Shine Auto Project Website: Need Feedback !
11-06-08, 04:25 PM
#1
Shine Auto Project Website: Need Feedback !
Alright guys. I'm posting this on the Rx7club first as you guys have always given us the best feedback by far than any other car forum.
Our main concern at the moment is the format or template for our product page. We would love to hear some ideas. Shopping for aero parts is a unique experience and over the years we have picked up a few key things we think enthusiasts are looking for to ease the buying experience.
I know you guys know we've been working on our website for AWHILE now. Part of the reason being is that the forums has been pretty effective. Another reason is because we are trying to differentiate ourselves from other aero kit companies. I can confidently say that no company in this particular business/industry should underestimate the importance of interaction and feedback. It will be difficult to transfer all the valuable information discussed in a thread on a forum to a website. That is why we would like to hear some ideas and hopefully build a website worth visiting. Most websites are simply product pictures + price + shopping cart.... done deal. However, I know that customers are often still left feeling unsure about a product because a company can easily portray a product anyway they wish. It's the feedback from customers I believe instills confidence in a purchase simply because this industry has an overwhelming amount of "bad" products.
http://shineautoproject.com/sportcomp/rx7fd.html
Ignore prices and pictures for now. This has primarily been all experimental just to get things going.
There are a few questions we have.
1. How important is a shopping cart? Should paypal payment option be incorporated? How likely are you to order through a shopping cart without actually having to speak with someone first? I know some of you just love to call me
.
The reason I ask is because we want to know how important it actually is to speak with someone before making such an order. Car parts are fairly high priced items and I would think that speaking with a person before a purchase would instill confidence. Do you feel fixing up your car should be something more personable or would you rather not speak with anyone at all and order your product the quickest way possible? Speaking with a person has been invaluable to our company as well as we can listen to our customers and find out what they "need." This is important because the products we produce have been primarily based on needs.
This is a very important topic. There's a saying .... "the least customer service oriented a company is, the better the customer service the company has." Sounds silly, but I will explain the meaning. It is basically saying if a company can build an ordering process where all or most information they will need to know (such as building an informative website) is already provided to them before even speaking to a person, the company becomes very automated and efficient and that itself good customer service. For example, instead of having a person explain to you over the phone on how to install a product, all detailed information and sources are readily available so the customer would not even need to ask the question. Although I do answer these type of questions over the phone, I do feel that the forums have been a valuable source site for information and I can already get a sense that the customer knows what to do.
2. Any ideas on how we can form an interaction or get feedback from customers through the website to gauge their "needs," so we can have an ongoing continuance of product development?
I'm afraid that if the site becomes too automated (shopping cart) we become too disconnected from our customers.
3. People are unique and their cars are unique. Not everyone is running the same combination. There's alot of mixing and matching going on. How important is it to see mixing and matching displays on a website? Should that be strictly left for forum entertainment? Should their be a section for customers to display their setups? If so, how can we incorporate that section into our website without confusing the customer?
Over the years I have learned that...
1. Aero kit fitment is #1 priority
2. Quality of the material used
Having said that I believe it is important to display product pictures and fitment pictures. How important are "before paint" pictures? How important are "after paint" pictures. There's always a tendency for a body shop to do minor shaving and adding to make good fitment better. I think the main concern most people have is that a body kit actually "fits" where a shop doesn't have to spend ours cutting, chopping, re-fiberglassing, and shaping just to make it fit decently. My take is if a shop is gonna go through all of that, he better be aiming for a "perfect" fit, not just a decent fit.
How important is it for customers to display their fitment pics? Before and After paint?
All in all, we might not be the biggest aero kit company in the industry, but we've been able to differentiate ourselves to be more detail oriented and styling oriented than our bigger competitors, which has allowed us to service a smaller niche market to stay afloat. If we were not going to extra mile relative to our competitors, we wouldn't be able to survive and we feel it is important that our smaller niche base recognizes this competitive advantage.
Ken
Our main concern at the moment is the format or template for our product page. We would love to hear some ideas. Shopping for aero parts is a unique experience and over the years we have picked up a few key things we think enthusiasts are looking for to ease the buying experience.
I know you guys know we've been working on our website for AWHILE now. Part of the reason being is that the forums has been pretty effective. Another reason is because we are trying to differentiate ourselves from other aero kit companies. I can confidently say that no company in this particular business/industry should underestimate the importance of interaction and feedback. It will be difficult to transfer all the valuable information discussed in a thread on a forum to a website. That is why we would like to hear some ideas and hopefully build a website worth visiting. Most websites are simply product pictures + price + shopping cart.... done deal. However, I know that customers are often still left feeling unsure about a product because a company can easily portray a product anyway they wish. It's the feedback from customers I believe instills confidence in a purchase simply because this industry has an overwhelming amount of "bad" products.
http://shineautoproject.com/sportcomp/rx7fd.html
Ignore prices and pictures for now. This has primarily been all experimental just to get things going.
There are a few questions we have.
1. How important is a shopping cart? Should paypal payment option be incorporated? How likely are you to order through a shopping cart without actually having to speak with someone first? I know some of you just love to call me
. The reason I ask is because we want to know how important it actually is to speak with someone before making such an order. Car parts are fairly high priced items and I would think that speaking with a person before a purchase would instill confidence. Do you feel fixing up your car should be something more personable or would you rather not speak with anyone at all and order your product the quickest way possible? Speaking with a person has been invaluable to our company as well as we can listen to our customers and find out what they "need." This is important because the products we produce have been primarily based on needs.
This is a very important topic. There's a saying .... "the least customer service oriented a company is, the better the customer service the company has." Sounds silly, but I will explain the meaning. It is basically saying if a company can build an ordering process where all or most information they will need to know (such as building an informative website) is already provided to them before even speaking to a person, the company becomes very automated and efficient and that itself good customer service. For example, instead of having a person explain to you over the phone on how to install a product, all detailed information and sources are readily available so the customer would not even need to ask the question. Although I do answer these type of questions over the phone, I do feel that the forums have been a valuable source site for information and I can already get a sense that the customer knows what to do.
2. Any ideas on how we can form an interaction or get feedback from customers through the website to gauge their "needs," so we can have an ongoing continuance of product development?
I'm afraid that if the site becomes too automated (shopping cart) we become too disconnected from our customers.
3. People are unique and their cars are unique. Not everyone is running the same combination. There's alot of mixing and matching going on. How important is it to see mixing and matching displays on a website? Should that be strictly left for forum entertainment? Should their be a section for customers to display their setups? If so, how can we incorporate that section into our website without confusing the customer?
Over the years I have learned that...
1. Aero kit fitment is #1 priority
2. Quality of the material used
Having said that I believe it is important to display product pictures and fitment pictures. How important are "before paint" pictures? How important are "after paint" pictures. There's always a tendency for a body shop to do minor shaving and adding to make good fitment better. I think the main concern most people have is that a body kit actually "fits" where a shop doesn't have to spend ours cutting, chopping, re-fiberglassing, and shaping just to make it fit decently. My take is if a shop is gonna go through all of that, he better be aiming for a "perfect" fit, not just a decent fit.
How important is it for customers to display their fitment pics? Before and After paint?
All in all, we might not be the biggest aero kit company in the industry, but we've been able to differentiate ourselves to be more detail oriented and styling oriented than our bigger competitors, which has allowed us to service a smaller niche market to stay afloat. If we were not going to extra mile relative to our competitors, we wouldn't be able to survive and we feel it is important that our smaller niche base recognizes this competitive advantage.
Ken
Last edited by shineautoproject; 11-06-08 at 04:32 PM.
11-06-08, 06:18 PM
#3
hey ken.. first off i want to say you are part of an amazing company.
as far as the shopping cart.. i like to just order my parts so i would be for it. but i have also talked to you a fair amount through aim. what if you were able to put the shopping cart in as an option but get some sort of instant messenger on the sight as well? helps keep things personal. questions can be answered quick and you still have the convenience of a cart
as far as the shopping cart.. i like to just order my parts so i would be for it. but i have also talked to you a fair amount through aim. what if you were able to put the shopping cart in as an option but get some sort of instant messenger on the sight as well? helps keep things personal. questions can be answered quick and you still have the convenience of a cart
11-06-08, 07:14 PM
#4
YAY! No more smoke!
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: OC, California
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It would be nice to have each product as a clickable link that opened a new page/tab which had additional info along with a comments section and possibly user posted pics. I think that would really bring it to the next level.
I like the idea of the instant messenger. I think it would be better to include the shopping cart, but make it mandatory to contact a sales rep either by telephone or instant messenger that who could look up your order and then give you a number to enter allowing you to purchase your items. without that #, no no new shizzle for you.
And paypal is a must these days.
I like the idea of the instant messenger. I think it would be better to include the shopping cart, but make it mandatory to contact a sales rep either by telephone or instant messenger that who could look up your order and then give you a number to enter allowing you to purchase your items. without that #, no no new shizzle for you.
And paypal is a must these days.
11-06-08, 11:09 PM
#5
The Firestarter
Finally some web action!
Your template is simple yet effective, having an easy navigation and quick loading makes a difference. Yet the size of the pictures show such as the Burnout FD animation should be resized to fit the page better, the less scrolling you have to do the better.
Add more content! Unlike the other websites, we want more than just the ebay preview icon and a price tag. Organize that table more and add some of that Shine quality customer service to that specific products content. I wouldn't be so hesitant in making more clickable links to better organize your available inventory. Pictures & Thumbnails makes to world go round. If you could have a 3D preview of the product you would set your company apart from the rest. Now i am not telling you to do this...its just an example. I am just getting my point across is more organized content the better.
Shopping Cart is always a good idea, yet there are those people who just have those questions before they decide to purchase. Put up a FAQs page as part of your online shopping to help dim down the customer service calls. I am sure many of us can find the answer to our questions ourselves if you provide them within the website.
Also, add something in your website that allows us to get to know you and your shop more in a personal level. Your not just a business, your a family that helps out the average auto enthusiast. Let us know you and trust you. While this helps with PR, it also boosts your credibility as someone who cares about the customer needs and cuts down on those unnecessary..but necessary calls.
Your template is simple yet effective, having an easy navigation and quick loading makes a difference. Yet the size of the pictures show such as the Burnout FD animation should be resized to fit the page better, the less scrolling you have to do the better.
Add more content! Unlike the other websites, we want more than just the ebay preview icon and a price tag. Organize that table more and add some of that Shine quality customer service to that specific products content. I wouldn't be so hesitant in making more clickable links to better organize your available inventory. Pictures & Thumbnails makes to world go round. If you could have a 3D preview of the product you would set your company apart from the rest. Now i am not telling you to do this...its just an example. I am just getting my point across is more organized content the better.
Shopping Cart is always a good idea, yet there are those people who just have those questions before they decide to purchase. Put up a FAQs page as part of your online shopping to help dim down the customer service calls. I am sure many of us can find the answer to our questions ourselves if you provide them within the website.
Also, add something in your website that allows us to get to know you and your shop more in a personal level. Your not just a business, your a family that helps out the average auto enthusiast. Let us know you and trust you. While this helps with PR, it also boosts your credibility as someone who cares about the customer needs and cuts down on those unnecessary..but necessary calls.
11-07-08, 12:09 AM
#7
I like the format that RHDJapan uses. Picture of the part with name, click on it, more info and more pics. I also like how you can search for parts by manufacture. Group like products and have car specific menus. Change around the website every couple of weeks to keep customers interest. I'll visit a site more often if I have something new to see. Also, I like that the previous viewed products are easy to navigate back to. Let people build accounts and offer discounts on volume of past purchases. I'd be a repeat customer knowing that the more I spent, the more I'd save. Customer's rides and testimonies (word of mouth) go along way in reassuring quality and overall satisfaction. Leave a comment section.
Trending Topics
11-07-08, 12:16 AM
#8
I've noticed that most car related websites are horrible. I've run a web design company with 8 employees for about 6 years now so I'm not pulling this out of me ***.
The site is not attractive and not user friend. I don't know if this is a "friend" job or what. Whoever is designing this is not very good at layouts or User Interaction.
If it is cheap and works for you, then use it. It looks to be about a $1200-$1800 job where it is. You'd do well IMHO to find someone skilled to redesign the site and maybe skin it over a shopping cart.
You have to decide if spending $5000 - $10000 is worth that or not.
Just my 2cents...sorry for being a negative nancy. =(
The site is not attractive and not user friend. I don't know if this is a "friend" job or what. Whoever is designing this is not very good at layouts or User Interaction.
If it is cheap and works for you, then use it. It looks to be about a $1200-$1800 job where it is. You'd do well IMHO to find someone skilled to redesign the site and maybe skin it over a shopping cart.
You have to decide if spending $5000 - $10000 is worth that or not.
Just my 2cents...sorry for being a negative nancy. =(
11-07-08, 03:24 AM
#9
Personally I like the "Shopping Cart" type website, it makes ordering hastle free and easy if you know what you want.
Feedback would be a good feature that would give buyers more confidence in your products. Possibly a seperate tab for feedback rather than a feedback section for each product. Maybe even allow uploading of small images.
If I wanted to know something e.g. Will this diffuser fit with rear mudguards? Then I would email you rather than phone to avoid international call charges.
Website looks good, Although I would prefer to see actual product images as well as the originals.
Love the FEED kit...Still undecided whether to go GT-C or FEED
Feedback would be a good feature that would give buyers more confidence in your products. Possibly a seperate tab for feedback rather than a feedback section for each product. Maybe even allow uploading of small images.
If I wanted to know something e.g. Will this diffuser fit with rear mudguards? Then I would email you rather than phone to avoid international call charges.
Website looks good
, Although I would prefer to see actual product images as well as the originals.Love the FEED kit...Still undecided whether to go GT-C or FEED
Last edited by shineautoproject; 11-07-08 at 03:50 PM.
11-07-08, 05:44 AM
#10
Aggravated
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ummm i dont know its cool website but kinda rough IMO the way the parts are laid out pop up to new ebay windows, people may think cheap parts, which i know that isnt true but kinda gives a weeriness about the comp.
11-07-08, 03:36 PM
#12
I see I see. Good points. Keep in mind that the feeback is a draft and I really have no idea why it even links to the ebay site.
Its good to see many points view. Im sure the final website would be able to incorporate most of the good ideas mentioned.
I will show this to my designer and get back to you guys.
Ken
Its good to see many points view. Im sure the final website would be able to incorporate most of the good ideas mentioned.
I will show this to my designer and get back to you guys.
Ken
11-07-08, 03:50 PM
#14
Personally I like the "Shopping Cart" type website, it makes ordering hastle free and easy if you know what you want.
Feedback would be a good feature that would give buyers more confidence in your products. Possibly a seperate tab for feedback rather than a feedback section for each product. Maybe even allow uploading of small images.
If I wanted to know something e.g. Will this diffuser fit with rear mudguards? Then I would email you rather than phone to avoid international call charges.
Website looks good, Although I would prefer to see actual product images as well as the originals.
Love the FEED kit...Still undecided whether to go GT-C or FEED
Feedback would be a good feature that would give buyers more confidence in your products. Possibly a seperate tab for feedback rather than a feedback section for each product. Maybe even allow uploading of small images.
If I wanted to know something e.g. Will this diffuser fit with rear mudguards? Then I would email you rather than phone to avoid international call charges.
Website looks good
, Although I would prefer to see actual product images as well as the originals.Love the FEED kit...Still undecided whether to go GT-C or FEED
11-07-08, 03:52 PM
#15
What do you guys think about having our own forum?
Like this company.
http://www.dukedynamics.com/forums/v...66813ff5893f31
Like this company.
http://www.dukedynamics.com/forums/v...66813ff5893f31
11-07-08, 03:59 PM
#16
Aggravated
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
it would be good for your guys but you would have to severly push it to get the attention to make it worth while, cause you could pay for it and it just flop on ya cause most people would be still contacting you the way they always have.
11-09-08, 10:03 PM
#17
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
First of all, fire your web designer. As was mentioned above the design lacks organization, is not very user-friendly, and does not look professional. One user commented above that it looks like to be about a $1200-$1800 job in my opinion I doesnt look like its worth that much. For $2000 I could design a professional looking website worthy of a great company like Shine Auto Project. I've designed a couple sites, they were simple, but not lacking in professionalism, organization, and aesthetic appeal.
1. How important is a shopping cart? Should paypal payment option be incorporated? How likely are you to order through a shopping cart without actually having to speak with someone first?
Shopping cart is very important. Paypal integration is a must! It is convenient for the customer and is a form of payment that is fast, familiar, and trustworthy. Personally I am not very likely to need to speak to someone first. However, when it comes to purchasing certain parts for cars most people, myself included, want to speak to someone to ask important questions before making a costly purchase. Someone above mentioned that you should put up a FAQs page as part of your online shopping to help dim down the customer service calls. I totally agree.
2. Any ideas on how we can form an interaction or get feedback from customers through the website to gauge their "needs," so we can have an ongoing continuance of product development?
You could allow users to post feedback or reviews about each product and you could have a live chat integrated into the site. Or you could utilize this forum, the same way Hinson Supercars does with v8rx7forum.com for getting feedback from customers and gauging their needs so as to promote ongoing product development. Alternatively, you could have your own site forum. However, I can see no need or any significant benefit to that. With this forum you already have access to a large consumer audience.
1. How important is a shopping cart? Should paypal payment option be incorporated? How likely are you to order through a shopping cart without actually having to speak with someone first?
Shopping cart is very important. Paypal integration is a must! It is convenient for the customer and is a form of payment that is fast, familiar, and trustworthy. Personally I am not very likely to need to speak to someone first. However, when it comes to purchasing certain parts for cars most people, myself included, want to speak to someone to ask important questions before making a costly purchase. Someone above mentioned that you should put up a FAQs page as part of your online shopping to help dim down the customer service calls. I totally agree.
2. Any ideas on how we can form an interaction or get feedback from customers through the website to gauge their "needs," so we can have an ongoing continuance of product development?
You could allow users to post feedback or reviews about each product and you could have a live chat integrated into the site. Or you could utilize this forum, the same way Hinson Supercars does with v8rx7forum.com for getting feedback from customers and gauging their needs so as to promote ongoing product development. Alternatively, you could have your own site forum. However, I can see no need or any significant benefit to that. With this forum you already have access to a large consumer audience.
11-10-08, 02:00 AM
#20
Rotor or no motor
iTrader: (24)
What do you guys think about having our own forum?
Like this company.
http://www.dukedynamics.com/forums/v...66813ff5893f31
Like this company.
http://www.dukedynamics.com/forums/v...66813ff5893f31
11-10-08, 02:07 AM
#21
deal with it
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: California
Posts: 694
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Coming from a web designing background, I'm going to have to say that it is straightforward and somewhat easy to navigate, but aesthetically it isn't anything out of the ordinary and highly simplistic. Minimalistic layouts can be a good thing when executed properly, but this one looks rather dated
The parts listings could've been thought out a little more, but they don't seem to provide room for in-depth info aside from a brief description and a thumbnail
Also, the coding contains an insane amount of tables and spans
I wouldn't say the site follows w3c markup validation
Sorry if I'm sounding too critical... let me know if you guys need any help with the layout or setting up a forum though....
The parts listings could've been thought out a little more, but they don't seem to provide room for in-depth info aside from a brief description and a thumbnail
Also, the coding contains an insane amount of tables and spans
I wouldn't say the site follows w3c markup validation Sorry if I'm sounding too critical... let me know if you guys need any help with the layout or setting up a forum though....
11-11-08, 11:51 PM
#22
I'd contact myself or one of the posters above who seem to have a professional design background and inquire if they would be willing to trade work for some cash + product and get a stronger design.
Things you need
1) A good design =)
2) Get rid of the tables and have the site coded in css/xhtml according to w3c specs. Someone else pointed this out already but I can't agree more. The coding for your site would be appropriate for 2000...not 2008.
3) Don't hire someone to "do it all'. Hire a firm or a group so you get a good designer to do the design, a good css/xhtml coder to code the layout, and a good programmer to throw in all the bells and whistles and functionality with AJAX, PHP, MySQL and whatever else is needed.
Random stuff: Have your design centered. Have the site layed out for 1024x768. 800x600 is barely in existence anymore except on old *** monitors. Make use of all the space that is available with a layout used for a larger resolution. You can go with a cheap auction and just chuck everything into a custom built paypal or yahoo shopping cart or you could have someone build you a custom backend to update/edit/etc all of your products based on a template (this is what I would suggest) or go with a shopping cart such as oscommerce.
Edit: I just looked at this again and want to punch myself in the face. So much potential and so much waste. =(
Things you need
1) A good design =)
2) Get rid of the tables and have the site coded in css/xhtml according to w3c specs. Someone else pointed this out already but I can't agree more. The coding for your site would be appropriate for 2000...not 2008.
3) Don't hire someone to "do it all'. Hire a firm or a group so you get a good designer to do the design, a good css/xhtml coder to code the layout, and a good programmer to throw in all the bells and whistles and functionality with AJAX, PHP, MySQL and whatever else is needed.
Random stuff: Have your design centered. Have the site layed out for 1024x768. 800x600 is barely in existence anymore except on old *** monitors. Make use of all the space that is available with a layout used for a larger resolution. You can go with a cheap auction and just chuck everything into a custom built paypal or yahoo shopping cart or you could have someone build you a custom backend to update/edit/etc all of your products based on a template (this is what I would suggest) or go with a shopping cart such as oscommerce.
Edit: I just looked at this again and want to punch myself in the face. So much potential and so much waste. =(
Last edited by Gringo Grande; 11-11-08 at 11:55 PM.
11-12-08, 12:33 AM
#23
4th string e-armchair QB
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: May 2005
Location: North Bay, Ontario
Posts: 2,745
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A company like shine who fights to separate itself from the norm deserves a website that looks accordingly. It doesn't need to be crazy intricate, however having it professionally done is a must. There seems to be some good advice coming from the knowledgeable around here, I'd make use of it.
And yes, shopping cart as well as paypal is necessary. Many people will look at the products for weeks, know exactly what they are, and as soon as they get their paycheck, they want it checked out and shipped out ASAP, not to wait on hold for a sales rep.
I like the idea of showing a picture of the authentic car sporting the original Aero pieces, and a breakdown of the ShineAuto products. I think showcasing your actual products is a must, being that you guys are who you are, you have nothing to hide. Before paint, definitely; after-paint, yeah why not? It's nice to give people visions of what their vehicle can/could/will look like. After seeing that Red FC2000 you guys have posted on ebay with the shineauto goodies, I got pretty stoked.
One thing is for sure, you guys haven't settled for less yet, don't start now.
Show off your company and the people that have put their blood, sweat and tears to make it where it is. It's nice to know the people behind the company, and know that its products are not being mass-produced in China or some crap. History/biography sections go a long way for customer loyalty.
Having your own forum could be helpful, especially for troubleshooting/application questions. How frequented it would be, who knows though. Having a stagnant forum could be worse then not having your own forum at all. I would definitely throw some links to the various forums you are associated with presently though, it's nice for people to feel that they're doing their own independent research based on annonymous individuals who have already bought your stuff, not some stories that you could have fabricated or sponsored on your own.
Lastly, I'd drop the linking to e-bay. If you guys want to put products up there to reach a larger market, I don't blame you, however companies based solely on e-bay tend to be less permanent, and less reliable, because it's easy to just throw a store up on e-bay. Do as much business as you can through your online store, it looks much more professional.
And yes, shopping cart as well as paypal is necessary. Many people will look at the products for weeks, know exactly what they are, and as soon as they get their paycheck, they want it checked out and shipped out ASAP, not to wait on hold for a sales rep.
I like the idea of showing a picture of the authentic car sporting the original Aero pieces, and a breakdown of the ShineAuto products. I think showcasing your actual products is a must, being that you guys are who you are, you have nothing to hide. Before paint, definitely; after-paint, yeah why not? It's nice to give people visions of what their vehicle can/could/will look like. After seeing that Red FC2000 you guys have posted on ebay with the shineauto goodies, I got pretty stoked.
One thing is for sure, you guys haven't settled for less yet, don't start now.
Show off your company and the people that have put their blood, sweat and tears to make it where it is. It's nice to know the people behind the company, and know that its products are not being mass-produced in China or some crap. History/biography sections go a long way for customer loyalty.
Having your own forum could be helpful, especially for troubleshooting/application questions. How frequented it would be, who knows though. Having a stagnant forum could be worse then not having your own forum at all. I would definitely throw some links to the various forums you are associated with presently though, it's nice for people to feel that they're doing their own independent research based on annonymous individuals who have already bought your stuff, not some stories that you could have fabricated or sponsored on your own.
Lastly, I'd drop the linking to e-bay. If you guys want to put products up there to reach a larger market, I don't blame you, however companies based solely on e-bay tend to be less permanent, and less reliable, because it's easy to just throw a store up on e-bay. Do as much business as you can through your online store, it looks much more professional.
Last edited by Trots*88TII-AE*; 11-12-08 at 12:45 AM.
