This is a letter i posted today on our US boards - i have 2 active customers in the UK that this concerns - i wanted to let you all know where i am coming from with my company here as i wish to serve the UK market after we get our ship on the right track.
My existing UK customers - i will be in contact with in the next couple of days.
First off ¡V hello to the Z community on-line for the first time in a few months ¡V especially to my friends here all over the country.
I have some things to talk about today so this may get a little long. This will also be my last post here under this screen name. I will soon register a new one becoming a newbieƒº I will be sure to ask what color to paint my calipers ¡V LOL. I will not be back in to discuss anything with you so you will have to discuss amongst yourself.
First up ¡V ZTOYZ.NET
What an absolutely depressing situation it has turned into. As some of you know ¡V I have been around operating it for some 4 ¡V 5 years now. Started out of my house literally ¡V my X and I did it for the fun of it. We thought we may make some race gas money on the side to boot. Little did I know then what I know NOW¡K..
For about the 2 years it has been behind the 8 ball financially. While making a profit, my X wife stripped it of its resources and capital reserve (and not by my choice either ¡V and not in court) putting me in a grave situation. At the same time our web-site changed to look more professional, I took on a very challenging position at my day job, Z owners became younger and less personally aware of whom I was online and the economy started to head south. This lead to a more discriminating buyer than we had before. This also led to more business, despite the economy. My wait times were long and growing and there was nothing I could do to ease the problem. Money that came in from orders went to my manufacture to catch on orders that were a month old. We could not keep anything in stock to sell and were trying to meet market demands by launching new products to sell. The constant shuffle of trying to please customers and continue to generate sales was very difficult. We failed at both several times but managed to survive somehow. To add to this¡K.our main supplier could not possible meet our demands for product. Despite being paid they would drag their feet for weeks on the smallest of orders, make mistakes, and just plain not get the job done. The worst was them lying to me on a constant basis making me look the fool to my customers and always have to juggle. It¡¦s nothing short of embarrassing! Always trying to please ¡V I was forced to cover these lies!
The first of this year we really thought we had turned a corner. We had a new supplier to work with ¡V one that could better serve our needs. It took more time that expected to get our seats patterned and up and running there and we continued to rely on our old manufacture to supply our smaller items such as boots, rear carpets and T-Top bags. The first of the year was insane. Business doubled and had reached the point of ¡V gee I might have to hire some help! March came along ¡V and it was time for me to quit my day job as my TV show that I was producing was coming to an end. Business had been so brisk that did not hesitate. We were working a business plan that included decreasing our wait times to 2 weeks and really improving the things that lacked! April came and blew me away. We had so much business I could not keep up with it again ¡V it was insane. Then the bottom fell.
A combination of the economy and our in-ability to deliver products in the past really caught up with us. June, July and August were dismal! Without any capital reserves our ability to produce products failed. Some weeks we would have NO orders (2 months prior I was selling 3 seats kits or more a WEEK). Things got very tough and we juggled again! This time it was ME lying to my customers in order to save the sale ¡V knowing that a lost sale or refund could ruin ZTOYZ at the drop of the hat.
Well that day came eventually. Luckily I had started producing again ¡V otherwise I think I might be homeless by this point.
I had a series of things happen about a month and half ago that really caused very serious problems. Customers charging back despite receiving products ¡V shipping company loosing 2 interiors destined for the UK, a few refunds here and there and a continuation in business being slow. Then 4 weeks ago ¡V our earthlink account went down (that¡¦s an even longer story) costing me tons of email and precious communication with customers that were already dealing with late orders. Pressure mounted and I cracked! Most of my friends ¡V which a good portion reside here ¡V had no idea! I simply walked away ¡V to save my sanity!
Just last week while trying to write this letter ¡V my computer crashed¡Kleaving me crippled! After 2 days worth of help from SPOTZ (thank you my friend) we started reloading software and got back up. Our email accounts are still not up (will be today ¡V that¡¦s next) as I have yet to connect my end to servers yet.
We just are not able to get caught up ¡V despite my best efforts.
SO¡K..I will get closer to the point.
Quite simply ¡V I am stubborn! I may loose a battle here and there ¡V but I always win my wars ¡V and right now I am at war with myself and my business. My army is my products and my determination. Both have always been strong ¡V in fact my products are simply the best you can buy with your money. That has never been in question.
The plan:
I have quite a few orders to finish up ¡V and to do that I need to generate business. Our X-mas sale will be posted in a couple of days. I want to make sure I hit the X-mas deadline so we are putting up info a bit early to ensure this happens. If you have been eye balling our stuff for X-mas ¡V BUY NOW so I have enough time to get it to you! It¡¦s going to be on top of us very very fast. Profits from this sale should get us caught back up and running again
We are seeking an investor for operating capital. A return would be sizable as with the proper financing ¡V it would be scary to see this thing grow. Obviously this is a private matter ¡V please contact me privately if you are interested. My steamyz@earthlink.net will be up by days end hopefully and my voice mail will be cleared at 626-794-7887 leaving space for you to leave a message.
IF YOU HAVE AN ORDER PLACED ¡V SENT ME AN EMAIL OR LEFT ME VOICE MAIL PLEASE BE PATIENT ¡V AS I WILL BE IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH YOU IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS WITH MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION. I would greatly appreciate the chance to retain your business and plan to give you as accurate a time frame as I can ¡V and beg! My apologies to you can not be conveyed here¡Kbut rather in person.
Why should I be trusted with your hard earned cash? Why should anyone order from ZTOYZ in light of the above events?
Writing this post is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. It¡¦s so much easier to walk away when things go bad! I am putting my head down and will work through it. Not disappear with your money like others have on this and other forums. I sell a GREAT line of products ¡V not come here and rip people off with sub-standard junk like some companies have in the past.
We are here to stay ¡V and if I do decide to shut this down ¡V NO ONE gets left out in the cold! I am a bigger man that some in the past have been ¡V and been the victim of such action myself.
Second (remember there was a first waaaaay back in the beginning?
I want to thank all of my friends, supporters and admin here at twinturbo.net. This portion will be edited from other boards ¡V as it was TT.net that allowed me to start this journey. My friends have that have done so much for me here ¡V thank you! You know who you are. Damon, Greg and all the admin ¡V thank you for this board and your patience with its members and with me.
There is so much more to all of this that I just can not say due to length and other reasons. In the next few days you will see me advertise again!
This is a letter i posted today on our US boards - i have 2 active customers in the UK that this concerns - i wanted to let you all know where i am coming from with my company here as i wish to serve the UK market after we get our ship on the right track.
My existing UK customers - i will be in contact with in the next couple of days.
First off ¡V hello to the Z community on-line for the first time in a few months ¡V especially to my friends here all over the country.
I have some things to talk about today so this may get a little long. This will also be my last post here under this screen name. I will soon register a new one becoming a newbieƒº I will be sure to ask what color to paint my calipers ¡V LOL. I will not be back in to discuss anything with you so you will have to discuss amongst yourself.
First up ¡V ZTOYZ.NET
What an absolutely depressing situation it has turned into. As some of you know ¡V I have been around operating it for some 4 ¡V 5 years now. Started out of my house literally ¡V my X and I did it for the fun of it. We thought we may make some race gas money on the side to boot. Little did I know then what I know NOW¡K..
For about the 2 years it has been behind the 8 ball financially. While making a profit, my X wife stripped it of its resources and capital reserve (and not by my choice either ¡V and not in court) putting me in a grave situation. At the same time our web-site changed to look more professional, I took on a very challenging position at my day job, Z owners became younger and less personally aware of whom I was online and the economy started to head south. This lead to a more discriminating buyer than we had before. This also led to more business, despite the economy. My wait times were long and growing and there was nothing I could do to ease the problem. Money that came in from orders went to my manufacture to catch on orders that were a month old. We could not keep anything in stock to sell and were trying to meet market demands by launching new products to sell. The constant shuffle of trying to please customers and continue to generate sales was very difficult. We failed at both several times but managed to survive somehow. To add to this¡K.our main supplier could not possible meet our demands for product. Despite being paid they would drag their feet for weeks on the smallest of orders, make mistakes, and just plain not get the job done. The worst was them lying to me on a constant basis making me look the fool to my customers and always have to juggle. It¡¦s nothing short of embarrassing! Always trying to please ¡V I was forced to cover these lies!
The first of this year we really thought we had turned a corner. We had a new supplier to work with ¡V one that could better serve our needs. It took more time that expected to get our seats patterned and up and running there and we continued to rely on our old manufacture to supply our smaller items such as boots, rear carpets and T-Top bags. The first of the year was insane. Business doubled and had reached the point of ¡V gee I might have to hire some help! March came along ¡V and it was time for me to quit my day job as my TV show that I was producing was coming to an end. Business had been so brisk that did not hesitate. We were working a business plan that included decreasing our wait times to 2 weeks and really improving the things that lacked! April came and blew me away. We had so much business I could not keep up with it again ¡V it was insane. Then the bottom fell.
A combination of the economy and our in-ability to deliver products in the past really caught up with us. June, July and August were dismal! Without any capital reserves our ability to produce products failed. Some weeks we would have NO orders (2 months prior I was selling 3 seats kits or more a WEEK). Things got very tough and we juggled again! This time it was ME lying to my customers in order to save the sale ¡V knowing that a lost sale or refund could ruin ZTOYZ at the drop of the hat.
Well that day came eventually. Luckily I had started producing again ¡V otherwise I think I might be homeless by this point.
I had a series of things happen about a month and half ago that really caused very serious problems. Customers charging back despite receiving products ¡V shipping company loosing 2 interiors destined for the UK, a few refunds here and there and a continuation in business being slow. Then 4 weeks ago ¡V our earthlink account went down (that¡¦s an even longer story) costing me tons of email and precious communication with customers that were already dealing with late orders. Pressure mounted and I cracked! Most of my friends ¡V which a good portion reside here ¡V had no idea! I simply walked away ¡V to save my sanity!
Just last week while trying to write this letter ¡V my computer crashed¡Kleaving me crippled! After 2 days worth of help from SPOTZ (thank you my friend) we started reloading software and got back up. Our email accounts are still not up (will be today ¡V that¡¦s next) as I have yet to connect my end to servers yet.
We just are not able to get caught up ¡V despite my best efforts.
SO¡K..I will get closer to the point.
Quite simply ¡V I am stubborn! I may loose a battle here and there ¡V but I always win my wars ¡V and right now I am at war with myself and my business. My army is my products and my determination. Both have always been strong ¡V in fact my products are simply the best you can buy with your money. That has never been in question.
The plan:
I have quite a few orders to finish up ¡V and to do that I need to generate business. Our X-mas sale will be posted in a couple of days. I want to make sure I hit the X-mas deadline so we are putting up info a bit early to ensure this happens. If you have been eye balling our stuff for X-mas ¡V BUY NOW so I have enough time to get it to you! It¡¦s going to be on top of us very very fast. Profits from this sale should get us caught back up and running again
We are seeking an investor for operating capital. A return would be sizable as with the proper financing ¡V it would be scary to see this thing grow. Obviously this is a private matter ¡V please contact me privately if you are interested. My steamyz@earthlink.net will be up by days end hopefully and my voice mail will be cleared at 626-794-7887 leaving space for you to leave a message.
IF YOU HAVE AN ORDER PLACED ¡V SENT ME AN EMAIL OR LEFT ME VOICE MAIL PLEASE BE PATIENT ¡V AS I WILL BE IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH YOU IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS WITH MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION. I would greatly appreciate the chance to retain your business and plan to give you as accurate a time frame as I can ¡V and beg! My apologies to you can not be conveyed here¡Kbut rather in person.
Why should I be trusted with your hard earned cash? Why should anyone order from ZTOYZ in light of the above events?
Writing this post is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. It¡¦s so much easier to walk away when things go bad! I am putting my head down and will work through it. Not disappear with your money like others have on this and other forums. I sell a GREAT line of products ¡V not come here and rip people off with sub-standard junk like some companies have in the past.
We are here to stay ¡V and if I do decide to shut this down ¡V NO ONE gets left out in the cold! I am a bigger man that some in the past have been ¡V and been the victim of such action myself.
Second (remember there was a first waaaaay back in the beginning?
I want to thank all of my friends, supporters and admin here at twinturbo.net. This portion will be edited from other boards ¡V as it was TT.net that allowed me to start this journey. My friends have that have done so much for me here ¡V thank you! You know who you are. Damon, Greg and all the admin ¡V thank you for this board and your patience with its members and with me.
There is so much more to all of this that I just can not say due to length and other reasons. In the next few days you will see me advertise again!
I will again say
Thank you!
Steve