SFA

Good morning!

My company makes custom wood countertops that we supply to wholesale/dealer accounts across the USA (and beyond, but mostly in the lower 48). Most of our dealers are kitchen and bath dealerships, but we do have a few stone fabricators that we supply tops for. From my perspective, it makes much more sense for our product to be shown and made available from a "countertop" store (with higher-end clients this is frequently a stone fabrication operation) rather than a K&B dealer. However, the natural resistance from stone guys means we've been essentially banished to K&B dealers. It isn't a bad place to be, but there are a lot of different drawbacks that would likely be eliminated if we did more business for countertop people.

My question is pretty simply - how do we convince stone fabricators to give our product a shot? We have samples, literature, a display program, etc. and have been doing this for almost 12 years now. We have hundreds of dealer accounts across the nation. Turnaround is 2-3 weeks. Everything is custom (so too many choices) and tops arrive ready to install.

Thanks.

I'm not opposed to selling wood tops. Email me some info darrylusastone@yahoo.com

Darryl,

Thanks for the offer. I'll email you some information. I was really looking for suggestions on how I could approach and market our wood tops to stone shops. I have ideas, but figured I would try to go right to the source to see what they value in this sort of partnership.

Thanks again.

I would approach them the same way you do your K&B dealers. It gives them another option to offer their customers another revenue source. It is not uncommon for our salespeople to get asked if they have a referral for wood tops. Explain to them them how you will help them add to their bottom line and make it easy for them. Any shop owner that wants to make money with minimal labor would be interested.

Thanks. This is our general approach. Unfortunately, a lot of guys see us as a competing product (which it is and it isn't at the same time), so they're not willing to display even our sample kit, much less push our products. We have plenty of dealers that could be more successful if they didn't fall victim to the "I wait for the customer to ask me about it" mentality. These are two different things, I know. I'm just guessing that if we're included in one out of every twenty jobs at a smaller K&B dealership, it would make sense to get into a shop that simply runs more jobs (if we cannot improve our ratio). Twenty jobs for a small dealership might be two to three months worth of work.

Where would I go to get in front of more stone fabricators? Trade show? Regional trade group meetings?

PS I emailed you our dealer packet earlier today.

Perceptions are hard to overcome without honest conversation.

Darryl is dead on. I'd also be interested in seeing your product and yes, I also get asked repeatedly about wood tops.

For me, the biggest issue is installation.
We do not carry wood tools and I believe that the GC or cabinet installer would need to be involved.
So, in a way I believe that cabinet shops and K&B's are your best route except for the stone shops that sell associated lines as well as stone counter tops.

Dave.Scott wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2019 1:33 pm

We do not carry wood tools and I believe that the GC or cabinet installer would need to be involved.
[

Same here. But if the tops are made to size and all we have to do is set them in place then it would be no different than setting stone tops. Every job will have it's own scenario, but we can determine when it makes sense for us to sell it and make the money or refer them to a specialized dealer than can handle custom fitting on site.

southside1 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2019 11:25 am

a lot of guys see us as a competing product (which it is and it isn't at the same time), so they're not willing to display even our sample kit, much less push our products.
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Quartz, glass and porcelain slabs are competing products to stone as well but there are fabricators that offer those. So wood shouldn't be any different if it is profitable.

Thanks guys.

Yes, our installation is a little different. Basically, drill an oversize hole in the cabinet stretchers. Set the top in place (we're mostly talking about island tops) and screw up from inside the cabinet, using a fender washer on your screws. The over-sized hole allows the wood to expand and contract as the seasons change. Glue is a no-no. Realistically, and we do our own local installs so I have plenty of experience, any island top should take less than 15 minutes to install. This would be actual install time. How every long it takes you to get out of the truck is on you. And the installer would need - a couple different length screws (1.25" to 2.5"); washers (we use 1.25" fender washers - commonly available); a drill with a 3/4" spade bit; a drive to sink screws; and broom and dustpan. We do include a detailed instruction guide with all of our tops, but installation is very simple.

Currently, yes, the cabinet installer is installing our tops. Those guys are more well-versed and already have the proper equipment (not that a drill and driver is much these days). One other point of struggle with our dealers is providing measurements and coordinating the extra trip and installation of our top. This could be performed by countertop guys (digital templates and/or accurate measurements) while they are there for the other tops and installation could be done at one time and/or not bother the K&B dealer.

Please send me info also.

thanks,



I think there is some money in butcher block islands.

Send me the dealer package too please. I love the combination of exotic materials from nature.

I actually seen their work, absolutely stunning high quality tops.

I would like you to send me more info as well please.

I talked to Ken earlier today. Super fun that we've already been on the same job before and just didn't know it.

[ This one is far from typical. Really cool but most fear it will hurt resale value.

Emails and PM's sent to those asking for more information. Thanks again for your interest.

I hope they have replaced that awful faucet by now lol
Looks bigger than the sink.

We have been offering wood tops for many years through Grothouse.

Joe,

Thanks. They are our primary competitor. We are typically 15-40% less (depending on the project) for the same/better product, service, and lead-time. We don't have their marketing or reputation, but if we earned what they do per job, we'd have a lot more to fund these endeavors. I have one of their sample kits and can tell you without a doubt that the product is the same.

I can provide you with some comparison quotes, if you like.

Hi Jud,

Sent you a Private Message (PM) to contact us about your products. Thanks for reaching out on this forum.

Rick.

Hey Jud. Please send me your info. We are a stone top fabricator and a custom cabinet shop. Sounds like a no brainer for us. Thanks -jd

Emails sent. Thanks for all the interest.

Any thoughts on other avenues to make contact\ with stone guys/countertop shops? TISE show? Are there independent reps that call on stone shops? Assuming so, what products are they primarily promoting?

Send me some info please: tj@mctops.com

Please send me information on your offerings. We regularly have customers ask us about wood tops.

My email is standdup@gmail.com

Definitely interested. I've filled out the Dealer Request on your website! Thanks.

I wouldn't have a problem offering them (even suggesting them) as long as it makes sense financially.
Your biggest problem is similar to mine when I approach new builders to sell ourselves; People resist change. If you can help them to see what is in it for them, you are halfway there.
That said, it would seem like there would have to be a little bit of money in them to offset the profit of fabrication (not the total price of fab though). If there is, why not?

The people we use now put out an excellent product but have a typical lead time of 6 weeks and they are unable to build by our dxf. drawings. Are you able to build tops from digital drawing files?