FAIR SHAKE

I'm selling vehicle after-market accessories. Our physical store has many retail customers, and is the main supplier for the majority of auto body shops in our area. We have many items that are no longer available from the manufacturers, and will work with body shops in a way that other retailers can't or won't.

I have a few of these hard-to-find items listed on OLA, but I've only gotten a few views and no sales. I intend to start listing common items on OLA, but need to find a way for auto body shops to find us on the internet.

I'm considering using PowerSellersUnite to host our website, and promoting the items myself on Google, etc. I'm too inexperienced to develop a website from scratch; and I like the fact that they have templates, a shopping cart, and possibly built-in buyers.

Does anybody have experience with their website hosting? Is there another web-hosting site that is easier to use?

I'm also want to make sure customers feel comfortable about using our merchant account. Although we've been in business for over 20 years, the Better Business Bureau didn't have a report available on their website. I requested one, but haven't heard back from them yet. Is there anything else I can do?

Any advice anybody can give me would be greatly appreciated!

Dawns -

We own an auto body shop, in Washington state. But we're fairly new (my husband's been in the business 30 years, on his own for the last 3); we haven't got a website up and running yet. Too busy trying to get off the ground.

Might I suggest you talk to our Maggie45? She knows everything about that kind of stuff, and could likely point you in the right direction. (Hope you don't mind me volunteering you, Maggie!)

Good luck!

Deb

Hi ThumbsUp ~

Good luck with your auto body shop. Let me know if you can't find something locally. For example: we still have black luggage racks (no longer in production), headlight/taillight covers for older vehicles, and lots of older graphics.

If you're trying to identify a graphic, I'd be happy to try to help you. Send me a photo and I'll ask my husband. He has been in this business so long, he started out by putting whitewalls on tires!

Maggie - if you have any suggestions please let me know. I greatly value the opinions of my new friends here, and don't want to take this big step without getting some input first. ~ Dawn

Thanks, Dawn.

We are actually officially in the RV body repair business but my husband's background is in auto body. During the slow (winter) months he does a lot of classic restoration work. So when you say "older vehicles", how "old" are you talking?

For example, we've got a 1948 Studebaker convertible in the shop right now that's been somewhat difficult to find parts and diagrams for ... THAT old, or old as in the last couple of decades? Not all of them are THAT old, but they are usually in that general range (usually in the 50s). He does a LOT of woody station wagons and the like. The graphics thing could be handy for us, too. I'll remember that - sometimes these resources are very hard to find!

Thanks - Deb

Hi Deb ~

We have an unopened roll of woodgrain graphic for $100 plus shipping. There is no writing on the box; but he thinks it's Universal Products, about 20" wide by 100' long, and originally sold for about $200.

The oldest product I have is about 25 - 30 years. I have some vintage Camaro and Trans Am graphic kits, but nothing for a classic like the Studebaker. It must be really hard to find parts for that! ~ Dawn

Hi, Dawn,

I'm not familiar with the PSU stores setup, I use Yahoo - they have options for either a website or a store setup. Both have plenty of templates. They have an easy, but limited Site Wizard, or you can use Front Page, or download their Site Builder web software which is easy to use.

I chose the website setup and link all my items to my Ecrater store - for now, anyway. If you want to take a look it's at http://pennsylvania-antiques.com

I've also heard ToyTown (he's a PSU member) - say that he uses Presto Stores and he likes it. His store does look nice.

If you want to get an idea of some store and web hosts and how the eventual site looks, take a look in our Mini Mall (there's a tab at the top of my home page). Everyone there uses a different provider so it can give you some ideas.

Also, if you'd like me to add a link for you I'd be happy to do so.

Good luck!

Maggie Dressler

Thank you Maggie for coming to the rescue when called!

Deb

Hi Maggie ~

Thank you! I really appreciate your advice. Your website looks great. ~ Dawn