Vendor Suggestions?

[meburdick]

I'm looking at buying my first welder and have found a couple of on line vendors that seem to have about the same price as each other. I'm wondering if anyone can provide good or bad experience information on either or both of them.

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I'm interested in knowing what sort of companies these are to deal with, specifically because one of them uses a Hotmail email account to manage customer inquiries (that always makes me a little leery that a company doesn't keep their email inside of their web domain).

TIA

 

[RaytheOne]

meburdick,

I haven't dealt with either one, but your second link is for the web store for Indiana Oxygen Company. They are a long established brick and mortar store. They also sell on eBay, and have a feedback score of 100% with almost 70,000 transactions.

I'm looking at buying a TIG torch from them, and they would appear to be a solid company.

Not saying anything either way about the first one, as I haven't researched them.

Good Luck

 

[meburdick]

meburdick,

I haven't dealt with either one, but your second link is for the web store for Indiana Oxygen Company. They are a long established brick and mortar store. They also sell on eBay, and have a feedback score of 100% with almost 70,000 transactions.

I'm looking at buying a TIG torch from them, and they would appear to be a solid company.

Not saying anything either way about the first one, as I haven't researched them.

Good Luck

Thanks. I saw the eBay info as well and was impressed with such a high rating and so many transactions. The reason I was skittish with them is because they handle email through Hotmail.

The other company appears to be a good one as well. And, although they are a few dollars higher, I get some "free" items for that additional cost (a hat-no biggie, welding gloves, and safety goggles). It's mostly useful stuff.

 

[RaytheOne]

I'm looking at buying my first welder

If I may ask, what kind of welder are you looking at?

 

[meburdick]

Miller 211

 

[RaytheOne]

Miller 211

Looks like a great little machine. I don't think you can go wrong with Miller, or Lincoln either. Just curious, did you price it locally?

With that said, I just upgraded from my old Lincoln buzzbox, to a ThermalArc Fabricator series machine. I liked the idea of a multi process machine. I have only played a little with it, but the Mig and stick are pretty slick. Probably wait just a bit to get a TIG torch for it.
I bought mine from a local welding supply, and they were running a sale, that put them within 40 dollars of all of the lowest web prices.

Good luck with what ever you do, and let us know how it works out for you.

 

[Shield Arc]

I've been dealing with Pacific Welding for over 30-years, couple years ago Central Welding bought them. I haven't seen any changes at all, great group of people to deal with.

I bought my Dynasty 300 from IOC. Not one problem.

 

[meburdick]

I have a couple of potential options locally, and I'll be pursuing both starting tomorrow.

Thanks for the good input on IOC

 

[meburdick]

Pursued one of my local options for the welder... Can get a price that's pretty close to buying it on line. Slightly higher because of sales tax. Since I would likely be doing other items with it, the total package locally could be very cost-competitive with on line. Still looking into the other local option.

 

[undercut]

Pursued one of my local options for the welder... Can get a price that's pretty close to buying it on line. Slightly higher because of sales tax. Since I would likely be doing other items with it, the total package locally could be very cost-competitive with on line. Still looking into the other local option.

If you can get it locally for a price competitive with online, you are golden. You may need consumables or service in the future so it might be a good idea to strike up a relationship and see if you can keep all of your needs fulfilled nearby.

I buy online because I can't afford the prices I find locally. I do my research and only purchase from retailers I think are reputable but as everyone knows, if something does go wrong, dealing with it locally is usually easier than having to deal with it remotely.

 

[Willl]

The reason I was skittish with them is because they handle email through Hotmail.

Why is that a concern ?

 

[meburdick]

If you can get it locally for a price competitive with online, you are golden. You may need consumables or service in the future so it might be a good idea to strike up a relationship and see if you can keep all of your needs fulfilled nearby.

I buy online because I can't afford the prices I find locally. I do my research and only purchase from retailers I think are reputable but as everyone knows, if something does go wrong, dealing with it locally is usually easier than having to deal with it remotely.

Agreed. I can come very close, and part of that is because I do have an established relationship with the vendor. Adding to it / keeping it in tact obviously never hurts.

 

[Stimw]

I bought my MM210 and Miller 625 Plasma from BR Welders who were on ebay,they are located in Maryland IIRC, were great to deal with and competive.
Before I bought the MM210 I ask a local all lines welder repair guy about it. His EXACT words "If It's Blue, BUY IT". That was in 2001 and he hasn't been wrong so far!
At the time I could barely afford the MM210 having just started my business but then it paid for itself in less than three months!

 

[meburdick]

Why is that a concern ?

IMHO, a company that depends on a free email provider as their means of staying in touch with customers does not view customer contact as being of the highest priority. Any hosting company will add email hosting to that of a web site for an immensely small add-on fee (or include it in the price of hosting the site). There are too many "fly by night" type of companies out there... The ones that are serious about selling through the web take little steps like using a @mycompany.com email address to show a level of trust and professionalism to their perspective customers.

To me, using a free email provider says "My web site looks impressive, but I run this business out of my basement." It's opinion and impression. As someone that's been involved in IT and Internet commerce for a very long time, I know just how simple and inexpensive it is to make your business look truly polished with simple things like this.

 

[eastexan]

+1 meburdick. Good explanation.

 

[Stimw]

IMHO, a company that depends on a free email provider as their means of staying in touch with customers does not view customer contact as being of the highest priority. Any hosting company will add email hosting to that of a web site for an immensely small add-on fee (or include it in the price of hosting the site). There are too many "fly by night" type of companies out there... The ones that are serious about selling through the web take little steps like using a @mycompany.com email address to show a level of trust and professionalism to their perspective customers.

To me, using a free email provider says "My web site looks impressive, but I run this business out of my basement." It's opinion and impression. As someone that's been involved in IT and Internet commerce for a very long time, I know just how simple and inexpensive it is to make your business look truly polished with simple things like this.

As someone who has worked with my hands my whole life I know equipment, I don't know the difference from an I pad and a maxi pad, a blue tooth and a black eye.
I would certainly look past the amature (your assertion) web gaff and see who the company really is. I think I have ordered from the company in Indiana.
When I locate a company online I usually turn to their phone number to order. How they take an order will tell me how they operate a lot more than their email address!

 

[meburdick]

As someone who has worked with my hands my whole life I know equipment, I don't know the difference from an I pad and a maxi pad, a blue tooth and a black eye.
I would certainly look past the amature (your assertion) web gaff and see who the company really is. I think I have ordered from the company in Indiana.
When I locate a company online I usually turn to their phone number to order. How they take an order will tell me how they operate a lot more than their email address!

That's exactly why I put up the thread... We're on the same page, I think.

I had a curve thrown at me today. I went down to the local LWS to talk with my contact and pick up a few items. While I was there, one of the guys that really knows the welders recommend that I add into the pool for consideration the ESAB Caddy C200i. Similar price point to the Miller at 1/3 the weight.

The down sides are less well-known, at least in my neck of the woods and 220 only. From the little bit of digging around I've done so far, though, they appear to be amazing little welders. And, with their extremely small size and light weight, they are FAR more portable than the Miller I had been considering. The also appear to run VERY nicely from generator power, which would be a need for me for a little while since it's 220 only.

 

[Willl]

To me, using a free email provider says "My web site looks impressive, but I run this business out of my basement."

Fair enough, I can understand.

Which one was it ?, they both show as having their own email to me.

 

[meburdick]

IOC replies with a hotmail address. I haven't contacted the the other, and likely won't deal with either of them at this point (I have a LWS that can get pretty competitive prices on this stuff for me).

 

[aczlan]

To me, using a free email provider says "My web site looks impressive, but I run this business out of my basement." It's opinion and impression. As someone that's been involved in IT and Internet commerce for a very long time, I know just how simple and inexpensive it is to make your business look truly polished with simple things like this.

Knowing some people with businesses that do very well and have websites, but still use hotmail, yahoo, etc, it probbaly never occurred to them to switch from the email address that they have been using for 10+ years, or they dont like the webmail interface of their hosting provider and dont want to use a computer based client.

Aaron Z