Are there enough local buyers to make your local store really be local? I personally would not be motivated to take 3 hours out of my day off drive someplace just to buy something, esp. if what I needed was online and could get to me within a day or so.

Best of luck to you!

 

Here is the update for you Scot. Thanks for asking.

December was a good month...as well it should have been. We made a small profit. That means that in two out of our first seven months in business, we made a bit of money. That is about a year ahead of schedule, so I'm not complaining.

It's funny, but January has been better than December. This is completely unexpected. We have a regular group of core customers who seem to order just as things get slow. I think the difference is people who "shopped" us a few months ago are coming back and buying. Maybe it is because our name is getting out, I really don't know.

We have held steady with our board sponsorships and I think they are really paying off. I think folks like to see you around a bit before they trust you. Our customers have been very kind in posting their reviews of us, which I think really helps.

Our outside sales guy was a bust. I don't think he had a good comfort level with the products and was was not good at cold calling or selling something he didn't understand. We tried giving him some training, but he didn't demonstrate much initiative with question asking or a quest for knowledge.

We are currently revising the business plan with the intent to pursue a Colorado money resource called CAPCO. The requirements are rather stringent, but we fall nicely into the parameters of more than one lender. We hope to use this funding for the retail space. We would also like to put together a nice catalog and branch out our advertising campaign.

As for weather, it was 60 here last week. Today it will reach the 40's, but 50's are expected later this week. It's not the best weather for car washing, but doable. The CDOT has finally admitted that the Magnesium Chloride they spread on the roads is corrosive and should be cleaned off cars in a timely manner. This will motive more car washers for sure.

Over the next few months, we are doing a demo day with the Rocky Mountain Audi Club and then one for the BMW club. The Ferrari club and Mercedes club have both approached us. There are two big car shows in May we will do. Hopefully we will have solid storefront plans at that point. Our goal is to build a nice following prior to the store opening.

So that brings you up to date. Talk to you in a few months...

www.detailersparadise.com

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Octane-Girl
Are there enough local buyers to make your local store really be local?

 

Hi Nin009,

I first saw your site from audiworld (new to me 2001 S4 recently purchased) and took a very quick browse of your site. Now today I see you are an active S2000 member.

Anyway, even though you're up and running, I'll like to throw out another item I would like to see from your site. I'm an extremely loyal Zaino user and have recommended it to many other folks and they all LOVE Zaino.

One of the main attractions I have to Zaino outside of the product quality is he has a very informative tutorial on his site. Sal tells you exactly how to use his product. I know this is different then what you are doing since you sell other folks products, but it would be great to see the recommended ways to use the german wax. Or the best ways to use p21s products, or a combination of products you have seen give the best results?

I know you probably don't want to get in the business of rating one of your products better then others, but I'm sure there is a way where you could give some tips on products without blowing away the sales of your other products.

Basically, I'm ready to see if there is a replacement for Zaino, or something I can add to make Zaino better.

I saw that you have a FAQ coming. Is this the type of info you plan on having? Also, personally, I hate links that tell me nothing. Your FAQ link is one of those.

Good luck, things look like they are doing very well for you. I'll be looking over your site in more detail, and will be looking to support your business.

ERIK

 

Erik,

I am a reformed Zaino user. I encourage you to purchase the sample size of Einzett from Nick. The sample sizes I would say allowed me to do my car no less than 8 times over.

The results were extremely breath-taking (better than I have seen with using Zaino for 2 years).

 

Nick,

Good to see it is going well. I would have the patience to stick out a year of no real income..... Hopefully me bumping this up every 2-3 months gets you some free business...... can I be a 1099 contractor?

have fun with it!!!!!



[QUOTE]Originally posted by Nin009
Here is the update for you Scot.

 

Erik,
Thank you for the input. That blasted FAQ has been my nemesis. I see your point about it being, well, pointless. I should take it down until it is ready. I had high hopes of getting it done sooner. You have a good idea for FAQ content. I hadn't thought of explaining how to mix and match. It is definitely now on my list.


Scot,
No you can't be a 1099. You spend too much time on the boards to be productive. But I do appreciate you bringing me to the top every couple of months. It does indeed increase my traffic.

 

I really wish you well, but I just don't see it. The challenge is dealing with the marketing juggernaut this country is influenced by. Most successful retailers work with multiple stores and huge advertising budgets within a sizable market segment much larger than a niche'. We consumers don't like it but accept it. As I understand it, you want to persue a small niche with expensive products. Yet these expensive products are still relatively cheap. If you talk me out of turtle wax, what's your upside? Maybe you can talk a car guy like me out of $100. Anything more and I'm off to the detailer. Plus, if you do sell me, you probably won't see me again for a long, long while. Aside from spills, I'm good for years, and may not even remember where I got the stuff. Even mailers, events, catalogs, etc aren't gonna get many people to visit again soon and they are expensive. If somebody cares enough to use this stuff, they will research the internet, and they will most likely spend there money there. It's strange but people seem to be accepting of expensive stuff on the net. They seem comfortable assuming they are getting good stuff at a fair price. Put the same product in brick and mortar and the experience changes in an unfair way. Expensive products in a pretty store-perspective customer thinks you are making too much money and are charging him for your pretty space. Expensive products in a less pretty store-customer thinks you're a scam. I dislike internet resellers. But this product category is near internet perfect. High price, low volume, nationwide reach.

 

I am not surfing.... i am "researching"

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Nin009

Scot,
No you can't be a 1099.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by newyorker8
It is only $6.00......