Incandescent Bulb Ban -- delayed til 2014

the 2012 ban of Incandescent bulbs has been delayed until 2014 .... in case you wanted to know

play with WEB-LINK2

we have always ENCOURAGED our staff to PLAY with web-link2 .... get a customer sign-in or we can get you your own ...

PLAY down the LEFT HAND side of the page --see what is free and what is an extra fee ( we just mentioned this to Joe Kneer --why not flag the FREE items - example if you start at Labor - you may stop before you get to Fluid Spec's --thinking they are all FEE and nor FREE...  but see image of fluid spec's

Some of the parts at the bottom PO History ( ? )  and  Invoices and Statements are not meant for independent CARQUEST Jobbers ...so you wonder why they would show --so did I when I also asked that question of Joe

Summary --how can you make better use of the fluid spec's ....

Note -- don't; even ask me about the OEM part number for the Manual Tranny fluid ... what a piss off our INTERCHANGE is so weak --you caN GOOGLE THIS PART #  to find an equiv ... and we wait for the interchange to improve ... and in fact --why would our CQ part # not show in the column  for manual tranny fluid ??  One would think ...

Rotor Spec's --- what do you know ....

Jen from Auto Barn sent me a note late last week - asking for idea's on  how to get rotor spec's ...she has a customer who keeps calling her and having her look them up ...

Here is what awe have found so far ....

Paper - to date ( a few days into ) the data comes from Motor.  Suppliers like Affinia have STOPPED providing this info for FREE and now charge for their book.  The current booklet # is #4281BPI.

Now -- get this - we were originally told this was $13 and change from CARQUEST --I see the price in our system today is $7.01  ( part BDR 4281BPI --- IGNORE what the system says to sell for - always sell at COST for something like this ) .... or call Affinia and use our Auto Sense account ( could get tricky ... but that is another story .... for  ...see reply from rep ...

 These used to be a "free" item up until this past year. They now cost $2.95 per book (our cost) and are available from the order desk @ 1-800-211-1426 ext.3373. The part number is 4281BPI. The spec guides are actually published by Motor Information Systems. We just put our own cover on it. I'm not sure if Motor Information Systems have an electronic version or not. Their web site is www.motor.com

update on paper --got a copy from CARQUEST --the published date is 2007 ...returning it today ...so if you order one - hope you get a newer version  .... like 2011?

WEB Based -  still trying to get more options on web based .... but here is a cute side story ....

Click Here .... to see if Spec's show .....

Now -- Click Here to see if Spec's show ( for the same sample part #)

What ????   The Image represents what you just saw .....  so we have written the Image guys in Raleigh to ask them why the 'standard image'  is not standard ...

HINT -- you might want to BOOK MARK the better URL ( do you know what a URL is  ... if not CLICK HERE ) ...and share with any customers who can benefit .... and show them how you can CHANGE the LINE and the PART# to get different spec's ....

what good Stocking Stuffer ....

every year we need to identify what is a REALLY GOOD value for Christmas ... look at this ... from NorTool  ...click here for the page  and yes --the price show is RETAIL ...at $3.60 retail someone ( no names but he writes this blog ) has 6 as stocking stuffers.  They take AAA ( included ) and remember to remove the paper shield - and you are ready to go ....


Part # is XXX-NOR-24-476 ( we think --the problem with manually written ones is getting it consistent ...right )

CFI web site -- in the clear .... wow ....

Just a reminder that 95% of all the stuff ( and 100% of what we and our customers need ) for CFI Connect  - click here to go )  is not in the clear -- it FINALLY ( gee - 5 years of crap requiring a user name and password --has  it really been that long ...smile ) in the CLEAR


Now --to get the process of fleet surveys set up on google doc's or equiv ... start the  5 year clock ...

UPC data -- 11 or 12 digits ?

Talking with Normand from CARQUEST - they only use 11 digits ( they ignore the last digit ) on the UPC code .... whereas suppliers like Auto Sense use all 12 digits ... oh boy ....

I have ordered a sample scanner for each store -- watch for it to arrive .... as our training in UPC continues...

The images shown here are from our F-8 Data screen .... hot the UPC setup button at the bottom of the screen to see this ... go TRY IT.

Watch for new sku's in CBC battery charger line

a few weeks ago we requested a refresh in CBC as we noticed that Canada was missing the replacement data from the old supplier ( Midtronics) to the new supplier ( Schumacher ) ...so that is updated ... now we tried a move-up.  Normally RETAIL type lines ( non-application parts ) are left to the store manager to keep up to date ( see recent changes in count list - where we count retail lines more in winter - when Managers have more time to REVIEW and make changes ) ...normally ... but I thought --what the heck -- lets try the Exploris moveup ( usually bad news --since moveup has NO DESCRIPTIONS - so I am not quite sure what I am adding -- and in this case we are missing many pictures ( note sent to Ed R to ask if get fixed ) .... anyways .... long storey ... watch for new sku's coming in ....

The image is good example of a part missed by store -- the sales numbers came from the preceding OLD supplier ... Petes is getting a new sku ( the salmon colour tells you that is is NOT in their ACTIVE system ) -- happy selling battery chargers ...

Payroll

I will be doing payroll on the morning of Monday, November 28th. Please make sure that timesheets and vacation/sick days are sent in before that. Payroll will be deposited on Wednesday, November 30th.

Thanks,

Rhonda

E-Cat -- a time to be careful ....

Have noticed that some parts ( working on hub bearings lately ) can show up in one part type but MAY NOT show in a  similar part type --see image ....

ALSO -- some hub bearings may show up as KITS ... and as such may be at the bottom of a page .... take a look around when you are quoting parts -- you may miss an option that is available --- go try a vehicle when you have time --and see for yourself ....

This problem has been reported to Brian Wiggs.

XCR line of econo hub bearings

the XCR line of Econo Hub Bearings -a line that Greg Guyitt has championed for a while -- is changing ... they are switching to NT + BCA type part number

The data has been updated in our system

We have requested the E-Cat data be turned on -request went to Brian Wiggs today - may take a day or two .... NOTE -- using the OLD part numbers we didn;t have E-Cat ...so this is a HUGE benefit ... as linking them is such a pain ...  and Greg at A Barn will be deleting OLD links to avoid excessive duplication in E-Cat ( speaking of Dup's --I noticed the REAR hub bearings in BGS are duplicated - asking Brain Wiggs to correct )

Greg thinks highly of the line - see your store manager to see what he is planning on doing ( or not doing - his call )   this may significantly reduce your BRG stock .... it has NO change on BGS -- our premium line

Image is the new box for XCR

Options - for problem parts

I was using some glue on the weekend --and noticed this ...

The part # was hand written on the part ....  in this case Seal All Glue that we get from Auto Sense ( since CARQUEST doesn't bother importing - so only USA jobbers get ... but it has been a good selling sku and we like to stock it )

BUT --there is also a UPC code on it .... but we don;t have scanners ... I was wondering .....

What happens when you update data in EXPLORIS with UPC codes ( which we are doing for all new price updated on X lines and most parts in CARQUEST should ( err ..should ?)  have a UPC code data

Well -- it works .... have a question why we seemed to duplicate this UPC in this example - there on Seal-All did NOT duplicate .... it might have been something to do with the part was originally manually written up ( hint - no dash between the 156 sub line and the part # ... or it was preciously manually added ... we are asking for a report to list all parts and their UPC data .... we are still waiting ...  the duplicate data leads to the same part --you would have a tougher problem on a UPC code updating to a different # --we have LOTS to learn about UPC codes ....

The UPC data is on a separate pane in the F-8 Part info window -- 

So --go try this .....  grab a part and type in the UPC code # .. 

hint -- pick a CQ part for now --or Seal-All glue ....

One more thing -- TPMS learning course

John from Raleigh reminds us that there is a TPMS learning course on the CQ University ... see image -- you get here thru CQ  Link

If anyone tried it -- tell me and tell Rhonda  ( must tell both for the good thing to happen )

OK -- so you know EVERYTHING about TPMS - eh ?

At a recent staff meeting we followed up on a n e-mail sent to all salesmen on the Camel-Schrader 'universal' TPMS ...  and Neil mentions - oh sure - CARQUEST has that ....   so I write the buyer and he sends me a reply that shows HOW LITTLE WE KNOW about TPMS .... we really appreciate being told and allowing us to get smarter.

Look at the images (  from a power point presentation ) --they get up up to speed pretty quickly.   As always - click to enlarge.

A non-replacable battery ... hmmm ... I love things that make you go 'hmmm '

There are 4 sku's in the -- no quite UNIVERSAL -- think of these as MULTI-VEHICLE .... In aprox order of sales
TPS  SE10001  ( the 315 mz sensor )
TPS SE10004  ( the 434 mz sensor )
TPS 1204A   ( Toyota & Lexus )
TPS 1206A  ( Hyundai & Kia )

I called and talked with my favourite helper (Thanks Mike) and have the movement code improved - so the stock levels will improve ...and I have set a stock level of 4 for EACH STORE ... please keep these at at least this level for 12 months ....  these will probably be back ordered as the warehouse will take some time to ramp up stock levels....

SALESMEN -- get out there and show these to your accounts ...... and maybe you need to bone up on the  EZ-Sensor data from Auto Sense as well - as a back up click here for web site

Of course I updated the supplier  e-cat links on the google doc's so if you want to find the DILL or REDI-Sensor wen sites ( and video's ! ) --- check out our help page --this is why we invest so much time and expense to keep you smarter .... the next step is yours .....

PS - our sales in TPMS are way under average .... especially if you are in a town that starts with E and ends in X ....  look out Joe --more sales mean more taxes you will have to pay .... a good OUCH ..eh?

new DORMAN 'Dealer Only' Part booklet available

The new Vol#3 booklet is available - Ryan has copies for all stores.   Click here for the PDF Link.

We have asked Vince Salfi if he would NOT stonewall the distribution of Dorman booklet thru CARQUEST - you will remember that Peter McNally would go out of his way to stop the distribution -- how brain dead is that action.

Remember that any parts CARQUEST is slow on adding has already been added by that fast crew at Auto Sense.

Please make sure you read this and get it into the hands of your customers ASAP

Oil Charts for ODD BALL applications

Overheard a customer ask us for the oil spes'c on a sky lift the other day -- made me think ... why can;t we have that data ...

Write Kyle as SMH -- they don't have
Ask Neil from Shell and he shows us this link ....  click here     Click on one of the outlines to pick what you need -- still no skyjack ... but will keep asking ...

This data updated on our Google Doc Supplier E-Cat link page -- please try it - we have been adding more data almost daily

Papco Clam Shell sku's

Quietly ...in the night -- CARQUEST adds parts and forgets to tell us Jobbers -- quell surprise ?

009-039	Imperial - Hex Capscrew Grade 8 UNC
848-220	Hex Machine Screw Nut   SS
009-001	Metric - 10.9 Hex Capscrew Bare
009-002	Metric - 10.9 Hex Capscrew Bare
009-027	Metric - 10.9 Hex Nut Bare
009-046	Imperial - Hex Capscrew Grade 8 UNC
009-229	Metric - 8.8 Hex Capscrew Coarse Thread Pltd
009-442	Fluid Flow - Pipe Plug
009-092	18.8 Stainless Steel - Hex Capscrew

Sample sku's listed above --see you manager if you want to add spinner rack.  Picture is close - not exact


D&T ( aka Ryan ) has ordered the display


Note - CARQUEST may have added the sku;s - they have NOT yet added stock - won;t Bill Strong be impressed when we order the first  stock re-order as 'Tie Up' ...smile .. ..

Universal Fuel Pumps - update

CARQUEST updated the sub line ( PN Code ) they host their universal fuel pumps in - we don;t know much more than that .... so we thought we would go of a walk and see .....

There is no official FACET youtube.com channel but there are multiple Facet video's posted ( while we wait for the factory channel ) .... too bad if you are reading this from CARQUEST - we have tried to get youtube unblocked .... but ... it takes time ....  YOUTUBE video's for FACET fuel pumps

We have updated the google doc supplier e-cat list to include Facet Fuel pumps sold under CPF-14 >> click here for the main page of products ...

..  click here for a NEAT  CARQUEST to FACET cross reference - handy as CQ changes their part numbers to annoy us jobbers ( I think that is the only reason .. ?  smile ...wink ...nudge .... WTF ! )

A new part # CPF 40501 was added to all stores --see the cross reference link above to see the difference ... a mvt code 6.2 - it sells in others stores ... somehow they can use the 3  year old paper cat whilst we wait for the long rumoured PDF updated copy .... hope springs eternal.