TSSC MAIN WEBSITE and SHOP UPGRADE - DISCUSSIONS

[dougbgt6]

I'm told the excessive Club Shop postage is because they courier everything. On occasion the shop can be persuaded to put small items in envelopes and use regular post. The whole courier thing should be reviewed and offered as an option. They'd shift a lot more stuff with regular post.

Doug

[Badwolf]

Found some interesting comment about websites here...

https://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2022/05/martin-lewis---uo-is-just-as-important-as-ux--a-tip-for-anyone-d/?_ga=2.161490936.598289542.1652873783-1824891735.1632915198

Not the sort of place for a info on website design, but I found several of the points made very interesting

[Jeffds1360]

Que ? No coprendo!

[Josef]

On 18/05/2022 at 12:54, Badwolf said:

Found some interesting comment about websites here...

https://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2022/05/martin-lewis---uo-is-just-as-important-as-ux--a-tip-for-anyone-d/?_ga=2.161490936.598289542.1652873783-1824891735.1632915198

Not the sort of place for a info on website design, but I found several of the points made very interesting

Hmm, yes, the club shop does suffer somewhat here. Finding stuff usually involves a mixture of using the search function and browsing to where the item logically might live. Searching for ‘oil’ brings up the Castrol stuff, but not the Penrite for example, though it does show up results for full engine rebuilds. Then browsing to the oil section shows both types of oil, but only GT6 oil filters, the 4 cyl GFE150s you have to search for (but not under Spitfire as that’s misspelled in the listing!)

[Paulfc]

What the MSE article clearly conveys is that it is quite a task to run a website that is: easy to use, accurate and kept up to date, is slick and easily navigable, delivers the user experiences the organisation behind it wants and the users themselves expect. That’s why MSE employs a lot of people. We can’t hope to emulate that. Maybe what we could explore is if the same kind of synergies that has led to the combined annual jamboree (Triumph and MG Weekend) could be applied to other common areas of our “business” activities. 
 

Paul

[Josef]

Well the club can’t expect to employ lots and lots of people. But websites of all flavours are run very successfully by volunteers.

[Colin Lindsay]

11 hours ago, Josef said:

Well the club can’t expect to employ lots and lots of people. But websites of all flavours are run very successfully by volunteers.

In these days of working from home it should be possible?

[Colin Lindsay]

Back on the Club Shop website this morning to try to buy interior trim for the Herald. Not a chance. The Herald section is blank:

And the section on door trims for the Vitesse - which might be suitable - refers to the photograph, of which there isn't one.

I tried, guys, as a customer, believe me I tried. The shop website needs a revamp as a matter of urgency; at the very least, remove the empty sections which are reminiscent of bare shelves in a supermarket. How long has this dragged on now?

 

[Badwolf]

I know, here we go again, but Head Office, do you really expect customers to buy anything without a photo and a decent description? That's, of course, assuming you can find the item on the site.

Big job, yes, but if you are going to sell online you have to do it properly. Look at the usual suppliers, look at fleabay, look at Amaz*n. Just how many thousands of pounds of sales are being lost, and for the profit that you make on the sales that you do take, is it worth it? I want some Gates fuel pipe but at £7+ listed for carriage forget it. Yes, I know that I can phone to negotiate carriage but should I need to?

I notice from Colin's screenshot that the description for the door cards says "As can be seen the design of the weld lines looks very effective" really, where?

 

[Gully]

If I remember rightly, Peter L was assisting Tom from COM with this late last year? Not sure how much progress was made and it could well be that the new shop guru has taken on the challenge - maybe @Peter Lewis knows more? On the face of it, nothing has improved. 

Personally, I don't use the Club Shop website - I'll check the annual catalogue prices and order by phone if there's something I want / need, or wait until I can collect from them at HQ or a show. That's driven by the state of the website (which is simply not fit for purpose). However, I buy far more via Canleys and Paddocks... 

If the Club Shop is not going to follow the parts diagram approach favoured by Canley Classics and Rimmer Bros, they need to learn from the James Paddock website (which appears to be a similar platform to the Club Shop).

Gully

[Pete Lewis]

i have fwd this post to chris and julian  so they are aware of the content 

i did pass on a load of photos  i pinched off the web to Tom but not heard any more 

i know juilan is going to reproduce a new paper brochure  as many dont even have internet 

the latest problem is the contiually updating rising prices nightmare 

Pete

[Colin Lindsay]

3 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

i have fwd this post to chris and julian  so they are aware of the content 

Thanks Pete, I hate to raise it again but to be honest it does need addressed. One one part of the forum we're being called dinosaurs for having to rely on printed products, then when we go online it's so neglected that we have to resort to the printed catalogue instead which to be honest must be even more out of date re prices and products. It is, quite literally, our shop window to the world and it's driving potential buyers and members elsewhere.

[Badwolf]

Question - In real terms how many stock lines does the club shop actually stock. Yes, I know that I could sit down with last year's paper catalogue and count, but seriously, the stock holding can't be anywhere near the holding of the usual suppliers. It shouldn't be so difficult to sort out, say, 20 lines a week or maybe I expect too much! I see Gates on promotion in this month's Courier 'p&p half a kg'. Is it rocket science just to put a price on the carriage in the ad for half a metre of each bore...special postal rate to month end! Others do.

[Chris A]

34 minutes ago, Badwolf said:

Is it rocket science just to put a price on the carriage in the ad for half a metre of each bore.

Quite true for the UK market. I don't know how much is sold to non UK members but the postage to addresses outside the UK has to be calculated on each order.

[Dick Twitchen]

Had a long chat with Julian at Duxford and he is well aware of the disquiet. Suggested he keeps a weather eye on this thread on the Forum to stay abreast of thoughts and issues but, quite correctly, these things take time with a new man in the seat.  Pete's comment on rising prices is very apposite as it is something that is challenging Julian on almost every item he is dealing with.

Dick

[Craig.]

Is it not worth considering the ecommerce solution provided by Invision, that the club are already using and paying for?

[iana]

i logged into the shop a while ago to buy a 13/60 ignition pack - on search engine £40, on site £60 but log in to get member price and its £57. phoned up to be told its correct so i sourced elsewhere. I need to order a replacement exhaust - non member price £207.58, memberprice exactly the same. why is it so difficult on the club shop

 

[Craig.]

They need to use the Invision ecommerce solution as this automatically distinguishes members from non-members. 

[Badwolf]

Craig - Perhaps you should send a detailed proposal along with costing directly to head office. The AGM is coming up. Over to you!!!

[Neil Clark]

What is the club's Parts Dept "USP" or Unique Selling Proposition?   I can't see it.

I'm not involved at the TSSC but have run several non-automotive businesses with parts and serious on-line operations selling to retailers / wholesalers and industry.  The commercial side is not easy to change or grow without full time expert input.  It's not simply the software package.  I found that in the UK and abroad that if we let the IT people alone design the customer facing system it was inevitably a disaster.  You need money and more to be fully independent.  Been there, done that and got the T shirts.  But beyond that, when the TSSC parts competitors of Rimmers / Moss etc etc want every order going  (for competitors is what they are) and set their own prices it leaves precious little room for the club to discount to members and earn enough to justify the club parts dept existence.  And I don't suppose that the club volume is anything like, or could easily approach, the volumes ordered and held by the other vendors in order to get the club cost price down low enough of sourcing direct.

I know a couple of suppliers of MG parts and they get orders in the hundreds of units from Rimmers / Moss etc.  The MG Owners Club is massive, worldwide and highly successful as a parts operation but it's not a members club.  It's a brilliant, privately owned business calling itself a club, with very big parts operations, a pretty good magazine, a busy and enthusiastic technical forum (like the TSSC one) and a full car rebuilding and servicing operation in Cambridgeshire and easily competing with Rimmers / Moss etc etc.  "Members", who pay about £50 / year get zero discount on parts, which ticks me off still.  The original 100 year old MG Car Club, huge as it is, doesn't do parts.

So I suspect that the potential range of unique parts that could be sourced sold and discounted is small.   Even Canley Classics has now cut back staffing levels dramatically on the retail /mail order parts side, finding it far easier selling bulk to Rimmers / Moss etc.  To make a parts operation slick, growing, profitable and still satisfy members who want to see a discount benefit if buying via the club will be a pretty hard row to hoe. 

[Clive]

Clubs should really not be trying to compete with other sellers.

The TDC is great, they get otherwise unavailable parts made or reconditioned to a high standard. Most clubs sell regalia/trinkets, but I have rarely bought via teh club shop as the parts are often sent from Fitchets or Don hoods anyway. 

However, if the club shop can make enough to emply an extra bod at HQ I guess that is OK. It helps take teh pressure off the other staff. 

[Craig.]

22 hours ago, Badwolf said:

Craig - Perhaps you should send a detailed proposal along with costing directly to head office. The AGM is coming up. Over to you!!!

It's a tricky one. I think the club has received bad advice on how to run online operations. I'm happy to advise on the technicals, but I build bookshelves, not write books.

[Pete Lewis]

Chris is aware of these    postings

so any ideas will be   noted  

Pete

[Josef]

In my dream world the club shop should be a trusted source for parts for our cars, and invest in (re)manufacturing impossible to get essential items (properly shaped boot corner/floor pan repairs for the Herald range, 3 rail 3 synchro second gears etc). We’ve got the expertise within the club to make sure that anything sold really is fit for purpose amongst all the stuff we have learnt from experience isn’t…

But all this is probably not financially realistic, I know. 

[Pete Lewis]

the trouble is  what to stock that is of a good quality and does what it should  but they cannot run a stock of parts available  from any  main suppliers as the volume /price wont match

not many members would need or know what to do with a 2nd gear  as an example , the club has to purchase from all the main suppliers and i would guess club prices are simply 

what can be purchased at a discount that with a lower mark up stands the chance of being competative 

regailia is one item that costs a fortune has  all the complications of size and gender then the price puts the brakes on anyone buying it but its seen as  a needed product 

stock costs a fortune you cant have something costs hundreds sitting on the shelf for ever ,  so much just has to be available to order purchases 

all a bit of a nightmare and with the silly price hikes at the moment  

Julian has a task on his hands     i know he is planning a reprint of the parts booklet  but how to print prices when the whole scene is so volatile 

i have suggested the booklet is made as the on line shop with a click and basket order , the booklet has all the pictures in as a start .

no idea how viable that  idea is . tom was having a look 

Pete