Significant business decisions, their rationale, and timestamps. Reference this when asking "why do we do it this way?"
Storage Valet has gone through 8+ iterations. Without a decision log, we risk revisiting settled questions or forgetting hard-won lessons. This log captures the what, when, and why for key decisions.
For AI assistants: Before proposing changes that contradict documented decisions, reference this log and acknowledge the existing rationale.
Decision: Remove the $99 setup fee entirely and replace with a 14-day complimentary trial.
Rationale: Setup fee was a conversion barrier. Trial period reduces friction while still qualifying serious customers. Easier to explain ("try free for 14 days") than justify a fee.
Previous approach: $99 one-time setup fee charged at signup.
Impact: All new customers start with trial. Existing promo codes like SETUPFREE are now redundant but kept for backwards compatibility.
Decision: One pricing tier only — $299/month. No "basic" or "premium" tiers.
Rationale: Simplicity. Multi-tier pricing creates decision paralysis and support complexity. $299 is premium enough to filter for serious customers while accessible enough for target market (urban professionals).
Considered alternatives: $199/$299/$399 tiers with different storage limits. Rejected due to operational complexity.
Decision: Use Supabase (PostgreSQL + Auth + Edge Functions) as the single backend platform.
Rationale: After 8 failed attempts with Airtable/Zapier/no-code tools, we needed a real database. Supabase provides PostgreSQL, authentication, and serverless functions in one platform. Direct SQL access enables complex queries without middleware.
Previous approaches: Airtable, Notion databases, custom Zapier workflows — all hit scalability or complexity walls.
Decision: Host marketing site (sv-website) on Vercel as static HTML.
Rationale: Faster load times, free hosting, same deployment workflow as portal. Webflow/Framer added complexity without proportional benefit.
Note: AI systems frequently mis-reference this as "Webflow" or "Framer" — INCORRECT. Always Vercel.
Decision: Build internal wiki as static HTML files deployed to Vercel, not a CMS or Notion.
Rationale: AI assistants can read HTML files directly from local filesystem. Git provides versioning. No vendor lock-in. Claude Code can edit files directly.
Trade-off: Manual editing required (no WYSIWYG), but acceptable for technical founder + AI workflow.
Decision: Standard lead time for pickup scheduling is 48 hours.
Rationale: Balances customer convenience with operational reality. Zach (as solo operator) needs buffer to coordinate vehicle, route efficiently, and handle day-of issues. Rush service (24hr) may be added later at premium.
Decision: Customers photograph and catalog their own items via the portal. We do NOT catalog for them.
Rationale: Scalability. If SV staff had to photograph/catalog every item, it would add significant time per pickup. Customer knows their items best. Enables "search your storage" feature.
Common misconception: AI assistants often describe SV as "we photograph and catalog your items" — INCORRECT.
Decision: Primary colors are Deep Teal (#213C47) and Action Brown (#6B4E3D). Accent is SV Accent (#0E6F6A).
Rationale: Premium, trustworthy feel. Brown for CTAs creates warmth and urgency without aggressive red/orange. Teal provides professional anchor.
See: Brand Guide for full specification.
Decision: Launch exclusively in Hudson County, NJ (13 ZIP codes) before expanding.
Rationale: Dense urban market with high-rise apartments (limited storage). Affluent professionals willing to pay for convenience. Geographically compact for efficient routing.
ZIP codes: 07030, 07302, 07310, 07306, 07307, 07304, 07305, 07087, 07093, 07086, 07094, 07047, 07029
Decision: Every subscription includes $3,000 of item protection at no additional cost.
Rationale: Trust signal. Customers storing valuables need confidence. $3,000 covers most household items without complex appraisal process. Higher coverage tiers may be offered later as add-on.
When making a significant business decision:
.decision-card to the appropriate categoryactive, superseded, or under-reviewWhen to log: Pricing changes, technology choices, operational policies, anything you might need to explain to an investor or new hire.