Adaptable shelving and storage system

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Forums › Startups › Adaptable shelving and storage system

comp80

15 posts

Geek

#247770 22-Feb-2019 10:29

Long time reader, infrequent poster :)

I have been working on a new multi-purpose, modular, adaptable shelving and storage system for house (and office) interiors.

Currently looking for feedback on the website and the system in general, as I have had a lot of traffic through the website (mainly from advertising), but I'd like to have a few more enquiries or orders :)

www.smpl.nz

Was wondering the following:

1) When you view the website, do you understand how the system works?

2) What would be your expected next step if you thought it would (hypothetically) be something you were interested in.

Thanks so much for the feedback

Hayden

wellygary

8171 posts

Uber Geek

#2185303 22-Feb-2019 11:33

Couple of thing spring to mind,

The photos of the actual product look great, and you should have more of them..

The use of the CG renders irks me, - it gives the impression that things are unfinished, and "this it what it should look like", but we don't have them yet...

Also if you are letting customers choose colours during the ordering process, then make the mock up change colour too, saying "I want a white one" and the image looking back at me is black is offputting....

Tradepub

Free professional, reference and technical white papers (affiliate link).

Benjip

935 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#2185310 22-Feb-2019 11:43

Looks like a great product, and I like the clean layout of the Shopify theme you've used.

Couple of comments:

• For some reason I can't click on the thumbnail images on the product detail pages to view the second & third images. I disabled my adblockers in Safari & Chrome to make sure it wasn't them.

• I can't work out whether you sell the actual drawers (eg. the white/brown drawers in the images from your post) – or whether they're included with the shelving?

Lias

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#2185315 22-Feb-2019 11:59

Cool product but eye-wateringly expensive.

I'm a geek, a gamer, a dad, a Quic user, and an IT Professional. I have a full rack home lab, size 15 feet, an epic beard and Asperger's. I'm a bit of a Cypherpunk, who believes information wants to be free and the Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. If you use my Quic signup you can also use the code R570394EKGIZ8 for free setup.

irongarment

280 posts

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Inactive user

#2185454 22-Feb-2019 15:34

Looks like Lundia, which is also eye-wateringly expensive. Ikea can't get here soon enough.

comp80

15 posts

Geek

#2185502 22-Feb-2019 16:52

Wow, thanks everyone for you feedback. Really mean that, even if it's critical ;)

wellygary:

Couple of thing spring to mind,

The photos of the actual product look great, and you should have more of them..

The use of the CG renders irks me, - it gives the impression that things are unfinished, and "this it what it should look like", but we don't have them yet...

Also if you are letting customers choose colours during the ordering process, then make the mock up change colour too, saying "I want a white one" and the image looking back at me is black is offputting....

I do take on board what you say, in fact both those things have been on my to-do list for a few weeks.

The computer generated images are mainly because the initial feedback was that people didn't really know what the setups would look like once together. I would love to create a physical model of each kit, but that could be a while away yet, and will always be expensive. I certainly have a lot of kit options, so perhaps that's half of the problem. If it's any consolation, it irks me too ;)

In terms of colours, there's quite a lot of time to do the images in different colours, but hey, perhaps I should just get on with it!

Benjip:

Looks like a great product, and I like the clean layout of the Shopify theme you've used.

Couple of comments:

• For some reason I can't click on the thumbnail images on the product detail pages to view the second & third images. I disabled my adblockers in Safari & Chrome to make sure it wasn't them.

• I can't work out whether you sell the actual drawers (eg. the white/brown drawers in the images from your post) – or whether they're included with the shelving?

Thanks for the kind words about the look of the products.

The thumbnail problem seems to be happening to me too, but only after about 5 seconds (in Chrome), and also not on Edge. I did some changes in the image highlight section of shopify recently so could have broken it. Thanks!

Drawers (cabinets) usually are just modules that you can clip into the rails. They also come with some of the kits I made up. Is that what you mean? If you mean other furniture, then I haven't built many yet past the prototype stage so not overly ken to put them out there quite yet.

Lias:

Cool product but eye-wateringly expensive.

irongarment: Looks like Lundia, which is also eye-wateringly expensive. Ikea can't get here soon enough.

Good feedback! Out of interest, what products compared to what? I'm genuinely interested in what people are thinking about when discussing price.

Ikea is quite amazing in what they can get to market for the price they sell it for. Not sure about the longevity, but that's probably up to the individual to decide.

Thanks again, really do appreciate the comments.

irongarment

280 posts

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Inactive user

#2185505 22-Feb-2019 17:00

Hi there,

The NZ product I was thinking of is Lundia. They have a range of shelving and accessories which is simple and durable. Last time I looked their website was awful, but I think they don't care. It costs extra to have it lacquered, but it's worth it.

From Ikea the similar product is Ivar. Cheap and versatile, but you have to lacquer it yourself.

cshwone

1066 posts

Uber Geek

#2185530 22-Feb-2019 18:14

Looks a bit light to me on company details. I think you need to tell a bit of a story to establish your credentials and that you are a New Zealand company with a New Zealand product (if that is indeed the case). Because you are asking people to commit on some fairly sparse information.

Just my opinion :)

comp80

15 posts

Geek

#2185535 22-Feb-2019 19:02

cshwone: Looks a bit light to me on company details. I think you need to tell a bit of a story to establish your credentials and that you are a New Zealand company with a New Zealand product (if that is indeed the case). Because you are asking people to commit on some fairly sparse information.
Just my opinion :)

Hey great point about being in New Zealand! I started a blog space on my site the other day, to create a lot more certainty around who on earth they are buying from.

https://www.smpl.nz/blogs/blog

...but of course I omitted a few of those details on the contact page. Will update!

There's also my Insta page, www.thegenesis.co.nz references straight to it. So perhaps I should reference that too.

smpl. has really been a sub-brand that's popped out of that.

There's also a writeup on what I'm up to on the Bibby and Brady Blog so perhaps I could mention that too :)

All great feedback, thanks again!

gzt

16821 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#2185541 22-Feb-2019 19:34

Imo your main market is architects and interior designers.

Hypothetically I'd want to know what I can do with your product for my clients that is unique and high utility that I cannot do with other products.

If that's not the key, and in any case you have to convince me on aesthetics. Close up detail shots required. Product shown in current trend situations.

After that I'd want to know about quality and manufacturing.

If intended for immediate commercial and light industrial use I'd need a lot of convincing this is as robust and long lasting as existing systems. If home use similar applies for premium product but not to the same extent.

Good luck and I hope that helps!

comp80

15 posts

Geek

#2185585 22-Feb-2019 20:37

gzt: Imo your main market is architects and interior designers.

Hypothetically I'd want to know what I can do with your product for my clients that is unique and high utility that I cannot do with other products.

If that's not the key, and in any case you have to convince me on aesthetics. Close up detail shots required. Product shown in current trend situations.

After that I'd want to know about quality and manufacturing.

If intended for immediate commercial and light industrial use I'd need a lot of convincing this is as robust and long lasting as existing systems. If home use similar applies for premium product but not to the same extent.

Good luck and I hope that helps!

Of course it does, awesome feedback thanks.

I have started meeting with Architects, to half discuss the custom work I design/produce, and half to discuss the smpl. shelving/storage side of things.

The other avenue has been Interior Designers, and have a spot on an "ask an expert" panel on Tuesday with a dozen or so from around the country (eeeek!)

You made some really good points around purchase justification. Thanks very much.