Online shopping case study: Fox Creek Leather
Recently my old “leather” belt wore out – the lining (some sort of leather mix) came away from the leather outer. I had the belt for some time, partly because I bought two and one stayed in the drawer until the first wore out. The belts had been purchased from a local shop.
Needing a new belt, and one which would last, as well as do a better job than my old one, I turned to the internet, which is now my habit when I need something (for around 60-75% of purchases).
When I find a good online store I tend to stick with it – why reinvent the wheel or fix something that is not broken? I also like to support people who provide good service. This means that research time, which often does not take long anyway, produces a further dividend in that I simply reorder from people whom I know to be good. No more hunting around.
You can view some of the research I did in this Mind Map:
Leather belt shopping – Research
Fox Creek Leather was the clear winner. The Mind Map does not show all the “rejects”, just some possible choices.
You will see from the Mind Map that some of the contenders for my business were of a high standard. I liked Fox Creek Leather best of all however for a number of reasons, which include:
To me, they appeared to:
1) Be the highest quality.
2) Be reasonably priced.
3) Have a website which is easy to understand and navigate.
4) Have real personality – I felt that I was dealing with real craftsmen and women – people running their own family business with a key focus on customer service, quality and being the best. I got the impression with most, if not all of the other stores that they were more like “box shifters”.
5) Have a fantastic guarantee.
6) Have a “story” which revealed their passion for their product.
7) Have believable and detailed testimonials.
8 ) Have a key focus on getting it right for the client – check out the trouble they go to on vest sizing for example. I like thoroughness.
9) Have a high level of customization – my belts for example had a good range of belt buckles to choose from.
10) Make it easy for customers to buy – not too many hoops to jump through or lots of complicated hassle.
Anyway, back to my order….
I ordered two belts – a black one with gunmetal buckle and a dark brown one with antique brass buckle. The purchase/checkout was straightforward and shipping included trackable USPS International Air Mail. My leather belts were shipped promptly and arrived here in Australia a little over a week after ordering.
The belts are fantastic quality and a friend, who is an ex Australian farmer with extensive experience of leather gear, was very impressed indeed.
In summary then, I can wholeheartedly recommend Fox Creek Leather for leather (motorcycle) clothing.
Now, on to some comments about assessing online shopping websites for suitability….
A golden rule is to have self discipline in the sense of not being attracted by just the product itself, or a very good price (which may be to good to be true). It is so important to look at the general feel of the site, think about the way it expresses itself. What personality does the site have? Is there a phone number, address – perhaps there are pictures of the owners? Ask yourself if the claims are reasonable. I know of a Private Investigator site for example which claims they can find anyone (they can’t – I know).
I suggest also that you run a search on Google for general advice about how to avoid pitfalls when shopping online – you will come across much helpful advice, which is one reason I have not gone into detail about the more standard stuff here – there are some excellent resources out there. Some is too ‘scaredy cat’ so think about what you are reading and blend it with my suggestions.
Have a look at my list of points which impressed me about Fox Creek Leather – think about them and you will get insights and ideas about how better to assess websites. And if you come across key warning signs, or problems, listen to your better judgement and be gone. In the past I have made the mistake of reordering from people whom I should not have done – everyone makes mistakes, however some problems or mistakes are just not acceptable and can tell you a lot about a business – if you listen.
When you find a good website – tell your friends and others. You will be helping and supporting people who care, and who make a positive difference to the world. You will help them stay in business which will assist in reversing the common trend of poor service by impersonal businesses that don’t care about their customers or staff.
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