My stringing business... Website progress. Comments?

Originally Posted by Lakers4Life

I do agree using an image of Roger Federer is copyright infringement, but if the OP used a photo of a package of Wilson strings, with a photo of Fed on the packaging it would not.

As for price for stringing. It all depends on where you are located. Here in So Cal. the going labor rate for a Syn Gut String Job, is $10, but in the San Francisco Area it's closer to $20. I've heard in NYC is closer to $30 labor. I think the cost of labor should be what people are willing to pay for, reasonably. So if you are the only stringer for 50 miles around, you can justify $20 labor.

A majority of people looking for a stringer are recreational players. So it's a good idea to stock up on a couple reels of Syn Gut, like Gosen OGSM. I go through more reels of Gosen OGSM than any other reel of string I normally have.

Thats because the string hes promoteing their product.

[beernutz]

I agree with almost all of what has been suggested (particularly about using only images for which you have secured IP rights), however I differ about the inclusion of an about me page. Perhaps your average joe blow tennis player doesn't care, but I think a significant number of potential customers would be interested in the credentials of the stringer. I know I would in any case. Just my $.02.

[Radicalized]

Again, I can't stress this enough: Keep it simple. The customer will appreciate it when clicking around to get the information.

Without completely changing your page formatting:
For example, main page: Quality (lighting is the key) photo at your machine. They are dealing with an individual. You might as well put yourself out there. Short and direct statement about racquet stringing. Use bullet points to list your additional services. Add a link to the services and pricing immediately after.
Services and pricing page: Short description of the benefits of each service. Add a link to a FAQs page ("For more information about...") for specific answers to questions a customer may have. Create a FAQs page.
Pricing: Make it easy to read. Again, make a list or better, create a table if you know how. List the price for stringing with user-supplied string, too. You might want to have a larger inventory as others have mentioned. As you might have obvious issues with creating inventory, you might like to inquire about what to stock when at the courts and so forth. Also, you might mention that you may be able to obtain specific items with enough lead time.

Perhaps mimic a known competitor to some extent. For example, I can tell you what the big box store in my area that provides a stringing service sells, more or less, to give you an idea:
Big Banger ALU Power
Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex
Prince Lightning XX
Wilson Sensation
Wilson NXT
Wilson Synthetic Gut Extreme
Gamma Live Wire
Gamma TNT2
Gamma Zo Twist
Head Synthetic Gut PPS
Head FXP
…and maybe a couple of others.
This list wouldn't cover the people on this board, that is for sure. Here, people are mostly picking them off the wall at some price point. Another local store isn't much different. If I were to do what you are--and don't worry anyone, I'm not--aside from the stringing services, for most cases I'd be saving the customer a round-trip "25-40 minute" drive time, depending on the store.

FAQs page: IF a vistor wants/needs to read additional technical details, put them here where they aren't clogging up your main pages.

about: I think this is beneficial in your case. But as noted earlier, thin it out. Keep the "you" and the "sale/facts" separate. Student at UMKC. Engineering background. NTRP 4.5 player. So, that tells them, you're a local guy with intelligence, and you know the game. And if they're sure you are around, and they can contact you, there will be less trepidation with trying your service. Sell yourself well, as you really don't have much experience, and as you don't have a "name" behind you. You're a 4.5--Picture of YOU hitting the ball IF you want to fill space currently taken up by Fed! Don't be shy. The business IS you.

[Ash_Smith]

In terms of stocking string, I keep a reel each of a good syn.gut, a good multi, and a good poly (I don't do cheap restrings!) and if a customer wants anything specific i'll order it in (usually next day if I order before 3pm). This means my outlay is lower initially and I cover most bases for the average club player but can offer everything else for people who want it.

You've made a decent start - just a few tweaks and you'll be good to go!

Ash

[bee]

Good to know you're available. I assume you're looking for customers that will mail racquets to you, you string them and mail them back. Is that part of the business plan? I would consider using your services that way.

I think most people here are being overly critical. Not surprising. I agree you should probably take off the "inexpensive" theme.

Some of us would be more inclined to play with polys if we had an easy way of getting our racquets restrung frequently. This would be for those who can afford to have multiple racquets and spend the money for restringing frequently. Obviously, getting a stringing machine and learning to use it is an option and I am considering that.

You might want to add something about shipping and such and what the turnaround time and costs are for that.

Good luck with it. I'm sure you do a very good job.

Bee

Originally Posted by Ash_Smith

In terms of stocking string, I keep a reel each of a good syn.gut, a good multi, and a good poly (I don't do cheap restrings!) and if a customer wants anything specific i'll order it in (usually next day if I order before 3pm). This means my outlay is lower initially and I cover most bases for the average club player but can offer everything else for people who want it.

You've made a decent start - just a few tweaks and you'll be good to go!

Ash

What specific one's if your clientel is on a budget.

[sonicare]

Excuse my ignorance but stringing is NOT a business. If you wanna be successful in life, first go learn the difference between a business and self employment.

[Ash_Smith]

Originally Posted by Parker512

What specific one's if your clientel is on a budget.

The three reels I always stock are all from RAB - Texflex Premium (syn.gut), SensorFibre (multi) and EnduraFlex (poly). I will occasionally back these up with some Mantis PowerPoly and Confort Synthetic.

If somebody really wants something dirt cheap, they can either bring their own or I'll order something in - usually once I have a chat and explain to people the differences in quality and therefore playability/durability people don't mind spending a bit more to get the quality.

Cheers

Ash

[PimpMyGame]

Originally Posted by Ash_Smith

The three reels I always stock are all from RAB - Texflex Premium (syn.gut), SensorFibre (multi) and EnduraFlex (poly). I will occasionally back these up with some Mantis PowerPoly and Confort Synthetic.

If somebody really wants something dirt cheap, they can either bring their own or I'll order something in - usually once I have a chat and explain to people the differences in quality and therefore playability/durability people don't mind spending a bit more to get the quality.

Cheers

Ash

Hey Ash - I stock TexFlex (great all-round syn gut), have used SensorFibre which I think is an excellent "comfortable" string for hybrids and have tried EnduraFlex which is ok, but I currently have EnduraEdge which is fine for a reasonable stock poly.

If you haven't tried Endura Edge ask Richard at RAB for a free set to try. I get on fine with it and a reel is fairly cheap IIRC.

[Ash_Smith]

HI PMG - as far as i'm concerned the RAB strings are as good if not better than anything else out there and usually once I get my customers to try - they love them. For the price I pay, you can't go wrong either!

I've not tried the EnduraEdge - i'll have a chat with Adam or Richard next time I place an order and get a set to try.

Cheers

Ash

[origmarm]

OP I only came across this thread today but one quick comment. It took me a while to work out you were in Kansas. The contact me page had a map but it wasn't clear to me for a while where on earth you were

[Jeffy005]

Oh 1 more thing i should add......

Labor Price $15 I wish man... Instead of $20

If you make it $15 i'll definitely go to you instead of someone else....

[mikeler]

Where did the OP go?

[Jeffy005]

Originally Posted by mikeler

Where did the OP go?

probably just lazy to check this thread...

[Bottle Rocket]

LOL. Ok.

A friend of mine here in KC just came across this thread and then reminded me that I had made it. He mentioned that I was getting flamed pretty hard, so here I am. I just read through it all.

I agree with most everything said. I understand the issue of copyright and all that good stuff. I promise.

I appreciate all the comments, especially those that were constructive. If I'd gotten to this thread much earlier, I would have replied to each one individually. I really do appreciate the feedbackand I regret not checking back to this thread sooner. I apologize for that.

The whole idea of inexpensive racket stringing is based purely on the prices in the area. A large tennis store, which competes directly with Tennis Warehouse, is in the area, the one "way out in Olathe". You're looking at $35 for a polyester string job at this place, $25 for the most inexpensive synthetic gut. Your also often looking at longer turn around time as well as the requirement to pick up and drop off your racket during their business hours and at their location.

A good majority of the stringers at this store are certified, but not all of them do a job which would meet my own standards. It is why I started stringing. You may be certified to weave some strings, but that says nothing of your understanding of racket dynamics and physics which directly relate to one's game, maximizing your potential, and finding a setup which can instill true confidence in your game.Or your understanding of the effects different modifactions and such really have, game related or biomechanically. I don't think my knowledge of the game is less valuable than a certification, quite the contrary, but obviously, it is only the perception of the customer that matters. So.... That's that.

I am also competing with the local clubs, the places getting the majority of the business this winter. However, if you play a club, there are few good reasons to come to me. Money and turn around time will rarely be a consideration.

So, I am less expensive than retailers and clubs. The prices I had listed are obviously expensive so far as individuals go, and I am aware of this. I've charged significantly less in the past and the majority of customers (admittadly, i'm no high-volume super business) have paid me more than I asked for. They've given me what they thought the job was worth, based on their previous experiences elsewhere. This was the basis for my prices. But yeah... I am not inexpensive, not based on those website prices.

With all that said, its not a big deal. I don't need that much money for a string job. I am not doing it to make a living, but I am also not doing it for fun. I am fair and in many cases, I am negotiable. Yeah, weird.

So, if you're in the KC area, I won't charge you what is on the website. If I am available, I'll charge you what you think is fair. I don't need $20 labor. $15 is fair to me, but if you don't think so, I'm still willing to work with you.

I lost interest in this entire thing a little while after working on the website, it is why I have no domain name yet and why there are still copyrighted pictures all over the place (many of them are not copyrighted, btw). My customer base, which dwindles down like you wouldn't believe in the winter, has come solely from word of mouth. That and my involvement on a local tennis website ( www.kctennisplayers.com ).

The process of trying to build this basic site was a fun process and I've gotten a lot out of it, I've also enjoyed reading all of your comments. I have no intention of getting rid of this website, but it may be a while before I get serious about it again and see if through. I'll obviously get some new pictures, do some redesign, and change the prices. I'll also take into consideration all of the suggestions concerning the "about me" page and the like. Simple is better. I know... The Google generation.

I've gotten distracted by tennis apps (would love to integrate this stringing dealy, tennis equipment, pickup and delivery, etc..., with a phone app) and some small little products I am trying to design. That and food and sleep. The winter here in KC is discouraging... I mostly just eat in place of court-time now.

[diredesire]

Originally Posted by Bottle Rocket

I lost interest in this entire thing a little while after working on the website, it is why I have no domain name yet and why there are still copyrighted pictures all over the place (many of them are not copyrighted, btw). My customer base, which dwindles down like you wouldn't believe in the winter, has come solely from word of mouth. That and my involvement on a local tennis website ( www.kctennisplayers.com ).

They're all copyrighted, even if the images aren't watermarked, believe it.

Sometimes it's just hard to prove copyright, but the original creator/capturer has their usage rights covered, and using these images IS a violation of that copyright, end of discussion. Like i said before, even if these are available for public usage under something like a creative commons license, it's not for use in a website used to generate revenue, as yours is.

[Bottle Rocket]

Alright.... How about this:

http://www.briansracketstringing.com/

I got myself a domain name which is too long, but it will work for now. I've also got myself some new pictures. All legal for use on my website with no copyrights.

For those of you that remember the old site, this version should be rather refreshing without all of the irritating nonsense.

Still going to work on some pages, including the About me page, probably taking much of the advice from this thread.

[origmarm]

Looks much better. Overall a big improvement.

A few comments:

- Still took me a minute to remember you were in Kansas! I guess only people in that area will have the website address? "I live in KC on the Plaza" for example would have been enough. Or maybe "KC's home of the rubber band dampener" or similar...

- You might want to offer more than two strings in your price list. For me that's a big downside. Even if you only have one set of each in stock it's worth it I would think. So so many rec players I know ask for NXT or TNT it's ridiculous. Typically there's a "favourite" in your area.

- What's the turnaround time? Do you pickup/deliver?

- If it was me I would have someone take a picture or two of you stringing or similar to put on the "about me" page. Gives confidence.

Hope it helps

Cheers, Orig

[fortun8son]

I agree with much of the above advice. Find another way to express the value that you give and your expertise as a stringer.
My local big box store offers PSGD@$20 and stringing labor only @$12!
I have had to find another way.
I stock reels of Sweet16, OGSM17, MCS, SPPP16L, and BHBR17 plus a few specialty strings and I tell them that MY strings are better than the strings at the store at a competitive price with a quicker turnaround and more consistent quality.
Things are tough here in Vegas!
BTW If you are THAT meticulous; spell it right!

[fortun8son]

What about Racquetball in the winter?