Mail Order Website - Opinions and Help

SonicReducer

The record store I work at is thinking about putting a website up and also have a mail order end. Name, design, and data base software have all been taken care of. What I'm wondering is this:What do you like/appreciate in mail order vinyl sites?What do you hate?Do you buy mostly new/re-issue product or look for decent priced used?Are soundclips important?What besides LPs/CDs/45s should we stock?What about non-product related pages (such as Top 10s, Record Checks, Monthly features) stuff like that. Do people look at those?Anybody here who runs one or works at one who could PM me with some tips would greatly help. Thanks in advance.Deep beats and deep crates,SonicReducer(TEAMAARON)

Raystar

I have yet to ever buy anything from a mail order site but I know sound clips would keep me coming (jumpjump stand up... hint hint smalltimehustle) and I know you have to register a profile in order to buy but it would be cool if a site remembered you info (credit card ish & addy) so that implulse buying would be possible... you know, your logged in and all you have to do is click a button and the record is coming... I think these things would have me coming back.

volumen

Real time stock so things that have been gone for days aren't still up on the web. Biggest peave is placeing an order and then getting an "out of stock" e-mail 2 days later.

Ability to fully check out and pay when ordering.

Things other than records....Wax Po, Cool music DVD's.

New and used is cool, though if your going to sell used make sure it's high quality and be willing to take things back.

SonicReducer

Real time stock so things that have been gone for days aren't still up on the web. Biggest peave is placeing an order and then getting an "out of stock" e-mail 2 days later.

Hear ya on that one - especially credit on "out of stock" items rather than refund. That's some bullshit.

volumen

Real time stock so things that have been gone for days aren't still up on the web. Biggest peave is placeing an order and then getting an "out of stock" e-mail 2 days later.

Hear ya on that one - especially credit on "out of stock" items rather than refund. That's some bullshit.

Ouch! Never had that happen, I would freak for shure! That's up there with "you pay extra 4% for paypal"

anasarcasm

I run a mailorder, and occasionally make music purchases online. I think people are generally motivated by quality/variety of stock, past history with vendor, and cheap shipping.

Also, TTLAB (and alot of other online stores seem to be following suit) have been adding "incentives" to their orders. There are so many online stores now, selling the same shit, that I think this is starting to become a factor for consumers.

Include real audio clips. Good music should sell itself. (that's the theory anyway)

Give accurate, well researched descriptions. Give the customer a reason to buy the item, i.e. it's limited availability, it's history and backround, it's connection to other projects, etc.

Stock good music and current titles. Used records are something I personally enjoy looking through, but it's kind of a headache as far as condition disputes go. It really depends on what you have at the store..

Invest in a payment gateway (real credit card gateway) connected to a database instead of using Pay Pal if possible. There are so many reasons for this.

To me those Top Tens and articles are nice bonuses. I'm not sure how much it directly impacts sales, but I think anything that brings a user back to the site, increases your opportunity to sell to them.

I dislike...

Every description being gushing, and in effect, meaningless. Just the facts please!!

Over exaggerated shipping costs

Please don't create a virtually non-searchable site like TTLAB. I like almost everything else about them, except for that. It's really time to revamp that look.

Only one item I want being available in a particular store, forcing me to bite the bullet + the exorbitant shipping, or go elsewhere where there is more to choose from..

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any techinical questions.

drewnice

The record store I work at is thinking about putting a website up and also have a mail order end.

Aaah!! One of the few places, I frequent when back home, that keeps good for the locals is going worldwide... Can't be mad a that, but that's one of the reasons I always visit St. Crnr.

Sooks

I order from various online retailers a fair bit - usually with good results. My common complaints - grading no good, out-of-stock items listed on the site (this is most annoying when there's something that you really want, and then you pad your order with a few things that you wouldn't mind, and then the really good one is out of stock), list details about the product - like both sides of a 45, for instance, or year & label information for LPs (which Leon Ware S/T?). Also, take paypal. I hate money orders - haven't we as a civilization moved on? I'm not overly concerned with sound clips, unless it's something really obscure and you want to draw attention to it. Of course, I don't mind trawling through long lists of used records!

Other than those I think it's just regular business practice - timely emails, reasonable prices for records and shipping good packaging - and you're set.

the3rdstream

Aaah!! One of the few places, I frequent when back home, that keeps good for the locals is going worldwide... Can't be mad a that, but that's one of the reasons I always visit St. Crnr.

yeah this kinda makes me sad, but you gotta make that paper

Jonny_Paycheck

Aaah!! One of the few places, I frequent when back home, that keeps good for the locals is going worldwide... Can't be mad a that, but that's one of the reasons I always visit St. Crnr.

yeah this kinda makes me sad, but you gotta make that paper

Having never been to the spot I would only say don't try to sell what you have in the shop online, or vice versa. I've never seen a shop work well trying to keep a live inventory. And, from what I understand of DustyGroove, their store stock is not really the same as online. TSL tried to do a live system and failed miserably. You wanna keep something special for your hometown customers, you know?

chris

And, from what I understand of DustyGroove, their store stock is not really the same as online.

nah, the site and the store inventory are the same.

The_Non

One thing that pisses me off about mail order sites (I'm looking at you local spot of mine!) is listing stuff in alphabetical order with no genre in huge lists. Fuck that shite. Also, emailing back and forth with someone about ordering is annoying, must have a shopping cart/purchase setup. I don't look at the "top 10" type things and like soundclips.
One dude's opinions
Peace
T.N.

Jonny_Paycheck

And, from what I understand of DustyGroove, their store stock is not really the same as online.

nah, the site and the store inventory are the same.

Really? OK. Last time I went (admittedly, years ago) there was certainly stuff on the floor that wasn't online, or didn't appear to be...

meatyogre

in rare occasions, you can go into DG and see something that isnt on the site yet, but it will be on the site within the next 30 minutes.

SonicReducer

The record store I work at is thinking about putting a website up and also have a mail order end.

Aaah!! One of the few places, I frequent when back home, that keeps good for the locals is going worldwide... Can't be mad a that, but that's one of the reasons I always visit St. Crnr.

Locals don't fret... mostly new items and mint condition used stuff we have stock on will be on-line. We all agreed not to deplete floor stock. It will still be a store you can find good records at. Chris and I are really dedicated to selling real records to real people in person.

Thanks for all the help and input.

Deep beats and deep crates,
SONIC