What will Slate's Accessories Marketplace Portal be like?

[Letas]

OK so both @Letas and @E90400K are in the "they'll pay someone else to do it for them" camp.

Could be.

You need to have it one way or the other though: It's so easy a team of five could do it, or it's so hard they need to pay (TradeMotion | Oracle | SAP) to do it.

I'd prefer they maintain locus of control, so if it's possible to accomplish in-house that would be the way to go.

At the launch even Chris Barman said something like "We looked a what the industry was doing and did the opposite.", so there's that.

Running these backends is easy, building them from the ground up is not. And there’s no reason to unless it can give you an explicit competitive advantage (see amazon). Slates distro model is relatively simple, I personally don’t see a value prop for it.

I’m sure there’s a Barman quote for any situation. What else are they doing different? Perhaps they saw other companies were paying employees, so Slate will try the opposite, working on a barter system?
Point being, if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it

 

[E90400K]

OK so both @Letas and @E90400K are in the "they'll pay someone else to do it for them" camp.

Could be.

You need to have it one way or the other though: It's so easy a team of five could do it, or it's so hard they need to pay (TradeMotion | Oracle | SAP) to do it.

I'd prefer they maintain locus of control, so if it's possible to accomplish in-house that would be the way to go.

At the launch even Chris Barman said something like "We looked a what the industry was doing and did the opposite.", so there's that.

Slate selling auto parts on the internet is not new technology. Why reinvent the wheel? Makes no business sense.

 

[AZFox]

Slate selling auto parts on the internet is not new technology. Why reinvent the wheel?

"Because your custom wheel fits better and is a much better wheel" would be a good reason.

Why shoehorn into something developed according to someone else's guidelines rather than yours?

Just an example: A solution made for manufacturers with franchise dealerships might not be a good fit for Slate Auto because they don't have dealerships.

Maybe Slate can come up with unique functionality that results in more sales, who knows?

I think a self-developed site could foster a community atmosphere. Does your BMW parts site have user reviews with pictures and videos of happy customers showing off their parts and accessories?

 

[AZFox]

Running these backends is easy, building them from the ground up is not. And there’s no reason to unless it can give you an explicit competitive advantage (see amazon). Slates distro model is relatively simple, I personally don’t see a value prop for it.

Fair enough.

I think the value prop is in creating a better customer experience.

Edit: Maybe a better vendor experience, too. That could help profits, and it's right in Peter Faricy's wheelhouse.

 

[E90400K]

"Because your custom wheel fits better and is a much better wheel" would be a good reason.

Why shoehorn into something developed according to someone else's guidelines rather than yours?

Just an example: A solution made for manufacturers with franchise dealerships might not be a good fit for Slate Auto because they don't have dealerships.

Maybe Slate can come up with unique functionality that results in more sales, who knows?

I think a self-developed site could foster a community atmosphere. Does your BMW parts site have user reviews with pictures and videos of happy customers showing off their parts and accessories?

Man, it is just auto parts. I can easily find any part I need by my vehicle's VIN lookup. I need what I need, the ease of the buying experience is what is key. There is no need to give a review if I buy a replacement slate gray left front fender from Slate. The dealership sales model has nothing to do with sales process other than the dealership is BMW's local distributor. The TradeMotion retail software suite can work just as easily for Slate Motors USA. It is over-the-internet direct-to-consumer either way.

And stop hanging on TradeMotion, I used it just as an example of the auto parts e-commerce process. FoMoCo has a corporate direct-to-consumer sales site for accessories and performance parts. The point is, the direct to consumer automotive parts and accessories e-commerce environment already exists and has already been perfected; this will not be a monumental task for Slate.

Slate says its engineering bill of materials is some just 600 parts. 75% of those parts are not going to be LRU (lowest replaceable units) by the Slate Truck owner. So, Slate needs a site to handle some 150 LRU? That's pretty much child's play in 2026 for e-commerce auto parts.

It's already been done. You've not been on, for example, the Advanced Auto Parts e-commerce site?

 

[AZFox]

Man, it is just auto parts.

No, it's for selling parts and accessories for a vehicle that caters to DIY enthusiasts.

It will be part of what Chris Barman has described as "a complete paradigm change in the car buying experience".

They could put Wish Lists in there or do all kinds of other innovative stuff that FoMoCo would never dream of.

 

[E90400K]

No, it's for selling parts and accessories for a vehicle that caters to DIY enthusiasts.

It will be part of what Chris Barman has described as "a complete paradigm change in the car buying experience".

They could put Wish Lists in there or do all kinds of other innovative stuff that FoMoCo would never dream of.

Go look at the FoMoCo site. Ford's Bronco is and was designed from the get-go to be just as customizable and DIY'able as Slate. Ford said so in its mission statement at the Bronco launch in April 2020.

Jeep is another example. Ford's Bronco ecosystem is modeled off the Jeep's aftermarket DIY modification ecosystem. Its the same shit Slate says it wants to do. This is not new. No matter how much you believe Slate's hype about DIY customization blah, blah, blah, it has already been done. Many times over.

 

[AZFox]

Go look at the FoMoCo site. Ford's Bronco is and was designed from the get-go to be just as customizable and DIY'able as Slate.

Seriously?

 

[E90400K]

Seriously?

Seriously. LOL.

Diff upgrades, racks, tents, wheels, spare tire covers, body stripes, floor mats, soft tops, hardtops, storage, security, engine tunes. Screen shot in blue is from the April 2020 reveal literature. Note:
We’re trying something new with Bronco vehicles to make sure you can build the Bronco that is right for you. Instead of the usual good, better, best approach, we want you to build toward your outdoor pursuits. Follow these 4 steps and choose from a wide selection of available factory options and Ford accessories. Then, when it’s time to turn your reservation into an order, you’ll have already created a Bronco that’s perfect for you.

Sound familiar?

Note the "add to cart" button for each part/accessory.

 

[Letas]

Fair enough.

I think the value prop is in creating a better customer experience.

Edit: Maybe a better vendor experience, too. That could help profits, and it's right in Peter Faricy's wheelhouse.

Sure... but how. The only real idea mentioned in this thread has been reviews and a wish list. Those are simple front end changes, not monumental asks.

I agree, the Slate site needs to be a good experience. I still can't really tell if your argument is they need to build the entire front end from scratch, the entire front end AND back end, or something else....

This entire thread feels like buzzwords surrounded by no substance. Go click around on tesla.com, rivian.com or even canyon.com. These are examples of good, well-done D2C sites. I think Slate should try to emulate these, not shy away from them.

 

[E90400K]

Sure... but how. The only real idea mentioned in this thread has been reviews and a wish list. Those are simple front end changes, not monumental asks.

I agree, the Slate site needs to be a good experience. I still can't really tell if your argument is they need to build the entire front end from scratch, the entire front end AND back end, or something else....

This entire thread feels like buzzwords surrounded by no substance. Go click around on tesla.com, rivian.com or even canyon.com. These are examples of good, well-done D2C sites. I think Slate should try to emulate these, not shy away from them.

And I'll add, which I've said before in the CEO thread, why was a change required at the C-Suite position to implement an e-commerce site for Slate. How could the e-commerce side take most of the Slate CEO's energy and focus, when the most important issue at hand for Slate was standing up the factory and get the machine (i.e. the human capital, physical plant, and manufacturing control software) that builds the Truck functioning for full-rate production. Profit comes from volume production at peak efficiency.

Creation of an e-commerce site is one of the easier and minor endeavors of the Slate roll out. It barely requires the CEO's attention.

 

[AZFox]

Diff upgrades, racks, tents, wheels, spare tire covers, body stripes, floor mats, soft tops, hardtops, storage, security, engine tunes.

There's a stark difference between that and what Slate is doing, where personalization is a much higher priority.

It's right in the name: Blank Slate

The Blank Slate has over 100 Slate Access Points. There are Wrap Kits. You install infotainment of your choice. It's way different and that's obvious.

"We Built It. You Make It" is Slate's slogan.

Your Slate is supposed to evolve as time and finances permit, so that factors in as well.

 

[Letas]

There's a stark difference between that and what Slate is doing, where personalization is a much higher priority.

It's right in the name: Blank Slate

The Blank Slate has over 100 Slate Access Points. There are Wrap Kits. You install infotainment of your choice. It's way different and that's obvious.

"We Built It. You Make It" is Slate's slogan.

Your Slate is supposed to evolve as time and finances permit, so that factors in as well.

And how does that change the need for a website to sell products?

 

[AZFox]

And how does that change the need for a website to sell products?

It turns the mere need for a website to sell products into an opportunity to make the site a better experience that promotes engagement and sells more products.

Maybe make it something where people can surf around the site looking at what other people have created out of their Blank Slates to get creative ideas.... or something like that.

 

[E90400K]

There's a stark difference between that and what Slate is doing, where personalization is a much higher priority.

It's right in the name: Blank Slate

The Blank Slate has over 100 Slate Access Points. There are Wrap Kits. You install infotainment of your choice. It's way different and that's obvious.

"We Built It. You Make It" is Slate's slogan.

Your Slate is supposed to evolve as time and finances permit, so that factors in as well.

Brother, you're just reaching now. The ORV customization market for Jeep and Broncos far more broad and deep than Slate's limited customization, which is basically wraps, decals, a few wheels, two suspension choices, an SUV kit and cargo van kit. Oh, and electric windows. Its supported by both the vehicle manufacturers and a large group of 3rd-party aftermarket companies. And all of it is sold via e-commerce.

Its been done, multiple times over multiple decades. So much so, its old hat.

In fact, "Slatelets" are nothing more than a copy of the Jeep rubber duck thing.