OK – so Totally TTRs is moving into the 21st century with an eShop.
With our existing web catalogue, it is time consuming to add a new product. Convoluted doesn't even come close as a description. I have lots of ideas for new items to add such as front mudguards, etc., etc., but am put off as it's such a faff.
We have over 350 products on offer and our systems which rely in the main on an 11 year-old Microsoft Frontpage web programme (operated by an IT numpty - me) isn’t doing the job!
I get quite a few emails from prospective customers who have found an item on our web catalogue but haven't found the guidance text explaining how to buy. As a consequence, our current system generates unnecessary emails and probably puts off prospective buyers who are used to doing the whole purchase from start to finish in one go.
We are in an age now where many owners are very internet savvy and if they see something they like they want to buy it there and then rather than having to email us with a list and wait for a shipping quote and details on how to pay.
The sheer volume of business makes our current systems overly time consuming and inefficient and so an eShop seems to be the way forward to allow us to provide a better service to our customers.
I have put a significant amount of time into trialling 1&1's eShop Plus and it will almost certainly do what we want. We have gone with 1&1 as they provide our web hosting and have proved very reliable over the years.
We have so far populated the eShop with all of our products, categorised them, set up customer “regions” to work out shipping costs, and set up a few payment methods.
My aim is to go live in the next 5-7 days if all goes well.
I hope customers will like the new eShop but only time will tell!
I will update you with the switch-over date as soon as it is decided and we will wait for the bouquets or the flak!
I may run the old and new together for a few days if I can (just in case the worst happens!) but my IT skills will be tested in doing that….
Really wish you the best of luck. Always happy to do a little shopping to test it for you ;)
I did always wonder how on earth you both cope with the current system. I think you will probably see more sales as a result too.
I've never had such a personal and freidnly service from any other supplier. Thank you for your continued and tireless work on the shop, the website and the forum.
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Paul, Surrey UK.
TTROOKIES. Three Blokes. Three TTRs. All the gear and no idea.
I thought it was a bit dated but it did work well. I'm sure the new eshop will be more efficient and work as planned. I agree with DC about the top class reliable service.
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2004 TTR250. White Brothers E series exhaust, modded airbox, rejetted, 13/48 c&s & many more mods..
Thats sounds brilliant and hopefully make your lives easier .If it is any where near your normal service then it will be a total success .Your personal attention to detail and shipping times are exceptional and a credit to you and Trish well done best of luck for this new chapter in Totally TTR's
Im hoping theres an iphone app. To buy products. I buy now through ebay and paypal On an iphone. Im not the sharpest tool in the shed , if it has to be done by computor i shall learn.
Looking forward to using the new E shop, good move Brian. My TTR is holding up well and sucks up most of the green lane stuff, but I might be in for a few general maintenance bits soon.
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Sometimes, you just want to go for a ride.........
I am taking a bit of a gamble here but I think we are nearly there. A bit of tidying up is needed on the design but the eShop is ready for new customers to register and to try out.
Anyways up - have a look here and see what you think.
If you are in the UK and put through a test order choose the "Customer pickup" delivery option and "Payment on collection" payment option. That way no harm done to your bank or PayPal balance
We would greatly appreciate feedback on any gremlins or silies you find.
Looking good, just registered, the links to the forum, shipping and FAQ's don't seem to work, but I guess you are still building the site !! :)
Whoops! Still adding parts and correcting stuff. Will get the other links working asap. I am not finding the "Design" section and editing the texts easy
Thanks to the guys that have registered. At least we know that bit is working
I have put the old Totally TTRs web pages back online whilst we worked through back orders etc but have been doing some more work on the new eShop - see here - and may launch it very soon.
I think we are pretty much there but would be delighted to get any further feedback!
I would be happy for someone to put through an order to check how it all works for someone other than the test orders Trish and I have been doing - if anyone is feeling brave and in need of some new parts
What happens when you try to add the tensioner to the basket please - do you get any kind of error message or does the software just not let you do it?
When you go on the engine and gearbox bit, go to cam tensioner, at the bottom in a box it says, gasket brittle available 'here' and takes you to the old place.
Well spotted! My mistake. I copied the text from the old web page without changing the link
All sorted now I hope
PS In the process, Trish spotted a few similar funnies which she has corrected but I am sure there will be more. Just let me know if you find them before we do please!
After getting an invoice for over £80 for the first month's use of the eShop it appears that I have been put on the super duper version suitable for very large firms! After spending a long time on the phone to various departments of 1&1 the "solution" is to set up a new eShop at the small business level and start again! Fortunately most of the data can be exported from one to the other but that still leaves a lot of fixing to be done.
I just imported the customer database to the new eShop and all seemed to be going well until the system decided to send emails to all the customers urging them to activate their account on the new site
To save any problems I have temporarily closed the new eShop until it's good enough to do the switch over. I got a feeling much midnight oil will be burnt tonight!
Sorry to all the customers that got the confusing emails. Please just let them sit in your inbox until we open the new eShop.
Nearly there but am finding out the flaws in the data export/import.
Looks like we are going to have to re-enter manually all the payment and delivery methods and their dependencies into the new eShop plus there is no way to transfer the existing orders
Never mind. Gotta break eggs to make an omelette!!!!
eShop Mark 1 is still working and we have received a couple of orders so we can just keep going and make the switch as and when we are both happy
Have already broken out the beer and may go onto something stronger later on - all depending......
Bit of a mystery about the shims showing under Wheels etc! Because there were so many we gave them their own Category but I have added them all to Engine etc category so hopefully that will sort it
It seems that no amount of testing pulls up these "funnies" so I appreciate users letting me know
Thanks again for the super service Brian and Trish, all my stuff arrived for my inaugural TRF trip in the rain today!!! Luckily I didn't need any of it :)