Announcing LancairParts.Store website

[admin]

After hearing how tough it is to prepare a website for parts, last month I drafted a parts store using open source software and added parts to spark discussion. This is a demo store only but it is fully functional if a switch is "flipped". I've been waiting for the new server to come online but the parts listing really just took a day to get organized over the recent holidays.

Overal view of who is online, orders placed, sales and more.

This store software can map users around the world, work in various currencies, operate 24/7, take secure payment information, maintain inventory, provide options like upgrades, colours, sizes and much more. Very simple to create a product, add photos, adjust pricing, set up initial inventory and start selling! I put in a number of crazy categories to show the breadth and possibilities. None of the parts or prices are real at this time.

Built-in Reviews from buyers

Let's get some feedback, some idea of who would like to launch some items for sale and go to a live site as a test. I'm sure there will be issues but why not list the things we want to buy and can't easily find? I never believed the nonsense about software compatibility preventing anyone at Lancair from marketing parts on a website. I think whoever is sticking to that line is living in another century.

Full stats on sales, pendings, inventory, backorders and much more. It really is a complete package and there are many competitors and they are not difficult to use or transfer data to.

This stuff is turnkey easy with the right people and resources. So far, the cost has been $ZIP (well, the server is $20 per month) and there are really talented people who can do this fast and cheap.

Here is an idea! Gift Vouchers. Pay to encourage and don't charge people to research parts.

So, take a look at lancairparts.store and try things out. Provide feedback. Does it make sense and what can we start listing? Who has an airplane to put up? Here are some shots of the admin side. And, it doesn't cost $5 to look at what is available!

Attachments

Front page of the store is dynamic and can focus on high traffic items

Aircraft parts and sub-categories like brakes, batteries, wheels, hardware...

Hurry because there are only 900 engine mounts left and a few finger filters to be shipped to Australia!

Parts can be organized by vendors and manufacturers and suppliers

Last edited by admin on Tue Jun 05, 2018 12:04 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: added more screens

Paul,
I like it! And would use it!

Victor

This is one very, very good idea!!!

Impressive. Thanks much Paul.

Paul, you are very persistent, I will give you that. I do believe it would be good for Lancair Talk to have a parts exchange website. Often times we have a long lead time on a part or minimum order quantity, so I reach out to other builder to find a solution for an AOG. A website listing those parts would be helpful.

My father and I have both reached out to you to inform you more about our efforts to build a fully functional parts website. We have had 4300 parts in our store for months, that took very little time like you say. The time consuming portion is updating photos, descriptions, PDF documents, stocking information, lead times, vendors, variants ect. The other time consuming process is classifying each individual parts as to whether it is an Airframe Item, Engine, Hardware, ect. Further classification would break down into Actuators, Cables, Ducting, Throttle quadrants, ect. Even further classification would filter each part to its specific aircraft, ie, Legacy, 320, Legacy FG, ect. This classification has to be done manually by myself or another tech savy/ Lancair knowledgeable/ good looking guy..

For instance a GM028 would look like the following

GM028, GM028-A-full.jpg, Gas Spring Nose Gear, Landing Gear, Struts & Accessories, Accessories, IV/IVP, 235/320/360.

We have been compiling a large CSV file to capture all of the information. With this file we will be able to maintain all of the source data on our server to avoid the problem like we had when acquiring the old website where all information was externally held and lost.

The next part of the equation is properly linking the website sales with our system. To automatically update stocking information, pricing, customer details and so forth, an API must be set up between the two systems. Other APIs can be set up with vendors to display and sell parts directly that we don't necessarily need to stock like oil filters, tires, consumables, ect.

So yes. It is easy to throw up a quick website that does nothing, it takes much more time to build up a working website that you and others wouldn't complain about. I would love to talk to you in more detail and even share thoughts on how we could work together and make both of our sites more beneficial to owners and builders. Assuming we have done nothing and bashing us online is not going to help the Lancair name or expedite the launch of any website.

Again, feel free to contact me. 1-866-526-2247 EXT 701

Here's a teaser of a website test. We plan to test the website soon with around 100 of the most popular parts. More parts will be switched on as they are updated and confirmed to be correct. Artwork for the site still needs to be added of course.

super, question is this new legacy propeller in your shop something real? worth it?

Conrad,
I, for one, appreciate your comments. As I've previously stated, the success of keeping the Lancair fleet in the air relies heavily on you, as the OEM, also being successful. We have a symbiotic relationship that can't/shouldn't be broken. Communication is paramount in that success. I believe you have fallen a bit short in your effort to keep Lancair owners informed. I suppose it's possible to over-communicate but ignoring the needs of the fleet owners would be far worse as we will eventually find alternatives to supporting the OEM. What you're doing is commendable but we need to be kept informed so we don't go off the deep end. I cannot over emphasize the necessity for frequent communication. Just my .

You may now return to your regularly scheduled programming.

Thank you Danny, great comments. I will try more to keep yall updated through Lancair Talk and social media. Its easy to get caught up here working on projects, orders, and new ideas. We just purchased a gimbled video camera that Humberto "our parts sales manager" has been using to get some great video of the facility in action. I will be sure to post it here for all to enjoy!

Website looks great. If it works, that would be even better.

So we can have a used parts site and Lancair’s new parts site? The used site can also be for non-Lancair parts such as the varied amount of avionics across the fleet.