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greg334

greg334

Veteran Expediter
Dan,
Just an FYI, this is what I meant as thinking about marketing a bit more.

Go to Godaddy and get a hosing package, then setup the email system as part of the hosing package. Then get the right email links put on to the website, don't just put them there - if you don't know what I mean, spam mean anything.

There is nothing that screams - I'm a cheap ****** like a generic email address, like that girl who was trying to get people interested in a trucking show - she used a Yahoo address and not the production companies address, cheap cheap cheap.

THEN I would not make the domain private, that's cheesy. I would register the domain to the company you have formed for the partnership.

This one worries me - We wanted to try and give them the upper hand. We also have to be careful not to **** off the OEM's repair business.

I don't know who in the OEM's business you will p*ss off, what is an OEM's repair business anyway? A dealer? No chance of p*ssing them off. Outside of that, the repair market may be a great market to target.
 
T

truckpipes

Seasoned Expediter
xiggi said:
I used my personal comcast address to save money. There is no sense in ****ing money away in the wind when you can use the resources your already paying for. Do you feel it would be better to have a dedicated email address? Will that increase my sales? Probably not. I might look more professional to do that though.

If you have a domain and hosting you already have a free email address setting it up would not cost you anything extra. Something important to consider Comcast is one of the worst hosts out there for blocking mail. You will not even know it was blocked you'll just never see the email it won't be in your junk mail or anything. One lost sale from a blocked email could pay for a lot more than even a dedicated email. Having a email that goes with your domain will always put forward a more professional appearance than using that of something like Comcast or Hotmail.
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Well, I did it. I got a new email address. I thought about your points and you are exactly right. the truckpipestore should not be missing any sales due to Comcast. My comcast goes down at least two times a day. Its horrible. so I went back to godaddy and i get the free email address. I made one [email protected] and the other [email protected]
 
Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
This is an example of what I mean when I say the more he types, the more things don't add up:

(me) "even John Deere, except that I've delivered too many tractor pipes from a specific OEM manufacturer to know who makes those, and it's a name that was mentioned in another thread as being NOT Truckpipes. So I dunno."
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(him) "We have made plenty of Tractor Pipes in our facilities. Did you by chance go to Clinton, TN to pick these up?? Or Fort Wayne, IN???"
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What difference can it possibly make, since I picked up at manufacturing locations that you've already said were not Truckpipes facilities.


As far as a NDA and keeping patent-pending things a secret, all patent applications are public information. The second you apply for a patent, the public knows about it. Waiting for the patent to be awarded (or confirmed, whatever that means) doesn't change that. Once the application has been made, there is little reason to not discuss it. Like I said, there's actually an incentive to discuss it, to promote it, to advertise it.

On one Website it states "Our manufacturers produce over 15,000 truck pipe exhaust assemblies per day for Medium and Heavy Duty truck pipe exhaust applications with facilities throughout North America."

Two years later it becomes "We manfacture (sic) over 25,000 truck pipe exhaust assemblies per day for Class 6-8 truck pipe exhaust application with facilities throughout North America."

So in two short years it goes from ours to we, and in a time frame where fewer trucks and pipes were being manufactured and sold the number of pipes nearly doubled. That's quite an accomplishment, worthy of the front page of Forbes, actually.

Am I picking apart every word you say? Nope, just reading what you're telling me is all. And some of it just doesn't add up. I think think it's a little odd that a really large, huge, ginormous pipe manufacturing behemoth who is the OEM manufacturer for, like, everybody, would be using Comcast for their e-mail (which opens them up to a plethora of security issues), and are headquartered on a residential cul de sac, in a house. That sounds far more like a reseller who takes phone, mail and online orders, and then has stuff drop-shipped to the customer.

Well, I did it. I got a new email address. I thought about your points and you are exactly right. the truckpipestore should not be missing any sales due to Comcast. My comcast goes down at least two times a day. Its horrible. so I went back to godaddy and i get the free email address. I made one [email protected] and the other [email protected]
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Excellent. A huge first step. Now just dial back the number of manufacturing and warehousing facilities that the TruckPipeStore owns and you're well on your way. :D
 
T

truckpipes

Seasoned Expediter
Turtle said:
This is an example of what I mean when I say the more he types, the more things don't add up:

What difference can it possibly make, since I picked up at manufacturing locations that you've already said were not Truckpipes facilities.


As far as a NDA and keeping patent-pending things a secret, all patent applications are public information. The second you apply for a patent, the public knows about it. Waiting for the patent to be awarded (or confirmed, whatever that means) doesn't change that. Once the application has been made, there is little reason to not discuss it. Like I said, there's actually an incentive to discuss it, to promote it, to advertise it.

On one Website it states "Our manufacturers produce over 15,000 truck pipe exhaust assemblies per day for Medium and Heavy Duty truck pipe exhaust applications with facilities throughout North America."

Two years later it becomes "We manfacture (sic) over 25,000 truck pipe exhaust assemblies per day for Class 6-8 truck pipe exhaust application with facilities throughout North America."

The reason it became 25,000 is due to a new line we added, plus the purchase of 2 facilities, in total we have 4 facilities.

So in two short years it goes from ours to we, and in a time frame where fewer trucks and pipes were being manufactured and sold the number of pipes nearly doubled. That's quite an accomplishment, worthy of the front page of Forbes, actually.

LOL. LOL. I would love to be the cover of Forbes someday..


Am I picking apart every word you say? Nope, just reading what you're telling me is all. And some of it just doesn't add up. I think think it's a little odd that a really large, huge, ginormous pipe manufacturing behemoth who is the OEM manufacturer for, like, everybody, would be using Comcast for their e-mail (which opens them up to a plethora of security issues), and are headquartered on a residential cul de sac, in a house. That sounds far more like a reseller who takes phone, mail and online orders, and then has stuff drop-shipped to the customer.

I feel it was easier to get the leg work started from home. I have all the tools and space to get a project like this off the ground. I do travel to the TN and IL locations at least once a week or every other in the plane. I suppose you want my tail number next so you can track my movements.. LOL LOL..

I do drop ship to the customer from one manufacturer that we partnered with. Our process is simple at the truckpipestore and does not make much sense to be at our plants running an online storefront.

Excellent. A huge first step. Now just dial back the number of manufacturing and warehousing facilities that the TruckPipeStore owns and you're well on your way. :D
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Just how many do you think it should be.
 
xiggi

xiggi

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
truckpipes said:
Well, I did it. I got a new email address. I thought about your points and you are exactly right. the truckpipestore should not be missing any sales due to Comcast. My comcast goes down at least two times a day. Its horrible. so I went back to godaddy and i get the free email address. I made one [email protected] and the other [email protected]
Click to expand...

Next offer something free on your site as a way to collect emails addresses to market to. Maybe a free ebook on how to care for truck pipes. Think list, there is big money in lists. Offer them an opt out check box when signing up for the ebook or whatever you choose as an enticement. A major rule goal in online marketing is building a list, it will bring you more money over the long term than almost any single other thing you can do.
 
greg334

greg334

Veteran Expediter
Turtle,
North American Medium and Heavy Duty truck production for Jan to end of July of 2010 was just a bit over 180k.

With production running 5 days a week from the first week in January to the end of July, it is 144 days. With the output of 15,000 pipes per day, that means 2,160,000 pipes. If we take in account the 25,000 a day number that works out to 3,600,000 pipes. Shipping alone maybe be a night mare. Hauling for one of the Daimler suppliers last year, they had an entire week's production on my truck with 350 pipes and that was a BIG plant I delivered to.

Using the numbers I got from some manager, they will keep 8% of fast moving parts in disribution channel for replacement if they the parts are used on more than 40% of their production. If not they keep 2 to 3% in distribution channel and order when the level drops to .5% of what they have in stock.

So 8% is a big number, very big number. BUT even at 2% (25,000 pipes a day is 72,000 to end of July production) that means they would have to produce a two million and a half trucks to justify the cost of keeping that inventory. With that said, even at a rate of 180k for 7 months of production, the estimated number they are expecting from Wards and Daimler is about 275k for the entire NA market.

SO what do you think?
 
Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
"The reason it became 25,000 is due to a new line we added, plus the purchase of 2 facilities, in total we have 4 facilities."

New line? You were already the OEM for, like, everybody. I just think that, even with doubling the size of you facilities, managing to nearly double the output in the middle of a depression where manufacturing was at an all-time low is an impressive feat, and if Forbes had heard about it, they'd be all up in it.


"I feel it was easier to get the leg work started from home. I have all the tools and space to get a project like this off the ground."

I would think the home office or corporate headquarters or whatever you call it would be the more logical place to start this, since computers, phones and staff would already be in place, and getting things up and running to a high level would be easier and quicker. But there are lots of ways to get something like this done.


"I do travel to the TN and IL locations at least once a week or every other in the plane. I suppose you want my tail number next so you can track my movements.. LOL LOL.. "

Not to pick apart words, but "the plane" implies one plane, i.e., your plane, a corporate plane, or a routinely chartered plane, and "my tail number" reinforces that implication. It's also a little odd that you'd be running an online storefront and have to visit the TN and IL locations once a week or once every other week, but, hey, it's your company and your plane, so you can do whatever you want to with them. As for the tail number to track your movements, I couldn't care less, but the tail number would tell me who owns the plane. :)
truckpipes said:
Just how many do you think it should be.
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The exact number that you actually own, with no embellishments or exaggerations. Not the number of manufacturers that you "partner" with or that supply you, but the number that you actually own. Panther doesn't make class rings or football helmets, but they are owned by a company who owns the companies that do. I can't wait until you get into those 9000 retail outlets. I hope you do, I really do, but when you do, will you then say that you have, or own, 9000 retail locations, as well? I own my own company, which is leased to Panther in a partnership, therefor my company makes class rings and football helmets, not to mention Simmons bedding and mattresses. It's a stretch, but it's technically accurate.
 
Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
greg334 said:
SO what do you think?
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Well, exactly. It doesn't add up, especially in a down economy. I'm certainly not aware of any medium or heavy truck that requires upwards of 20 pipes each. Even if you include everything, everything, including John Deere and all the pipes that go into furniture. A year's production at 25,000 a day is more than 6.4 million pipes (not including screw-ups) of all shapes and sizes, likely the entire world's car, truck, boat, plane, construction, swing-set, locomotive and agriculture inventory, all coming out of four facilities working 256 work days a year. That's a lot of steel. But the claim is 25,000 just for truck pipe exhaust assemblies per day, not everything, everything, which makes the numbers even more impressive, to the point of being incredible. When you include everything, everything, 6.4 million pipes is a drop in the bucket compared to what these facilities must produce.

in·cred·i·ble
–adjective1.so extraordinary as to seem impossible.
2.not credible; hard to believe; unbelievable.



Somebody needs to alert the producers of Modern Marvels. They'll be all over it.
 
greg334

greg334

Veteran Expediter
And that is one small company.

Take say Thyssen-Krup who's pipe output may be larger, like 50% more.

Or Tenneco where their sub-suppliers feed them a lot of pipes for them to process for Honda and Toyota.

With something like seven large producers, isn't that a lot?

I don't know. I think that 15 to 25K also includes a lot of the smaller stuff, like the aircraft stuff and the oil industry stuff.

Don't know, I am trying to get a clear picture about this.
 
Freightdawg

Freightdawg

Expert Expediter
I feel it was easier to get the leg work started from home. I have all the tools and space to get a project like this off the ground. I do travel to the TN and IL locations at least once a week or every other in the plane. I suppose you want my tail number next so you can track my movements.. LOL LOL..

Sure, I'd like the N number. Do you file under an N number or use a flight number? Inquiring minds want to know!:)
 
T

truckpipes

Seasoned Expediter
I am hanging in there. I am black and blue.. I did learn a few things along the way though, for what its worth.

Dan
 
Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
truckpipes said:
Nice URL. I will read up on this one. Thanks for the help and the critiques. I did change the wording so it is clear to understand how many we produce at Home of Truck Pipes Store - TRUCK PIPE STORE Truck Exhaust for Class 6-8 Trucks
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I also see there it says you provide "OEM quality Aftermarket" parts, which isn't exactly the same thing as "quality OEM parts", now is it? I've seen genuine OEM parts roll off the line and be labeled as some aftermarket brand, so be sure, but they don't get marketed as OEM parts. But an OEM manufacturer will market their products as OEM, not as aftermarket. Marketing an OEM part as an aftermarket part, even if you call it "OEM quality", is purposely devaluing the product which makes no sense. Some of the phrasing and buzzwords I'm reading just scream eBay seller trying to cleverly mislead buyers into thinking they're getting something they're not, although the wording might be technically accurate.

I see it all the time in looking for Sprinter parts online, where they'll talk about the high OEM -like quality, even using the brand name of the OEM, and will even list the original OEM's part numbers for cross reference. They never come right out and say it's an OEM part, as they always give it a qualifier, nor do they come right out and say it's a cheap piece of crap made in China, but when you find out the actual part number on the piece of hardware, or the name of the actual manufacturer, it's a cheap piece of crap made in China.

I'm not saying that's what you are doing, but what you're saying and the way the Web site reads, that's how it comes off, like you're inflating the parts and the company to be something that they're not quite.

Be all that as is may, so using the minimum new number (one would think you could come up with an actual average number, but we'll go with 10,000 to 20,000) of 10,000, with 256 work days, that's still 2.56 million exhaust assemblies each day.

So, over the course of a year, 360,000 medium and heavy trucks each need more than 7 exhaust assemblies as they roll off the assembly line. Could be as many as 14 each. Even taking into account the aftermarket market where exhaust assemblies are apparently needing to be replaced at a record pace, that's still just a snotload of exhaust assemblies.

You wanna revise that number again? Hey, here's an idea, why not use the actual number that you and your four facilities actually manufacture on an average day? There's a novel idea. Why give a number at all, much less an obviously inflated one? Only reason I can think of is to make people think you're something that you're not. When you toss out number so ridiculous, it throws up easily verifiable red flags.

Like, do you have any idea how many rail cars and flatbeds of rolled steel would have to roll into those facilities on a daily basis to produce 2.5 million exhaust assemblies? Or 5 million? That would make your company easily in the top 5 of consumers of steel in the country, which is something that can easily be verified, as no consumption of steel on that scale could possibly go unnoticed to shareholders of steel manufacturers, particularly since the end of 2008 marked a dramatic and steel decline in that caused many layoffs and plant closings, a decline from which they have yet to recover. Well, except for your company and whoever supplies your steel.

I'm tellin' ya, Forbes is just waiting for a call about this singularly unique success story. CNBC would do an hour special on it. Modern Marvels would push "Shark Week" off the tube in favor of "Exhaust Pipe Week".
 
greg334

greg334

Veteran Expediter
Why would you want to build a business out of your home when you are representing an established company as a retail outlet?

With defense contracts, with manufacturing of tubes for a few large companies and so on, the need to use office space at their location add only credibility to the product you are selling. With over $20 million in sales from 2004, there seems to be a need to branch out with a home based business?

Those numbers, 10,000 are from 2004 when there was a slight dip of production. There has been a 30% to 40% reduction in vehicle production across the board from 2009 to date n the NA market.
 
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