Letters To The Editor
MULTI-PURPOSE OIL
I’m writing in response to the Letter to the Editor regarding 3-IN-ONE* oil (March AMSOIL Magazine). I have been an AMSOIL Dealer since 1981, and I still have and use 3-IN-ONE oil because there really isn’t an AMSOIL substitute for more precise oiling. You just can’t or don’t want to oil some things with a spray can (model trains, fishing-reel lube ports, etc.). It gets everywhere, even with the straw. I have to imagine that you must have reviewed a market for this in the past and didn’t pursue it.
Just my two cents…
Brian Abbott
AMSOIL: A 3-in-1 oil has been on our radar, but we have no immediate plans to introduce one. We typically focus on products for specific, high-performance applications; 3-in-1 oils are usually lower-performance lubricants intended for general applications that require minimal levels of lubrication. We may further investigate this market down the road, but we currently have other product development projects higher on the priority list. For more precise oiling of model trains and fishing reels, try AMSOIL Firearm Lubricant. While it’s specifically designed for the lubrication requirements of firearms, it provides more-than-adequate protection for general applications that would normally use a 3-in-1 oil.
ATV/UTV OIL CHANGE KITS
The sales of ATV and UTV oils in my powersports retail accounts have been declining over the last few years. I have received feedback that their do-it-yourself customers like the convenience of picking up an oil change kit that has everything they need, rather than buying the oil and filter separately. Likewise, the service department of one account prefers the V-Twin Oil Change Kit (HDCK) when doing service on Harley-Davidsons*, rather than taking quarts and a filter. Has AMSOIL considered making other oil change kits for any of the ATV/UTV brands?
Gale Binder
AMSOIL: Yes, this idea has been discussed in-depth. We are committed to providing full-service solutions for our customers, and we plan to make new investments in the growing ATV/UTV market as soon as next spring. Stay tuned.
AGGRAND
I’ll start by saying I’m very disappointed about the AGGRAND division closing. The garden and agricultural shows that we have done in the past six years haven’t brought any big sales, but there was a lot of interest in the product.
We frequently were told that prospective customers had never heard of AGGRAND. Did you not advertise in agriculture literature or garden magazines? Perhaps the fault on low sales was a lack of effort on your part to spread the word about this natural product line. You advertise AMSOIL all the time – online, magazines, national shows. ALTRUM has a monthly newsletter, but for AGGRAND we’re lucky to see something every three months.
The thought as to why AGGRAND never took off rests squarely on your shoulders. Instead of closing the doors on AGGRAND you should be advertising it like you do AMSOIL. It is as innovative a product line as the synthetic oils into which you have put so much research, time and advertising. We had hoped to see a financially successful future in this product as a means to retire.
Sincerely,
Matt & Marcelle King
I would like to express my regret at the announcement of AGGRAND products being discontinued. My long-term AMSOIL account with Virginia Tech’s athletic department finally ordered a trial of five gallons of AGGRAND NOS this spring after 10 years of my encouragement. I feel confident the price and performance will convince them to order more. The prestige of Virginia Tech’s athletics will make this a wonderful testimony for other environmentally conscious colleges and universities to try and use AGGRAND. You may recall the trial in the March 1995 AMSOIL Action News by Virginia Tech’s renowned turf grass specialist, Richard Schmidt, demonstrating 100 percent increase in root growth. But alas, there will be no more available.
I understand the need to show profit. But the timing, especially with the tremendous potential for academic institutions becoming customers as they are more and more environmentally conscious, could not be worse. I implore you, if at all possible, to keep the line alive for another year or two to see if a turnaround might be on the horizon.
Warm regards,
Allan Wulff
AMSOIL: No one is more disappointed than we are in the closing of AGGRAND. Contrary to what you might believe, our investments in AGGRAND were beyond commensurate with the division’s income. We tried a variety of methods over the past 27 years, including trade shows, celebrity endorsement, TV and more. Still, it isn’t surprising to hear that you encountered many potential customers who had never heard of AGGRAND – reaching the point where most people have heard of a product or company typically requires billions spent on advertising annually.
Both letters touch on an AGGRAND trend with which we are all too familiar: it generated lots of interest, but not lots of sales. As you know, the interest is nice, but it’s no good without the sales. Allan touched on another idea we know well: “keep the line alive for another year or two to see if a turnaround might be on the horizon.” That’s just what we’d been doing for some time, Allan. Unfortunately, that turnaround never came. Like AMSOIL before it, AGGRAND was ahead of its time. This time, however, it wasn’t meant to be. The AGGRAND division lost money for years and sales were decreasing. Good business sense dictated that it was time to let AGGRAND go and focus our attention and resources on our core business – synthetic lubricants and helping Dealers find success in lubrication-related markets. We appreciate the efforts made by AGGRAND Dealers through the years.
Email letters to:
letters@amsoil.com
Or, mail them to:
AMSOIL INC.
Communications Department
Attn: Letters
925 Tower Avenue
Superior, WI 54880
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