Pellet Fan
Pit Talk -- Comments and Questions Regarding These Pellet Pits => MAK => Topic started by: Deebo1133 on March 01, 2018, 12:34:41 PM
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I am so close to pulling the trigger on one of these awesome machines and it looks like you have to buy directly from Mak or...(Admin -- no dealer name's please) .....Is this correct? Is there a reason or two I should do one or the other. Will I get the same sort of service from Mak if I buy through xxx? Would I get an additional bit of service and support from xxx if I bought from them as opposed to Mak? Can I get a better deal through either one? Would either one be inclined to give me any sort of discount if I bought accessories right away or if they knew there was one other premium smoker that I am still considering? Any help you guys can give would be greatly appreciated.
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The only advice I can provide is not to discuss xxx on this forum, and I am not exactly sure why.
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I have a 2017 2 Star. I bought it before MAK went direct. I scored a bit of a discount on it, but that’s like winning the lottery when it comes to MAK’s. It’s my understanding that this past Black Friday was the 1st time MAK has ever discounted their cookers, and it wasn’t a huge discount (I think it was $200 off a 2 Star). If I were to buy a 2 Star today, I would go directly through MAK no question about it. I have spoken to the other online retailer and I have walked away every time feeling like I had just woken somebody from a nap (very little enthusiasm or deep working knowledge of their product line). Just my opinion :)
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I have also been looking very hard at the MAK 2, as well as the Memphis Pro. If you can hold off, the best time in general to get discounted BBQ equipment is October, just after Labor Day. Season is over and any possible inventory reduction discount is best then. Of course, no harm in calling places and see what they offer.
That may be true for some grills, but I have found MAK and Weber (and a few other premium grills) to hold very hard to their MAP and/or direct sales pricing. For me, when I see grill manufacturers reducing their prices during certain times of the year, or semi-annual sales, it just cheapens the grill in my eyes. If a grill typically retails for $2000 but over a 3 day weekend it’s slashed by 20%, then why can’t they just always offer at that price? Perhaps my way of thinking is a bit twisted, but I feel better paying a fair non-negotiable price to a reputable company then buying from a company that is “temporarily†slashing their retail price.
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I am so close to pulling the trigger on one of these awesome machines and it looks like you have to buy directly from Mak or...(Admin -- no dealer name's please) .....Is this correct? Is there a reason or two I should do one or the other. Will I get the same sort of service from Mak if I buy through xxx? Would I get an additional bit of service and support from xxx if I bought from them as opposed to Mak? Can I get a better deal through either one? Would either one be inclined to give me any sort of discount if I bought accessories right away or if they knew there was one other premium smoker that I am still considering? Any help you guys can give would be greatly appreciated.
My apologies on the dealer name bit, won’t happen again.
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Please keep the responses coming.
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Thank you.
My apologies on the dealer name bit, won’t happen again.
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I chose to go through the #1 dealer just recently. They offered a layaway plan that worked for me and their accessories are a tiny bit cheaper than directly through MAK. Their customer service has ALWAYS been great to me in the past and I only see having both them and MAK behind my grill as a positive.
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Unless manufacturers, in this case either MAK, Memphis or Weber, always build to order, and always have a great business forecasting model that tells them what fairly predictable sales they will have, "sales" and "discounts" play a significant role in moving product. Factor in Dealers, who keep an inventory on-hand, as well you will get periodic needs to move product. Building to order certainly allows tighter price and margin control, but the downside is very uneven manufacturing cycles.
My Weber Summit E450-SS was bought in 2009 from a on-line patio company that gave a 25% discount because they had 2008 models to move. Full warranty from Weber, and it has been a premier gasser - only issue I ever had was when high winds threw it across our backyard. called Weber, got the parts, and back in business.
IMHO, shopping around especially "out of season" for a product or when competition is high (Xmas, Black friday, labor Day sales) is very prudent. If MAK, however, is only direct and has great product pull-through, deals may be very limited. Or, limited to certain accessories being thrown in to seal a sale. Again, just my thoguhts on it.
See, I told you my way of thinking is probably a bit twisted...lol. I’m just weird like that. Do I like a good deal? You better believe I do!!!!
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He is their only dealer now, so pretty easy to be #1, he is still a snake...and I would appreciate you keeping your thoughts about him on this site to yourself or PM's.
And if anyone wants to know why I feel this way, feel free to send me a PM and I will tell you the reason why I still want nothing to do with this person or his business and why his name is not welcome on this site either till he decides to come forward and acknowledge what he did and apologize for it!
I chose to go through the #1 dealer just recently. They offered a layaway plan that worked for me and their accessories are a tiny bit cheaper than directly through MAK. Their customer service has ALWAYS been great to me in the past and I only see having both them and MAK behind my grill as a positive.
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There is only one dealer that I am aware of.
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Everyone needs to know this...Spend your money where you want, that is none of my business...I just want folks to know why that name nor business in not welcome on this site till they decide to admit to what they did and apologize for it...And that will happen when I weigh 150 pounds!
It is a shame too! I liked the guy on Pelletheads.com, he was a good contributing member, even offered to help pay for the meat for the 2010 AR...but that is the same time, coincidence I believe, when things went south and he really showed his colors!
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I am so close to pulling the trigger on one of these awesome machines and it looks like you have to buy directly from Mak or...(Admin -- no dealer name's please) .....Is this correct? Is there a reason or two I should do one or the other. Will I get the same sort of service from Mak if I buy through xxx? Would I get an additional bit of service and support from xxx if I bought from them as opposed to Mak? Can I get a better deal through either one? Would either one be inclined to give me any sort of discount if I bought accessories right away or if they knew there was one other premium smoker that I am still considering? Any help you guys can give would be greatly appreciated.
My apologies on the dealer name bit, won’t happen again.
Learned my lesson back on that other site some time back. I believe that was my first time PM’ing with Bentley.
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I am so close to pulling the trigger on one of these awesome machines and it looks like you have to buy directly from Mak or...(Admin -- no dealer name's please) .....Is this correct? Is there a reason or two I should do one or the other. Will I get the same sort of service from Mak if I buy through xxx? Would I get an additional bit of service and support from xxx if I bought from them as opposed to Mak? Can I get a better deal through either one? Would either one be inclined to give me any sort of discount if I bought accessories right away or if they knew there was one other premium smoker that I am still considering? Any help you guys can give would be greatly appreciated.
My apologies on the dealer name bit, won’t happen again.
Learned my lesson back on that other site some time back. I believe that was my first time PM’ing with Bentley.
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I would like to add to this thread that I called Mak directly and spoke to Matt(the M in MAK). We had a good 30 minute conversation and he was patient and willing to answer all of my 300 questions and was actually a joy and entertaining to talk to. I called that other place and I really didn't get a very knowledgeable person on the phone and was nowhere near as passionate about the product and really did nothing to sway me to buy that day or really at all for that matter.
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I would like to add to this thread that I called Mak directly and spoke to Matt(the M in MAK). We had a good 30 minute conversation and he was patient and willing to answer all of my 300 questions and was actually a joy and entertaining to talk to. I called that other place and I really didn't get a very knowledgeable person on the phone and was nowhere near as passionate about the product and really did nothing to sway me to buy that day or really at all for that matter.
Your experience mirrors mine!
If you don’t mind sharing, what were some of the highlights of your conversation with Matt... things you learned about MAK? l love talking with him!
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Matt sounds awesome, and seems to have a popular product. The day will come when he is a victim of his own success, his business will grow (hopefully!) and he will miss the time he used to have to spend so much time with callers. At that time wouldn’t he need dealers to help display and sell and support his products?
I am just asking, not intending to state how anything should be. The growth in this industry seems to suggest it. Am I naive?
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Matt sounds awesome, and seems to have a popular product. The day will come when he is a victim of his own success, his business will grow (hopefully!) and he will miss the time he used to have to spend so much time with callers. At that time wouldn’t he need dealers to help display and sell and support his products?
I am just asking, not intending to state how anything should be. The growth in this industry seems to suggest it. Am I naive?
As someone stated elsewhere, this is sort of a side business for the parent company of MAK so they don't do the things that a Traeger are doing. However, they do have a great product and great support when needed.
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Matt sounds awesome, and seems to have a popular product. The day will come when he is a victim of his own success, his business will grow (hopefully!) and he will miss the time he used to have to spend so much time with callers. At that time wouldn’t he need dealers to help display and sell and support his products?
I am just asking, not intending to state how anything should be. The growth in this industry seems to suggest it. Am I naive?
What’s interesting is that up until last year, MAK did have a nationwide dealer network. They brought it in-house last year and decided to go direct.
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Matt sounds awesome, and seems to have a popular product. The day will come when he is a victim of his own success, his business will grow (hopefully!) and he will miss the time he used to have to spend so much time with callers. At that time wouldn’t he need dealers to help display and sell and support his products?
I am just asking, not intending to state how anything should be. The growth in this industry seems to suggest it. Am I naive?
What’s interesting is that up until last year, MAK did have a nationwide dealer network. They brought it in-house last year and decided to go direct.
I think they were shipping direct anyway from their factory to consumer with the dealer being the order taker. I know it was that was when I ordered mine from their current only dealer many years ago. And if the issues that a member here is facing with his new grill from another manufacturer were happening with MAK, they may as well go direct too so they don't have to deal with others creating a bad image for them.
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Yup, never cared of the "other guy" myself. Info is brief and vague. You call Mak and it's "let's chat about grills time". No question goes unanswered.
And then there is that sales tax thing for Cali folks when you order direct.
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Let me throw my 2 cents worth into this thread. I am the first employee of MAK Grills, started January 4, 2010. Prior to that, I worked at Traeger for 10 years.
Last year, we decided to go consumer direct because the retail world is changing. More and more people are making high dollar purchases on-line. It was also difficult to find retailers who felt comfortable selling a high dollar pellet grill, and who would carry grills all year long. The gap between a great dealer and a bad one was wide and growing wider. We felt that the best way to sustain our growth as a company was by going direct. It has proved to be the right decision for us.
When you call MAK, you are talking with people who are intimate with the products we manufacture. We use our grills almost every day of the year. You'll get a straight answer to your questions.
As our company grows, we will hire additional people as needed, as we have by adding Dennis Ogg to handle service/technical support. That is his #1 job.
We work hard every day to provide outstanding service that is shocking. Shocking in that the customer is actually being taken care of in a timely manner. That is something we will ALWAYS have at MAK.
I will back this up, I have been very pleased with the support that I have received from MAK. Matt was great and Dennis really seems to be on the ball. Great customer service.
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I've had great service when I needed them too.
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MAK is indeed Creme de la Creme!!!
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I will agree with everyone else's sentiment here that when you call Mak for support or with questions it is always a great experience. I couldn't be prouder to call myself a Mak owner.
I bought my Mak back before they dropped dealers and got really lucky on it. It was right when they did the big price hike on the Mak 2 Star and all the sites had updated to the new Mak pricing other then a place I found that also had a 10% site-wide coupon. They also offered free shipping. They mostly sold swimming pools and products. It turned out being very special when the delivery was supposed to come. They sent it in a full size semi that could not come down my road so I ended up meeting the FedEx Freight guy in a parking lot near where I lived and then had to do some maneuvering to get it in my wife's SUV. I knew it was going to be heavy, but the weight even surprised me. Thankfully the FedEx guy was willing to help me. Once I got it home I wasn't sure what I was going to do because that guy and I could barely lift it.....
Turns out I forgot that I had ordered a number of bags of Mak Pellets and all those bags were in the cavity of the main unit to make it easy to put on a pallet. Once I removed a bunch of bags of pellets, wouldn't you know that I could actually move the thing.