Suggestions to Wested...

[ReturningSon]

I have been thinking about this for quite some time. Now, before I begin, I understand the difficulties of runing a "small" business and operating a website, handling orders and such but after viewing Marc's AB site (which is so professional and great), I think Peter should rethink Wested, in terms of product placement and such.

He did make the original jacket so eternal fortune and glory will always be his and I dont personally know his business agenda (maybe just to make jackets is it) but Wested's site and its image as a whole could use some professionalism. Now, before bashing begins, I am not stating that Wested's site and its products are unprofessional, I just believe there is room for improvement which not only caters to us fans but emgering fans as well as leather jacket connoisseurs. I have been thinking about this for some time and heres what I have to say

1.) Improve Wested's site. The design is, well, bland. Look at Marc's AB site. Drop down menus, customer testimonys, high res, possibly studio shot photos. Regardless of what anyone says, site design is a crucial element to online internet sales. It doesn't have to be too sophisticated but an update is needed! As for photos, you may think of some professional studio shots and maybe featuring the jackets with other pieces of Indy gear to add extra flavor. Also, SHOW ALL TYPES OF LEATHERS. You have so many distinct styles but a new gearhead won't know what they look like or how they feel. Describe the "worn look hide" or the "novapelle" and post some pics!

2.) Mr. Botwright, tell us about yourself! Tell us your hobbies, stories relating to not only the Indiana jacket but other jackets you have constructed. Share funny and memorable stories about the film so you can create a more personal interaction between the customers and the Wested business.

3.) COAs!. Some collectors claim these are important, some do not. I believe they are as every collector loves to have documentation with their items (this also helps the resale value as well). Lamentated COAs (which usually arrive bent or crumpled) simply lack luster and do not provide the "prestige" that these jackets demand.

4.) Custom Orders...I don't know how to make jackets, however i certainly understand that there are several here who wouldn't mind paying extra for an ultra custom jacket to our own specs. These take long and will cost extra but the people who are willing to pay the extra amount of money should be willing to wait the extra time it takes to make one of these jackets! This could not only boost revenue but showcase the wide variety of jacket styles that are actually availible to the consumer (Tony Nowak offering his different styles and specs are a prime example of this).

5.) Improve Email Communication..This is a hit and miss. Sometimes (myself included) have sent several messages with no response. Other times, I get a response immediately. I understand one cannot sit at a computer all day paitently waiting for emails but then again, a responsibility is present when running a business and I believe prompt email reponse is part of that and it is also important to the customer as well.

6.) Shipping..The shipping times are really fast and great and I only have one tip...ship these jackets in a box. Not a bag. A $300 jacket doesn't command a bag, it commands a box!

7.) Let us appreciate the jackets! Tell us how the are made and what goes into the process of making an Indy jacket. How long does it take and how labor intensive is the process? (Once again, look at Marcs AB Deluxe site)

Like I said, I dont mean to totally bash Wested or Peter. In fact its the opposite. You offer amazing jackets but there is so much potential! With another Indy film on the horizon, the chance for Wested to become a common name is acheivable!

Fellow gearheads, this is to be a constructive thread. Your welcome to disagree with me but offer suggestions to Wested and Peter so that more and more will visit the Wested site and say simply "WoW!!!"

[binkmeisterRick]

If this is meant to be a constructive thread, then let's make sure it remains so. Folks on the boards have made plenty of criticisms and suggestions to Wested in the past. Though your suggestions are meant to be taken in a positive light, at the end of the day, since it's Peter's business, it is his to run as he sees fit. Folks need to remember that. But as soon as this turns into a bashing thread, or one that says "this vendor is a better business model than the other," this thread will risk going the way of the dodo.

[ReturningSon]

yeah...like I said...I am not bashing at all! Just offering suggestions. Take em or leave em but this is constructive criticism....

[Dunross76]

hey, your comments are interesting, but I consider Peter to be almost a SAINT for putting with some of us (including myself)! I think some of your suggested improvements will make the jackets more expensive and I don't believe that anybody on this board is interested in paying more. As to getting in touch with Wested via e-mail, I always get a response from Gemma usually the same day. Peter is almost reachable over the phone and is a makes a great listener. Personally, as the owner of a few Wested jackets, I am very happy with their service. If we wants sexy-looking COAs or boxes, we'll certainly end up paying more for our jackets which in my opinion are reasonably priced considering the fact they're custom made. )
Dunross

[ReturningSon]

hey, your comments are interesting, but I consider Peter to be almost a SAINT for putting with some of us (including myself)! I think some of your suggested improvements will make the jackets more expensive and I don't believe that anybody on this board is interested in paying more. As to getting in touch with Wested via e-mail, I always get a response from Gemma usually the same day. Peter is almost reachable over the phone and is a makes a great listener. Personally, as the owner of a few Wested jackets, I am very happy with their service. If we wants sexy-looking COAs or boxes, we'll certainly end up paying more for our jackets which in my opinion are reasonably priced considering the fact they're custom made. )
Dunross

hmm...thats a very valid point!

[Indiana Joyce]

Far be it from me to criticize either. My only concerns are that I think Peter needs to hire a web designer/IT person. He has nothing to lose, only gain from having that. I too also think the jackets should come in a box, at least if the jacket is going to be leaving England.

I am mildly happy with my first Wested( all to do with me, no complaints to Wested, I didnt do enough research before hand) and am very much looking forward to my Temple of Doom jacket.

[ReturningSon]

Far be it from me to criticize either. My only concerns are that I think Peter needs to hire a web designer/IT person. He has nothing to lose, only gain from having that. I too also think the jackets should come in a box, at least if the jacket is going to be leaving England.

I am mildly happy with my first Wested( all to do with me, no complaints to Wested, I didnt do enough research before hand) and am very much looking forward to my Temple of Doom jacket.

I totally agree with the hiring of a "web designer/it person". Your right, someone with some talent could really spice up the site. Un older gearheads know the quality that Wested offers yet some emgering ones might be hesistant. A newer website might discard some of that!

[Dunross76]

What can I say to this? I have dealt with Wested for a long time and can't complain about them. I've had many jackets or shirts made over the years and had more problems with other tailors. What Wested charges for their custom-made jackets is really an awesome price for us and complaining about them seems rather silly. No offense.

[Michaelson]

What Wested charges for their custom-made jackets is really an awesome price for us and complaining about them seems rather silly. No offense

Offense could be taken, so let's stop there.

Glad to hear you've done so well, but we've had as many horror stories as success stories, so please don't tag those with concerns as being 'silly', if you'd be so kind.

Thank you.

Carry on.

Regards! Michaelson

[ReturningSon]

Thanks Michaelson for stepping in!


I made no mention of lowering the price. I dont know why people associate "suggestions" with "Peter, Lower the price on your jackets". Thats clearly not what I am saying. I am just taking a step back and looking at the various types of vendors we have and offering suggestions to Wested. I agree, their prices are reasonable however I had heard stories and experiened issues with Wested that I think some technical/IT work can easily fix.

The whole reason this thread was brought up was to expand Wested's customer base. With the release of Indy IV, a whole new generation of fans found new and exciting venues like Adventurebilt and Mr. Nowak. And with the potential (and every increasing likely) release of Indy V, Wested should strive to make some contact with this emerging market and capitalize on the fact that THEY MADE THE ORIGINAL JACKET that started it all.

[Arca Perdida]

I have never done business with them before. Not because I don't want to, but because I cannot get them to reply to my emails. So, the only suggestion I can make is to agree with others said and suggest that they hire or consult with someone who can sort out their email issues. I'm sure it's a technical problem and not them just blowing people off.
Improve on communication first, worry about making the site pretty later.

[Dunross76]

well, I read about those horror stories all the time...and am glad that I've been lucky so far... my most recent Wested has made me really happy! fits me like a glove.. anyway, I don't believe that complaining about Wested will make Peter more sympathetic to the above suggestions. we all know that he get flooded with e-mails and it's OK to call him if you don't hear back from him. also, I feel that if anyone has an idea how to improve his business, isn't better to let him know directly?

[Arca Perdida]

I feel that if anyone has an idea how to improve his business, isn't better to let him know directly?

Yes, I'll shoot him an email

[Dunross76]

just call him.

[Arca Perdida]

I don't have a land line and my cell plan doesn't include international calls. So I won't.
That's why I'm agreeing with others' suggestion to have them get someone to look into their email situation. It's not unreasonable to expect that a business with a website be able to respond to their emails. They must be as frustrated with it as their potential customers. Getting it solved would be my first priority.

[Dunross76]

I am very sorry to hear that you have a hard time getting in touch with them via e-mail. As I wrote before, Gemma gets back me to within 24 hrs. have you ever tried e-mailing Gemma?

[Arca Perdida]

My last 3 attempts were sent to gemma, peter and wested's accounts. And I've tried it from different email accounts on my end as well.
You're not the only one with success stories and I'm not the only one with non-responses. It seems to be hit and miss with them. I just happen to have been on the miss end for a while now.

[Castor Dioscuri]

The whole reason this thread was brought up was to expand Wested's customer base. With the release of Indy IV, a whole new generation of fans found new and exciting venues like Adventurebilt and Mr. Nowak. And with the potential (and every increasing likely) release of Indy V, Wested should strive to make some contact with this emerging market and capitalize on the fact that THEY MADE THE ORIGINAL JACKET that started it all.

I'll try to be as objective as possible:

If Wested really wants to expand on their customer base, they should start with their customer service. It really seems to me that too many people have been turned off by either bad customer service, or a complete absence thereof. Most people can't seem to contact Wested after placing their orders, while some people can't seem to contact Wested to even begin with, and before one begins the whole "call them" argument, sometimes that just isn't an option for some.

With their entry-level pricing and "original maker" claim, it is understandable that Wested, as the #1 selling Indy jacket maker, finds their servers swamped with emails. But wouldn't it be easier to simply hire more representatives than to ignore potential and current customers altogether? As it stands, most of us get cryptic responses to our emailed questions, and from personal experience, I know that the majority of the time I doubt my email has been completely read, as only the first sentence is responded to, while ignoring information/questions in the rest of the email.

It is very hard to communicate a custom order with such a system in place, and although the lure of the entry-pricing and "original maker" claim may be enough to get most of us in the door, I really believe that if Wested only hired more representatives or improved on what is currently in place, then Wested would be that much better at making sure we come back.

Even though I consider myself a Wested regular, having done business with them on over 10 seperate occasions, as it stands, I personally hesitate on coming back for more. Don't take this as a bash, as my point is that if they would only improve on their existing services, I'm sure quite a few will agree that we would come running back en masse!

[Raider S]

The whole reason this thread was brought up was to expand Wested's customer base. With the release of Indy IV, a whole new generation of fans found new and exciting venues like Adventurebilt and Mr. Nowak. And with the potential (and every increasing likely) release of Indy V, Wested should strive to make some contact with this emerging market and capitalize on the fact that THEY MADE THE ORIGINAL JACKET that started it all.

I'm sorry, but you're opening a huge can of worms. They made the original jacket? And Ford made the first mass-produced car. And that's about where it ends. The fact is they haven't been making the same jacket they did way back when and the discussion of that fact is part of the reason this board is active.

And no, new generations of fans didn't find Nowak any more than they found Wested. I'm sure business has never been better than when Skull came out; really, who was even thinking of Indiana Jones before last year? Wested, USW, and G&B all probably loved the fact a new Indy movie came out.

When you buy something you like it's great to tell others - and that's exactly what people are already doing here in countless threads - but to make a list like this is proporting to tell someone how to run (what I'm assuming) is an already successful business seems rather bold. Of course I realize you are only trying to do it in a helpful way but put yourself in the shoes of a business owner. And Wested has made changes in the last months; they have changed their website and they have started importing jackets to keep up with demand.

Finally, why are you trying to expand a companies customer base? Are you concerned with the survival of the company because of info you have others don't? Maybe Wested doesn't want to hire more employees, maybe they want to stay a certain size, and possible they have a certain number of jackets they feel comfortable making. I don't know and won't pretend to. I really think they are doing fine with the new movie, new fans, and even the rather wide criticism you can find here and elsewhere. Plus Indy jackets are not their only concern.

[ReturningSon]

The whole reason this thread was brought up was to expand Wested's customer base. With the release of Indy IV, a whole new generation of fans found new and exciting venues like Adventurebilt and Mr. Nowak. And with the potential (and every increasing likely) release of Indy V, Wested should strive to make some contact with this emerging market and capitalize on the fact that THEY MADE THE ORIGINAL JACKET that started it all.

I'm sorry, but you're opening a huge can of worms. They made the original jacket? And Ford made the first mass-produced car. And that's about where it ends. The fact is they haven't been making the same jacket they did way back when and the discussion of that fact is part of the reason this board is active.

And no, new generations of fans didn't find Nowak any more than they found Wested. I'm sure business has never been better than when Skull came out; really, who was even thinking of Indiana Jones before last year? Wested, USW, and G&B all probably loved the fact a new Indy movie came out.

When you buy something you like it's great to tell others - and that's exactly what people are already doing here in countless threads - but to make a list like this is proporting to tell someone how to run (what I'm assuming) is an already successful business seems rather bold. Of course I realize you are only trying to do it in a helpful way but put yourself in the shoes of a business owner. And Wested has made changes in the last months; they have changed their website and they have started importing jackets to keep up with demand.

Finally, why are you trying to expand a companies customer base? Are you concerned with the survival of the company because of info you have others don't? Maybe Wested doesn't want to hire more employees, maybe they want to stay a certain size, and possible they have a certain number of jackets they feel comfortable making. I don't know and won't pretend to. I really think they are doing fine with the new movie, new fans, and even the rather wide criticism you can find here and elsewhere. Plus Indy jackets are not their only concern.

Thats a valid argument. Heres my counter response

Comparing a Car and a jacket is not the same thing, your analogy doesn't fit. Wested is not some giant corporation as you know. In a field of collecting like this, making the original of anything is important, if not the most important aspect, aside from screen accuracy (this not only applies here but to other areas of collection whether it be props, memorabilia or anything). Obviously customers have had bad experiences. Cannot deny that. Why aren't they making the jacket like they did back then? I have no idea but I would certainly like to find out.

And your completely right, when you say "Wested, USW, and G&B all probably loved the fact a new Indy movie came out" however you cannot deny the fact that the fan base expanded so rapidly (look how many new members joined within the last year and look how many vendors surfaced). They are new fans out there. AND THATS WHY WESTED, USW and G&B LOVED IT! (Believe me,they werent counting on us gearheads to fill in on new jackets so that they were set for the fiscal year. They were counting on newer fans)

This is how this thread came to be:

I was walking down the street thinking of Marc's AB Site as well as other clothing sites I had seen and then I turned my attention to Wested's. They have an explosive "intellectual proprty" here and no matter what you say making the original is a huge thing, not only to potential US customers but to overseas ones as well where Indy was an even bigger hit. I wondered if Wested realized that this would be the golden opportuinity to revamp Wested as a whole. Change things around and start making Wested a brand name. I wouldn't presume to tell Peter how to run his business. He started it so its his given right to do so, but WE ARE the CUSTOMERS. Ignoring a repeat customer's suggestions is the mark of an inexperienced or inept businessman. NOW, before everyone jumps on me let me just reiterate that I DID NOT just call Peter inept or inexperienced. (I plan to send these suggestions to Peter and he can either take them or leave them)

If I was runing the business, this kinda thread would be a gold mine for me. To experience a constructive, interactive q&A online with the majority of my own customer base (most companies do not even have the chance for such an intimate connection). If Peter makes changes(which are really minor things ie shipping containers and email communication) more orders would occur with newer customers appearing and older customers returning. With these new orders, Wested could expand and grow.

I have no inside info concerning Wested or its survival as a company (I would hate to see it go under like anyone would) but I AM a customer who realizes there exists room for improvement in very minor areas and if a customer cannot help out a business he likes to purchase from then what can he do?

[Raider S]

And your completely right, when you say "Wested, USW, and G&B all probably loved the fact a new Indy movie came out" however you cannot deny the fact that the fan base expanded so rapidly (look how many new members joined within the last year and look how many vendors surfaced). They are new fans out there. AND THATS WHY WESTED, USW and G&B LOVED IT! (Believe me,they werent counting on us gearheads to fill in on new jackets so that they were set for the fiscal year. They were counting on newer fans)

Again, do you have inside information of these companies? I don't know how many jackets people sell. I don't go down the street and see dozens of Indy jackets. In fact there are threads where people talk about how they've never even seen another person wearing an Indy jacket. Were companies counting on new fans or were they simply happy with an upturn in sales of one of their products? Even though this site is active, the number of fans here buying jackets is not sufficient to support entire companies so you can't say with any certainty how a product is selling unless you are actually looking at sales numbers.

They have an explosive "intellectual proprty" here and no matter what you say making the original is a huge thing, not only to potential US customers but to overseas ones as well where Indy was an even bigger hit. I wondered if Wested realized that this would be the golden opportuinity to revamp Wested as a whole. Change things around and start making Wested a brand name. I wouldn't presume to tell Peter how to run his business. He started it so its his given right to do so, but WE ARE the CUSTOMERS. Ignoring a repeat customer's suggestions is the mark of an inexperienced or inept businessman. NOW, before everyone jumps on me let me just reiterate that I DID NOT just call Peter inept or inexperienced. (I plan to send these suggestions to Peter and he can either take them or leave them)

OK, there's a lot here I could comment on but will ask about this revamping Wested as a whole. Why do you again assume this is desired? A brand name of Indy jackets? It already is THE brand name of Indy jackets. But maybe the people at Wested LIKE the way they run Wested. Maybe they enjoy the way they do business. Maybe they want to keep it small and somewhat "old school". Maybe Peter doesn't want to do this forever, maybe he wants to run his business (and he's been in business a long while) like he has because it works well for them. As a customer you act like you have a stake in the business, like a shareholder. Of course customer input is good but the customer is not always right when they really don't understand the true nitty gritty of what's done to make money.

So yes, in a way you are telling someone how to run their business when you say they should revamp it as a whole. (And shipping something in a box vs. a bag isn't a revamp. Neither is a new website.)

If I was runing the business, this kinda thread would be a gold mine for me. To experience a constructive, interactive q&A online with the majority of my own customer base (most companies do not even have the chance for such an intimate connection). If Peter makes changes(which are really minor things ie shipping containers and email communication) more orders would occur with newer customers appearing and older customers returning. With these new orders, Wested could expand and grow.

Again, why do you assume Wested even wants to expand and grow? That's not the only thing people with a business want. Some people DON'T want to grow. I'm not arguing good or bad, but only suggesting the people running the business know what's best for them.

And yes, many companies do have the chance for intimate connection. The Internet has made this interaction possible for everyone and many other companies have close relations to customers. Even if it's a simple "suggestions" box on a counter.

I have no inside info concerning Wested or its survival as a company (I would hate to see it go under like anyone would) but I AM a customer who realizes there exists room for improvement in very minor areas and if a customer cannot help out a business he likes to purchase from then what can he do?

Why do you think there's a chance of them going under any more than anyone else going under? My guess is they've been in business long enough to know how to get through hard times. Maybe this is a golden time for them in a miserable economy. I don't keep their books so I don't know either way.

Suggestions like boxing rather than bagging are great. But when they up the shipping costs because it costs more to buy boxes, pack them, and send them, what if that actually lowered profits? If they hire another person to read emails all day what does that mean for someone already employed? It's fine to make suggestions but when you are on the outside and really not even looking in, it's hard to know what's best for someone else.

Personally I could care less about a box or even better communication. I'd rather see more consistancy in their products and a better product overall. The bells and whistles mean nothing if I'm not satisfied with the quality of what I buy.

I'm not trying to be angry with you at all, by the way, but you did start this thread and probably knew it would get many kinds of responses.

[RCSignals]

My impression from some of the posts by Peter is that he's looking forward to retirement (even though I think he's using a bit of humour with it) and that could happen any time.

[binkmeisterRick]

Alright, guys, let's not turn this into a bicker fest. Let's keep it between the rails.

[ReturningSon]

Raider S, you wanted to see "more consistancy in their products and a better product overall". Please explain...

[damian della morte]

the only thing that i would like to see improved is the pictures of the jackets, sometimes you'll see the same picture posted for two different jackets, or i'll see he has a jacket with square pockets in the add, then if you get a look the actual jacket the pockets may be longer rectangular pockets, or on some of the custom made jackets there will be pictures with no explaination of which jacket your looking at, i know designing a site isnt easy and yes i can just give peter a call or write gemma with these inquiries i suppose, just an opinion

[Indiana Jonesy]

I think Wested are fine as they are.

Yes the e-mail replies are "hit and miss"... sometimes i get an answer within a couple of hours and somethimes i need to follow it up with another 1 or 2 e-mails... but TBH its no extra work from my side having to chase them up.

They deliver an amazing jacket at an amazing price.

Keep up the work Pete!!!!


P.S.: Website is fine if you ask me. Not the most modern but serves its purpose.

[Kevin Anderson]

Hit and miss. Exactly.

[coronado3]

My only suggestion on the website is to post updated photos of the different hides in good lighting so the customer can choose wisely. Also, there are some spelling errors on there.....

I'v had good email luck so it doesn't seem to be a major issue.

C3

[ReturningSon]

YEAH!!! Peter put up a better site. In yo guys' face!

(Just kidding... )

Love the new site Pete!