But where was the seller getting their HVAC equipment? We had someone purchase equipment and used the serial number to track the seller's source. It came from an independent distributor on the truck driver's route. We surmised the distributor was attempting to increase their sales by using the truck driver as a front. If the distributor's contractor customers found out they were selling direct on the internet they could potentially lose most of their sales.
We did a check of the seller's business record through Dun and Bradstreet to investigate the seller's real business activities. We won't divulge that information here but the most important information we gained from our intense investigation of this seller can save you a lot of potential problems in the future. We also decided to investigate a number of other online sellers and on eBay and here is what we found. The information provided on their websites is misleading and is against industry requirements and standards.
Most have no type of licensing nor any type of industry related training. Most work out of their homes or a small garage. Some are contractors and others have no industry affiliation, training or financial commitment in the form of a brick and mortar operation or inventory.
They are what we call Box Sellers or bootleggers. Box sellers are simply interested in selling boxes. It was a result of our investigation and reported findings to Goodman that prompted Goodman to put an exclusion in their warranties regarding online sales. Because there is such a proliferation of online sellers it is impossible for us to list those that are deceitfully misrepresenting themselves as authorized distributors or dealers. Here's how you can protect yourself.
First go to the manufacturer's website of the products the seller advertises. If you can't find them listed, they have no affiliation with the manufacturer. You can also call the manufacturer to verify this information. Key indicators of an unauthorized seller either as a Box Seller or Bootlegger are no business address listed or no references made to the manufacturer as an authorized distributor or dealer.
Now why is this information so important? If the seller has no affiliation with the manufacturer, what affiliation do they have with the HVAC industry? If they have no affiliation or training, can you trust the information they provide or their continuing ability to support the warranty? How long will they continue in business? With no serious financial commitment or long term history in business, their ability to go out of business will also be quick and easy.
And many of them have come and gone out of business in the short term there has been popularity to internet sales and advertising. There's no harm in being an entrepreneur, but there is harm in deceit.
The truck driver is not honest, as was so highly stressed in the ads on the internet nor an authorized distributor. There were no warehouses or a trucking company except his truck.
Any potential customer taking the ad and information from the website at face value would assume they're dealing with a fairly large company with direct affiliation with the manufacturer. They would assume their purchase is going to have total warranty protection. But this online seller decided to retire and finally went out of business. To the dismay of all the seller's customers their warranties went out of business too as they found they couldn't get any warranty support.
Please note: There is an epidemic problem with the existing trade for oversizing of HVAC equipment and shoddy installations. Any reputable contractor will tell you their biggest problems aren't at all related to the quality of the HVAC equipment produced or the manufacturers, but from incompetent competing contractors performing shoddy installations.
Protect yourself by making certain you aren't a victim to the same problems online. Bad advice from an online seller will produce the same shoddy results as a problem contractor. HVAC equipment is not similar in any form to purchasing a major household appliance. Yet the vast majority of online websites by these sellers make selecting an HVAC system similar to that of purchasing a major appliance.
By making it easier and making no requirements for something they've never practiced in their own contractor careers this breed of online sellers simply hopes to sell more boxes at whatever later expense and consequence to their customers. Perhaps they aren't concerned because they don't plan on being around long enough to deal with the problems they create?
The problem proliferates itself when so many online sellers and contractors make no importance of the value of proper sizing by Manual J industry accepted standards. We are the only online source offering accurate Manual J sizing online while other online seller's offer planting charts and at the most some simplistic calculator to determine square footage per ton for sizing. Yet every reputable online source including manufacturers and the Department of Energy all stress the importance of Manual J sizing.
Are we oddly different with our Manual J sizing requirements and installation guidelines? We are accurately different in your best interests. At DESCO Energy we realize there are a number of homeowners who want to make their purchase from a legitimate source and from a legitimate company that will be around for many years to come. We also realize these customers want the best technical support and proper guidelines to assist them from a company with thousands of similar successes.
But there are also homeowners who simply don't do any research and assume all online suppliers are the same. We also realize those customers not taking the time will later create the most problems and have the least successful installations.
They are the very same customers who will complain later the manufacturer's equipment was at fault and caused the problem. Add those homeowners to the contractors causing the same problems and blaming manufacturers and we can see how easy it becomes for manufacturers to take a beating for problems out of their control.
They will blame the failures on the excessive service problems and resultant system failure because the equipment didn't provide the level of comfort or efficiency they expected. The same epidemic problems that plague the HVAC industry are exacerbated by illegitimate online sellers who are most times the same problems contractors and persons having no affiliation with the HVAC industry.
At DESCO Energy we will continue to expand our knowledge center online and improve our technical support and services to you. As the leader and pioneer in legitimate online sales of HVAC systems to homeowners it is our goal to set the standards, guidelines and requirements for all online sales and sellers.
We firmly believe the adoption of our guidelines and standards will provide each homeowner with a successful HVAC installation. For questions or comments call us toll free or email info descoenergy. Buyer Beware We've all heard and many of us have said they don't make them like they used to. HTML Text. Air Conditioning.
Heat Pumps. Dual Fuel. Duct Design. Our online sizing is also a requirement for obtaining the factory warranties. Please note the information provided herein is strictly confidential. DESCO Energy has no other interests and will not provide any information provided herein to any other parties for any reason whatsoever. HTML Text. Air Conditioning. Heat Pumps. Dual Fuel. Duct Design. Radiant Heat. Commercial Industrial. Online Sizing Form.
0コメント