Shop Owner Input Requested

[blizmop]

I am looking for some insights from automotive business owners, mechanics, dealers, sales persons etc.

How do you guys use the internet for your business?

If you do not, please let me know a little bit about why not.


Thats All!

Thanks for your participation!
Lance

[Highlyaspir8ed]

Lance,
as with any business there's a ton of information on the web about various topics, forums and manufacturers websites. this wesite is a plethora of information for new products, peoples opinions, pictures and new installs for various vehicles. New part lookup is an essential part of the web. if someone comes into the store, asks about a new product you havn't heard of yet (cause lets face it there are hundreds of manufacturers and not even business owners can keep up with them all) it's an extremely valuable tool to quickly look up the product and see if you have a distributor that can order it in for you. Then of course there is the whole ecommerce aspect of the web used to increase sales. hope this answers your ?'s

[Doug_I]

Hi lance
I had a repair shop for 12 years, and was forced to shut it down 2 years ago. when I first opened I made a webpage where I thought I might bring in some business. I have since been selling all the accumulated parts I have through the online auctions. This was my first attempt at web page design, and put it on the free sites network that one day just vanished. I lost all my work exept this front page, the only link that works is the one for the garage sale which is my current site. All the pictures are work done by me or my father.
Feel free to tell me what you think of my site(s) if you get a chance at http://www.geocities.com/auctionitus...e/infinite.htm

[blizmop]

Doug,
The trouble with the free sites is that you are at the mercy of a free service that has no guaranteed lifespan or business plan. Most often they fail or end developing a charging method.

So in the long run a business web site should be done right by buying a .com/ca/etc and getting hosting with a nice professional design.

[Doug_I]

Lance
when I started the mentioned webpage, I had graduated from a DOS tandy 1000, to a win 3.1 computer without a mouse. Have you ever tried to run windows with no mouse?? then to a 386 IBM machine which is what I used to make the page. This all took about 4 and a half months.
After a quick upgrade to a new compaq and DSL, I have found that many of the so called "Professional" web sites are just crap. Some look like they took 10 minutes to throw together, and starting at $450!!! The reason I chose the free hosting was because money was tight. I had just created a repair shop out of thin air, quit my job at a local bodyshop, and working 10-18 hour days just to keep the doors open. Many times it turned into an overnighter. I have put the shop behind me, and am currently working on a nice little site to sell all the parts, bikes, antiques and things I have collected. I am heading toward webpage design as a living. A simple Visual Basic front page with a frame on the side for an easy updateable link page. linking to a full catalog flash site with credit card acceptance. I seem to be the kind of person who would rather do it my self.
Doug

[-Josh-]

The shop i work at uses GM Service Information(SI) through the net. There's also a site that i can't provide the link to, but it's called GM dealer world.

[PROSTREET67]

Spend The Little Bit Of Money And Hire The Service They Come In And Take All The Pic, Print The Buyer Guides And Keep The Website Updated. The Money Is Well Spent

[mikebrt]

how can get service information . I' m, a mechanic