Business

I lost a customer today because I don't take plastic.
That led to a search of LBCar Co. prices compared to mine. I'm cheaper. But they take plastic and send shortbread.
Go figure.

some people don't realize that it costs YOU money to take plastic. this must be reflected in your prices

Same with shortbread.

I've seen businessses actually hike prices 10% on the spot when the customer paid with American Express. The local Honda cycle store sells generators for less with cash or check than plastic. Pay-Pal takes a bigass bite out of you, the seller. Some places don't accept Discover Card because they bite deeper than Visa or Mastercard. For larger orders that are planned ahead Chris has the answer and the best deal. When you need onesies twosies in a hurry you pay the piper.

Hey, I'll take all the small orders I can get! But you have to figure an 8 day turn around for parts on your doorstep.

The thing is, it only costs for plastic whaen you use it!! You should chris!! I didn't know what that Canadian cheque marked 'US FUNDS' would do!! I'm glad it cleared fine!!

I didn't say to not get small orders from you. Any time you get in a hurry for something is costs extra is what I was trying to convey.

Why does your web page you have listed not work. Is it down or something on my end?

Send shortbread? What do you mean by that?

Jeff sends a cookie with every order

he has moved his site <http://www.oregontrail.net/~roopsmg/> Chris update your profile info

Some aircraft parts company I used to deal with always sent roasted peanuts in the hull with their orders. Nice thought, but they make a hell of a mess. Sombody else sent hard candy. I still have 14 year old un-worn T-shirts from an aircraft parts place in Tulsa. I've bought only about 2 printed T-shirts in my life and they don't advertise anything. I'm wearing one now from a parts store I sold for, but not Fisher/Federated, they're a bunch of tight wads and never gave me one in 5 years. I don't pay to advertise for people.

Chris, I have bought a lot of stuff from Jeff. I like his web site, he takes plastic and you can sit up a profile to log into. You don't have to type in credit card each time. I have found his prices cheaper than the other major suppliers, even when paying MI sales tax. His turn around is usually a week. He also charges only the actual shipping charges. I also see him at several shows through the summer. [I admit I like the cookies too, minimum $20 order!]

I like the convience of the plastic. Also easier for me to track expenses.

That is funny Dave!! Last I was in Pendelton , chris and I were talking about that and he was saying if he charged the 'actual shipping' he would do waaaay better!! I don't really know what that means, but I would assume that he eats a fair chunk of shipping costs!! I think chris would be happy to give you a smoking deal (like he always does) and let you cover your own shipping! Believe me, I still don't really know why chris does it, unless it is to get a hot deal on his own parts!!

chris, when I buy the rest of the stuff to rejuvinate my brakes, it'll be through you. shoot, with 1-day ground from you to me, plus whatever time from moss to you, I'll probably earn a <8 day turnaround!

I wanted to get those brake lines asap so I could put them on by the weekend and see if they fix my problem, so I went local distributer with stocked items


sometimes it's about patients, for a DD car, some people need the 2-3day turnaround right from Moss, but for others they can afford the time and save the money -- some people are just CC fiends tho





there is paypal, but I forgot if the seller or the buyer eats the cost

Whats his web site?

<http://www.oregontrail.net/~roopsmg/>

Sorry, I ment Jeffs site.

We have to take them but I don't like it. We recently did a large job for a client and for some reason we accepted his Amex card so he could get his sky miles. I wasn't in on the payment part or I wouldn't have done it.
I figured we took a $600 hit on that job just because we took his plastic. Cost to him: nothing. Cost to us: $600.
At one time we actually charged clients for the card charges but got a snotty letter from the bank saying it was illegal to list those fees on our invoices. I don't know if that's true or not but they didn't want it happening. So, for the first time in 25 years, we are going to start hiding the percentage the card companies charge us in the invoices somewhere because between that and shipping, it eats a large chunk of what you make. I can stay home and be broke a lot happier than working 12 hours a day.
Unfortunately, not taking plastic would be very difficult.
Chris, you will probably have to get set up for cards at some point but shop around and get the lowest rate you can.

Little British Car Co. (Jeff Zorn) -- <http://www.lbcarco.com/>

I just tried it using Chuck's link and it worked just fine. Are you running pop-up stopper? That could mess with multiple screens unless you use the control button when you click.
And Chuck, the old site has a link to the new site, but I'll try to figure out how.

I'm not saying he isn't good! He has a well thought out business and has been doing it long enough he should have a fair inventory built up.
And I'll charge you "actual" freight also if you would like, but it is from OR, not some place local. :)
On the large and heavy boxes, I end up losing money, but hope it averages out in the long run with the small boxes.

Merchants take plastic for two reasons: it increases sales, and reduces losses. People shop where it is convenient - and plastic (whether debit or credit) is more convenient than cash, checks or money orders. Checks bounce. Money orders and cashier's checks can be stolen. There can be charge backs on plastic, but the merchant is offered a lot of protection - especially on smaller purchases.
When ordering from long distance, plastic speeds up the process. If I decide I want to order some parts, I have two choices. I can mail a check, and hope the pony express gets it across the country within a reasonable period of time, then let the merchant wait a few days to see if the check clears (unless he wants to risk a bounced check) before processing my order (or go to the trouble of purchasing a cashier's check or money order) - or I can charge it to the plastic, let the merchant get authorization right now, and start processing my order today.
In addition, if the merchant fails to deliver, I have recourse with my credit card company if I use plastic; if I paid by check, I have no recourse (unless I want to fight it in small claim court, and that's probably not usually going to be practical).
Bottom line: if you want increased business, advertise and accept plastic - it's now the most popular form of currency. If you're satisfied with your current growth and want things to remain simple, require full payment up front.
Ask yourself this question: would I be happy if I had twice the amount of orders, but my profit margin was reduced 5% on each order (assuming you didn't offer a discount for cash)?

Taking up where Joe left off... If you double your orders & take the credit card hit, you still have plenty left over to hire an assistant so you can double your orders again after advertising, etc. etc. etc.
or kick back a little
whatever your level of comfort is, once you find it, you'll know it after you've gone too far.

Chris, after re-reading my post above, I hope you don't take it as a criticism of the way you choose to do business. I didn't mean it that way at all; I just wanted to illustrate another viewpoint.
Growing a hobby into a business can be the best thing you every did. It can also be the worst! Like David says, decide your own comfort level...and enjoy it!
I faced a similar situation a few years ago, but on a much smaller scale. I make and repair golf clubs. I learned it as a hobby. Friends tried my clubs and wanted me to make them some, or wanted me to regrip theirs, or wanted me to repair a broken club. Soon, I was doing quite a bit of this - all at cost - for several friends.
It occured to me that I might make clubmaking a cottage business. As it turned out, I decided against it. In order to make enough money to make it worthwhile, I would have been forced to devote too much time to it - and I decided I'd rather keep it as a hobby.
My decision was helped by having one bad "customer". I made a driver for a friend who complained about it constantly. He didn't like the shaft (which he chose). He didn't like the grip (which he chose). I spent my spare time rebuilding that driver 3 or 4 times - and he never was pleased, even though he spent a small fraction of the retail value of a "name brand" driver.
Finally, we were playing one Saturday morning (I was probably hung over - which didn't help my attitude) and he was bitching about the fact that his driving was so poor (blaming the club). I pulled it out of his bag, teed up my ball, and hit it 50 yards past his ball dead center of the fairway. Handed it back to him and said "must not be the club!".
That put that subject to rest - but soured me on making clubmaking a business. I have to put up with enough of that crap on my day job!!!

To me, a vender taking plastic makes or breaks the deal. I deal with Brit Tek because he keeps my numbers on file so all I need to do is send Bob Ford an email as to what I want and it goes out the next day. This makes for quick turnaround, and that is important to me. Having to get a MO or send a check through the mail before a vender will do anything just takes too long. Sometimes it adds weeks to the waiting time, not bad if you are just replenishing your spares, but a PITA if you have a car down and a deadline to meet. Take the plastic, Chris, even if you have to raise prices, or add a credit card charge, your business will increase from doing so. Me, I don't take it either, but I have been known to ship my stuff without even getting any money ahead of time, if someone has the need and I get a good gut feeling. But, then again, I have lost money trying to be nice to MG people, too. It's a hobby for me, not a bussiness