Some appliance brands have the product, margin, and support to win, yet they still struggle to gain traction. In this episode of The Steel CodCast, Anthony and Jon are joined by Stuart Stone, Chief Commercial Officer of Royal Green Appliance Companies, to unpack why being “almost there” is often harder than starting from scratch.

The conversation pulls back the curtain on what actually holds brands back once the fundamentals are in place. Stuart shares real world perspective from the C-suite and the showroom floor, breaking down why price pressure, brand baggage, overinvestment in digital features, and weak sales positioning can quietly stall momentum. The group also dives into brands that have lost ground, brands on the cusp of a comeback, and categories that deserve far more attention than they currently get at retail.

This episode offers rare insight for appliance professionals who want to understand how manufacturers think, why sales teams hesitate to embrace certain brands, and what actually moves the needle when a product is close but not closing. If you sell, train, or lead in the appliance industry, this conversation will sharpen how you evaluate brands, features, and long-term positioning.

Who This Episode Is For

Appliance sales professionals, showroom managers, manufacturer reps, and industry leaders who want deeper insight into brand strategy, sales training, and why some products stall despite strong fundamentals.

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New episodes of The Steel CodCast drop every day of the week, including weekends. Follow, rate, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode.

Timestamps

• 00:00 Introducing Stuart Stone and why this perspective matters
• 01:00 Why some brands look perfect on paper but stall in reality
• 02:30 Is price pressure the final hurdle or just part of the problem
• 05:00 Brands that are close and what is still holding them back
• 10:45 Viking’s brand baggage and the challenge of regaining trust
• 13:30 How sales teams decide which brands are “worth the effort”
• 18:30 Features manufacturers invest in that customers do not value
• 22:30 When digital features become a distraction instead of a benefit
• 28:00 Categories that should sell better but consistently underperform
• 32:30 Training salespeople to stop being financial advisors
• 38:30 What manufacturers and retailers should actually fix next
• 45:00 Final takeaways on brand momentum and positioning

#applianceindustry #appliancesales #appliancesalestraining #productpositioning

#applianceretail #applianceprofessionals #applianceindustrypodcast

#appliancebrands #brandstrategy #manufacturers

#appliancesalesfloor #salestraining #luxuryappliances

Customers say “they don’t make them like they used to” because they feel burned, and they want you to admit it. In this episode of The Steel CodCast, Anthony and Jon break down how to handle the longevity objection without getting defensive, overpromising, or losing the customer’s trust.

The conversation explains why this objection is actually a credibility test. Customers are not asking for a technical explanation, they are asking whether you will be honest. Anthony and Jon walk through how to commiserate without agreeing that everything is garbage, how to explain why appliances have changed, and how to shift the conversation from frustration into realistic expectations and better decision making.

This episode gives appliance sales professionals a clean, repeatable way to respond to one of the most common objections on the floor. If you sell appliances and regularly hear “my old one lasted 20 years,” this conversation will sharpen how you acknowledge the truth, keep control of the sale, and protect trust early in the experience.

Who This Episode Is For

Appliance sales professionals, showroom managers, and anyone responsible for handling customer objections and setting expectations in appliance retail.

Follow the Show

New episodes of The Steel CodCast drop every day of the week, including weekends. Follow, rate, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode.

Timestamps

• 00:00 Why this is one of the stickiest objections in appliance sales
• 00:30 Why the objection is really a commiseration moment
• 03:35 The consumer pushback every salesperson should expect
• 06:55 The “does that appliance even exist anymore” question
• 07:12 The money conversation and perceived long-term value
• 10:54 The short version that works in under a minute
• 14:02 Why this objection is an early trust-building opportunity

#applianceindustry #appliancesales #appliancesalestraining #productpositioning#applianceretail #applianceprofessionals #applianceindustrypodcast#applianceobjections #customerobjections #salespsychology#appliancelongevity #appliancerepair #appliancereliability#sellingappliances #appliancesalesfloor #closingthesale#customerservice #appliancesalesbestpractices

Auto cook features look impressive when the buttons light up, but most customers quietly decide they will never use them. In this episode of The Steel CodCast, Anthony and Jon break down why auto cook often feels like a demo feature instead of a daily benefit, and how to position it so it actually adds value.

The conversation explores why no one becomes a better cook just by pressing a button, and why overselling auto cook as “hands-off cooking” immediately creates skepticism. Instead, Anthony and Jon explain how the best auto cook systems work as guided assistance, helping with rack placement, cookware choice, and process, rather than pretending to replace skill or experience.

This episode helps appliance professionals reframe auto cook as instructional support instead of automation hype. If you sell ovens, ranges, or smart cooking features and struggle to make auto cook feel useful instead of gimmicky, this conversation will change how you present it on the sales floor.

Who This Episode Is For

Appliance sales professionals, showroom managers, manufacturer reps, and anyone selling ovens or ranges with auto cook or preprogrammed cooking features.

Follow the Show

New episodes of The Steel CodCast drop every day of the week, including weekends. Follow, rate, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode.

Timestamps

• 00:00 Why auto cook looks better than it feels
• 00:30 Why customers rarely believe auto cook will help them
• 01:15 Why pressing buttons does not make better cooks
• 02:05 How auto cook is often oversold as automation
• 03:10 Reframing auto cook as guided assistance
• 04:15 Why instruction beats full automation
• 05:10 How proper positioning restores credibility