Opening a website, please give me your opinion

D-CEL · #1 (**permalink**) 05-12-2010, 02:02 PM

Hey Everybody,
As many of you know, I’m a brake guy (always have been). I finally took the plunge and decided to start an E-business website selling drilled and slotted and replacement brake rotors. The website is Drilledandslotted.com.
As this is my first step into the E-business world and you guys represent the enthusiast core I’m targeting, I’d appreciate any input you may have on the design, functionality, content and look of the website.
Please take a look and let me know what you think, good or bad I want to hear from you.
www.drilledandslotted.com

Thanks for you help guys

Jason

Sharroll Celby · #2 (**permalink**) 05-12-2010, 02:50 PM

I bounced around the site looking for various rotors, and found your site to be very well organized, with pricing and part numbers in plain sight. I think you did a good job.

Are ALL the rotors in stock? (or readily available?) That might be something to add in the future.

D-CEL · #3 (**permalink**) 05-12-2010, 03:08 PM

Sharroll,

Thank you for the kind words.

We currently have about 1200 different part numbers on hand, which covers literally thousands of applications. (A single part number can cover different makes, models and years)
Our goal is to have the top 500 applications in stock. The remainder wound be 4-5 days out, manufactured at the time of the order.

Jason

Juggernaut · #4 (**permalink**) 05-12-2010, 03:09 PM

I went to your site, searched around a little and it seems to be well thought out, good job.

My wife has a fairly new E-business, she sells home interior wall hangings. I'm doing the advertising and marketing on it. Right now, I'm trying to get more traffic to the website using things like search engine optimization, amazon product ads and so on. That alone is a full time job!

You're doing the right thing by asking the folks here at the forum for their opinions on your website. We asked all our friends and family to do the same thing for us.

Good luck with your E-business!

Randy

RodKnock · #5 (**permalink**) 05-12-2010, 03:11 PM

How about adding one of those Better Business Bureau endorsements, as well as, posting a privacy policy?

strictlypersonl · #6 (**permalink**) 05-12-2010, 03:20 PM

I tend to make my pages a fairly narrow width (and centered) unless there is something necessary pushing it wider. That way, the text line length will never make things hard to read. Generally about 50 characters is a comfortable maximum. I shrunk yours to 800px and it should look good even on a smaller screen.

Be careful about assigning pixel size to a font. In some browsers, when someone "zooms" the page, the font doesn't change. Use an EM size instead.

CSS formatting and divisions are the (present and) future of page design. Tables, while convenient, have their limitations and cannot be globally changed.

(One of my other volunteer jobs is being a moderator here.)

patrickt · #7 (**permalink**) 05-12-2010, 03:45 PM

Jason, there are a couple of typos on the home page; put up a couple of photos of your stock rooms showing lots of parts in storage; and let people know they're ordering from 1000 Oaks and not somewhere off-shore.

tcrist · #8 (**permalink**) 05-12-2010, 04:05 PM

D-CELL,
You might want to add a description next to what the rotors are (slotted or drilled or both, ECT.) I looked up rotors for my pickup and there were a couple different part numbers for the same application but no description of the difference (Unless I am missing something).

PM me if you want to talk particulars.

MaSnaka · #9 (**permalink**) 05-12-2010, 05:56 PM

I know nothing of web pages and computers at their development stages, but I do know Jason D-CELL. We have met at more than a few Cobra get togethers and he seems like a real stand up guy who knows his cookies about cars and Cobras. I think it's great that you guys have such constructive comments that will help him get his project off the ground. I wish you a world of success Jason.

See ya around,

John

Ralphy · #10 (**permalink**) 05-13-2010, 06:41 AM

D-CEL,
I'm sure your pricing is per rotor, however I think you should show it. It will save you from some complaints in the future.

Ralphy

dcdoug · #11 (**permalink**) 05-13-2010, 07:45 AM

It looks pretty good, but I noticed that not all of the model years are available. I only did a search for our 2008 Q7 and you only have the 2007 model year listed (maybe you are focusing more on enthusiast cars?). Q7s eat brakes for lunch, which is why I searched for it. Maybe I'll be a customer in the future.....

DougD · #12 (**permalink**) 05-13-2010, 08:13 AM

I second the typo. It's "manufacturer", not "manufacture".

Looks like a nicely designed site. Too bad I'm not a fan of drilled and/or slotted rotors.....

Couldn't find a listing for a 2008 Mustang. Got any non-drilled, non-slotted rotors for the two-piece 355mmx32mm Stop Tech front rotors on my 427R Roush Trak Pak?

patrickt · #13 (**permalink**) 05-13-2010, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DougD

I second the typo. It's "manufacturer", not "manufacture".

There are others.... But a tricky one can be found in this: We ourselves had fallen....

Double Venom · #14 (**permalink**) 05-13-2010, 11:24 AM

Jason,
Having a commercial site for over thirty years (Cobras.com-now sold!)
Nice beginning but it's time to put your "Webmaster" to work!

When you have time put together some packages, you can sell them like this and you can fit it to certain cars.

Here's an example; I am now building my Daughters '45 GMC 1 ton truck as a street rod. It has an '84 S-10 modified frame. Tranny will be a 5 or 6 speed manual. The engine will be a Stroked 409 with roughly 575 real HP. Rear will be a GM 12, or 9' FORD DETROIT Tru-Track. Guestimated weight will be under 3k - 3500K total.

Brakes will be Power: Here you go, What brake "Package" do I want to put on my Daughters truck? Do you have suggestions for Proportioning valve, master cylinder?

I'm sure you know Hot Rods out sell Cobras at least 4 to 1!

Put an add on Brents Hot Rod Forum too! (?)

Make a "Block" where guys can put in the information you need, send it to you then you can put together special packages like above.- Just a thought!

DV

D-CEL · #15 (**permalink**) 05-13-2010, 11:37 AM

Thank you all so much for your input and warm wishes.

1) Typos
2) BBB accreditation
3) Photo of warehouse
4) Talk about our Location and made in the USA
5) Clarify rotor pricing, qty and configuration.

Dcdoug,
2007-2008 Audi Q7 front rotors, R 33091, L 33090
That’s funny, I have a 2008 RS4 and the factory (Brembo) brakes pads were terrible and the rotors are very soft.
The pads are the real issue, are you still using factory pads?
One of my goals is to R.E. , manufacture and sell replacement rotors for all of the high end applications.

JASON

Mulv · #16 (**permalink**) 05-13-2010, 11:54 AM

Unfortunately your web site is not very user friendly as it stands.

I would invert the model and year in the search engine. I tried 3 times to find the correct parts for my car as I am unfamiliar with the Mercedes "W" designation. I would not have tried more than once if I was not assisting a fellow forum member - I would have gone elsewhere. You need this to be absolutely simple or not many will persevere and you will lose business. I would suggest that you keep track of the number of hits you are getting in relation to the number of people who actually get to the pricing part of the site. I actually need rotors for my car as they are warped but... I have still not found my parts on the site.. or the pricing page either as I have been unsuccessful in finding my car year and model.

I have over 30 years in IT as a technical person before the obvious questions begin and have been using the web since the FTP days...

You need to decide if your customers are enthusiasts or car owners.. one small group will know and the other 95% will not

Mulv · #17 (**permalink**) 05-13-2010, 11:59 AM

Double posted

kayakjack · #18 (**permalink**) 05-13-2010, 12:18 PM

I found the page easy to use. I was able to drill down and find what you had for my Superformance and my Mazda Miata. A few comments...

The only "Cobra" related choice was to start with "AC" and drill down. When I did, there were no products available. Fair enough since there are so many variations. However it would be nice if the system gave me a choice of manufacturer (e.g. - Superformance, Backdraft, etc.). There would have to be a further drill down to account for the various brakes used during production. All of this information would be quite difficult to track down. I think I understand why you left all of this alone.

I also searched for rotors for my '99 Mazda Miata. I found the product quickly. We are performance folks, so we want to know more than price and a generic picture. Other than looking good (drilled and slats look good), why should I buy? Any performance advantage? Less fade? Not prone to warp? Stop quicker? Lighter?

Do I need to buy anything else from you or elsewhere to make it fit? Can I just take the brakes apart and replace the stock rotor with the new one?

Do you make these rotors? If so do you start with a "core" rotor and drill and slat them? Give more info about what we are buying.

Anyway, this is a very nice start. Tell me why I should put them on my Miata.

Jack

CobraChris · #19 (**permalink**) 05-13-2010, 02:05 PM

I echo the comments by Juggernaught, you are going to want to spend some time and energy building a search engine strategy. Most people are going to use google to find parts and if you are not there, they will go to a site that is. You need the traffic first or the game is over. I feel your internal search tool is a bit rough. I would recommend adding a simple search box where someone could enter a sku number if they know it (the majority of people will know it if that are ordering parts online). You may also want to start using a cookie that allows your site to assist me in the future. Meaning that if I search for a 2007 Mercedes Benz SL65, your site would keep track of that and help me streamline my search in the future by pre-populating my information or better yet asking me if I am here looking for information on the SL65 when I return. If you don't have inventory for a particular search that is done, I would ask the user if they would like to be contacted once you find the parts or when they are in stock. With the above feedback on cookies, you will need to get your privacy policy in place. I also agree that you should add price details.

Good luck with the eBusiness!

Chris

D-CEL · #20 (**permalink**) 05-18-2010, 01:46 PM

Jack,

The A.C. part numbers came from a source catalogue, so I left them in for affect LOL.
Im not one to blow smoke, truthfully, the drilled holes are for looks only, they offer no performance advantage. The weight difference is negligible. The slots do in fact help keep the pads and rotors from glazing. Most people buy drilled and slotted rotors for aesthetic reasons.
I can get pads also, but if your pads are not excessively worn, you should just replace the rotors. No reason to throw away pads that have good life left in them.

Chris and Mulv,

I am trying to work thru the search issues.
Thanks for your input

Jason