Online Store?

[jdmlovechild]

So me and a few friends have been pondering this for a while and decided we wanted to start an online store selling aftermarket performance parts and such.The only thing is we dont have any clue on how to get started,lol.So far we've been saving for about a year or so and have a pretty good amount saved up.So my question would be directed to anyone that has an online store of this sort.How did you guys get started and how did you go about getting the products you sell?Any help would be greatly appreciated

[!Zar!]

Horrible idea given todays economy.

My advice is that you don't do it.

[ThatGuy]

^That, plus this \/

The fact that you are asking a group of complete strangers on the internet how to start your business, means you shouldn't do it.

[jdmlovechild]

I am not asking them indeed how to start it as i know how to start it.I meant how did they go about getting the products they sell.I have another website where i sell things from but it is not automotive related.But i see where you are going in the point of the down turned economy.But from the websites that i frequent this being one of them people are still buying parts for their cars,maybe not like it used to be but still buying none the less.

[!Zar!]

People are buying cheap. They are buying used parts.

It may seem like people are buying, but they aren't.

First you need to have a business license as well as a location you are selling parts out of.

To get accounts you will need to place an X amount of an order which will be COD most likely.

They don't just open shops to anyone so you will have to start selling the less desirable companies first; ARC and Mugen won't be begging you to stock their parts.

After that, they expect you to be a constant buyer if you are selling or not.

And you are trying to market to 240 and import car owners?

Cool dream of yours, but let it be that.

Trust me, it's not something you want to do.

I could go on and on all the while showing you exactly what needs to be done but it isn't worth it.

[BustedS13]

1. call china
2. order a hundred "n1 style" mufflers
3. open an ebay account
4. boo

[HyperTek]

if u dont know how or where to start, than i wouldnt do it.. Nothing worse than buying from someone who has no clue, or even knowledge of the product.

Just like all those guys who open up shops with no background.

With the knock off market booming, online tuner store is really bad now unless you wanna ebay.

To bad ur not in cali, u could pick up a job workin for one of these companies.. i used to work in teh field. You learn the ins and outs, build your own personal contacts and know whats up.. I know some people who have done that and are doing ok.

Im tempted to start my own original aero company but i lack funds and contacts, not to mention that bodykits are the most ripped off scene.. fruitcakes will copy u.

[kensreliableb18b]

auto industry online: as a hobby, shits and giggles, it's okay. but unless you're gonna be one of the OG guys and be innovative with what you sell, you're looking at a loss straight up. trust me.

[ronmcdon]

Better yet, just start your company in China.
Ship directly to your clients in the US.
Damn US business laws/taxes is what makes it so expensive to run a business.
Oh wait, you're in TX so maybe it's not so bad running a business there.

Also diversify your target customers.
Don't just plan on selling to 240sx owners.
Don't just plan on selling to US customers.

Offer good customer service,
competitive pricing,
advertise in forums & ebay aggressively.

If you're already in the business and have a warehouse,
you already have an advantage of not having to start something from scratch,
overhead for you will probably be already much lower.
and you already have some idea of business know-how.

I also say you consult an accountant to find out the best way of setting something like this up, while minimizing taxes & such.

Let us know how it goes, if you plan to proceed.
Good luck!

[jdmlovechild]

I'm only in Texas for the time being due to the military.I should be moving to Vancouver or Toronto in a yr or 2.I do wish i lived in Cali so i could work for one of the bigger companies.If i wanted to maje a quick buck i would do the whole knock-off ebay thing being as i have associates in Korea that can get their hands on that stuff of there real cheap but thats not what i'm in for.Eventually i do want to open a full fledged shop in the next 5 years or so.I might end up moving out to Cali just to get my foot in the door at one the bigger companies.By that time i should be done with my buisiness degree also.My target group of consumers wouldnt be just 240 guys but all import guys in general.From the civic guys to the Sti guys.As for being knowledgeable in the products i know a pretty fair amount as of now and will only increase in my knowledge.I think you guys are thinking this is going to be started soon.What i am trying to do probably wouldnt be ready to start for another year at the least.Anybody that has started their own company knows that they start from dreams.

[flip3d]

You have a lot of competition that will most likely blow you away.


Go take some business classes. You'll get a rough idea of what you need to do.

Do you have a business plan?

[jdmlovechild]

I'm a business major right now.I already deal in real estate and things of that nature so i know a little about business.I'm currently working on my plan but i have the preliminary worked out so far.Already have people i know to make the site,talked to ups and fed ex to see which one would suite me better,ups ftw,lol.The main thing i was asking was how would i go about trying to get support from these bigger companies to sell they're product.And if i lived in Cali that would already be solved by me working at one them but seeing as i live in TX thats not helping,lol.

[ronmcdon]

It's a good idea to spend some time working for the said companies to get a good sense of how they operate in real life.
Just make sure the time you spend there, you're assertive and pick up as much as possible.
A business degree is also helpful, I suppose, if you're studying the specifics that are relevant to what you plan on doing.
Maybe take some accounting courses, learn how to operate a website.

Is it really that difficult running an online store?
All boils down to how high you're overhead is.
You could be selling small scale merchandise through your house, and it would be ok.
I knew a few co-workers would buy cars from the junkyard and part out parts on ebay for profit.

Just start modestly, then move up.
If you fail small, at least you don't lose much, and you paid for a learning experience.
Store crap in your garage if needed be.
One of the more popular vendors from Honda-Tech I used to buy from regularly (Camp 1320, or something like that), did just that.
He eventually opened his own store aferwards

Initiative is probably the hardest part (see how everyone else here seems so discouraged)
besides you've already had experience doing the same thing, but with a different product.
You should be able to do ok.

Learn in CA, if you have to (though I recall TX has some decent shops as well).
Consult an accountant, before deciding whether it's more worthwhile to do your business here or elsewhere.

[Choku_Dorian]

Don't go into business with friends.

best advice i can give.

[upsdude]

www.score.org (http://www.score.org) you can get free advice from people who run businesses and stuff. I'm no business major but my wife and I were pondering a frozen yogurt shop for a while. but california has so many hostile business laws it's ridiculous-businesses are moving OUT of cali and going to neighboring states like AZ and NV because they get tax incentives. this economy and the fact there are countless online stores doing the same thing you intend to do will make it a challenge. but hey there's always opportunity to make money if you know how...good luck

[Phlip]

You should totally open this online store.

Use one of the templates that godaddy.com gives you to use when you register ZOMGJDMPartzYo.com.
Make sure that EVERYTHING you present is done as shittily as your posts on the this forum, make sure to include "it's just the internet" at the bottom of the page in the disclosures.

...

Make profit.

[handinpants]

to be completely honest, buy a smog shop, you do not need a smog license to run it, hire someone with a smog license pay them $12 an hour and charge $59.99 a smog, i see them for sale under $30k, and its A recession proof business.
plus you won't make any money selling parts. especially on zilvia.

[adam s]

You should totally open this online store.

Use one of the templates that godaddy.com gives you to use when you register ZOMGJDMPartzYo.com.
Make sure that EVERYTHING you present is done as shittily as your posts on the this forum, make sure to include "it's just the internet" at the bottom of the page in the disclosures.

...

Make profit.

I think I love you. :rofl:

No, but seriously, I died laughing at that hahaha.

[jdmlovechild]

You should totally open this online store.

Use one of the templates that godaddy.com gives you to use when you register ZOMGJDMPartzYo.com.
Make sure that EVERYTHING you present is done as shittily as your posts on the this forum, make sure to include "it's just the internet" at the bottom of the page in the disclosures.

...

Make profit.


I see the mods on this site love messing with people. Please come with something original though me and the mod in my other thread already went thru this whole ordeal. He turned out to be a very cool guy btw. As far as the guy talking about businesses leaving Cali and the other guy talking about the smog shop i don't live in Cali.

[jdmlovechild]

I think I love you. :rofl:

No, but seriously, I died laughing at that hahaha.

I think you are riding his nuts a little hard sir

[jamg]

some some GM stocks.

profit???

[zenki.life]

failed thread.........

[Phlip]

I see the mods on this site love messing with people. Please come with something original though me and the mod in my other thread already went thru this whole ordeal. He turned out to be a very cool guy btw. As far as the guy talking about businesses leaving Cali and the other guy talking about the smog shop i don't live in Cali.
There, you ignore the spirit of my post to take offense to the fact that it was far beyond "not serious," thanks for that.
Yeah, I know he is a cool guy, we're good friends in real life, you know the world off of the internet, since we live in the same state. I remember you trying to discredit his opinion of your continued silliness using the fact that you were "defending the country" ignoring that he has been a Marine half your life. Guess what? There is nothing redeeming about you to me, so I won't be swayed so easily.

Here goes, in language I hope you can understand:
This is your SECOND bad idea. Don't do it.

[adam s]

I think you are riding his nuts a little hard sir


It's ok, I think you're a moron :)