Starting Business-Need Input
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,637
Likes: 0
From: Denver
Cool, the thread is back. Here is your update.
We have been profitable since December. On March 1 sales doubled. By the end of March, they tripled. Our reputation for customer service has built us a very loyal base of core customers. Funny, people appreciated being treated well.
April has slowed down a bit, which has given us a chance to re-evaluate things. We have outgrown being a home-based business run by two people. We are out of space and time. The workdays are now endless and inventory is stacked everywhere. It is time to move to either a warehouse or retail space. The best scenario would be retail space at the price of warehouse space...of course.
I think if we had opened the retail space a year ago, our advertising budget would have had to been huge, or we would have gone under. At this point we are getting several contacts a day from detail shops, Denver customers and customers across the state about a store. They want to shop in person. We have people driving an hour so I can evaluate their car for them.
We talked to P21S last week, and they are literally giddy to have a retail presence. They have offered tremendous support, including shelving, point of sale items and signage.
erik-the FAQs now has some content. http://www.detailersparadise.com/_System/_.../_CMS/?Page=FAQ
www.detailersparadise.com
We have been profitable since December. On March 1 sales doubled. By the end of March, they tripled. Our reputation for customer service has built us a very loyal base of core customers. Funny, people appreciated being treated well.
April has slowed down a bit, which has given us a chance to re-evaluate things. We have outgrown being a home-based business run by two people. We are out of space and time. The workdays are now endless and inventory is stacked everywhere. It is time to move to either a warehouse or retail space. The best scenario would be retail space at the price of warehouse space...of course.
I think if we had opened the retail space a year ago, our advertising budget would have had to been huge, or we would have gone under. At this point we are getting several contacts a day from detail shops, Denver customers and customers across the state about a store. They want to shop in person. We have people driving an hour so I can evaluate their car for them.
We talked to P21S last week, and they are literally giddy to have a retail presence. They have offered tremendous support, including shelving, point of sale items and signage.
erik-the FAQs now has some content. http://www.detailersparadise.com/_System/_.../_CMS/?Page=FAQ
www.detailersparadise.com
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 752
Likes: 8
From: South Jersey
Nick,
Congratulations. Glad to hear business is profitting!! And I have yet to try the sample, but the weather is getting better here so hopefully sometime this month!!
And thanks for updating that FAQ, I'll check it out!
ERIK
Congratulations. Glad to hear business is profitting!! And I have yet to try the sample, but the weather is getting better here so hopefully sometime this month!!
And thanks for updating that FAQ, I'll check it out!
ERIK
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,637
Likes: 0
From: Denver
Hey all, thank for checking back with me.
Things are going quite well. We opened the retail store in February of 2005. The building is 4200 sqft with 2000 dedicated to the store. The rest is internet and detailing bay.
The store is really doing well. June and July saw more business in the store than online. We have been doing detailing clinics in our bay which really helps sales. People tend to buy what they understand. We actually have a waiting list to get into our classes, and car clubs have already booked training for all of March and part of April.
In November, we launched our own line of products called "Prima." Right now we have an auto wash, QD, glass cleaner and SMR. We worked with a chemist to create proprietary products and formulas. We already have distributor accounts in the UK, Australia and with a US-based online retailer.
The next steps for us include expanding the Prima line and holding strong for another year or two. After that, we may start expanding the retail store concept.
The Lotus is mine, the 355 is not.
Things are going quite well. We opened the retail store in February of 2005. The building is 4200 sqft with 2000 dedicated to the store. The rest is internet and detailing bay.
The store is really doing well. June and July saw more business in the store than online. We have been doing detailing clinics in our bay which really helps sales. People tend to buy what they understand. We actually have a waiting list to get into our classes, and car clubs have already booked training for all of March and part of April.
In November, we launched our own line of products called "Prima." Right now we have an auto wash, QD, glass cleaner and SMR. We worked with a chemist to create proprietary products and formulas. We already have distributor accounts in the UK, Australia and with a US-based online retailer.
The next steps for us include expanding the Prima line and holding strong for another year or two. After that, we may start expanding the retail store concept.
The Lotus is mine, the 355 is not.
Moderator
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,904
Likes: 93
From: Big Box suburb, IL
Looks to be that they're still going strong. Nin009 has established great local support in Denver, and people like me, keep going back to them for internet/phone orders.
Detaillersparadise.com offers a great range of products, AWESOME customer service and after-the-sale support, that I'll keep going back and referring others to them.
Good job Nick.
Detaillersparadise.com offers a great range of products, AWESOME customer service and after-the-sale support, that I'll keep going back and referring others to them.
Good job Nick.