such an opportunity.
actually, the shipping was about the same as my local sales tax would have been.
not sure why people are afraid to buy something from another country, half the stuff on Amazon ships from another country and nobody bats an eye.
half the stuff "ON" amazon?
or half the stuff [sold] on amazon?
I can't remember the last time i've received, or even seen something on amazon that ships from another country.
(and i buy WAYYY too much stuff on amazon)
welp, we've received sets of reading glasses and a phone mount for the dashboard from china. the back pack we bought shipped out of canada. those were all in the past few months over the holidays.
i've also bought telescope eyepieces that shipped from china.
we're not "big" amazon buyers like you may be, we maybe buy something every couple months via amazon except during the holidays.
frankly, i'm surprised that you're surprised by this.
Do you use prime?
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