Another one bites the dust

One of the really cheap well was the cheapest sellers

[bwnbwn]

Checking today a website that USE to be one of if not the cheapest on the net has bit the dust and is a gonner.

I suppose those that get into the internet business feel they have to be cheaper than anybody else to sell.

I have never wavered from my prices and can say that we are STLL in business (9 years)paying bills and providing something the "Cheap" ones can't Quality Customer Service.

Emails are answered in hours not days, calls are returned in hours (if not faster), they can call and speak to alive person during business hours. This issomething the ones that try to be the cheapest just can't afford.

Lesson for those that are thinking about getting into the ecommerce business. Don't try to be the cheapest on the block make a living and provide the service you would want to be provided if you were the customer.

I have the next cheap site linked to my Testimonials page, because we are a 5 in Google reviews and they are a 2. So I linked them to their reviews, lots and lots of bad reviews on poor customer service.

O yea and those price matching sites got them linked as well due to their poor customer reviews in google and other review sites.

[MrHard]

But a cheap site does not necessarily have bad customer service. It may even have superior service. In this case you would probably lose the sale.

Perhaps you have rationalized this to justify your stance or keep confidence.

[dpd1]

I hate to sound cruel, but good riddance. There's a couple guys in my niche that I know are not making any money at all, and I would love to see them gone. I know what the materials cost and what labor is involved, and their prices are ridiculously low... To the point where I know they are barely breaking even. Good service or not, people like that are just making it miserable for everybody else, because they are basically just giving their stuff away. If somebody takes out a loan and is living off that, or so bored in retirement that they just do a business for the fun of it... I guess it's a free country. But it's a major pain to people who actually need to make a living.

[martinibuster]

But a cheap site does not necessarily have bad customer service.

That's true. But the OP was not discussing all online sellers of cheap products. The OP was discussing specific competitors within a specific niche. But I agree with you 100% that the cost of a product will not predict the level of customer service a consumer receives.

[bwnbwn]

MrHard I have been in my nitch for 11 years now. Internet 10. I know what the cost are, I know what the discounts are, I know what the shipping is, I know what the cc processing fees are, I know what the it takes to make a dime on a sale to pay help, overhead, insurance, boxes, packing, inventory. I speak with understanding and a great deal of knowledge in my area. There is no way the prices these sites are selling for could make money O - Zero- nata - won't happen.

I just don't understand why they think volume will make them money when it is eaten up from all the above.

All the sites do reading from the reviews is make it harder for all since now a would be buyer has been burned. Some do try again some say forget it and go retail.

All I am saying is whatever your nitch don't try to be the cheapest, don't compete to be the lowest it is a high percentage for a one way ticket to closing.

I get calls everyday or most everyday wanting us to match this price or that price won't happen. My answer sorry we don't match prices because I provide a service "most" can't provide.

Sure I have lost sales so that is life, but I have gained more repeat customers from my dedicated service, and had many come buy from me after a bad encounter with one of the cheap ones.

[MrHard]

My answer sorry we don't match prices because I provide a service "most" can't provide

These are people who already know a cheaper price is out there. So they get "service" from you, probably before the purchase is made in the form of instructions or information, then buy at the competition. Some may buy because your a nice guy, but with the current economy probably not that many.

Or, do you refuse service until the order is placed?

[tangor]

I merely point out that my prices, reasonable, mean I will be around to provide service after the sale. Majority of the time that makes the sale.