Retail (W)hores

I had an interesting experience recently. I came across an item that I thought would be a great new product for the AC Store catalog. I investigated it online and found a number of positive reviews following "testing" by some prominent online retailers. I spent several hours putting together a product page and, as normal procedure, asked our consultant Daniel Stern if he was familiar with the product, and of course he was. He gave it a strong thumbs down which was really disappointing as I think it would be a strong seller.

Two lessons learned.

Most resellers are (w)hores. They either don't test products at all or simply lie about them. There appear to be very few companies that fully vet and QC their products. We are one of them and Eric's Auto Foreign comes to mind. I'm sure that are a few others. Be careful out there as the BS is deep. Do your research.

Stern's input makes me realize how fortunate we are to have him as a friend and consultant to Audette Collection. We strive for a number of value-adds, such as copious information and fair pricing, but #1 is thoroughly vetted products. Not all our products qualify but we're trying to find as many as possible that deserve our Best in Class™ label. If not that then they function as intended.

Cheers,
John

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Originally Posted by jaudette3

I had an interesting experience recently. I came across an item that I thought would be a great new product for the AC Store catalog. I investigated it online and found a number of positive reviews following "testing" by some prominent online retailers. I spent several hours putting together a product page and, as normal procedure, asked our consultant Daniel Stern if he was familiar with the product, and of course he was. He gave it a strong thumbs down which was really disappointing as I think it would be a strong seller.

Two lessons learned.

Most resellers are (w)hores. They either don't test products at all or simply lie about them. There appear to be very few companies that fully vet and QC their products. We are one of them and Eric's Auto Foreign comes to mind. I'm sure that are a few others. Be careful out there as the BS is deep. Do your research.

Stern's input makes me realize how fortunate we are to have him as a friend and consultant to Audette Collection. We strive for a number of value-adds, such as copious information and fair pricing, but #1 is thoroughly vetted products. Not all our products qualify but we're trying to find as many as possible that deserve our Best in Class™ label. If not that then they function as intended.

Cheers,
John

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The problem with most reproduction stuff is a large part of the buyers choose price first, over any other consideration. Many of the shops restoring these cars want the part fast and they want it cheap, they don't care if it fits well, or looks correct, it checks a box. Veloce Space comes to mind, they make rubber for Italian cars and about 10 years ago they started making the rubber for Porsches. It was far superior to anything on the market, supple, well fitting pieces. But yes it cost a lot more. Guess what happened, they didn't sell much rubber and stop making stuff for Porsches. Now Veloce Space rubber gets traded at the same level as NOS Porsche rubber, coveted by those who know the difference and are willing to pay for it. But those people are not the majority.
----Adam

Never heard of Veloce Space. Too bad they gave up on the Porsche products. Hope they reconsider production to the Porsche crowd & perhaps get some help getting the word out.

I am familiar with Daniel Stern. His knowledge is vast and attention to detail is microscopic. cliff

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Originally Posted by Cliff

Never heard of Veloce Space. Too bad they gave up on the Porsche products. Hope they reconsider production to the Porsche crowd & perhaps get some help getting the word out.

I am familiar with Daniel Stern. His knowledge is vast and attention to detail is microscopic. cliff

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I did my best to help get the word out that there was a good product on the market. I even had them send me a whole box of stuff one year to showcase at Hershey, not to sell, just so people could feel the quality. Ultimately it wasn't enough so they went back to doing the Italian stuff.

But it's the same now for stuff that shows great quality, people balk at the price. For example, the 356 Roadster top seal is made of a spongy slightly sticky material that works really well. I was lucky enough to have an NOS one when I had my top re-done a few years ago. Stoddard sells two kinds, one is hard rubber and one is made like the original, except the nice one is more than two times the price. When I've told people to make sure to buy the nice one they always scream at the price difference and then wonder why their top leaks and it's hard to close. But the price!!!!

---Adam

The Veloce rubbers were ace. Sure beats the overpriced Stoddards crap that never fits

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Originally Posted by Cliff

I am familiar with Daniel Stern. His knowledge is vast and attention to detail is microscopic. cliff

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That is a perfect description of Daniel. Whenever I start feeling a little too big for my britches I call him. I have never met another person in any field with his level of knowledge down, as you say, to the microscopic level.

Cheers,
John

Well I hate to say this but....maybe we need (yet another!) sticky....best in class Porsche parts

Better yet, we also need a worst in class sticky. Was thinking about this the other day when fighting a set of horrendous floor boards from Lakewell. Absolute garbage product that will never fit. Out of my USD 500+ order with them pretty much everything I received is pure garbage. Unbelievable how some.of these places stay in business. Have stayed silent about poor quality for years but as a hobby we should speak up.

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Originally Posted by 718RSK

Better yet, we also need a worst in class sticky. Was thinking about this the other day when fighting a set of horrendous floor boards from Lakewell. Absolute garbage product that will never fit. Out of my USD 500+ order with them pretty much everything I received is pure garbage. Unbelievable how some.of these places stay in business. Have stayed silent about poor quality for years but as a hobby we should speak up.

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I am with you on Lakewell, their customer service was rubbish when there was a problem. On another note was just yesterday looking in the Carrera at the Leather sport seat covers that I ordered off them and had fitted to the seats by my trimmer years ago and thought to myself these are really pretty poor product.

I've ordered some items from Lakewell for my 1967 SWT and nothing really fit. The rear quarter panel caps didn't fit at all (too short, wrong shape, totally wrong vinyl, probably for a later Targa) but of course they have never heard of any similar problems. Very expensive garbage, never again...

"Well I hate to say this but....maybe we need (yet another!) sticky....best in class Porsche parts"


"Better yet, we also need a worst in class sticky."


Yes and Yes - but make it one sticky