Website Suggestions?

[RyanR]

I' hoping that I don't step on anyone's toes or frustrate anyone by starting this topic.  I just thought I had some decent ideas that would help customers and Aquarium Co-Op.  I thought of two good ideas for new features for the Aquarium Co-Op website.

• On each product page, there could be a related products section.  For example, on the sponge filter page, you could have links to the airstone, the tubing, USB nano air pumps, etc.  It would make it much easier than having to navigate the site looking for these items.
• A "What's New" section that would highlight new products.  If you have customers that don't look at YouTube or aren't on the forum, they might not know about the new Easy Planters.  And thinking about this feature, a "notify me when back in stock" button for out of stock items.  I has looking for Anubias Bareri and it's been out of stock for a few days.  I happened to check back this morning and saw they were back in stock and placed my order.  If it were something else and I didn't check back for a few days, I could have missed that they were back I stock.  

I'm in I.T. so I understand that as simple as something might sound, I know it could take a while, but thought I would put this out there.

 

[DaveSamsell]

41 minutes ago, RyanR said:

I' hoping that I don't step on anyone's toes or frustrate anyone by starting this topic.  I just thought I had some decent ideas that would help customers and Aquarium Co-Op.  I thought of two good ideas for new features for the Aquarium Co-Op website.

• On each product page, there could be a related products section.  For example, on the sponge filter page, you could have links to the airstone, the tubing, USB nano air pumps, etc.  It would make it much easier than having to navigate the site looking for these items.
• A "What's New" section that would highlight new products.  If you have customers that don't look at YouTube or aren't on the forum, they might not know about the new Easy Planters.  And thinking about this feature, a "notify me when back in stock" button for out of stock items.  I has looking for Anubias Bareri and it's been out of stock for a few days.  I happened to check back this morning and saw they were back in stock and placed my order.  If it were something else and I didn't check back for a few days, I could have missed that they were back I stock.  

I'm in I.T. so I understand that as simple as something might sound, I know it could take a while, but thought I would put this out there.

 

I don't think you're stepping on anyone's toes.  The Forum is for comments, right?

@RyanR The website does have a "wishlist" for out of stock items, but maybe your suggestion would be taken under advisement.

I always wanted to see an "auto-ship" feature.  That would be neat, too.

 

[RyanR]

Thanks!  I use the wishlist and I also keep things in my cart that I want to order the next time I place an order.  It's just that I don't get an email when those items come back in stock, so that I can make sure I get them before they sell out again.

[Irene]

Thanks for the suggestions! I know we've tried the first suggestion before, but people didn't use the feature for some reason. Tagging @Cory in case he gets a chance to see this post.

[RyanR]

That's crazy that it wasn't used much.  Today when I ordered my plants to go in my Easy Planter, that I ordered previously, I had to go over to the menu and think about where Root Tabs would be.  It was easy to find, but a couple of extra clicks and I actually had to use my brain .  

[Alexa]

I hope it’s okay that I suggest cross categorizing? For example I usually look for the easy planters in the “plant supplies” first before remembering they are in “decorations.” 

[ange]

If an item is on your wishlist I believe it notifies you when it's back in stock. The site used to have a function for "notify when back in stock" before wishlists were added and iirc, there were very few people purchasing the product while using the feature which contributed to removal.

[Streetwise]

I would like the option to stay logged-in, please.

[Aubrey]

Just curious if our accounts on the forum are linked to our accounts on the store website? Or if somehow we could use a link like that for random acts of kindness or special promos for forum members? Like we can order something for another member and they won't see our address and we won't see theirs. 

[Casual aquatics]

Kinda similar yet different subject have y’all thought about hoodies and wallets or such in the merchandise section

[Cory]

3 hours ago, Streetwise said:

I would like the option to stay logged-in, please.

This is a privacy issue, shopify wide it isn't allowed. 

[Cory]

3 hours ago, Aubrey said:

Just curious if our accounts on the forum are linked to our accounts on the store website? Or if somehow we could use a link like that for random acts of kindness or special promos for forum members? Like we can order something for another member and they won't see our address and we won't see theirs. 

They are not linked due to security reasons. After a large investment of time by a few teams, a single sign on is not achievable with shopify while remaining secure. 

[Cory]

5 hours ago, RyanR said:

Thanks!  I use the wishlist and I also keep things in my cart that I want to order the next time I place an order.  It's just that I don't get an email when those items come back in stock, so that I can make sure I get them before they sell out again.

We had this feature for  years. It cost us a lot in lost sales. People wait for something to come back in stock, perhaps that plant doesn't come back for months, people never finish their order. Or perhaps we put 10 into stock, they get the notification and email us the next day saying we are lying. We up the threshold to not email people unless there are 50 in stock. Then a customer notices on the website that it's in stock but the didn't get emailed because we only had 10 to put in to inventory. Essentially it was bad for business in every way. Instead we focus all of our energy to not run out of stock. Unfortunately there simply aren't enough plants to satisfy demand. Other things are stuck, crushed coral has been out of stock for like 7 months, covid, hurricanes, factory caught fire, and more. 

[Cory]

6 hours ago, DaveSamsell said:

I don't think you're stepping on anyone's toes.  The Forum is for comments, right?

@RyanR The website does have a "wishlist" for out of stock items, but maybe your suggestion would be taken under advisement.

I always wanted to see an "auto-ship" feature.  That would be neat, too.

 

This is on our long term roadmap. Auto-Shipping is very customer intensive and needs a very robust system to handle it. So that customers can cancel, skip, add to and remove. With correct email schedule ahead of time to remind people to do these actions. 

We are first developing out features like the account page. You'll notice you can reorder previous orders there, that was one step forward to getting reordering working seamlessly. Next would be pending upcoming orders, a toggle to ship something to you today like a med for a sick fish, vs adding it to your auto ship order in 2 weeks that is an extra towel etc.

[Cory]

16 minutes ago, Wisnasky-tank said:

Kinda similar yet different subject have y’all thought about hoodies and wallets or such in the merchandise section

Yes, in general merchandise is tricky. Something as simple as hoodies, people want small to 5xl, zip front, and pullovers, and different colors. When it comes to launching something like that, you're essentially launching 28 products at the same time, have 28 spots for them in the warehouse and such.  Unfortunately with things like postage increases from covid, it's gotten very expensive to ship things like hoodies. Not only from us to you. But getting them from factories, to printers, then from printers to us. For now this is on the back burner compared to launching something like test strips.

[AtomCatMatt]

Have you consider making a mobile app for the forum

[Cory]

11 minutes ago, AtomCatMatt said:

Have you consider making a mobile app for the forum

No, there is already one for free that is from the forum makers that is in beta testing. 

 

[Cory]

5 hours ago, Alexa said:

I hope it’s okay that I suggest cross categorizing? For example I usually look for the easy planters in the “plant supplies” first before remembering they are in “decorations.” 

I have added it to plant supplies as I think it can go there as well. I initially thought to put it there but was afraid people were thinking I was trying to market it too heavy handed in more than one category. 

[RyanR]

Wow... thanks @Cory for a ton of information and sorry for opening a can of worms...lol. You spent a lot of time giving us a lot of information during a time when you have so much work to do.  You have a very good business sense and you run a company with awesome customer service.  Nothing on this list will stop me from shopping at your site.  Thanks again for the information.

[Ken Dyer]

@Cory Turns out I am turning 50 on Monday and evidently my family thinks they need to buy me crap, so figured they may as well buy me all of the Coop crap 😉 Is there any way to email them a link to my wish list? How else are they going to know I want a khuli loach sticker and more root tabs hehe.

If the site can't do it no worries, I suppose I can always just talk to these people they are either my wife, daughter, father, or mother, etc. 😄 

[RyanR]

@Cory I placed an order today and noticed the new order\shipping status page.  It's very nice.  Clean and modern...great job to you and the team!

[Cory]

18 hours ago, Ken Dyer said:

@Cory Turns out I am turning 50 on Monday and evidently my family thinks they need to buy me crap, so figured they may as well buy me all of the Coop crap 😉 Is there any way to email them a link to my wish list? How else are they going to know I want a khuli loach sticker and more root tabs hehe.

If the site can't do it no worries, I suppose I can always just talk to these people they are either my wife, daughter, father, or mother, etc. 😄 

I'll bring this up with the developers, I have the feature turned on, but it seems it's gone missing from our website. Should be a quick fix for em.

[Cory]

@Ken Dyer Just wanted to update you that Wishlist functionality is now live on the website. I know it missed your Birthday but it's ready for Christmas and your next birthday 😛

 

[Andy's Fish Den]

On 11/12/2020 at 8:34 PM, Ken Dyer said:

@Cory Turns out I am turning 50 on Monday and evidently my family thinks they need to buy me crap, so figured they may as well buy me all of the Coop crap 😉 Is there any way to email them a link to my wish list? How else are they going to know I want a khuli loach sticker and more root tabs hehe.

If the site can't do it no worries, I suppose I can always just talk to these people they are either my wife, daughter, father, or mother, etc. 😄 

I had noticed this as I tried to link it so my wife could see what was on it for my Christmas list.  But I see Cory replied below saying its fixed now

[Andy's Fish Den]

On 12/1/2020 at 12:39 PM, Cory said:

@Ken Dyer Just wanted to update you that Wishlist functionality is now live on the website. I know it missed your Birthday but it's ready for Christmas and your next birthday 😛

 

@Cory I sent me wife the email link for my wishlist so she would know exactly what I wanted, and she asked me if she orders it straight off my wishlist would it go under my account, in that I would get emails saying items shipped etc? I guess she doesn't want me to know if and what she orders.