Why 40,000 Lines of Code Just Transformed Quickscrews.com Forever
Quickscrews.com just got a major upgrade, and I'm thrilled to see it go live. As we turn this new digital page, it's the perfect time to reflect on the hurdles we've overcome and how they've shaped the innovations powering this site today.
Marketing a brand, product, or company has always been on my mind. From the earliest days, it was clear that creating a lasting image was essential for success in business. In 2006, we began exploring the web as a marketing opportunity, realizing it could transform how people communicate and do business with us. The first Quickscrews website focused solely on marketing. Visitors couldn’t shop yet—they could only read and research. Not a bad place to start.
During the Great Recession of 2009, we recognized the need to shift the website into an e-commerce platform. At that time, our business model primarily relied on resellers and distributors, with few direct accounts. The recession made it clear that this model left us vulnerable, as distributors cut back drastically on purchases. Transitioning to a website where anyone could buy Quickscrews was a key moment in the company and remains a significant part of our strategy today.
Through trade shows and email list-building, we transformed our marketing site into a revenue generator, soon accounting for over 30% of sales. Customers grew to appreciate the ease of online ordering, and we built a strong reputation for quick shipping and a user-friendly experience.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought major challenges, particularly with supply chain disruptions. One of the most difficult aspects was managing backorders. Customers were forced to pay upfront to hold their place in line, which didn’t feel right. In 2021, we committed to changing this and began working on a new feature that allowed customers to join the backorder queue without advance payment. After upgrading other parts of the site for two years, we started focusing on this project in 2023. It’s a complex system, involving over 40,000 lines of code, but now, in 2024, customers can place backorders without upfront payment.
At Quickscrews, providing choices is a top priority, and we continue to expand the options available to our customers.
After 37 years in business, I still ask myself, "How can we do better?" Constant improvement is a core value at Quickscrews International Corporation and will remain so. Knowing that customers always seek a better experience, we’ve expanded our sales and marketing teams to help drive growth. We’ve also reorganized our purchasing and product development departments, ensuring tighter collaboration to improve efficiency. The results of these changes will become clearer in the next 14 to 24 months, as we wait for the economy to recover and focus on developing new products.
In the coming months, we’ll introduce a simple, practical solution to a common problem in roofing and solar installations—how to fix holes in the roof caused by missing the stud when attaching solar mounts. This product is a testament to our commitment to solving real-world problems with easy, effective solutions.
As we move forward, our 37-year history of putting the customer first will continue to guide us. The next generation of leaders at Quickscrews is already in place, with Jared, Michael, and Aaron taking on critical roles to ensure the company’s future success. Jared Wiener, our current president, is focused on greater accountability across the team, pushing for continuous improvement. The future holds exciting opportunities for us, and the new Quickscrews website is just one way we're meeting these opportunities head-on.