As many of you know, we will soon be opening a brand new store here on Catsailor.com.



Rick White, myself, and others are working hard to make this the best place on the internet to purchase everything you need for your sailing fun.



So I put this question to you:



When you're making purchases online, whether for sailing or other interests and hobbies, what makes you choose one store over another?



Obviously there are one hundred and one places to buy Harken blocks, line, rigging, etc., but what makes you choose one over another? How does the site's feel and look affect whether or not you choose to do your business at that site? Who (be specific) has a site out there that you consider the be all, and end all of the online shopping experience?



Price is an obvious answer, so for our purposes, let's assume that everyone's prices are the same. Your answers will help us mold this into the online store that you need it to be!



Post away!



Fair winds,



Tim Johnson

Store Manager, Catsailor.com

Ok. I'll bite first. The thing that has been important for me is to see online, realtime inventory status. If you have the product in stock, say so ("12 each in stock"). If not, say so with a possible ETA. I hate ordering something and finding it it will be weeks due to backorders.



Good luck!



Sheldon

Considering I could litterally walk to the Layline warehouse and hq, thats what makes my mind up for me :P

Thats scary! I'm glad I'm not that close.

Price being equal(I believe you are allowed to profit)I think not only having the stuff but showing people how this stuff helps them. I like the K.I.S.S. principle....Keep it simple stupid. I would like to be able to pay with a check by phone, If you know what I mean.



By the way I'm willing to answer phones...........What would be my associate discount ???????????

Good luck Have fun

Mike

Real and true Shipping costs depending on who you use to ship with, not some out of the world rate. Like $10.00 to ship 2 Micro Blocks. It seems many online sites try and make money on shipping. I realize there will be processing costs and you have to make up for the activity somehow. But some sites just try and ream you.

Good Luck with the store.

Doug Wilkins

For some types of products, I like seeing consumer ratings of the product in terms of satisfaction levels and also printed consumer reviews, both positive and negative. This is especially good for things like life jackets, trapeze harnesses, goggles, wetsuits, drysuits, booties, knee pads, various safety devices, etc.

Good point! look at www.campingworld.com or www.amazon.com for their customer reviews. I buy a lot of things via the internet and find these reviews very helpful.

On line shopping requires:



Fast loads



Easy to follow menu and locating products



Photo and text presentation of products sold



Ordering or cross referencing by manufacturers part numbers (ie Harken 064, Wichard 11249) Then I can look in my parts book for this manufacturers and get the exact item I want.



Ability to purchase almost all sailing hardware offerred by a manufacturer through the shop with direct shipment if necessary.



Clear restocking charges



Boat specifics for lines and hardware



Boat diagrams with part descriptions



Feedback page



Availability



Easy search



Market leading pricing



Shipping options to include snail mail to hold done cost to express delivery for the person who needs it now



Expected shipping dates / Actual shipping dates



Good Luck.

Although this will be an online store, truth be told, many of us just don't get the warm fuzzies about buying a $200-$300 component without talking to someone first. I think Sailing Pro Shop has this process licked. Therefore, I suggest solid customer telephone support.



Another point, to reiterate an earlier post, realtime inventory. I just don't understand, with small database management becoming so easy, why online stores are still updating manually? No matter how hard you try, you will never have an accurate snapshot of what is on your "virtual shelves."



Don't be all things to all people. The world doesn't need another Amazon.com, you know cat sailing, leave it at that.



Good luck to you. Count me in as a future customer.



Shannon Galway

P19MX

I agree that low shipping costs are important - for parts, the shipping is often as expensive as the part! Priority mail is a good cheap way to ship things fast.



Also, please give me a way to check the status of my order online, and notify me by email if an order will be delayed.



Jonathan

I agree with Mary on the importance of customer reviews - this is probably the single most important reason that I use Amazon.



Also, it's very important to know that I can reach a real human being if I have a question or a problem.



Jonathan

Will this service be available for Europe too ??





Rob

In a word, Murrays (good model for a e-store)

I believe that Mark M. has an excellent handle on website design. He hit on most of the major components that you could pay a professional to build into your site. Good job, Mark!



My input:

Rick and Mary have something you can't go out and buy. Catsailors "like" and "trust" them. Anyone that has ever been in sales understands what I am talking about. People buy from people that they like and trust. You have something that you have "earned". Put that together with Mark's info, and they will come.



Dave

I look for people to answer my emails and return my phone calls - not like those people out on the other coast.



When can I order? I need some line NOW since someone never called me back and I'd love to order from catsailor to support this great site.

1) Quality & value. Something can be of great quality and little value, or low quality and great value.... the trick is to find the things that are both.

2) Name brands, so you know what you are going to get

3) Off brands, when someone has an unrecognized but great product (see quality & value).

4) Cutting edge, what's hot overseas that isnt here...yet

5) Knowledgeable customer service (or a good product FAQ)

6) Delivery... not that it has to be shipped overnight, but that it ships when you say it will ship and arrives when you say it will arrive.

7) a good return policy that does not allow people to abuse it (don't want a "Ricks rental shop") but does not harshly penalize a person for ordering something that turns out to be not what they wanted. Reasonable restocking fees and full store credit are acceptable, but "too bad you bought it it's yours" is not.