Robert Taylor
30th March 2010, 18:54
Its relevant to let everyone that reads this thread know that Ohlins Racing AB sweden have only one Ohlins distributor in NZ, CROWN KIWI TECHNICAL.
To be a national distributor you have to satisfy a lot of criteria, including having an intimate technical knowledge of the product and that neccessitates attending technical training schools in Sweden. There is also expected to be a lot of profile and national presence which I feel we have achieved in spades. This is costly economically, but also far more costly in time and effort expended.
It is therefore with a little bemusement that I note some limited parrallell importing activity from a ''on-line'' company with statements that are very economical with the truth, including Ohlins being a supplier. That is absolutely not so, such parasitical activity sources their product off discount dealers in the States and not even from a National distributor. Who in any event would refuse to supply them as they follow accepted and gentlemanly etiquette.
And theres also statements that read ''Only a small portion of our massive product range is listed on this site at present. If you cant see it, ask we probably have it!''
Is there going to be the full Ohlins product range in stock to satify the demands of a small percentage of 4 million souls? Anyone with common sense reading this already knows the answer...............
Am I happy that I spend a lot of money on national advertising and profile for parallell importers to effectively feed off that at no cost? Hell no.
These are some of the realities
1) The weakness of the $US and other factors distorts the marketplace. The reality is WE DO DEALS AND HAVE BEEN DOING DEALS. We have been trying to do the right thing by having a dealer margin and also a retail margin but indeed that traditional etiquette is increasingly under threat.
2) Our price on ( for example ) Ducati 900SS and Triumph Speed Triple shocks can be set at $1699.90 gst incl. Similarly we will do deals on other models BUT IT CUTS OUT GOING TO A DEALER as there is nothing left for them.
3) Not only that you get TRUE after sales service. THAT IS ADDED VALUE THAT PARALLELL IMPORTERS JUST CANNOT MATCH AS THEY DONT HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE TRAINING, THE LONG EXPERIENCE OR DIRECT ACCESS TO THE FACTORY, ETC.
We dont just follow a spring rate calculator as they only take into account one factor and more often than not are not totally suitable in selection for our high ratio of bumpy roads. We adjust the springing and if neccessary the internal valving to the individual customers requirements as WE ARE NEW ZEALANDERS WHO KNOW THE PRODUCT AND KNOW THE ENVIRONMENT THEY ARE BEING OPERATED IN.
If you buy something off an ''all things to all men'' warehouse and its not right its not as convenient getting them to sort it with their Yankee suppliers.
4) Local parts and OFFICIALLY OHLINS TRAINED service backup.
WE ONLY DO SUSPENSION, WE ARE SPECIALISTS IN OUR FIELD.Our expertise is not diluted by selling lots of other products.
BEST DEAL, DEEP PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE AND TOTAL BACKUP.
To be a national distributor you have to satisfy a lot of criteria, including having an intimate technical knowledge of the product and that neccessitates attending technical training schools in Sweden. There is also expected to be a lot of profile and national presence which I feel we have achieved in spades. This is costly economically, but also far more costly in time and effort expended.
It is therefore with a little bemusement that I note some limited parrallell importing activity from a ''on-line'' company with statements that are very economical with the truth, including Ohlins being a supplier. That is absolutely not so, such parasitical activity sources their product off discount dealers in the States and not even from a National distributor. Who in any event would refuse to supply them as they follow accepted and gentlemanly etiquette.
And theres also statements that read ''Only a small portion of our massive product range is listed on this site at present. If you cant see it, ask we probably have it!''
Is there going to be the full Ohlins product range in stock to satify the demands of a small percentage of 4 million souls? Anyone with common sense reading this already knows the answer...............
Am I happy that I spend a lot of money on national advertising and profile for parallell importers to effectively feed off that at no cost? Hell no.
These are some of the realities
1) The weakness of the $US and other factors distorts the marketplace. The reality is WE DO DEALS AND HAVE BEEN DOING DEALS. We have been trying to do the right thing by having a dealer margin and also a retail margin but indeed that traditional etiquette is increasingly under threat.
2) Our price on ( for example ) Ducati 900SS and Triumph Speed Triple shocks can be set at $1699.90 gst incl. Similarly we will do deals on other models BUT IT CUTS OUT GOING TO A DEALER as there is nothing left for them.
3) Not only that you get TRUE after sales service. THAT IS ADDED VALUE THAT PARALLELL IMPORTERS JUST CANNOT MATCH AS THEY DONT HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE TRAINING, THE LONG EXPERIENCE OR DIRECT ACCESS TO THE FACTORY, ETC.
We dont just follow a spring rate calculator as they only take into account one factor and more often than not are not totally suitable in selection for our high ratio of bumpy roads. We adjust the springing and if neccessary the internal valving to the individual customers requirements as WE ARE NEW ZEALANDERS WHO KNOW THE PRODUCT AND KNOW THE ENVIRONMENT THEY ARE BEING OPERATED IN.
If you buy something off an ''all things to all men'' warehouse and its not right its not as convenient getting them to sort it with their Yankee suppliers.
4) Local parts and OFFICIALLY OHLINS TRAINED service backup.
WE ONLY DO SUSPENSION, WE ARE SPECIALISTS IN OUR FIELD.Our expertise is not diluted by selling lots of other products.
BEST DEAL, DEEP PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE AND TOTAL BACKUP.