Elite-bikes.co.uk, A New Online Store!

[echo_rob]

Hello there,

My name is Rob Margetts, and alongside my esteemed associate Cal Fairey, we form EliteBikes LTD.

Firstly we would just like to open ourseleves up to the fanatical members of trials-forum and introduce our new online bike store, stocking everything from grips to bikes. We take great pride in the service we offer to customers and would like to make you feel at home with our company!

The owners

First off, Cal Fairey. Born and bred in the midlands, and with a honed eye for any bike, he really has racked up some bicycle knowledge over the years! An eccentric young man that has owned past businesses, which in the most-part have had great success. With the drive and enthusiasm to get through life, and to make a success of his efforts. he has been described as many things in the past (not all good, haha) but one thing is for sure, if you ever need a helping hand or some friendly advice, Cal is your man! Cal gets his kicks come from trials but has dabbled in all sorts of adrenaline-fueled hobbies.

Then there's myself. Once again born and bred in the midlands, I have been working on bikes since the age of 8 and the passion has never gone away (no matter what cost from breakages! haha) I enjoy trials biking mostly, and do enjoy a bit of street bashing! I love working on bikes and would do anything to see this company succeed. Once again, I'm always on hand to give advice to anyone who may be in need and am happy to answer any queries whether they be regarding sales or tech, night or day!

The vision

We would love to see the company grow and to prosper but mostly, we would like to benefit the bike scene. We are thinking of hosting events, and showing the world what real biking is all about! Many so-called bike shops have a clinical approach to cycling, without passion or drive, we on the other hand have experienced the falls and the spills, and no exactly what it's like and what riders need.

The website elite-bikes.co.uk

The website is, as we feel, very simple to navigate and products are still being added as I write this. We have poured our heart and soul in to the website in an attempt to produce a bright, user-friendly site. All of the products that we distribute are listed with a google checkout system to make ordering easy.

We only stock certain trials products which will not show up on the website just yet such as Tensile and Onza etc, but we know that many of you trialers (like ourselves) ride other bikes such as BMX etc.

Thankyou for your time, if you have any queries or would like any more info please call 07717508427 or 07595690666. Feel free to reply to the topic with what you like! helpful comments appreciated.

Rob

EliteBikes

[Revolver]

Good luck!

[JonMack]

Good luck!

Couldnt have put it better myself.

[AdamR28]

Good luck guys! Just a quick reminder though, all text on the TartyBikes is subject to copyright and cannot be reproduced without permission

[Alex Dark]

Good luck guys! Just a quick reminder though, all text on the TartyBikes is subject to copyright and cannot be reproduced without permission

what have they copied then ads?

[Petrum]

i think he is talking about the onza spyrogyra text?

either way, looks like a good range of street machines are available, hope it all works out for you guys

[AdamR28]

i think he is talking about the onza spyrogyra text?

I didn't see that one actually, but didn't look too closely, only a quick scan at a few products. Anyway, not the place or time

[Barbara Logan-Price]

The site is quite hard to navigate round

[adamtrials]

Good luck, the site needs cleaning up though, it's pretty cluttered and hard to use. Perhaps invest in some professional web design?

And I lolled when I saw some pictures with the Tartybikes watermark on them

[Muel]

Practically every piece of text relating to trials is knicked from Tarty! First week of business and already you've broken the copyright law quite badly.

The header/banner looks like it's been resized in the CSS ro HTML, it ooks realy jagged and the words are hard to make out. You should resize the original picture to the size you want, then it will look a lot better in the browser.

Looks to me like you've used a template and uploaded your own photos and text to it? Not all very professional if I'm honest.

In the webstore, the list of catagories in the box is really wierd and hard to use, and they're not even in alphabetical order.

You also use mobile phones instead of landlines, and give two numbers but don't say which to ring for certain things.

If you want to be competitive you need a decent website and phone system set up. You also need to be decent helpful blokes and send out the right stuff at the right time though. (But as has been shown, a fancy website will make up for it. )

You only accept google checkout? Not paypal which virtually everyone uses?

[echo_rob]

We now offer paypal payment processing,

secondly, we took information for the trials products directly from our distributor website, which is not plagiarism,

thirdly, we explained on the homepage that the landline is currently out of use, and it does not make any difference which mobile number you ring.

Please get your facts straight before you start accusing a new business of unprofessional dealings, we try our best and there is always someone trying to knock us down.

Thankyou

Rob

EliteBikes

[Mr Motivator]

85% of new businesses fail within the first five years.

edit: freewebs.com hosting? You can not be serious.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Mr Motivator

[echo_rob]

85% of new businesses fail within the first five years.

edit: freewebs.com hosting? You can not be serious.

For a start, the freewebs hosting is not a free service! We do pay a considerable amount for hosting and we do so for the consumers gain. if we were to pay for a professional website design, we would have to recoup this cost, and thus, prices would increase for customers.

We are riders selling products to the riders, and we have a real passion for the sport and comments like this do not help.

Can people understand we are here to enjoy the experience and of course, to learn along the way. We do not wish to rip anyone off or have any wrong dealings, can we please have useful helpful comments please.

Thankyou

Rob

EliteBikes

[Tony Harrison]

"if we were to pay for a professional website design, we would have to recoup this cost, and thus, prices would increase for customers."

A good friend of mine has just launched an online store (not bike related) that is doing very well. It cost him £15,000 and 6 months to develop and build the website, and a further £10,000 was invested in stock. He doesn't make his products more expensive to 'recoup' this. This was the amount of money he had to invest. You can't invest nothing and realistically expect to make a decent go of this, surely? Your investment would be repaid out of your revenue. Why didn't you get a loan from the bank for this venture? How serious are you?

"Born and bred in the midlands" - is this a selling point??

"The website is, as we feel, very simple to navigate and products are still being added as I write this." - why not AFTER you write this?

"We have poured our heart and soul in to the website" - it doesn't show

"We only stock certain trials products which will not show up on the website just yet such as Tensile and Onza etc, but we know that many of you trialers (like ourselves) ride other bikes such as BMX etc."

Why? WHY WHY WHY?

"The site is not yet fully completed but will be very soon!"

Then why is it online? This stinks of rushing to get the thing out the door. Like spray painting, if you want this to work you're going to need better preparation.

"For all telephone sales and enquiries please call 07595690666 or 07717508427 due to problems with the landline."

Problems with the landline? How problematic can they be? Why not fix it then launch? Again, stinks of a rush job.

"What forms of payment do we accept?"

Google checkout? But then Paypal further down. In faint writing explains that a credit card can be used. Now I know that PayPal specify that you must show their logo, etc, but you could do it better than that.

"title

add text, images, video, widgets, etc..."

WTF? Have you not even scrolled down your own webpage? Didn't you even f'cking check it first??!

"The UK's up and coming online bike store!"

Oh, really? Could've fooled me. This is off-putting. Let the customer decide. If you have to write this, perhaps you're unsure as to whether the site will speak for itself? (it does, and not in your favour).

"Error While Loading Web Store

Oops! There was a temporary glitch with this application. We have been notified of the problem and will be repairing it. Please feel free to go back and try again."

So I can't add a single inner tube to an empty basket?

"© 2006"

Oh. 2006. Good job you did updating this template. Not going to look any further.

----------

In summary this just reeks of a rush job. The attention to detail is non-existant, the website design does not promote your company at all well. In fact, it's as if you went off in a room and built this thing humming away to yourself without doing any research first. And now it's thrown out the door not even tested, working or properly finished. And yet you want people to part with cash?

Where's the info about postage? Delivery? Stock levels? Customer service? How can you possibly expect to convert any of your hits to sales? Why have you not even tried to optimise your pages for search engines?

I'm just being 100% realistic. My job is looking at online and server based software systems for corporations and working out to make them better. But more importantly, I am a typical customer, and I wouldn't be one of yours before chewing out my own spleen first.

I won't wish you good luck, as good luck doesn't run a business. No matter how determined you are, there's no substitute for preparation, attention to detail and proper investment.

[Ashley-Wood]

well i think there prices are very good. webite does need to be a bit better, but all i look for is prices not the website.

keep going for it, im sure you succed

[Muel]

We now offer paypal payment processing,

secondly, we took information for the trials products directly from our distributor website, which is not plagiarism,

thirdly, we explained on the homepage that the landline is currently out of use, and it does not make any difference which mobile number you ring.

Please get your facts straight before you start accusing a new business of unprofessional dealings, we try our best and there is always someone trying to knock us down.

Thankyou

Rob

EliteBikes

Good stuff about the Paypal thing, that'll let appeal to more people.

As far as i know it doesn't matter which website you got it off, it's content copyrighted by TartyBikes and belongs to them, so both you and your distributor are breaching copyright. (I think, I'm pretty sure though)

I didn't see that, I Just thought it was wierd you didn't have one.

I wasn't trying to knock you down in any way, it's constructive criticism. It just seems a shame that everything seems unprofessional and rushed. (Notice I said seems, that's just from where I'm sitting).

Best of luck to you though, I hope you do well! Take on whats been said though, your potential customers know best.

So yeh, if I were you I'd get a professional website built and the landline sorted. You don't need to spend thousands, there are plenty of Uni graduates dying for work!

[Hannah Shucksmith]

Yeahh, I kinda thought along similar lines to be honest.

The website's appearance is a tad of a let down, perhaps you should have waited until the site was up and running properly, along with the landline issue, I hate flaws.

Good luck anyhow.

Edit: Looked alot worse at school when I browsed, just clicked back on, looking better!

Edited March 11, 2009 by Hannah Shucksmith (:

[echo_rob]

"if we were to pay for a professional website design, we would have to recoup this cost, and thus, prices would increase for customers."

A good friend of mine has just launched an online store (not bike related) that is doing very well. It cost him £15,000 and 6 months to develop and build the website, and a further £10,000 was invested in stock. He doesn't make his products more expensive to 'recoup' this. This was the amount of money he had to invest. You can't invest nothing and realistically expect to make a decent go of this, surely? Your investment would be repaid out of your revenue. Why didn't you get a loan from the bank for this venture? How serious are you?

"Born and bred in the midlands" - is this a selling point??

"The website is, as we feel, very simple to navigate and products are still being added as I write this." - why not AFTER you write this?

"We have poured our heart and soul in to the website" - it doesn't show

"We only stock certain trials products which will not show up on the website just yet such as Tensile and Onza etc, but we know that many of you trialers (like ourselves) ride other bikes such as BMX etc."

Why? WHY WHY WHY?

"The site is not yet fully completed but will be very soon!"

Then why is it online? This stinks of rushing to get the thing out the door. Like spray painting, if you want this to work you're going to need better preparation.

"For all telephone sales and enquiries please call 07595690666 or 07717508427 due to problems with the landline."

Problems with the landline? How problematic can they be? Why not fix it then launch? Again, stinks of a rush job.

"What forms of payment do we accept?"

Google checkout? But then Paypal further down. In faint writing explains that a credit card can be used. Now I know that PayPal specify that you must show their logo, etc, but you could do it better than that.

"title

add text, images, video, widgets, etc..."

WTF? Have you not even scrolled down your own webpage? Didn't you even f'cking check it first??!

"The UK's up and coming online bike store!"

Oh, really? Could've fooled me. This is off-putting. Let the customer decide. If you have to write this, perhaps you're unsure as to whether the site will speak for itself? (it does, and not in your favour).

"Error While Loading Web Store

Oops! There was a temporary glitch with this application. We have been notified of the problem and will be repairing it. Please feel free to go back and try again."

So I can't add a single inner tube to an empty basket?

"© 2006"

Oh. 2006. Good job you did updating this template. Not going to look any further.

----------

In summary this just reeks of a rush job. The attention to detail is non-existant, the website design does not promote your company at all well. In fact, it's as if you went off in a room and built this thing humming away to yourself without doing any research first. And now it's thrown out the door not even tested, working or properly finished. And yet you want people to part with cash?

Where's the info about postage? Delivery? Stock levels? Customer service? How can you possibly expect to convert any of your hits to sales? Why have you not even tried to optimise your pages for search engines?

I'm just being 100% realistic. My job is looking at online and server based software systems for corporations and working out to make them better. But more importantly, I am a typical customer, and I wouldn't be one of yours before chewing out my own spleen first.

I won't wish you good luck, as good luck doesn't run a business. No matter how determined you are, there's no substitute for preparation, attention to detail and proper investment.

Thankyou for that, one thing we do not need is that. Thanks for discouraging customers and ourselves,you have nothing positive to say about this site. We are not a large corporation, we are a small business trying to get started and help out other riders with cheap prices.

We know we have some flaws that do need to be sorted, the website is not very clear but is usable and products can be bought easily from us.

So thanks, for your input, although it was obviously maliciously intended.

Rob

EliteBikes

[N.Wood]

Pretty sure it wasn't malicious, he was trying to help you out.

As a potential customer his advice should be heeded. He took the time to look through your website, CONSTRUCTIVELY criticise it and write it out in a post, even with suggestions on how you could improve it.

You seem to be jumping at anyone who doesn't say good things about your website. If it was perfect then fair enough, but as has been pointed out, it is not.

Not exactly a professional way to deal with criticism on a forum that could potentially give the majority of your custom.

Aside from that, can I ask why I should buy from you guys and not Tartybikes?

[Rich J]

These guys have had a mighty tough time already.

Props on the idea, it is a developing site and company, and I think they just want to get themselves out there asap, whether thats a good thing or not is a different matter.

[Tony Harrison]

Thankyou for that, one thing we do not need is that. Thanks for discouraging customers and ourselves,you have nothing positive to say about this site.

Wrong - one thing you need is that. You need this quality control feeding back to you because you don't seem to be doing it effectively yourselves.

If my reply, pointing out the flaws in your website, 'discourages customers', then just what does that say about the website? Re-read it - did I make anything up? Did I point out any flaws that weren't there? Was I anything but (brutally) honest?

If you are discouraged by what I've put there, despite the fact you've written off my very specific points as simply 'malicious', then what the hell does it say about you?

Yes, it may seem like a mug of foaming piss on the proverbial bonfire, but I refuse to join the patronising 'nice site mate' club. Why don't you re-read what I (and others) have written, sort the issues and bounce back stronger? If you fall at the first fence, how will you reach the next? You say it's going to be a learning experience for you, but you don't want to listen to anything anybody says that is critical of your progress so far. The harsher others and indeed yourself are on your efforts, the steeper the learning curve and faster you'll achieve what you've set out to do.

[Luke Rainbird]

The way you've reacted to criticism and the structure, spelling and grammar of your posts in this thread have kinda given the impression that you're not taking this particularly seriously. Coupling that with an unfinished, unprofessional website and I'm pretty well put off ordering from you, as I'm sure other people are. What do you offer that other stores don't?

edit; It would appear that I took ages to post and was beaten to it by a few others, meh!

[Mr Motivator]

So thanks, for your input, although it was obviously maliciously intended.

Even though his response may have seemed maliciously intended, it really wasn't. Unfortunatley it's reality. Customers are arses, and working in retail is tough.

Never get too friendly with the customer. I know that possibly in this line of business dealing with such a specific market it could help, but it is slightly un-professional, and no customer likes a suck-up.

Remember, the customer pays your wages, and is always right.

Selling specific bicycle components is a rather niche market, and with a number of very good, well established, similar leading companies out there already it will undoubtably be tough at times.

What you need is to offer something that no other company already has, and not just better prices and offers. We see where you're coming from the low-cost website, and yes it will keep costs down but it does definately need work! Even though you don't have a reputation built yet, you need to start off with a bang to attract customers initially. The site doesn't help unfortunately. There is no suprise and delight!

I don't know why people are faffing about telephone numbers to be honest. It's great to be able to talk directly to the seller, but these days people rather buying online, punching in their card numbers and a few days later they get it in the post. Saves a lot of effort fannying about on the blower. Have you looked into getting an 0845 number? You can get them with an automated switchboard for free and will re-direct to a landline or mobile.

This forum has VERY biast opinions, and there are a lot of people out to slate you. They don't care, why should they? They are never going to meet you. Be carefull what you post on here relating to business.

Nevertheless, if I saw a component on your site cheaper than everywhere else, I would buy it, but strictly only because of price.

[Tony Harrison]

This forum has VERY biast opinions, and there are a lot of people out to slate you. They don't care, why should they? They are never going to meet you. Be carefull what you post on here relating to business.

I disagree - I think that people on here just feel comfortable enough to speak their minds, which is good.

Plus, with the collective experience here, good advice could be found. Enough people here run businesses, build websites, etc. If there was a thread saying "Hey look, I'm trying to build an e-commerce site - could someone give me a checklist of things I have to do?" it would be inundated with answers! People like to help, myself included.

And on the subject of e-commerce - the friend I mentioned above who runs a site had some e-commerce business expert guy (I forget just who he was) literally laugh at his business plan, and he said it "would never work". In 6 months the site has made a profit higher than what I've earned in a year. So there's always room to prove naysayers wrong

[Luke Rainbird]

Nevertheless, if I saw a component on your site cheaper than everywhere else, I would buy it, but strictly only because of price.

Tarty offer a pricematch deal