Want your feedback on our Parts Catalog

[Ludachris]

We created the very first Parts Guide/Parts Catalog in the DSM community to help DSMers learn what parts are available for their DSM. I'm working on revamping it and redeveloping it using a new back-end to make it better. My question for all you DSMers out there is about categorization. Currently, the Parts Catalog is broken up like this:

DSM Model (1G/2G/2GNT) > Part Main Category > Sub Category > Part List > Part Page

This way, you can choose which DSM you have, then drill down to find all the parts available for that DSM.


I'm thinking of changing it to:

Part Main Category > Sub Category > Part List > Part Page

You would now choose the category like you would on a retailer site, then drill down and see what parts are available for your DSM at the end. Each part would have a field associated with it that specifies which DSM it fits. So if you were looking at a category where all the downpipes are listed, each listing would specify the DSM application listed next to the price to help you learn which downpipes are made for your generation DSM.

Now, there will be situations where you have one part that is interchangeable between the 1G and 2G (like a BOV), and situations where there will be parts made for each but they are not interchangeable (like a downpipe). For example, Apex'i makes a downpipe for a 1G and a 2G, but they are not interchangeable. We can either list one downpipe and specify which DSM it fits (which might cause confusion because it doesn't explain that the 1G part doesn't fit a 2G), or, we can list the 1G and 2G part separately in that category, which should tell people that the part is made for each generation DSM but is not interchangeable. What do you think would be the most helpful solution?

Why am I considering making this categorization change? Because the way it's currently organized forces us to create multiple duplicate categories and duplicate parts entries. I'd like to simplify it and make it more useful for the community, while making it easier to manage and update at the same time. I just want to get feedback from the community to help determine how it can be organized in the best way. I figured I'd ask here because a lot of newbies post here and can look at it without bias.

If you haven't seen the Parts Catalog/Parts Guide, please take a look before you give your feedback:
Parts Catalog - DSMtuners

Again, this thread is mostly for feedback on the organization of that section. I know that some of the parts listed are outdated. And the layout is going to change a bit. Try and limit your feedback to what I'm asking for as much as possible in order to keep this thread on topic and useful. Thanks in advance.

 

[Kickerbeast]

I like the way the layout is now. I understand why you are changing, but it would be frustraiting to get all the way to a part and then find out it is only for a 2G and there are none for a 1G. That is a format that I never liked at some other places.

The general thought process.
Part Main Category > Sub Category > Part List > Part Page

Click Suspension > Click Front Suspension > Click Poly Bushings > Crap they only have XXX in 2G...Argh

DSM Model (1G/2G/2GNT) > Part Main Category > Sub Category > Part List > Part Page
Click 1G > Click Suspension > Click Front Suspension > Crap no Poly Bushings...hmmm I wonder what else they have that I may want.

It is less of a guessing game the way it is now and if I have to drive all the wya to the Part Page to find out if anything is offered for my generation, I won't look around long.

Just my $.02

 

[ManticSHadow]

Im excited that the catalog is being revamped saves hassel of shopping around sometimes but im with Kicker its already simple and leaves less guess imho keep the current layout and just proceed with new paint job.

 

[Ludachris]

I like the way the layout is now. I understand why you are changing, but it would be frustraiting to get all the way to a part and then find out it is only for a 2G and there are none for a 1G. That is a format that I never liked at some other places.

The general thought process.
Part Main Category > Sub Category > Part List > Part Page

Click Suspension > Click Front Suspension > Click Poly Bushings > Crap they only have XXX in 2G...Argh

DSM Model (1G/2G/2GNT) > Part Main Category > Sub Category > Part List > Part Page
Click 1G > Click Suspension > Click Front Suspension > Crap no Poly Bushings...hmmm I wonder what else they have that I may want.

It is less of a guessing game the way it is now and if I have to drive all the wya to the Part Page to find out if anything is offered for my generation, I won't look around long.

Just my $.02

And that's the main reason it was categorized the way it is now.

I'm thinking I can do some things to solve that issue. I'll put more thought into it.

 

[agarc023]

There could always be an "interchangeable/universal" category and have subcategories pairing the different dsm types together.

Don't know how much work that would be though.

 

[Ludachris]

There could always be an "interchangeable/universal" category and have subcategories pairing the different dsm types together.

Don't know how much work that would be though.

Give some examples of how you see that working out - funny enough, that's the direction I had been going in until I posted this question.

 

[agarc023]

I was thinking that next to where it shows the dsm categories (1g/2g turbo/ 2g NT), there would be a fourth (interchangeable/universal). The interchangeable/universal could then have subcategories, like interchangeable between 1g and 2g turbo(performance/generic parts) and 2g turbo and NT (Interior/exterior parts).

Just a thought

 

[falcon8r]

I looked at the catalog and, of course, spent way too much time looking at whatever. This brings a question to mind. Do we users just get used to whatever format is presented? The repetetion in the listing from the "IT" perspective is the issue. I figure if "xyz's" manifold wil fit 1g,2g etc., the simplification will benefit the end user. It is nice to identify with 1g parts for example with my car.It gives me a place to start. So.. The reality is that the best fit for the moderator is the best fit for me. The benefit to the venders really must shine. I don't think you are off in the associations with all the info. In the end..do what is best for the site. Represent the vendors and give us eye candy and some links, we will adapt. I think this whole computer thing is always an adaptation on the end users part. Just my 2c. Thanks much , Tres...

 

[Kickerbeast]

You don't want to have to force people to adapt too much. If they get annoyed, they won't buy anything. Yes, I agree you need to keep the venders happy, but I going to say they care more about how much peope spend with them than anything. The end goal here is to keep the customer comming back for more and keep them in your site longer so they can purchase more. The venders likely are not going to care about the format as long as it effectively sells their product. Now if things are changed and sales go down, they will start to care how it is formated. I'm just saying that the general consumer does not want to have to weed through information that is useless to them. They want to get right to the meat of things. If Autozone gave me a list of every alternator and told me to look through the list to find the one that I need, I would go elsewhere to find the product I was looking for. At that point, the only reason to go to that vendor is if they have superior products.

I guess now this is my $0.04

 

[Ludachris]

You don't want to have to force people to adapt too much. If they get annoyed, they won't buy anything. Yes, I agree you need to keep the venders happy, but I going to say they care more about how much peope spend with them than anything. The end goal here is to keep the customer comming back for more and keep them in your site longer so they can purchase more. The venders likely are not going to care about the format as long as it effectively sells their product. Now if things are changed and sales go down, they will start to care how it is formated. I'm just saying that the general consumer does not want to have to weed through information that is useless to them. They want to get right to the meat of things. If Autozone gave me a list of every alternator and told me to look through the list to find the one that I need, I would go elsewhere to find the product I was looking for. At that point, the only reason to go to that vendor is if they have superior products.

I guess now this is my $0.04

Before there were any vendors in the Parts Catalog, it was used for informational purposes - DSMers, for the very first time, could look through a resource and quickly find all of the parts available for their DSM. Want to see all the options for coilover suspension for a 1G? Before our catalog, you had to do countless searches all over the web to find out who made something for your car. So I'm not worried about the vendors at this point. If it's useful for the end user (the DSMer) it will end up being useful for the vendors. The reason why we have so many vendors in there now is because it's useful for the DSMer.

So in the end, if it's easier to use in its current organization, then that's how I'll keep it organized, even it's more work to do so - as the original purpose of the section was to be a useful resource. I just want to know what you guys feel would be the most intuitive organization.

 

[willydsm]

I am just happy to have a parts catalog at all. How ever you decide to redo it I can learn how to get around it, I had to see how to get around it when I was a new member anyways, And if someone can't figure it out they proley shouldn't be working on car anyways. Just my two cents.

 

[Boost_Addict_88]

I like the current layout as well. Here is why.

From what I understand from what is being said, the new layout would put parts in their correct catagory. An example: Fuel and Exhaust>Fuel>Fuel Injectors>RC 660cc

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea, but there are people (such as myself), who sell multiple parts at one time (ie cams, injectors, rims) that don't exactly belong in the same catagory. Its easier (and less time consuming) to post all of the parts into one simple post, where others can browse it and say "hey, I need that. Oh wait, now that it's mentioned, I'll probably need that too" and PM the OP.

Now, if there was a way to keyword items in the new system then I'd go for the new idea much more then I am now.

An example: Let's say John is searching for a set of 660cc injectors, but when he goes to the fuel section and doesn't see any because there isn't a thread on 660s for sale, but Joe has a thread with multiple items (and 660's are on such list) then it wouldn't be seen by John. (I'm hoping I'm making sense). Now, if you keyworded items, then when John searched for the 660's he needs, Joe's multiple item list would appear (where some kind of very brief description would appear under topic name and 660's are in bold). I hope I made sense in this post, but if not I can try to further explain. Just my .02.

 

[Kickerbeast]

I like the current layout as well. Here is why.

From what I understand from what is being said, the new layout would put parts in their correct catagory. An example: Fuel and Exhaust>Fuel>Fuel Injectors>RC 660cc

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea, but there are people (such as myself), who sell multiple parts at one time (ie cams, injectors, rims) that don't exactly belong in the same catagory. Its easier (and less time consuming) to post all of the parts into one simple post, where others can browse it and say "hey, I need that. Oh wait, now that it's mentioned, I'll probably need that too" and PM the OP.

Now, if there was a way to keyword items in the new system then I'd go for the new idea much more then I am now.

An example: Let's say John is searching for a set of 660cc injectors, but when he goes to the fuel section and doesn't see any because there isn't a thread on 660s for sale, but Joe has a thread with multiple items (and 660's are on such list) then it wouldn't be seen by John. (I'm hoping I'm making sense). Now, if you keyworded items, then when John searched for the 660's he needs, Joe's multiple item list would appear (where some kind of very brief description would appear under topic name and 660's are in bold). I hope I made sense in this post, but if not I can try to further explain. Just my .02.

We are talking about the DSM Parts Catalog, not the Classifieds. The Parts Catalog is right above the Classifieds under the Marketplace heading.