26 replies to this topic

[roberts]

Good morning TMF,

 

We are in the middle of revamping our boot lining kit range and we would like some feedback...

 

Regrettably, with a price of £45 (+P&P) you guys are no longer buying our original boot lining kit. It’s never been the cheapest kit on the market, but that hasn’t ever mattered as you guys have always been willing to pay a little bit more, to get something far superior. Frustratingly though, following a recent price increase of £5 (in August 2017), the jump from £35 (inc P&P) for the entry level boot liners available on eBay to £45 (+P&P) for our kit is obviously too much.

 

As always, we listen to our customers, we understand what you want and as a result and we are in the process of developing a new range of boot liners - including two different boot liners, designed specifically with your budgets in mind:

1. The first new boot lining kit will be an entry level boot lining kit, designed and developed to rival the budget entry level end of the market.
    
2. The second new kit will be a premium level boot lining kit and will without doubt be the best boot lining kit we have ever offered - it will be head and shoulder above anything else on the market and it will be more of an install kit, rather than a lining kit.

As part of our research we purchased one of the £35 (inc P&P) entry level boot liners available on eBay, “how do they do it?” was our thinking, surly if others can offer such a cheap kit, we can as well.

 

Anyway, without going into details, we can see exactly how it's so cheap - it's terrible and despite being able to offer this kit for around the same price (inc P&P) we instantly decided that there is no way we would want to put our name to something so badly made that really doesn't fit in the boot.

 

However, this did make us curious and we would love to hear from those of you who have purchased and owned the kit.

 

Why are you guys happy with this kit? Why is it still available after so many years? And, should we offer an identical kit?
 

We would be very interested to know why you like the kit (despite it being terrible):

• Do you “let it off” because it’s so cheap?
• Do you accept that something so cheap will need modification to make it fit (it needs a support on the right hand side, otherwise it's pointless)?
• Something else (please let us know)?

Please let us know.

 

 

Regards,

Andy @ Optimise Automotive

Edited by roberts, 27 October 2017 - 04:18 PM.

[Steve220]

Andy - On a slightly side note to what you've written above, I'd be willing to fork out for a quality boot lining kit. The thing that puts me off so many is the floor sections on some - you can see underneath them as well as the brackets or there is a massive lip. I want something that looks like it came from the factory.

Edited by Steve220, 25 October 2017 - 09:04 AM.

[r3k1355]

We would be very interested to know why you like the kit (despite it being terrible):

• Do you “let it off” because it’s so cheap?
• Do you accept that something so cheap will need modification to make it fit (it needs a support on the right hand side, otherwise it's pointless)?
• Something else (please let us know)?

Please let us know.

 

Buy cheap, curse it for being cheap rubbish but fit it anyway because you've paid for it now.

Get annoyed everytime you open the boot and see the poorly fitting mess, so quickly close the boot and try to ignore it.

 

Eventually get round to buying a proper liner and realise how stupid it was to buy cheap crap in the first place.

 

Rinse and repeat because some people never learn.

[roberts]

Andy - On a slightly side note to what you've written above, I'd be willing to fork out for a quality boot lining kit. The thing that puts me off so many is the floor sections on some - you can see underneath them as well as the brackets or there is a massive lip. I want something that looks like it came from the factory.

 

Our range of quality boot liners can be found here: LINK

 

With regards to the floor panel - the battery and spare wheel sit above the boot opening edge, so there is no other feasible option (for a generic boot lining kit) other than to have a either a gap (between the boot edge and the base board) or a lip (like our current boot lining kits).

 

The only alternative is to remove the spare wheel from the boot and install a shorter battery (or find somewhere else to house the standard battery), this would allow the boot lining floor to then be installed level with the boot opening. We could certainly offer this kit as a bespoke option (or even as a product range item if it is something that people want), but as I have just mentioned you would need to remove your spare wheel and find a solution to lowering the height of your battery.

 

Let me know what you think.

 

 

Regards,

Andy @ Optimise Automotive

[Steve220]

Andy - I get what you're saying., although I will be removing my spare wheel. I've seen some kits have a slight incline towards the bulkhead to cater, although i know this won't really work for the spare wheel, more the battery. I planned on making my own as I wanted to incorporate a door to get to the washer tank.

[Tommyboy12]

I think this might be to do with perception. The eBay special may well be poor compared to a premium version but does the customer actually perceive a benefit from the higher price of the premium one. If not then why pay more? If you can show a substantiated benefit to spending more then people will pay, otherwise they will do what I did and buy the cheap one because really it's just a bit of board with some carpet on.

[roberts]

Andy - I get what you're saying., although I will be removing my spare wheel. I've seen some kits have a slight incline towards the bulkhead to cater, although i know this won't really work for the spare wheel, more the battery. I planned on making my own as I wanted to incorporate a door to get to the washer tank.

 

First and foremost the sole concept behind a boot lining kit has to be functionality (function is the main reason why you would look to install a boot liner), so I can't help but think that a base board with an incline (front to back) would be a terrible idea... everything would roll out the boot, which in return makes the purpose of a boot lining kit pointless.

 

With regards to the access to the windscreen washer bottle:

• Our current kit allows easy access to the bottle (by simply removing the right hand side board).
• And moving forward (with our new range), our entry level kit will not have access to the windscreen washer bottle (unfortunately, it fits together in a way that doesn't allow for a removable right hand side board), but our deluxe lining kit will have easy access (just like our current kit).

Good luck making your kit and if you find a solution to the flat base board dilemma let us know (we are always interesting to see how things work).

 

 

Regards,

Andy @ Optimise Automotive

[Steve220]

Andy - I get what you're saying., although I will be removing my spare wheel. I've seen some kits have a slight incline towards the bulkhead to cater, although i know this won't really work for the spare wheel, more the battery. I planned on making my own as I wanted to incorporate a door to get to the washer tank.

 
First and foremost the sole concept behind a boot lining kit has to be functionality (function is the main reason why you would look to install a boot liner), so I can't help but think that a base board with an incline (front to back) would be a terrible idea... everything would roll out the boot, which in return makes the purpose of a boot lining kit pointless.
 
With regards to the access to the windscreen washer bottle:

• Our current kit allows easy access to the bottle (by simply removing the right hand side board).
• And moving forward (with our new range), our entry level kit will not have access to the windscreen washer bottle (unfortunately, it fits together in a way that doesn't allow for a removable right hand side board), but our deluxe lining kit will have easy access (just like our current kit).

Good luck making your kit and if you find a solution to the flat base board dilemma let us know (we are always interesting to see how things work).
 
 
Regards,
Andy @ Optimise Automotive

It's only a slight incline. I'm sure i've got a picture somewhere (saw it at Bingley this year), i'll post one up!

[roberts]

I think this might be to do with perception. The eBay special may well be poor compared to a premium version but does the customer actually perceive a benefit from the higher price of the premium one. If not then why pay more? If you can show a substantiated benefit to spending more then people will pay, otherwise they will do what I did and buy the cheap one because really it's just a bit of board with some carpet on.

 

Yeah, we couldn't agree more - we completely understand that there are always going be Classic Mini owners that only look at the cheapest option available and the section of the market who think like that will never buy the better/more expensive option.

 

As a result, that is why we are curious about this and asking if we should offer an identical kit (even though it is terrible).

 

I would also like to follow up on a one of your points and with regards to perceiving a benefit between the kits that are available...

 

We haven't ever offered a premium kit (that is something we will be launching soon), we have only ever offered our version of a boot lining kit. It just happens to be far superior to the others available (it's a lot more than a few carpeted boards) and because of the additional manufacturing costs, it costs a bit more.

 

Until recently it's been an additional £10 (inc P&P), which was already a substantial difference. However just by analysing the kits descriptions and also by looking at the photos, the benefits are clear and the additional £10 was well worth it. It's only after our recent price increases that sales have dropped (we regrettably can't help the increases, minimum wage increases and work based pensions are the cause behind increased labour charges across the UK).

 

Anyway, the biggest glaring difference, to me, between the two kits are the photos on eBay. On the photos of the cheap kit you can clearly see the bulkhead in the photo. This should scream at any potential buyer "this kit doesn't fit", quite clearly the back board is too small (if the seller/manufacturer can't get a kit to fit correctly for a promotional photo, it definitely doesn't fit).

 

So, with regards to perceiving a benefit between the kits, there isn't really anything we can do to promote our kit better, if you guys are happy buying a kit that clearly doesn't fit (the photo is right in front of you and you still buy it). It's actually as if we took the photos for them and made it look bad, to stop people from buying it.

 

So, what do you think.... should we also be offering an identical kit?

 

 

Regards,

Andy @ Optimise Automotive

Edited by roberts, 25 October 2017 - 02:39 PM.

[Albino_Hedgehog]

I am interested to know the advantages in your premium kit over your current example.

What will the cost increase be?

I would hope that an even more premium kit will only highlight more the advantage of the current version over the cheap & nasty.

In this case people may go in the middle, instead of the obviously cheap, and out of my budget premium!

[roberts]

I am interested to know the advantages in your premium kit over your current example.

What will the cost increase be?

I would hope that an even more premium kit will only highlight more the advantage of the current version over the cheap & nasty.

In this case people may go in the middle, instead of the obviously cheap, and out of my budget premium!

 

We are still finalising costings, but below prices shouldn't be far off:

• Entry level should be £35 (+P&P) trimmed in a black carpet and £40 (+P&P) trimmed in other colours.
• Deluxe kit should be £55 (+P&P) or £65 (+P&P) with the removable battery access panel option.
• The sub boot lining kit will now be £80 (+P&P) for the kit form sub box option or £100 for the assembled sub box option.

Full specifications & options will be listed a later date when we launch them.

 

 

Regards,

Andy @ Optimise Automotive

[blacktulip]

From a "never had one" side,I am put off purely by the weight gain. If a kit came on the market that was very light weight but still strong and had the look of factory fit, I would be very interested in paying decent money for one.

[roberts]

From a "never had one" side,I am put off purely by the weight gain. If a kit came on the market that was very light weight but still strong and had the look of factory fit, I would be very interested in paying decent money for one.

 

Yes, we can certainly offer a bespoke carbon fibre lightweight kit.

 

Our new entry level boot liner weights around 5.2kg and the new deluxe boot liner weights around 6.2kg (our current boot lining kit weights around 6kg), so carbon fibre would be the perfect lightweight substitute for the 6mm MDF.

1. Carbon fibre will sustain the rigidity and stability of the boot liner boards.
2. It will also be the only material that saves enough weight to interest you.

I have just had a quick chat with our friends over at Easy Composites and something like the 1mm high strength carbon fibre sheet that they offer would be perfect. As a result, you would be looking at around the £400 mark.

 

Please ping me over an email ([email protected]) and we can get get the ball rolling for you (it's never crossed our mind, but a carbon fibre boot lining kit would look absolutely stunning.

 

 

Regards,

Andy @ Optimise Automtoive.

Edited by roberts, 27 October 2017 - 08:31 AM.

[Deathrow]

Before I start, there's a good chance this might sound like I'm having a go but be assured that's not my intention, I'm just trying to get my points across and be helpful.
 
Firstly, you keep talking about how your boot liners are of a superior quality and fit than those of your competitors on eBay but from looking at the products on your website there appears to be absolutely no evidence of this. Now that's not me disputing the quality of your boot liners, I've never seen one. What I am saying though is if you want people to feel that your boot liner is worth the money over the one on eBay you need to show them.

Looking at this product page for example: http://optauto.easys.../"CM/BLP/BLK/O". There's one picture of the pieces that make up the kit (more on that in a moment), there's no pictures of the rear of the boards to show how the carpet is attached on the rear or weather or not it's a good job or not. Maybe the back is entirely carpeted? That'd be great but I've no clue because you don't show it. Equally I haven't got the faintest idea if it will fit well because there isn't a picture of one fitted to a car.

Let's see what we find on eBay, first relevant result picked here: http://www.ebay.co.u...et/162690127024. That actually happens to be more expensive than your kit and they've also not done themselves any favours with the pictures either. However the one picture that there is looks almost exactly the same as the image on your website.

 

EDIT: On closer inspection I can see that actually that eBay seller appears to be you. Why are you selling your products under two different brands?

To summarise, more pictures! Show your customer why your product is better! From your posts it's obvious you take pride in the quality of what you guys are producing over there, show the customer! Show them how great it will fit in their car.

Secondly, materials. I have always felt that adding sheets of MDF to the boot of the car to be anything but 'optimal'. However as you outlined above a carbon fibre solution is complete overkill and I can't see there being a market for £400 boot lining kits.

 

However, have you considered looking in to developing a boot lining kit using plastic? Either through the use of vacuum forming or injection moulding? I can imagine a 3-piece kit where there is a cover that registers on the driver side inner wheel arch and the battery compartment, another registers over the fuel tank and then a piece in the middle overlaps those two slightly completing the assembly. This is just an idea, obviously there's cost involved in developing something like this but it's genuinely innovative and I believe would be the first boot liner to be built using modern processes.

[roberts]

Before I start, there's a good chance this might sound like I'm having a go but be assured that's not my intention, I'm just trying to get my points across and be helpful.
 
Firstly, you keep talking about how your boot liners are of a superior quality and fit than those of your competitors on eBay but from looking at the products on your website there appears to be absolutely no evidence of this. Now that's not me disputing the quality of your boot liners, I've never seen one. What I am saying though is if you want people to feel that your boot liner is worth the money over the one on eBay you need to show them.

Looking at this product page for example: http://optauto.easys.../"CM/BLP/BLK/O". There's one picture of the pieces that make up the kit (more on that in a moment), there's no pictures of the rear of the boards to show how the carpet is attached on the rear or weather or not it's a good job or not. Maybe the back is entirely carpeted? That'd be great but I've no clue because you don't show it. Equally I haven't got the faintest idea if it will fit well because there isn't a picture of one fitted to a car.

Let's see what we find on eBay, first relevant result picked here: http://www.ebay.co.u...et/162690127024. That actually happens to be more expensive than your kit and they've also not done themselves any favours with the pictures either. However the one picture that there is looks almost exactly the same as the image on your website.

 

EDIT: On closer inspection I can see that actually that eBay seller appears to be you. Why are you selling your products under two different brands?

To summarise, more pictures! Show your customer why your product is better! From your posts it's obvious you take pride in the quality of what you guys are producing over there, show the customer! Show them how great it will fit in their car.

Secondly, materials. I have always felt that adding sheets of MDF to the boot of the car to be anything but 'optimal'. However as you outlined above a carbon fibre solution is complete overkill and I can't see there being a market for £400 boot lining kits.

 

However, have you considered looking in to developing a boot lining kit using plastic? Either through the use of vacuum forming or injection moulding? I can imagine a 3-piece kit where there is a cover that registers on the driver side inner wheel arch and the battery compartment, another registers over the fuel tank and then a piece in the middle overlaps those two slightly completing the assembly. This is just an idea, obviously there's cost involved in developing something like this but it's genuinely innovative and I believe would be the first boot liner to be built using modern processes.

 

 

Good afternoon,

 

First up, thanks for taking the time to respond in such detail - however (and I am sorry about this), you have completely misunderstood the purpose of this topic, if that is somehow my fault, please accept my apologies for that (after the initial post we have managed to go off topic, but I didn't want to ignore valid questions from the forum - I perhaps should have returned the questions more obviously to the post/poll topic).

 

I would like to say... all of your points are valid in relation to our boot lining kits, but I'm afraid they are not valid to this thread/poll. We know exactly what we need to do with our new range of boot lining kits. And yes, this includes selling them differently with different descriptions - I could go into detail but I won't as I would like to get this topic back to the question I asked and you will see exactly what we are doing with the new range very soon (we hope to launch the new range next week).

 

So... let get back onto topic:

 

I set this thread up to find out about the cheap eBay boot liner and I thought I was quite clear with my questions and the poll I created (again, please accept my apologies if this it not the case).

 

I'll take this back to my initial post and the poll question (and fingers crossed this explain things a bit simpler):

• We are in the middle of revamping our boot lining kit range and we would like some feedback.
• Our currently boot lining kit is now too expensive (£45 +P&P) and sales have dropped dramatically since the price increases.
• As a result, we are launching two new boot liners, an entry level kit and a deluxe kit.
• As part of our research we purchased the cheapest kit on the market (£35 inc P&P), it's terrible, it doesn't even do the job.

So, we would like to know:

• Why are you guys happy with this kit?
• And, should we offer an identical kit?

I set up this thread (with a poll) to find out and the poll question is:

 

Why do you like the cheap boot lining kits (despite them being terrible)?

 

And the options are:

• Do you “let it off” because it’s so cheap?
• Do you accept that something so cheap will need modification to make it fit (it needs a support on the right hand side, otherwise it's pointless)? 
• Something else (please let us know)?

So we are still really interested and we would really like to know if we should be offering the cheap boot lining kit?

 

EDIT: We are not asking why people buy the cheap kit or why people buy the cheap kit over our kit or why people don't buy a boot lining kit. We are asking why people think the cheap kit, is a good kit. And, we would like to know if we should offer a replica cheap kit.

 

 

Regards,

Andy @ Optimise Automotive

Edited by roberts, 27 October 2017 - 02:36 PM.