[SunRescue] Vendor List

[bobk]

On Mon, 14 Feb 2000, Kent Rankin wrote:

> 	However, I may just be blowing smoke up my own arse when I say this,
> but a lot of vendors out there don't use web pages to manage inventory. 
> Myself, I constantly go through equipment, and already working 16 hours
> a day, have no time to maintain web pages as I go through things.

There may be good dealers without a web presence, but that was not the
purpose of my list.

 
> 	I'd recommend keeping a list of people that just work via phone and
> email, as well.  Some of the best vendors out there do just that.

I wouldn't have a problem buying from someone over the phone, but as far
as window shopping, the web works really well without having to call you
and say "what new stuff ya got?".

As a consultant, I often find that I'd like to recommend
used/reconditioned sun equipment to my customers, but they get wary when I
show them the web pages of dealers that are shoddily maintained, or don't
list prices, or don't take credit cards, or what have you. It doesn't take
a web page to be in business, but it is certainly one of the trappings of
business like a fax machine, business cards, printed forms, credit-card 
processing, and answering the phone with the name of your business instead
of "hello".

I get turned off by buy.com and the rest, but many of my customers love
them. I like straight-forward, non-gimmicky (and lynx compatible) web
pages that are accurate, complete, and up to date.

-bob

p.s. If you don't have time to design a web page, I am sure that there are
a designers out there who would trade some time for some of your crumbs!