Changing catagories in Mdoz

First, I would like to say this forum seems to be an excellent way for those of us that are not completely proficient with the Open Directory Project to get help.

I listed my website prior to the creation of a new catagory. My website contains thousands of bar and resturant products and our name reflects we are a foodservice dealer. When I listed my site, the closest catagory available was Hopsitality (Hotel). Since then a catagory for foodservice equipment has opened. For the past three years I have been requesting, begging, pleaded and getting frusterated to no avail. In an attempt to sway the editors, I included the Websters Dictionary definition of both foodservice and Hospitality. Since they still refuse to change the catagory, I want to know if my website could be removed and resubmitted under the correct catagory?
I know a portion of the response is going to be related to the benefit of the end user. The end user wastes time and looses confidence in the direcory when they are directed to a site that does not contain the information they are seeking. I have also wasted time fielding telephone calls and receiving email of people who want to buy products that I do not sell. Please instruct me on how to suggest this change to my editor so they will view my site objectively.

web page

Thank you,
Chad

So, you want Business/Food_and_Related_Products/Foodservice_Equipment or something similar? Why is the current location of Business/Hospitality/Supplies_and_Equipment/Equipment so bad? You seem to be in an appropriate spot.

You haven't submitted an "update URL" request in a long time, maybe 8 or 9 months. There's no request waiting right now which would get your site considered for a move.

At first glance your site is a true Shopping site, not a Business site. Perhaps a location in Shopping would be more appropriate.

[Aside: You appear to be an internet-only shop. Your "about us" page has nothing "about you" that I can see. Are you sure people will buy from someone with a business set up like that - just an 800 number?]

OK, you're in Business/Hospitality/Food_Service/Tools_and_Equipment now, but I still sense that I could buy your stuff right now with my credit card -- a Shopping site. Maybe someone else will come along and doublecheck my placement of the site.

Servu-online is a business site. We sell to other business. In the direct response world, this is called B-to-B or business-to-business. When a business owner needs to purchase restaurant equipment they will go to a site that sells to business rather than consumers. This is very important due to building codes. Exmaples are a homeowner buys a commercial range and voids his/her homeowners insurance or a business purchases a vacuum and it is not rated commercial UL and voids his/her insurance policy. Our product information inform the user when they are looking at our copy of applicable ratings.

The reason the category matters is the Foodservice industry is a completely separate industry than the Hospitality industry. Foodservice pertains to those who are serving food to the public. There are many rules (governed by local public safety laws) that make the products unique and they require special ratings from government approved test labs. Hospitality pertains to lodging. A person purchasing lodging products is not a person purchasing products for the use of serving food to the public. Since there is a category dedicated to the food and food related products specifically foodservice equipment, this is where my website should be listed. That is exactly what we sell. We could remain in the wrong category, but integrity has a value to the end user and us.

www.servu-online.com is a very informative site for professional foodservice purveyors. All of our products include a high quality picture of the product and an in depth description approved by the manufacturer. We also indicate the proper ratings on the product essential for a business such as NSF and UL commercial. These are required to do business in the industry on specific product categories. Our site has value equivalent to many other product driven websites.

Your aside is a little confusing. Our business attracts tens of thousands of customers over many marketing channels. Businesses see our quality products, professional layout and know our reputation and choose to purchase from us repeatedly. We are in the process of changing our about us portion because it is very, very weak! (We all agree on that point.) Our policy is consistent with the industry and our catalog (which the entire database is driven from) is known as one of the best in the industry. If you look at the other sites within the category business – food and food related product – foodservice equipment you will find most sites have a similar look and feel to our site. Many of them began as information based “please type in the items from the catalog we mailed you to our online order form” to a functioning e-commerce site that does not require a catalog request prior to purchase.

We take creative suggestions to improve our site very seriously. The time and energy spent on creating and maintaining a site that offers over 10,000 items requires a dedicated person. I really would like to hear your opinion on any improvements. The about us portion will soon include information about our three locations, our acronym and our guarantee. If the about us is the basis for placement we can write it to be more specific. I assumed the content was what was being looked at.

Thank you very much for you time. I will submit my update URL after I make the changes.

Chad

You are absolutely correct!! I just looked at the "R's" in the Top: Business: Hospitality: Food Service: Tools and Equipment and found 4 companies (really three because rapids restaurant supply and rapids wholesale equipment co are the same URL)that allow you to purchase online. I suggest you have someone review the entire catagory to find the people who allow purchases online rather than have you place your order over the phone or come to a store location. Or take all the sites that promote commerce and move them to a shopping catagory. I am not being sarcastic I am serious.

The only problem is that most people who go to a shopping section assume it is for residential use. This is not the case in our indusrty. Yes, someone can buy a blender, glassware or a beer dispenser, but it is not a good fit for a residence. The blender makes over 500 drinks a night. The glasses are sold in multiple dozens and the beer dispenser is used for about 45 gallons of beer. It only works if you set it up as a business to business catagory.

Thank you for making the change. To be really honest. Someone should set up a foodservice based catagory. It is a seperate industry and it is a really large industry. On the equipment side, NRA (national resturant association), NAFEM ( North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers) and FEDA (food equipment dealers assocaition) are the leading authorities. Seperately there are a large amount of broadliners both local and national that provide food. There are a number of regulatory bodies and health departments. Finally there are a large number of manufacturers. The industry is not interchangeable with the hospitiality industry. Most maufacturers do not make products for both industries, the dealers do not sell the same industries and most of the businesses do not combine hotels and resturants. FYI there are a lot more resturants than hotels. Just a suggestion. Again, thank you for taking the time to deal with my concerns. I really would appreciate any suggestions for my site.
Chad

cf: this thread is also about this site over at another forum.