A New Toy for CorkSport

As we continue to ramp up our CorkSport product line, we have been making some changes to our internal processes to increase delivery time and refine the look and design of the CorkSport brand of products. The latest investment we made is the Epilog Mini 24 Laser etching machine. Why, do you ask, would we get one of these? The laser etcher has a combination of flying-optic design and the highest quality engraving results. This provides a precise etch on a variety of materials and allows us to give you a larger selection of CorkSport logoed products with the highest quality results and precise imaging.

For example, we were originally having our MAF housings for the SRI intake machined, anodized, and then machined again for the logos. This increased the manufacturing time making it more difficult to keep it in stock and available for immediate delivery. Once we made the switch to etching our logo onto the MAF housings with the new laser etching machine, it sped up the time it took to manufacture, which meant keeping more in stock and reducing backorders and delivery times.

We also began using the machine to laser etch our logo onto the CorkSport Mud Flaps. Now, rather than applying a vinyl logo, we are able to offer the mud flaps with a durable etched logo that has a superior look that will never rub off. You can pressure wash our mud flaps without any worry of damaging the logos.

On a side note, if you want to have a custom set of logoed mud flaps made, contact Chris and he can hook you up with that.

Now that we have more flexibility with our branding process, if you have an idea of something that you would like to see branded, let us know!

Derrick

Shiptastic – Shipping the CorkSport Way

Often times companies will give what appears to be “free shipping” to their customers by absorbing the shipping cost into the price of the product and then passing it off as a value add, when in reality the customer still pays for the shipping in the form of higher priced products. At CorkSport, we wanted to find a better way to give our customers value when it came to shipping, so we created a program that would provide complete transparency on shipping costs and peace of mind that our goal is to make our company profitable from the development and sales of CorkSport products, not on shipping and logistics costs.

Through feedback and focus groups, in February of this year we implemented a new shipping policy that we felt made sense to our customers. As a part of the new program, if it was determined during our shipping audit that your shipping cost and administrative charges amounted to less than what we charged you, we would issue you a refund for the overcharged amount.

Since the inception of this program, we have refunded nearly $2000 to our customers. This is not because we are bad at estimating shipping charges, on the contrary, our logistics department is constantly monitoring and updating our shipping quotes to give you the best possible idea of what your potential cost will be. Rather, this is a symptom of the literally millions of ways parts can be combined into a single purchase, the various freight and shipping methods and frequency, and the unpredictable fuel surcharges that factor into the day-to-day flux of shipping prices.

Cost does matter, and our strategy is to focus on reducing the total cost drivers that add little value to the development of the part so that we can produce a win/win situation by providing the highest quality part for the best possible price.

This unique take on giving our customers the best value in the marketplace is just one such example of the relationship CorkSport wants to continue to support with the Mazda community. Transparency, value, honesty and integrity are staples in our mission statement and we hope that comes through in each interaction that you, our customers, have with CorkSport whether it is on the phone, by email, during your purchase process, on our blog or Facebook page, or at an event.

Have you received a shipping refund from CorkSport or appreciate this policy? Let us know by commenting on this post or on our Facebook page today:

Gwynne-

Is Your Car a Pinup?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and CorkSport agrees. That is why we would like to invite our community of Mazda enthusiasts with current CorkSport mods to submit a photo collection for our 2012 CorkSport calendar!

CorkSport Mazdaspeed 3

Show off your ride by submitting your photos for consideration before August 31, 2011 and be sure to include:

• 3 professional style photos of your ride
• A minimum of 300 dpi for good print quality
• A list of modifications
• You must have permission to use the photo and you must grant CorkSport permission to use the photo in print and on the web.
• If possible, please remove the license plates for the photos or avoid shots that include the plate numbers. If it is unavoidable, you can either remove them digitally, or we can attempt to blur them out.
• This calendar will be used to promote the CorkSport brand. If your photo is selected, a complimentary calendar will be mailed to you upon release.

Submissions or questions can be sent to Dustin at the following link

Gwynne-