re: Web Parts (sort of long)

[TJCallahan@domain.elided]

I have to weigh in on this one and provide my web parts experience.

My daily driver is a 1986 VW Jetta w/ 245k miles on it. My wife and I bought 
it in '88 w/ 45k miles and have done the bulk of the maintenance on it 
ourselves. OK, I do it, my wife just listens patiently.

I am/was an engineer by trade and, speaking in stereotypes, love to find 
great quality at low prices. Actually, the lowest prices. I have shopped many 
places for OEM parts for our Jetta and have settled on a small place with a 
nice web site. This supplier does email/FAX/phone orders (he likes to make 
money, why would he ignore any part of the market?) and his prices are 
incredible.

For instance -- the MAHLE oil filter (OEM) runs about $12 at the dealer, 
about $8 at the local VW specialist/discount place, and $4 from the web. 
Other parts are similarly priced, I just finished installing a front wheel 
bearing that I purchased for $23 through the web, the local dealers wanted 
$90-100 for the same item. I had the part shipped overnight and paid for 
Saturday Delivery and STILL paid less than the local dealers wanted (one of 
whom had to order it). Another item I just installed is a factory-new tranny 
that I bought for less than $1k. Try and find parts or a rebuilt, quality 
unit for that, much less a factory-new box.

And then let's talk about Washington State's 8.6 percent sales tax ...

The guy behind this web site is a small used parts business (breaker) in the 
back woods of New England that aligned himself with the available parts 
warehouses and went to town. This guy, in a two-person operation, is able to 
market his business as one of the BIG BOYS. My only fear is that he'll retire 
before my Jetta does.

Now, I know that VW parts are much more available than are Alfa parts, no 
matter where in the world one is. My point is that this one person is doing 
an amazing volume of business and getting me quality parts at incredible 
prices.

I have located and ordered parts for my '63 Spider from the UK via the web. I 
renewed my Giulietta Register membership via the web. (Hey AROC and ARA, what 
about that idea?) I ordered parts for my (now dead) Jaguar via the web. I 
order from clothing suppliers via the web. I check 
traffic/weather/finances/etc. via the web. As the Jefferson Airplane said at 
Woodstock, "It's new dawn ..."

I have also dealt with landlocked suppliers of Alfa parts that have not 
responded to a parts ORDER much less an inquiry. Phone calls, FAXes, and 
snailmail all went by one guy with no response. Many hundreds of dollars 
dangled in front of his face and he slept. I finally gave up and located 
other sources. Other Alfa suppliers have had attitudes, talk a good game and 
don't follow through, or are just too expensive in a really competitive area. 
Web access alone does not make or break a business with me.

I think it all comes down to how much and how bad you want the business. If 
you really want to open an area up to the business, you have to play by the 
rules and expectations of the customers. If you have a web site and email 
address, you probably should look for people wanting to use it for more than 
just info. As a business in today's world, you have about 10 seconds to make 
a positive impression on a potential customer. And it HAS to be easy for that 
customer to do business with you. Toll free numbers are great for a segment 
of your customers, but not all of them.

I have web access at my office and I also have it at home. But, at home, I 
have one phone line and that's how I get my web access. I am not likely to 
break my web connection just to dial a phone number to place an order and 
then reconnect to continue my surfing/shoping/AD reading. I'm more likely to 
move to another site that will take my order via the web/email.

One person's opinion.

Tom
'63 Spider
'88 Jetta - w/ minor Alfa transplant happening (ich bin Berlina)
Seattle

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