Help Iboats Help YOU............................

[WIMUSKY]

I decided to start a new thread from the concerns from another thread about how Iboats can better their website to make it more user friendly for it's customers. Exploded diagrams, storing customers boat information, a better search engine when looking up part numbers, more products are a few ideas.

Keep the ideas coming and give details/examples. Iboats can make the site better only if they know the issues customers are having......

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

Well Musky, thanks for starting the thread!

Hey, I'll shoot ya straight here, best price wins.

In this day and age we can check out a 1/2 dozen stores in about a 1/2 dozen minutes. I'll go with the best deal I can find. I do realize that iboats has the "price match" but I've tried that with them a few times with no success unfortunately. Besides that I think it's only right to go with the vender that works hard for that price point.

Probably secondary to that...

I've gone after a bunch of specific things on the iboats site only to find they are out of stock, rats.

I love iboats but if I can't get what I need or I can if I cough up more dough....................meh.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

Thanks for responding jasoutside! Maybe your post will get other members to chime in too. Admin can't try and fix something if they don't know it's broke......

 

[djpeters]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

Here is something that annoys me sometimes. After scouring the internet for what i need, and the best deal, I have come back to Iboats and placed an order of multiple items only to find out during checkout that the items need to come from different warehouses which then doubles or triples the shipping charges. Just saying.....

 

[geneseo1911]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

My gripe is that when I'm searching for drive/engine parts, they are all lumped into one category, and in no particular order. Even when I search, the part I need often doesn't come up. Usually if I need a part, I will find a Sierra part number on their or another vendor site, then search for it here. Many times I find it that way, even when I've been through the entire category it is supposedly in. More than once this rigamarole has led me to purchase elsewhere.

Reader's Digest Version: Better organization, especially in the Mercruiser parts section.

I will say that every purchase I have made with iboats has been spectacular. Fast shipping, good prices (although I will second the multiple warehouses comment), never had a problem.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

search engine is hit and miss. engine break down diagrams are not the best on the web. On electrical items add more pictures so we can see the back of the item and any wiring diagrams especially switch's (carlington) not just the generic picture especially if its not the part I am looking at buying. Im willing to pay a few bucks more if I know im buying the correct part rather than having to search the web to see if the part is correct for what I plan to use it for.
If you can search the database based on links we have posted you will see where we are telling people to look for information and parts. Most of us link based on the best diagrams and search engines. I like to help others but im going to use the easiest and fastest way to find a part then I will just link to it and suggest they use the part number on Iboats im betting most people skip the last step.

 

[matt167]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

Shipping calculator seems to calculate high for small order’s. Calling an order in works to get a better rate, but that's not always possible. Often I place orders online after hours... Many times I need to go to another site, use their diagrams to get the part numbers I need, then punch those numbers into Iboats to get the Sierra equivalent. Basic parts are easy to find, but not everything is indexed... I still use Iboats for parts given the shortcomings, but not for everything.. Sometimes, if I have to search elsewhere for a part number to locate it quick, I will then take it to Ebay and get the part cheaper with free shipping. Leg work is the same... If Iboats were a well organized one stop shop, I'd probably use them more often. As it is, I still had 3-4 orders filled by them this summer. The Iboats community is great, and a bonus.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

Sell by the foot. /============/

When I'm looking to buy fuel hose, wire, or anything else that comes in a huge roll, I'm usually looking to buy a small piece, not the entire roll. Even a $40 10' roll of fuel hose is overkill for lots of projects. If I'm rewiring and need 10 different types of wire, I don't necessarily need full rolls of every type.

I agree about the multi-warehouse shipping charges. I have bought elsewhere due to the multiple shipping charges.

 

[Jim Hawkins]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

I would LOVE for iboats to revamp the "parts" part of their website. I get frustrated trying to find the part I need on here and go to brand X. I don't know if you will censor this but ********** is so user friendly I usually buy there. PLEASE, I want to be your customer but you have some work to do.

After previewing my post I see Brand X did get censored but You know who I mean.

As an example, I need a part for a carb so I go to iboats and click on Boat Parts and accessories, then I click on boat motor parts, then I click on outboard, then Johnson, and then from there it's categories that don't cover what I want or give no clue as to where to go from there.

Then, I go to Brand X and click on Johnson parts, then click on 1988, then click on 10JRCCD, Then click on carburetor and Voila! a parts diagram and #12, part number 0323327, Lever, Cam follower, for $6.72

I will buy from iboats if I can find the part, but so far, I've never found the parts I need.

 

[Bayou Dave]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

The multiple shipping costs are my concern also. I ordered 2 parts today on iboats.
One cost $6.58 and shipping was an additional $5.72. The other item was $16.99 and coming from a diferent warehouse. Had to pay another $5.72 shipping. The first part might weigh 2-3 ounces. It could have been put in a standard envelope and mailed for under a 2 bucks by USPS.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

OK, so, I do believe that I have a suggestion for our awesome iboats hosts.

Let me set the stage...

This forum is without a doubt the largest collection of backyard boat building and marine driveline gear heads on the planet!

Doubt me? Check it out:

Boat Restoration, Building, and Hull Repair

Electrical, Electronics, Audio and Trolling Motors

Mercruiser I/O & Inboard Engines & Outdrives

Johnson & Evinrude Outboards

Boat Topics and Questions (not engine topics)

And that is just a selection of the more active forums here. The guys who post on those forums ^^^^^ need everything boat related. EVERYTHING! Every bolt, prop, paint, pump and fitting that can ever be imagined is needed by the guys posting up on those forums.

I know guys going through their projects constantly ask for advice on what gear to use and where to get that gear. CONSTANTLY! LIKE ALL THE TIME, EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Now, if only there were a store, an online store, that had all that gear those guys needed??!! Oh if only.

WAIT!!!!!

Check it out:

New and Used Boats, Boat Covers, Boat Parts, Propellers, Accessories from iboats.com

Heck, they are even touted as THE #1 site for EVERYTHING boating!

____________________________________________________________

If I kinda sorta view iboats as a store (it is anyway) and if I kinda sorta view the forums as a store front (guys are walking around in here looking to buy stuff they need anyway) - I feel iboats retail has a giant disconnect with those guys who need stuff. A big one! There are no salesmen prepped and ready to help with gear and earn that sale.

I think it would be the equivalent of me walking into my local Marine Gear Store, really needing something, seeing employees answer the phones and stock shelves, but ignoring me all together.

That would be a ridiculous business model wouldn't it!

____________________________________________________________

OK, so let's make the connection. Here's my idea:

So iboats has a few folks hanging around the forums, helping out when they can.





Say a fella posts up in the Restoration forum:

"Hey guys, what the heck do about all these leaking rivets?"

iboats sales type guy sees this and shoots the leaky boat builder a PM....

"Howdy, I noticed you have some leaky rivets there. After you replace or rebuck what rivets you can, grab youself some Gluvit...

Gluvit Epoxy Waterproof Sealer - iboats

Really great stuff. If you happen to find a better price anywhere, we'll beat it. We are serious about getting you the best stuff at the best price!

Because we appreciate your business and loyalty please use this code at checkout...

"metalboatsrule"

...for free shipping! By all means let me know if you have any questions."


__________________________________________________


Low key, not in your face type of sales, off the boards and through PM, no pressure.

Iboats gets a sale (that guy will probably throw a couple of extras in his virtual cart too), iboats wins a loyal customer, leaky boat guy gets great advice and the boat building supplies he needs. Wins all the way around!




Knowhattamean? See what I'm thinking?:thumb:

 

[moosehead]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

Agree with the above comments and concerns.

IMO, iboats customers are primarily, if not solely, loyal to the iboat's inefficient retail model because of their fondness and loyalty to the forums. There is huge opportunity economically and brand-wise for iboats incorporating the above ideas.

 

[Jim Hawkins]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

Just wondering, WIMUSKY are you still following this thread?

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

Yes sir, I am. I watch it on a daily basis. I'll be bringing all the suggestions to Admins attention. They are all appreciated. Keep them coming.......

 

[oldandintheway]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

Well Musky, thanks for starting the thread!

Hey, I'll shoot ya straight here, best price wins.

In this day and age we can check out a 1/2 dozen stores in about a 1/2 dozen minutes. I'll go with the best deal I can find. I do realize that iboats has the "price match" but I've tried that with them a few times with no success unfortunately. Besides that I think it's only right to go with the vender that works hard for that price point.

Probably secondary to that...

I've gone after a bunch of specific things on the iboats site only to find they are out of stock, rats.

I love iboats but if I can't get what I need or I can if I cough up more dough....................meh.

-----------------------
I agree the chats and technical are great, BUT iboats prices on products are not.
Today shopping for a Trailer winch -
Powerwinch RC23 (remote control) P55750:

iboats: 439 and shipping - delivered 457.
Amazon with shipping 379.
That's $78 on this one item.

I hope iboats doesn't get sold to some Yahoo, Google company, but I can't afford the premium.

 

[Jim Hawkins]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

I tried a test yesterday. I knew how hard it was to find a part using the iboats website so using 2 Johnson part numbers I picked up the phone. The nice girl at iboats was very friendly but said iboats had neither part. In my own search on iboats I had found the 1 part so I told her, yes you do have one of the parts. I gave her Your part number and it popped right up.

Thing that surprised both of us was that the Johnson # showed up in the iboats part description and yet a search for the part using that number yielded nothing.

 

[britisher]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

I have bought some items on IBoats, but like most these days I search the internet for the best price. Nothing wrong with that as it allows me to keep on boating, which every business in boating to ensure keeps happening.
Agree with the points about stock levels. In my industry, many of my suppliers have real-time inventory. I can see when I place my order online if they have what I want and in the quantity I want. Back ordering is no good to me as my customers want it from me tomorrow.
Someone made a comment about shipping charges and how they were sometimes. Unfortunately we tend to forget it is Shipping AND HANDLING. The latter is usually why it ends up higher. I have stuff from suppliers in the USPS and I have rolled my eyes at the cost, but it's the handling (the picking. packing of the order that costs the most) So I am mindful of that BUT and I can't remember presicely if Iboats does this, but I prefer a shipping choice of more than UPS/FedEx. I don't have issues with USPS. They do get it right, they now have tracking and insurance and they are cheaper than UPS/FedEx, so once again more choice on shipping.
Very finally, why doesn't IBoats introduce 'Reward points'. It's a great customer loyalty program and the more you spend, the more points you earn. I recently bought a laptop for my son from Staples. I spent nearly $500.00. I received a Reward Visa card for $50.00. That went to the other son to put gas in his car. I am a loyal Autozone customer and using my Rewards card there I get $20.00 back for every $100.00 I spend. They are time sensitive and sometime I don;t get to use them before the 6 month time limit expires and I lose those points, but all my vehicles are behaving badly, then I'll occasionally get a free item, or $20.00 off a party I need.
I know I said we all look for the best price and that's true, but best price isn't always the sole consideration. If a store has the lowest price, but the item isn't in stock, then what's the point in that. Service and Support are also important. Help with identifying the right part and technical support from people who know what they are talking about rather than following a crib list are essential. Got the mix right and you have a successful business.

 

[BradC-iboats]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

Thank you everyone for this very helpful feedback! Please keep it coming.

 

[Jim Hawkins]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

What I'm wondering is, what effect this thread will have if any?

Can anyone give us some insight into what the fine folks at iboats are considering changing or implementing?

 

[BradC-iboats]

Re: Help Iboats Help YOU............................

Jim- Great question. I have sent a link to this thread to the entire company to view and to keep up on. For the time being, I can't say what will be changed or implemented, but the whole company is looking at it for ways to improve their individual departments.