Not looking good for Weber at my Lowe’s store

[Bruce]

Yah, a lot of manufacturers build things like TVs that are essentially the same as another model but with a slight difference and then only sell them through a specific retailer. Walmart and Best buy are notorious for that. And you are right, it is simply to allow that outlet to not have to price match the same item at another retailer.

 

[Jay D in Jersey]

Yah, a lot of manufacturers build things like TVs that are essentially the same as another model but with a slight difference and then only sell them through a specific retailer. Walmart and Best buy are notorious for that. And you are right, it is simply to allow that outlet to not have to price match the same item at another retailer.

Precisely. I'd add Costco to that list too. They do the same with food and household items. Identical product but larger quantity and packaging.

 

[Dave in KC]

5 weeks ago my local Lowes had zero Weber grills. Last weekend there were 7 including a Summit S670 of which I have never seen at a local box store before. The Weber accessory inventory was smaller and there were no more Weber pellets at all. Jon, check back in a few weeks and see if things have changed.

 

[John K BBQ]

We might just be seeing low inventories in the big box stores. I think it's likely that they will replenish in the spring as we get back to "BBQ season" in the northern 3rd of the country.

It seems less likely that Weber and Home Depot or Weber and Lowes would part ways. There could be a rift over the smoke fire, and the big box stores not supporting Webers full line of awesome grills and accessories (smoke fire, kamado, higher end gas grills, etc..).

Weber's sales and marketing likely sees the big box retailers the same way I do. I think they are just a necessary evil. I'll never get over the fact that it took Home Depot at least an hour to get my genesis grill (still in a box) off of an upper shelf, to the register and out to my car.

I AM SUPER happy that Weber continues to work with Ace, True Value and mom and pop retailers that care about customer service. I hope that never changes.

 

[Jon Tofte]

We have a nice little Ace in my small town of Brazil IN. I like doing business with them and will buy things I know I can cheaper at Lowes just because of the small town, local factor. Of course, there are things they just can’t carry or offer much selection in. Since Home Depot is an hour away from me, that means Lowes or Menards.

My little Ace has more Weber stuff than Lowes in Terre Haute. Menards has almost nothing in grill items I would be interested in.

The thing to me is that without significant big box presence I am hard pressed to see how Weber can maintain the volume they obviously crave. Big Green Egg was mentioned above, but they are way more a smaller niche, low volume company. The exclusivity of NOT being in big box stores fits their profile. Weber has gone after the high volume, major market share. A number of comments here I think are right in that it is hard to chase that market without watering down the quality the Weber brand has historically been known for.

I will be watching what happens at my Lowes store. I think there will be many more gas grills when spring arrives, but I think they have already committed a higher percentage of their actual shelf space to other cheaper brands such as Charbroil and to trendy ones like Blackstone. I don’t ever expect to see a SmokeFire anything at Lowes ever again. All this can’t help Weber’s sales in my estimation, and it puts another shadow in the future of the SmokeFire.

 

[Timothy Hoffman]

We have no Lowes around here. In fact with the lone ACE closing a couple of years ago, we are in the ACE blackhole.

 

[TimA]

I worked in retail long enough to understand target markets, destination retail, specialty retail, etc...
But how is the "grade" of products at Home Depot different than the same products sold elsewhere? There may be different model numbers for very similar brand items, like Weber grills, but that is strictly to avoid price matching. The grade or quality of the product does not differ. Maybe a different accessory or a slight cosmetic difference i.e. color,etc...
A Moen or Delta faucet from Home Depot is identical to the same model sold at Ace or True Value.

A Lincoln welder bought at Home Depot is not a Lincoln welder sold anywhere else. That’s a fact. They are a step down from the regular Lincoln welders, and parts do not interchange. It’s an issue, I work in the industry and customers buy the lower end Lincoln at a Home Depot and call us for parts. We don’t stock and often can’t get them. They ARE lesser quality than the Lincoln welders sold at real deal welding supply stores.

Same with engine drives. Specs on paper can be nearly identical, yet pricing is $2k different. Why? The box stores have lower quality components and parts inside them that will never last as long, and are FAR harder to get parts for.

Whether Weber does similar with gas grills or not, I haven’t the slightest. I don’t even really care to go in them other than occasionally Home Depot, and the one I go in the most wouldn’t let you through the door without a mask and I choose not to do business with garbage like that.

 

[LMichaels]

I miss our "Bob's Ace Hardware" now the closest is near to downtown Rockford or another that is in an out of the way location where it's hard to combine a trip. So it's typically a simple 1.5 mile drive to my Menard's or .5 mile further and I have Lowes, HD and Best Buy plus Sam's Club and even (dare I say it) Walmart yuk. But for bulk motor oil and stuff it's "OK" But not too much further and I have Farm & Fleet, and Costco. I can stop at Costco for regular needs and pick up ammo on the way home from F&F

 

[Brock Gingery]

Just doing some thinking that my Weber Performer Deluxe that I bought new a couple of years ago will be functioning A-OK with the exception of the propane gas assist in the year 2032. Also, my WSM "Classic" that I bought new in the year 2008 should be also functioning A-OK. Good "Basic" BBQ Equipment should outlast the more sophisticated and complex type.

As to myself as being A-OK in the year 2032 is the big question mark

Yes Richard. That is kind of what I was getting at. The blackstone I own is about the most tech heavy item I have, and it is just a basic no frills 36 inch

If need be I could put the top over a woodfire and still cook on it.

Same for my WSM and kettle, and if worse comes along, fires and coals can be lit or made with a flint and steel, some dry tinder, and my charcoal chimney. No electricity needed to cook.

 

[JSaus]

if I go into a Kia dealer I am not going to expect a Lexus or Toyota. I know what I am buying. But if I walk into a Lexus shop and end up seeing Kia quality definitely NOT a happy camper. I

Have you looked at Kia or Hundai lately? Their quality is right up there with the Japanese products now. While they have strived to improve, Weber appears to have taken a different course.

 

[Scott Smith]

Have you looked at Kia or Hundai lately? Their quality is right up there with the Japanese products now. While they have strived to improve, Weber appears to have taken a different course.

That's a pesky thing about capitalism. It is very easy to make up ground quickly by copying what worked for the leaders,

 

[Roy-Parallax]

That's a pesky thing about capitalism. It is very easy to make up ground quickly by copying what worked for the leaders,

With attention to quality. Not so much when the focus is exclusively on short-term profit.

 

[JSaus]

I am sure all the Webers are the same under the hood. What the big box stores have are special editions or exclusives. Those might have different hood colors, cabinet trim, knobs or grates etc. When I bought my Silver B, I bought from an independent dealer as he had a special edition with stainless flavorizers and grates. The big box guys did not offer that.

 

[JSaus]

With attention to quality. Not so much when the focus is exclusively on short-term profit.

Short term profit can lead to long term losses.

 

[Kyle in Woodstock]

Just got back from a Home Depot run.
They had some new gas models on the floor. I literally thought they were those cheap "use a year and re-buy" grills....then I saw the Weber badge.
Holy moly, it's getting worse.

 

[Bruce]

I saw a basic 2022 model Genesis 3 burner in my local HD a week ago. I thought it felt better than the previous model. Of course, the price is higher as well.

 

[Jon Tofte]

I think the new model has some positive features, although the firebox seemed really thin to me. That’s just an impression and not based on measurements or comparison. The new look is definitely in a direction further away from the classic Weber appearance. I didn’t like it at first, but I am getting more used to it as I see additional ones. I will still take a classic old-style Weber any day, but I do understand my taste and demographic is no longer the target Weber has to aim for.

 

[BobbyG]

We are lucky in our town. there are 10-12 aces in a 10-15 mile radius. All of them have different stuff and different sales.

 

[LMichaels]

We are lucky in our town. there are 10-12 aces in a 10-15 mile radius. All of them have different stuff and different sales.

Yes you are. No, "real" simple hardware stores around anymore. Everything is "big box" but at least I feel Menards is kind of "local" since headquarters is right up 90 in Eau Claire WI. I miss the Bob's Ace Hardware. Now it's a Rockford Rescue Mission thrift store

 

[BobbyG]

Yes you are. No, "real" simple hardware stores around anymore. Everything is "big box" but at least I feel Menards is kind of "local" since headquarters is right up 90 in Eau Claire WI. I miss the Bob's Ace Hardware. Now it's a Rockford Rescue Mission thrift store

We also got a couple local private owned hardware stores too