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Good points 900

posted by  someone claiming to be art on  Tue Nov 2 08:31 CST 2004 [RELATED]

I believe there are two market forces changing faster than IPD is: competitive online parts availability and online product knowledge. This board supplies a good deal of the latter, while IPD continues to excel with those who can use or prefer to use the telephone. Given they've survived "this long" does nothing to address its current or future direction.

What I can't second guess from my armchair is the proportion of business derived from mere replacement parts to that in which IPD's niche is virtually unchallenged - suspension and enthusiast aftermarket. Could be, for all I know, that calls about od relays and water pumps are merely goodwill for the sway bar customers.

The problem may not exist for a majority of potential customers yet, but for me, I keep looking for an excuse to order something from IPD, other than a bar, just so I can receive that work-of-art catalog they produce. Just a few competitive prices would draw more traffic "through the store". I was a bit surprised to see your 20% estimate.






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