Listing tire brands and sizes online without an inventory system

Why customers want to see sizes and brands

A driver who just learned they need tires usually has one question: can this shop get my tires, today? If your site doesn't say what you carry, they'll call the shop that does, or order online and look for a place to mount them.

The good news is you don't need to show every tire on your racks. You need to show enough that they trust you can handle their car.

What to list instead of live inventory

Brands you carry regularly. Put them in a simple list. If you stock a mix of premium, mid-range and budget lines, say so. Customers are often shopping by brand name they recognize or by price tier.

Common sizes you keep on hand. Every shop has its sizes that move. Maybe it's 205/55R16 and 225/65R17 because of the sedans and crossovers in your area. Maybe it's light truck sizes because you're near job sites. A short list tells customers you're stocked for vehicles like theirs.

Used tires. If you sell them, say it clearly and say how you handle them. For example:

• Inspected for tread depth and damage
• Common sizes in stock, others by request
• Sold mounted and balanced

What you can order. Most shops can get most sizes within a day or two from a distributor. Say that. "Don't see your size? We can usually get it fast" removes a lot of hesitation.

A simple layout that works

| Section | What it says | |---|---| | Brands | The 5 to 10 brands you carry most | | In stock | Your most common sizes, by vehicle type | | Used tires | Yes or no, sizes, how they're checked | | Special order | Turnaround and how to request | | Quote | Form asking for tire size or year/make/model |

Make the size easy to send

Most people don't know their tire size off the top of their head. Help them find it:

1. Tell them it's printed on the tire sidewall, like 225/65R17.
2. Tell them it's also on the sticker inside the driver's door.
3. If they can't find it, ask for year, make and model instead.

Then give them a form field for it. When the request comes in, you have exactly what you need to quote. No back-and-forth.

Keep it accurate without constant updates

The trick to not needing an inventory system is to list things that don't change week to week. Your brands probably don't change often. Your most common sizes are steady. Used tire stock changes daily, so don't list specific used tires; just say you carry them and to call or send a size.

Update the list a couple of times a year, or when you add or drop a brand. With WebsiteHandled, that kind of change is a quick edit you can request.

What not to do

• Don't list prices you can't honor. Tire prices move with your distributor. A quote by request is safer than a number that's out of date.
• Don't claim "every size in stock." Nobody has every size. Say what you stock and that you can order the rest.
• Don't hide the phone number behind the form. Some people want to call. Let them.

The bottom line

Customers don't need to see your whole inventory. They need to know you carry tires like theirs and that you can quote fast. List your brands, your common sizes and whether you sell used, then make sending a tire size easy.