Product drawings for download and ROI

[madcadder]

I looking for some hand-grenade figures.

What I would like to find out is if anyone could tell me,


"Yes, once we added our company's product drawings to the internet our sales increased X%"
or

"No, we went through all this expense and had a minimal ROI out of the deal; I wouldn't do it again if starting from square one."

I am faced with checking, updating, and finalizing 2000+ drawings to go on the internet for Architects/Engineers/Designers to download and use in their design.

We are looking into have a DWG of the full piece in plan view, a PDF of a section cut, a spec page for that particular item, and a product photo all listed together for customer use.

The product photos should be done before 12/28 by our media department. Do I want to go behind them and spend the next 6-9 months adding CAD w/ Specs?

All voices welcome... Experienced voices highly needed....

Thanks,

[andy.manninen]

GASP! 2000+ drawings?!?! Can you get away with "representative" drawings? And save yourself 90% workload?

:Cheers:

[madcadder]

GASP! 2000+ drawings?!?! Can you get away with "representative" drawings? And save yourself 90% workload?

:Cheers:


It's not as bad as it sounds... For a lot of the drawings they are the exact same. I may have a drawing for Perf in carbon steel, galvanized, 304 SS and 316 SS. Only drawn once, but saved four times under different stock item numbers.

One the other hand I may need to do some 19W4 grating, have 4 drawings for various widths and lengths, more for smooth vs serrated. There again, I get to save multiples for Steel vs Galv. 2000-2500 files, but 500-800 different drawings. Maybe...

[Richard McDonald]

When looking for CAD details for my drawing I inevitably have to register on the site before they let me at them.

I can think of only one reason for this and that is to target the sale people on particular clients.

The true value may not be determinable in monitory value directly from the drawings.

[steve922542]

Unfortunately I do not have numbers for you. However, as one of those annoying designers that expects everything to be available on the site, I can say that I am much more likely to use your products in my designs, even if it has to say 'or equal.'

One idea would be to post a 'click here to receive CAD file' button on your site. Once they click through you offer a next day email of up to 5 products. This would have two advantages:

1. You can go live much earlier because you do not have to have all 2000+ drawings done now.
2. The response rate should provide some guidance as to the eventual demand, although it is hard to predict.

Extra credit for Revit ready data