Any News About the Autopia Store Move to Texas???

[Lonnie]

I seems weird that I need to ask this question of the Autopian management/owners.
Is there a new physical mailing/shipping address for this business IF the store is indeed, moving?
There is none listed on the Autopia Store website.
Reference: Autopia Store\service

What precipitated this question is the "revamped` Autopia Store website. I find it clunky and difficult to navigate. Having to select the number columns and number of products per page for EACH new product line is unintelligent and WHY it cannot be saved while you are viewing the website beyond me. Arranging it by price or reviews or A-to-Z (alphabetical) IS an OK user-definable Sort to list by. I assume the default display of products sorts and lists by what has sold the most of or is the most-popular selling items in descending order.
What really gets me is finding all the products that are out-of-stock, especially within the Meg`s Detailing Line.
THAT is not listed on the product display until you select the individual product description. It should be on the main product page of the sorted products. Then again, that would REALLY tell you how many products in that specific product line or product grouping are out-of-stock.
What IS going on???

I thought the old website set-up was better organized.

Anyone else seeing these problems? Maybe that is just me. (You sound "bitter", Captain Obvious)

[Bill D]

I just started ordering from Autoforge, straight out of Florida, with no problem.

[Desertnate]

If what is being discussed on AG is any indication, there are a lot of people see their orders shipped out of Texas.

Agree on the website. It`s really hard to navigate. I always shop by brand because I found AG/Autopia didn`t always categorize things right or didn`t include all of the products of a certain category for every brand. The drop down list or even the "grid" of brand logos was convenient to scroll across. Now that silly bar only shows four brand tiles no matter how you scale your screen is a royal pain. Heaven help you when you want to search Wolfgang products. You`ll be scrolling for a while.

[Lonnie]

Well I did find a "work-around" to Desertnate`s problem of seeing only a 4 brands at the top and then having slide/move through them alphabetically with the displayed by four (4) at a time, which means getting to Wolfgang takes quite a few "slides".
At the bottom of the Popular Brands banner displayed on the left side on the Home Page, if you scroll/look at the bottom of that banner, you will see the tab "All Brands". By selecting this tab, you`ll get a sub-page that displays ALL the Brands the Autopia Store has in alphabetical order sorted by letters of the alphabet, but listed in text form only; no brand logo or symbol picture. You an also select the first letter of the brand name at the top by selecting that particular letter, like W for Wolfgang, for example.
However, you still have the product display problem within that particular Brand as mentioned my first post of which product items are displayed and how many. You`ll have to decide that by selecting how they are to sorted (by price, A-to-Z, Reviews, etc), the number of columns (1-6), AND the number of items per that page (4, 10, 20, 40, 100 etc). That page display setting does NOT carry over to the next Brand you select and will need to be re-established according to your personal preferences; not good if you want to quickly look at 5 or 6 different Brands.

I found the "Shop by Brand" tab at the top and the sub-page it displays with all the Brand names listed alphabetically does NOT stay when you try to scroll to get down to one at the bottom, but reverts back to the last displayed page you have... totally useless and/or an error in web page design.

In my hypocrisy, I am biting that hand that feeds me. I have been telling anyone who is wishing that this Autopia Forum keeps going to support it financially by buying from the Autopia Store. However, in my defense, that is kind of hard to do if the product is not in stock or it`s hard to find on the web page.
If they (the Autopia Store and its owner,Palm Beach Motoring Group) are wonder why they may be loosing sales, they now have two reasons as listed above. (You STILL sound `bitter", Captain Obvious!)

I feel like the young child in Hans Christian Anderson`s folktale/fable, "The King`s New Clothes". For those unfamiliar with the story, I copied this from Wikipedia:
Two swindlers arrive at the capital city of an emperor who spends lavishly on clothing at the expense of state matters. Posing as weavers, they offer to supply him with magnificent clothes that are invisible to those who are stupid or incompetent. The emperor hires them, and they set up looms and go to work. A succession of officials, and then the emperor himself, visit them to check their progress. Each sees that the looms are empty but pretends otherwise to avoid being thought a fool.

Finally, the weavers report that the emperor`s suit is finished. They mime dressing him and he sets off in a procession before the whole city. The townsfolk uncomfortably go along with the pretense, not wanting to appear inept or stupid, until a child blurts out that the emperor is wearing nothing at all. The people then realize that everyone has been fooled. Although startled, the emperor continues the procession, walking more proudly than ever.
Moral of the story: Someone needs to tell the truth, even at the expense of the king.

[Bill D]

I’ve already joined MP’s forum in anticipation that this one and AGO are going to go away sooner than later. It appears that Bob McKee is in the process of recreating everything with his Autoforge. Maybe in time everything will be back to usual over there.

[Lonnie]

MP`s forum means Mike Phillips, who now works for McKee`s 37.
The above mentioned Autoforge.net appears to be a detailing product internet/online/web-based store run by said Mike Phillips and Nick Rutter AND a subsidiary of Bob McKee`s
NO, I ain`t jumpin` ship!!! (NO Meg`s Professional Mirror Glaze or Pro Detailing products)
(Never say "never", Captain Obvious!!)

[Coatings=crack]

MP`s forum means Mike Phillips, who now works for McKee`s 37.
The above mentioned Autoforge.net appears to be a detailing product internet/online/web-based store run by said Mike Phillips and Nick Rutter AND a subsidiary of Bob McKee`s
NO, I ain`t jumpin` ship!!! (NO Meg`s Professional Mirror Glaze or Pro Detailing products)
(Never say "never", Captain Obvious!!)

This ships sinking. Only time will tell but pretty sure at some point servers will be shut down.


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[Bill D]

I have a feeling that’s going to be true. It’s going to be a sad moment in detailing history but the start of a new chapter.

[Setec Astronomy]

This ships sinking. Only time will tell but pretty sure at some point servers will be shut down.

I have a feeling that’s going to be true. It’s going to be a sad moment in detailing history but the start of a new chapter.

Man, you doom-and-gloomers. It appears to me the guy they have doing the Autogeek detailing videos is doing it from his shop, not the Autogeek facility. If we learned anything from the pandemic is that remote work is possible. If they are not doing any classes, cars-and-coffee, etc. from the Autogeek facility, then why not move it to somewhere more central in the country that may have lower overheads? It`s just commodity web store fulfillment at that point. That doesn`t mean any substantial changes...I think you guys get too hung up on the forum aspect of these businesses, I would venture to guess that 75% of the customers have never even looked at the forums, much less joined and participated.

The success of the stores is going to be based more on SEO and website design. I`ll allow that forums are passe and that if they get hacked (since no one really seems to be paying attention) that it might be easier for them to shut one of them down. That doesn`t follow that the stores will be shut down also. You can have a going business without it growing at the rate PBMA/PBMG did.

[Lonnie]

SEO meaning Search Engine Operations meaning the process to increase the number of individuals who will view your web page/website.
You know as well as I do that a person who does a Google Search for almost anything will most likely pick one of the websites to be listed on the first page and at the top. I am sure there are "programs" you can buy that will do that for your website to move you up within a search engine accessing the internet to make it appear your website is relevant and contains some content to the user/viewer who is doing a search via key words or questions.
Setec, your comment about website design is well taken and applies to my "concerns" about the new Autopia Store web page and its layout and and my assessment it is NOT intuitive or easy-to-use.

Have I TOLD someone at the Autopia Store via the website "contact us"tab that this is my assessment? NO, and maybe the onus is then on me.
That said, I would HOPE someone from the Autopia Store management would look at this forum and check the forum content or an Admin would alert them of this concern, but apparently, it is just that: an assumption and not a given.

My point is if I am having problems with the Autopia Store website and its page layout, there are probably others (potential buying customers, Autopian members or not) who are as well, but they don`t say anything and just skip looking and utilizing that web/internet seller for buying their detailing products and equipment and go to some other internet reseller. Nor is letting a potential customer know where their office and inventory is physically located and, hence, where their potential order will be shipped from which impacts delivery time and the cost it takes due to distance from their location and if returns or order corrections are needed. That certainly is NOT conducive to keeping this forum going.

[Setec Astronomy]

Search Engine Optimization. I just tried for "car detailing supplies" and the first sponsored link that came up was Autogeek. Whether that has anything to do with my browsing history I don`t know. The funny thing is I scrolled down the list and found someone opened up a detailing store not far from my house, it`s part of the Detailing World chain, looks like a Barry Theal enterprise from where the headquarters is and the prominence of Americana products.

[Coatings=crack]

Man, you doom-and-gloomers. It appears to me the guy they have doing the Autogeek detailing videos is doing it from his shop, not the Autogeek facility. If we learned anything from the pandemic is that remote work is possible. If they are not doing any classes, cars-and-coffee, etc. from the Autogeek facility, then why not move it to somewhere more central in the country that may have lower overheads? It`s just commodity web store fulfillment at that point. That doesn`t mean any substantial changes...I think you guys get too hung up on the forum aspect of these businesses, I would venture to guess that 75% of the customers have never even looked at the forums, much less joined and participated.

The success of the stores is going to be based more on SEO and website design. I`ll allow that forums are passe and that if they get hacked (since no one really seems to be paying attention) that it might be easier for them to shut one of them down. That doesn`t follow that the stores will be shut down also. You can have a going business without it growing at the rate PBMA/PBMG did.

I didn’t mean AG/Autopia ship sinking as a business. I was speaking more about the forums.

Believe they are ok with letting die/shutting down as most people interact through social media.


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[wannafbody]

MP`s forum means Mike Phillips, who now works for McKee`s 37.
The above mentioned Autoforge.net appears to be a detailing product internet/online/web-based store run by said Mike Phillips and Nick Rutter AND a subsidiary of Bob McKee`s
NO, I ain`t jumpin` ship!!! (NO Meg`s Professional Mirror Glaze or Pro Detailing products)
(Never say "never", Captain Obvious!!)

Just about any product that Meguiars makes, someone else makes the same or better product.

Accountants view the forums as an expense as many don`t generate income of themselves.

[Wknd Dtlr]

Just about any product that Meguiars makes, someone else makes the same or better product.

Can you recommend a same or better product for Megs Hyper Dressing? It`s become outrageously expensive but it is so versatile being concentrated with its various dilution applications.

[Setec Astronomy]

Accountants view the forums as an expense as many don`t generate income of themselves.

I honestly don`t think these forums cost PBMG that much, I can`t figure out if this is still vBulletin, but you can get that (vBulletin) hosted for less than $1000/year even with a lot of bandwidth, including support, etc.

The real problem (as the owner) is the nuisance factor if the site crashes or gets hacked, and the ongoing moderation and member administration tasks. As I said, I don`t think the dollar costs are really the issue, it`s the opportunity cost of having someone babysit the forum instead of doing something else.