Re: [Amc-list] NAPAONLINE

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 1 May 2007, Swygert, Francis G MSgt 436 CES/CECM wrote:

> Ahh... so it's not just the site, but how the on-line part of the
> business is run! That clarifies things a lot! Mark Price has done a lot
> of business with Rock Auto, and I've done some... never any problems
> there, but they appear to have set themselves up with Internet business
> a primary concern. I'm not even sure they have any storefronts... maybe
> one or two at the warehouses like J.C. Whitney. But Rock Auto isn't
> JCW!! They don't carry a lot of the cheap accessory items, they are just
> like a normal parts store, only on-line.

It does seem to be true, rockauto is online-only and NAPA is
obviously brick and mortar.

But it is absolutely true that good software costs less than
bad software in the long run, and often the short term too. And
in this case, good software would make NAPA a FORTUNE -- first
gain back the $$$ they're LOSING with their LOSER ecommerce and
at least try to approach what rockauto does in ease of access.

If I could make up orders that I could send to my local store
for fullfillment -- IT WOULD KICK BUTT. AutoZone does this.

NAPA's in-house network can tell me "in stock" vs. "we have one
of those in the Downey store" 5 miles away vs. "that's a special
non-refundable order item from Chicago 5 days delivery". Why
isn't that online?

I imagine -- I do not know -- that NAPA HQ is run by good solid
car parts business people but wouldn't know good software if
they're kids handed it to them. They probably see it as new
fangled hippy sh*t the dork kids in the backroom want. Wake up
guys! Those dorks will sell your parts for you!

They need a ghost of auto-parts future to take them on a tour of
what will happen if they don't get their act together. AutoZone
parts suck, but they are solid on getting their crap to you,
and with pretty much unknowledgable help (shudder).


(I will say this much good about AutoZone: they do carry parts
for our old cars; they really do cater to the home-car-nut.)

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