A word of advice to NZ retailers

[slowpoke]

If you are going to "advertise" online do yourselves a bloody favour and put a farkin' price in the ad and give a decent picture of the item.

We're sorta getting back on our feet after building a new house so now I'm actually looking for something a lil' different furniture-wise to suit it, but the same applies to bikes/gear/accessories. Tip: if I've opened a site to find some clunky hard to use contraption where I have to search through 24 individual manufacturers rather than filtering via a generic "table" listing, or tiny photo's that don't expand, or no price, or no appropriate details/specs/dimensions then I'm gone-burger and your business is out of the race for my cash. I'll be fucked if I'm gonna fire off 15 enquiries regarding price or spend coin on the same number of phone calls when your competition is putting the info right in front of me. Basic information like price should not be a state secret!

So give someone outside your business the task of finding a table/chair/helmet/tyre online and see how your website stacks up. You're crazy if you don't and missing a golden opportunity 'cos from what I'm seeing lately NZ retailers simply haven't cottoned on to the basics of online retailing.

Rant over

[cheshirecat]

my limited experience helping getting a wholesaler's site up is that most retailers don't even have a site or are still on dial up or using explorer circa windows 95

[Bender]

and subscribe to the theory that if you don't put a price, people will phone you to ask. Once the poor sucker's on the line your superior sales skills will save the day.

And how often do you email an enquiry to a business and get no answer?

[Delerium]

If you are going to "advertise" online do yourselves a bloody favour and put a farkin' price in the ad and give a decent picture of the item.

We're sorta getting back on our feet after building a new house so now I'm actually looking for something a lil' different furniture-wise to suit it, but the same applies to bikes/gear/accessories. Tip: if I've opened a site to find some clunky hard to use contraption where I have to search through 24 individual manufacturers rather than filtering via a generic "table" listing, or tiny photo's that don't expand, or no price, or no appropriate details/specs/dimensions then I'm gone-burger and your business is out of the race for my cash. I'll be fucked if I'm gonna fire off 15 enquiries regarding price or spend coin on the same number of phone calls when your competition is putting the info right in front of me. Basic information like price should not be a state secret!

So give someone outside your business the task of finding a table/chair/helmet/tyre online and see how your website stacks up. You're crazy if you don't and missing a golden opportunity 'cos from what I'm seeing lately NZ retailers simply haven't cottoned on to the basics of online retailing.

Rant over

I think this is caused by utilising web developers that are cowboys, they can do the fancy thing like employ email, databases etc, but ignore some common sense things. THis occurs when learning it yourself instead of through a recognised course. I did web development at uni, I cant to some of the fancy things but I can spot a good site from a bad one within a few seconds. Some big firms have bad ones. eg the warehouse is shocking.

[Berries]

This site seems to fit your requirements.

[Edbear]

If you are going to "advertise" online do yourselves a bloody favour and put a farkin' price in the ad and give a decent picture of the item.

We're sorta getting back on our feet after building a new house so now I'm actually looking for something a lil' different furniture-wise to suit it, but the same applies to bikes/gear/accessories. Tip: if I've opened a site to find some clunky hard to use contraption where I have to search through 24 individual manufacturers rather than filtering via a generic "table" listing, or tiny photo's that don't expand, or no price, or no appropriate details/specs/dimensions then I'm gone-burger and your business is out of the race for my cash. I'll be fucked if I'm gonna fire off 15 enquiries regarding price or spend coin on the same number of phone calls when your competition is putting the info right in front of me. Basic information like price should not be a state secret!

So give someone outside your business the task of finding a table/chair/helmet/tyre online and see how your website stacks up. You're crazy if you don't and missing a golden opportunity 'cos from what I'm seeing lately NZ retailers simply haven't cottoned on to the basics of online retailing.

Rant over

I have a mate who has some beautiful stuff. PM me if you'd like to know a bit about it. The recession hit him hard and he is open to deals but the furniture is stunning!

[Indiana_Jones]

My pet hate is POA, which I read as 'A shit load' lol

Granted I know certain items need to be POA as the price will vary etc, but on things like houses and cars it just screams 'ignore me and move on'

Also agree with sites not having decent pics of what they're selling, another put off. People are more likely to go to a shop after a good website experience I reckon.

-Indy

[jellywrestler]

i'm putting new light fittings through my house so we bought four on 25% off to see how they looked from the local lighting shop but on line, we couldn't pick em up while they were in stock they still had to come out of auckland cause we'd ordered over the web.
didn't get them in time to put them up before the sale had ended mrs was annoyed that we;d be paying more...
i said ther'll be another sale and yes there was, the very next working day it was 30% off then two weeks later 33% off
maybe that's why they dont list their prices?

[slowpoke]

This site seems to fit your requirements.

No, another epic fail. All we want is a nice modern looking dining table, preferrably slightly bigger than our old 2m table. All Hardly Normal advertise is suites (including chairs we don't need/want), with no dimensions on the tables.

Bloody hell, it's just not that hard.......

[imdying]

Bloody hell, it's just not that hard.......

No, not hard, but it will take somebody committing to dropping a hundred grand for that to happen.

[jmmk]

and subscribe to the theory that if you don't put a price, people will phone you to ask. Once the poor sucker's on the line your superior sales skills will save the day.

And how often do you email an enquiry to a business and get no answer?

I started e thread very similar to this in another category and just got ripped in it.