KLOSE Pits - The best maker with the worse website?

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snyper77

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What's up with this MESS? I can't navigate it, the colors hurt my eyes, and some links say "In stock now 8/6/2010". If someone knows Mr. Klose personally, please advise him to spend $2500 and get a really nice site. Heck, someone would build him a top notch site in trade for a smoker!
http://www.bbqpits.com/
 
Yep, lousy site, but from what I've heard he makes a fine cooker!
 
Dave's site does suck, his products do not, but then he isn't in the web design business either.
 
granted it's not super user friendly or easy on the eyes, but I think describing it as a "mess" is a bit of a stretch. With solid reputation and demand for the pits, my guess is that a lot of business is done through word of mouth and phone calls and in person for the TX locals.

Several here know him well, .. Dave Klose has posted here on a few occasions too. I met him once at a contest in PA a few years back... The guy is eccentric to say the least...I mean that in a good way...fascinating character with crazy stories and nice guy from what I experienced.
 
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The site is a little cryptic to navigate, no argument there. But really, have you seen some of the other pit builders websites? They have maybe 1 or 2 photos of each pit and that's all, not to mention hardly any additional info (this is what disappointed me with a lot of other builders who ultimately lost my business). Dave lays claim to having built in excess of 100,000 pits and he's got hundreds of photos on his site. I'd sooner have a clumsy site with tons of info and pics than a sparse site that leaves you guessing/wanting more.
 
My apologies. I didn't mean to sound rude. I just know how easy it would be for him to give someone a pit in trade for a really nice website. Five days, done deal.
 
It's a fair point - his site could use some work.
 
i do web design, id totally redo his site for a cooker.
 
As long as he keeps making pits as well as he does, his web site can be any way he wants.
 
Paulie G. said:
As long as he keeps making pits as well as he does, his web site can be any way he wants.
Click to expand...

'nuf said!

IMG_0315.jpg


"It's all about the Q"
 
Snyper... you are missing the bigger picture.

In the recent weeks you have publicly bashed the web prowess of not one,
but two fabricators of nationally known and respected smokers, Tom Klose and Ben Lang.

They both have a successful business model... with or without your observations.
If you were questioning my business or character... I may deny you my business.

For what its worth... take it or leave it... there's no need for it.
 
When I bought my pit I didn't spend much time on the website. I found what I wanted and called them directly. Great service and they put my picture on the website by my cooker:
Backyard Smokers_ 20x48 Klose Heavy Duty Pipe Smoker. :clap2:
 
He has 2 sites this is the newest, You want a pit, Dave will spend as much time on the phone with you as necessary. Just for you to find your perfect smoker. He will even navigate you around the site once you give him an idea of what you are wanting. He will never pressure you in to buying anything but once you decide on what you want. His great service continues even after you have bought your pit.

http://www.commercialbbq.com/

Dave is my friend and I have called him with questions on a cook or what to charge etc. . He has always took the time to talk to me even now, years after my purchase.
 
The site could be better, but there is some great stuff on there - some of their pits qualify as art IMO. I enjoyed dealing with them - Dana is one of those people you can talk to all day long - and I love love love my Klose.

There are times when I've wanted to see something on the site I looked at before and can't remember how I navigated to it and it isn't at all obvious how to find it, so I have to re-stumble across it. The new one Jacob links to does seem to be better. My guess is Klose pits is doing good business, sub-par site or not.
 
the second site posted is much easier on the eyes.

fwiw, when i go to a website in search of a product, i take site design into account (if i know nothing of the specific product). kind of like a "total package" type of deal. i've visited some bbq websites that seem like they would be good, but have a design that looks to be 20 years old and is extremely hard to navigate. i don't stay on those sites long enough to try to figure them out.

on the flip side of this, i've seen some very well designed audiophile websites selling complete and total bullchit for premium dollars.
 
IMHO the quality of the cooker is what i would be looking for,not the real fancy website.Do it the old fashioned way-pick up the phone and call.
 
I remember way back before the interweb, if you wanted information on something, you had to make a long distance call or send a letter requesting a brochure.
Crappy sites are a drag, but way better than checking the mailbox for a month.
 
MilitantSquatter said:
granted it's not super user friendly or easy on the eyes, but I think describing it as a "mess" is a bit of a stretch. With solid reputation and demand for the pits, my guess is that a lot of business is done through word of mouth and phone calls and in person for the TX locals.

Several here know him well, .. Dave Klose has posted here on a few occasions too. I met him once at a contest in PA a few years back... The guy is eccentric to say the least...I mean that in a good way...fascinating character with crazy stories and nice guy from what I experienced.
Click to expand...
Way back when I first became a Brethren I tried several times to contact Dave. Never got a answer. Lucky for me because I bought Spicewines,and have never been sorry.
 
snyper77 said:
What's up with this MESS? I can't navigate it, the colors hurt my eyes, and some links say "In stock now 8/6/2010". If someone knows Mr. Klose personally, please advise him to spend $2500 and get a really nice site. Heck, someone would build him a top notch site in trade for a smoker!
http://www.bbqpits.com/
Click to expand...

Just my .02, but why don't you send him an email or call him up and advise him yourself? I'm sure he'd be eager to listen to your concerns about his websites and how it could possibly improve his business overall. As stated, Dave will be more than willing to spend time with you on the phone. There's no one that can do anything about it, but Dave himself.

Bob
 
As far as I am concerned it is one of the best websites I have seen. It has a phone number on it. Rare to find a company interested in human interaction these days.
 
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