A simple way to get your shop on the web

A simple and free way to get your shop on the web

Ive noticed quite a few threads here regarding setting up websites. As well as some asking about valid developer rates and things like that.

I am an IT Director for a large CNC manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania.

During my free time i have developed a marketplace that i really think can be of use to you folks. While it is simple to get your shop signed up and start taking quote requests, i am glad to help you in any way i can.

I am going to briefly explain how it works. Signing up is free.

When you sign up as a vendor you get a dedicated page for your shop. Here you can list the types of work you do , any equipment you have available, any types of accolades you may have, photos, really anything you want. It can be as simple or as complicated as you like.

Once you have this set up, you simply list your specific services. Customers can then browse or search for these services. Once they find what they are looking for, they send you a "quote request". This is just an informal message specifying what they want done, it can also include cad files or even machine ready code. You would then reply back with a quote, or decline the job, or ignore it entirely. If they accept your quote, it turns into an order, they pay the price you have quoted, and you can begin doing the job.

All of this handled directly on the website so you do not need to worry about obtaining your own credit card processing or anything like that.

So that being said, i am happy to answer any questions or concerns. I truly hope this can be the answer to the ever present question of how to get your shop on the internet.

Check out the site here and please let me know what you think.

Makezee - Making, Made Easy

Thank You,
Adam

Makezee receives a flat 10% fee on all orders.

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About - Makezee

There it is... Go fuck yourself.

Bobw said:

About - Makezee

There it is... Go fuck yourself.

Click to expand...

Ouch, if i can defend this, a significant portion of this goes to payment processing. Such a fee is absolutely unavoidable if you are doing business online. That is to say, if you did your own website you would be paying payment processing fees as well as hosting, development, etc. So I'm not sure it's an entirely out of line figure.

That being said, i am absolutely open to suggestions for an alternative fee model. Ive considered a small monthly fee and removing the 10% cut. Thoughts?

Thank you for the insight

- Adam

makezee said:

That being said, i am absolutely open to suggestions for an alternative fee model. Ive considered a small monthly fee and removing the 10% cut. Thoughts?

Click to expand...

Yeah, I do business with MY customers, THEY pay ME.. I do business with MY vendors, I pay THEM.. You don't get a fucking thing.

Bob, has such a way with words....
This site has a manufacturing resource.

Who, exactly, are you trying to connect? Makers and struggling American shops?

Makers don't have any money, they have nothing but time on their hands, and nearly to a man they don't know what a tolerance even is. Everything about their customer profile says "China."

If you are just setting up yet another China broker, why bother us here? If you have some value proposition worth a 10% markup, what is it? It isn't on your site as I can see it now. You don't have a deep or broad pool of shops, you don't have a deep or broad pool of customers, and your site doesn't seem to be technologically advanced doing auto-quoting or the like. You seem to be charging the customers up front then paying the shops on completion, which is worst of all worlds for everyone and you don't claim to offer any sort of protection for your shops or your customers.

Other than hoping to find diamond in the rough shops full of very advanced machinery and know-how but who don't know how to make a website, what is the plan as you see it?

Another middleman? No thanks.
We've seen it before and weren't satisfied with it (not personally to myself, but i've been reading threads on this forum about MFG.com and such)

Some IT guy finds out there's lots of money involved in manufacturing, and sets up a simple website to peel the cream without any manufacturing effort. In the end the vendors end up loosing substantial bit of their profit, drowning in quotes which never turn into orders and somebody always lowballs the prices and customers end up with crappy parts. There's much more to shop services than the pricing, and putting every shop in a mold where only price matters is a big mistake.

I'd never sign up on a such site. I know my customers personally and they know me. When they contact me, i know i'm getting orders on most of the quotes, i get paid fairly (and in time). They know they're getting quality parts in time, which eases their work and stress and they're happy to pay a bit more for the service.

makezee said:

Ouch, if i can defend this, a significant portion of this goes to payment processing. Such a fee is absolutely unavoidable if you are doing business online. That is to say, if you did your own website you would be paying payment processing fees as well as hosting, development, etc. So I'm not sure it's an entirely out of line figure.

That being said, i am absolutely open to suggestions for an alternative fee model. Ive considered a small monthly fee and removing the 10% cut. Thoughts?

Thank you for the insight

- Adam

Click to expand...

Probably your biggest mistake was to join and immediately offer services you expected to be paid for. What you could or should have done was to get to know folks and if your advice was appreciated then you'd probably have been asked for advice. Then, and only then, could you write that you'd be willing to help but it wouldn't be free.

You came across as a used car dealer.

I have thought about a similar service since 2011 ..

The correct model is:
-2(-3%)% markup, and
-100% guarantee on payment to the manufacturers aka shops, from YOUR income, at say 5 days from net date, with
-a guarantee from a reputable insurer like Lloyds, say 1M$, that You can pay the shops if the customers don´t.

THATS how I would do it.

Of course, I have done, in the past, major IT projects and internet businesses of 30+M$ worth, so...
(And was an invited presenter at Harvard, in 2003, on internet businesses in the EU).

hanermo said:

I have thought about a similar service since 2011 ..

The correct model is:
-2(-3%)% markup, and
-100% guarantee on payment to the manufacturers aka shops, from YOUR income, at say 5 days from net date, with
-a guarantee from a reputable insurer like Lloyds, say 1M$, that You can pay the shops if the customers don´t.

THATS how I would do it.

Of course, I have done, in the past, major IT projects and internet businesses of 30+M$ worth, so...
(And was an invited presenter at Harvard, in 2003, on internet businesses in the EU).

Click to expand...

I will be replying to all the comments, but i found this one to be particularly constructive.

The markup percentage is tough, because we do have to take into a account the fee for payment processing. Whether that is through Paypal or any other credit processor, it will exceed your figure right away. So i wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts on that.

They payment is taken in advance and held in escrow. With the payment to the manufacturer after a net period. So while that is apparently not clear, it is the case. So i will look to make that more clear.

Im not sure there is a need to insure the payments in any way because the payment is taken up front. That being said there is a guarantee from Paypal, and i assume other processors are the same, that the money in the account is actually there.

If you would be interested in discussing further, privately or publicly i would love to further pick your brain and hear more about your past.

Thank You,
Adam

Bobw said:

Yeah, I do business with MY customers, THEY pay ME.. I do business with MY vendors, I pay THEM.. You don't get a fucking thing.

Click to expand...

Okie doke.

Comatose said:

Who, exactly, are you trying to connect? Makers and struggling American shops?

Makers don't have any money, they have nothing but time on their hands, and nearly to a man they don't know what a tolerance even is. Everything about their customer profile says "China."

If you are just setting up yet another China broker, why bother us here? If you have some value proposition worth a 10% markup, what is it? It isn't on your site as I can see it now. You don't have a deep or broad pool of shops, you don't have a deep or broad pool of customers, and your site doesn't seem to be technologically advanced doing auto-quoting or the like. You seem to be charging the customers up front then paying the shops on completion, which is worst of all worlds for everyone and you don't claim to offer any sort of protection for your shops or your customers.

Other than hoping to find diamond in the rough shops full of very advanced machinery and know-how but who don't know how to make a website, what is the plan as you see it?

Click to expand...

Basically connecting shops of all sizes with customers of all sizes they do not already have. The shops need not be struggling, but i don't suspect anyone would actively turn away customers.

I don't entirely understand the China comment,if that is to ask if i am from china, or a broker for chinese manufacturing that is certainly not the case.

My intention was not to bother you. I had spent the past few days reading through many threads here and got the sense that a lot of smaller shops wanted an internet presence but were having trouble. I had been working on this site for a few months now, and if nothing else was seeking the critique of those that may be interested in it's utility.

The immediate goal is to broaden the pool of shops, it's a slow steady process, but it's getting there. Thus my open invitation to the shop owner's here.

I don't love the auto quoting systems, i think they open the door entirely too wide for quoting mistakes, that you the manufacturer either need to eat or explain your way out of it. The general idea here is that you can quote that job as you see fit, almost like you would in person.

I don't think i made it clear (and i hope to fix this) that Makezee is not actively brokering this jobs to the shops, is pure customer to business. We are just the place where you get found by the customer.

The value proposition ( as i see it ) is ease of use. The entire process from quote request to payment can be done in 2 minutes. The manufacturer can get listed in a few minutes with no technical knowhow whatsoever. No need to buy domain names, set up hosting, pay developers, etc. If you do not see the value in this, maybe there is none, or i am not explaining it adequately. I feel it must be the latter, but who knows.

Thank you for the insight, more helpful than you know.

Adam

JH-Q said:

Another middleman? No thanks.
We've seen it before and weren't satisfied with it (not personally to myself, but i've been reading threads on this forum about MFGquote.com and such)

Some IT guy finds out there's lots of money involved in manufacturing, and sets up a simple website to peel the cream without any manufacturing effort. In the end the vendors end up loosing substantial bit of their profit, drowning in quotes which never turn into orders and somebody always lowballs the prices and customers end up with crappy parts. There's much more to shop services than the pricing, and putting every shop in a mold where only price matters is a big mistake.

I'd never sign up on a such site. I know my customers personally and they know me. When they contact me, i know i'm getting orders on most of the quotes, i get paid fairly (and in time). They know they're getting quality parts in time, which eases their work and stress and they're happy to pay a bit more for the service.

Click to expand...

I don't see this as a middleman position. The interaction between customer and manufacturer (you) is entirely without my interjection.

could you explain more your statement about the value beyond price? I think that you are saying that essentially "you get what you pay for". I fully agree with this, and that is what the review and rating system is meant to accomplish. IE "Shop A is bit on the high side price-wise, but they do great work and are a pleasure to deal with" vs "Shop B gave me the lowest quote by far of any one but the parts were not to spec and they were 2 weeks over the quoted lead time"

In regard to your last statement, why do feel that personal model could not be the same on the internet? If you have direct communication with the customer, i don't see the fact that it is a website being that large of a barrier to communication. Serious question, i would like to hear your thoughts on that.

Thank You,
Adam

Gordon B. Clarke said:

Probably your biggest mistake was to join and immediately offer services you expected to be paid for. What you could or should have done was to get to know folks and if your advice was appreciated then you'd probably have been asked for advice. Then, and only then, could you write that you'd be willing to help but it wouldn't be free.

You came across as a used car dealer.

Click to expand...

It was certainly not my intention to come across as a scammer in any way.

Im not sure if i really could have come in and melded with the community and really gotten into the shop talk, as it is not really what i do for a living. I know i could have offered advice on the topics i could be of help with, but I'm not sure it would have been well received. My honest advice to the threads about websites and security cameras and whatnot would have been in clear opposition of most of the advice already given. I don't suspect act would have earned me any points.

I find it interesting that everyone is getting hung up, and even taking offense, to a fee. My thought that if there some value from there service, there surely must be a fee for using it. Any the fee only comes into play when you get an order, so it is not as though it is upfront or recurring or anything. Always happy to hear your thoughts on that aspect as well.

Thank You,
Adam

makezee said:

I will be replying to all the comments, but i found this one to be particularly constructive.

The markup percentage is tough, because we do have to take into a account the fee for payment processing. Whether that is through Paypal or any other credit processor, it will exceed your figure right away. So i wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts on that.

They payment is taken in advance and held in escrow. With the payment to the manufacturer after a net period. So while that is apparently not clear, it is the case. So i will look to make that more clear.

Im not sure there is a need to insure the payments in any way because the payment is taken up front. That being said there is a guarantee from Paypal, and i assume other processors are the same, that the money in the account is actually there.

If you would be interested in discussing further, privately or publicly i would love to further pick your brain and hear more about your past.

Thank You,
Adam

Click to expand...

In red ^^^^^, To side with Bob, and his smooth style: Are you fucking insane? Seriously.
Even Paypal only charges 3%

I guarantee your little venture here will go absolutely nowhere.
So, you plan to take payments up front before orders are placed, then hang on to that money until the order has been filled?
How many customers do you think you will actually get to pay up front?
What makes you think there is room for another middle-man? Margins are so low these days, there is not room for another middle man.
I think you are insane, and looking for your way to make easy money sitting behind a freaking keyboard and mouse.

10% for payment processing, and hosting a few pictures? Your out of your mind.

makezee said:

It was certainly not my intention to come across as a scammer in any way.

Im not sure if i really could have come in and melded with the community and really gotten into the shop talk, as it is not really what i do for a living. I know i could have offered advice on the topics i could be of help with, but I'm not sure it would have been well received. My honest advice to the threads about websites and security cameras and whatnot would have been in clear opposition of most of the advice already given. I don't suspect act would have earned me any points.

I find it interesting that everyone is getting hung up, and even taking offense, to a fee. My thought that if there some value from there service, there surely must be a fee for using it. Any the fee only comes into play when you get an order, so it is not as though it is upfront or recurring or anything. Always happy to hear your thoughts on that aspect as well.

Thank You,
Adam

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And you think offering to skim 10% off the top of peoples paychecks for nothing more than that money making a detour on its way to their account, would be well received?! Bob said it best: "Go fuck yourself"

JS said:

Bob, has such a way with words....
This site has a manufacturing resource.

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Every forum has at least 1. He's the big dog, and I'm shitting in his yard.

Anyway, in regard to the manufacturing resource. Im not seeing it, is it like a directory or something? Maybe i misunderstood your comment entirely.

Thank You,
Adam

makezee said:

Every forum has at least 1. He's the big dog, and I'm shitting in his yard.

Anyway, in regard to the manufacturing resource. Im not seeing it, is it like a directory or something? Maybe i misunderstood your comment entirely.

Thank You,
Adam

Click to expand...

You can't even find this: http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/manufacturing-resource/ and you want us to let you handle our money?

Bob is not alone by the way. and, you are not shitting in his yard. You are shitting in your own yard.

wheelieking71 said:

In red ^^^^^, To side with Bob, and his smooth style: Are you fucking insane? Seriously.
Even Paypal only charges 3%

I guarantee your little venture here will go absolutely nowhere.
So, you plan to take payments up front before orders are placed, then hang on to that money until the order has been filled?
How many customers do you think you will actually get to pay up front?
What makes you think there is room for another middle-man? Margins are so low these days, there is not room for another middle man.
I think you are insane, and looking for your way to make easy money sitting behind a freaking keyboard and mouse.

10% for payment processing, and hosting a few pictures? Your out of your mind.

Click to expand...

I don't feel it is purely payment processing. That is to say paypal has no function for getting your services sold, or getting customers, etc. I think you may be comparing apples and oranges here.


Thank You,
Adam

wheelieking71 said:

You can't even find this: http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/manufacturing-resource/ and you want us to let you handle our money?

Bob is not alone by the way. and, you are not shitting in his yard. You are shitting in your own yard.

Click to expand...

Oh yes, i did find that. I thought there may be some more formal system in place that i was missing.

Thank You,
Adam