Why spend your money in NZ with this service?

**Voltaire** · 13th December 2009, 15:54

Originally Posted by YellowDog

Er, Um, K & N Filters ?

Everyone buys them.

Not stocking them is lousy business practice.

Happy to pay more locally but not prepared to wait.

I was after some K and N filters for my old Bevel Ducati, tried Repco's ( they are useless), AMPS, and even the K and N importer...

"No mate....they don't do them"

Five minute Google search later....

5 days later they arrived from the UK.

I have however bought all the parts so far for my 900ss from Haldanes, even after comparing them to overseas prices.....except the headlight...$800.00 I don't think so.....

**Dodgyiti** · 13th December 2009, 16:22

Pete from Moto-Kiwi who has an account with them and is not too greedy on the markup, I buy through him, takes a week or two because he can't stock everything so stocks very little because K&N is dear, and it works out pretty much the same as buying off shore because you are dealing with an agent middle man anyway.
Plus he is a kiwi and a nice guy.

And something piddling like an air filter is never urgent is it?

You guys are just spoiled.

**Hahn** · 13th December 2009, 16:38

I have bought parts from this company http://www.jcmotors.com.

The price for a full exhaust system (plus GST on arriving) cost me what a slip on would have locally and the service was very good. Even though they forgot to ship a part after I contacted them via their online chat, they took my word for it and shipped free of charge. Plus shipping time was only a week.

I don't know the start of NZ business so my question is why can't they be more competitive so we don't go spending our money off-shore?

Also it is very convenient to just tick stuff up on the net, when you know exactly what you want.

**sub_low** · 13th December 2009, 16:56

Originally Posted by Molly

My AGV lid: 170 pounds from the UK or $640 off the shelf in ChCh. They must think we're f'kin' stupid. Books are another big, big f'kin rip-off. Australian author, printed in China - 8 pounds from Amazon.co.uk or $50 bastard dollars from Borders.

I'm all for supporting local business but the best they tend to be able to do is say: "I can order it in for you". If you can't be arsed to carry the stock, I can't be arsed to buy from you.

Borders are known gloabally as one of the most expensive places to buy anything mate.

Youre point though about not being arsed to stock something is a bit harsh. Think about how much custom a biker shop owner could expect to have in NZ. Its never financially possible to stock one of everything in the hope that someone one day will come in and buy it from you. This is exactly why shops are closing left right and centre through bad management often over stocking and going tits up. Its a sad fact that we simply don’t have the population to sustain product availability as high as the poms or the yanks or the aussies for that mater.

The other issue is demands by the manufacturer on the importer. Dianese are a classic one for this. The reason why Dianese wasn’t available here in NZ for a period was one of thier terms to import the product meant that you had to buy a years worth of stock in one hit! What importer could afford to take that risk? This is not uncommon from manufacturers in not only this industry but many others.

A little over 4 millions people means we be farqed with regards to choice verses availability in most cases.

I always try my local guy first but totally understand he's doing as good as he can with regards to what he has on the shelf at the time. Id rather order through him and wait than not have him there at all for all those little get out of jail free cards he has provided over the years.

As for bad service , i think the poster of this threat is being a bit precious, the guy did answer the question but as for price that up to his local supplier to give that info not the distributor. I think not answering that isnt bad service but being typically human.

One think i do know here in NZ after spending many years travelling is that we are bloody rude most of the time to each to each other often outright if we don’t get what we want the fist time we bang our fist on the counter on arrival. There is bad service and then there is being a bad customer i think both are very apparent in NZ

**boman** · 13th December 2009, 16:58

In some companies defence, it can be their supplier dicking them around. But ,then again, some companies seem to have forgotten that we can buy stuff off the internet, whilst they stuff around getting back to us. I will give anybody,in NZ, one chance to take my money. If they muck me around at all, say no contact with me, they usually don't get a second chance.

**sub_low** · 13th December 2009, 17:04

Originally Posted by boman

In some companies defence, it can be their supplier dicking them around. But ,then again, some companies seem to have forgotten that we can buy stuff off the internet, whilst they stuff around getting back to us. I will give anybody,in NZ, one chance to take my money. If they muck me around at all, say no contact with me, they usually don't get a second chance.

totally agreed , my advice is find that one person at your local supplier and only deal with him or her, thing happen faster and better this way

**jellywrestler** · 13th December 2009, 17:05

Originally Posted by Voltaire

I was after some K and N filters for my old Bevel Ducati, tried Repco's ( they are useless), AMPS, .

Car and bike importers don't crossover, one does cars stuff, the other bike, hence my query through a bike one. AMPS would only have to check with W Whites so I checked direct and then going to order through my local dealer, I'm working away from home and this was the easiest, or so I thought.
I'd still prefer to spend my money through an NZ imported/dealer but their apathy doesn't make that easy.
I wasn't expecting them to stock them as there are three differnt styles to fit the 79ish GS1000, and thats quite an old bike of many many different models, and there are way cheaper alternatives for these through other suppliers in NZ. I wanted what I wanted, a particular part number and was happy to wait and pay well for them etc etc

**flyingcrocodile46** · 13th December 2009, 18:02

I think a large part of the problem is the importers/distributors.

Many of them secure a sole distributor agreement and milk it for every cent they can get. I have bought many NOS parts from US retailers for a quarter of what is charged by the mercenary pricks here. Some small to medium size low value parts can cost upward of $70 US to ship over here and are still cheaper. Some are shipped from Japan to US before being shipped to me and are still cheaper.

As far as I'm concerned I will buy Japanese parts from the US every single time (unless I'm in a desperate hurry) even if it costs the same.

I have no desire to support a pack of thieving fucks. As long as my fellow Kiwi is a greedy bastard and is more interested in feeding out of my wallet than providing a decent service, I say Tough shit when he whinges that I ain't supporting Kiwi industry.

You can buy Citizen Watches from US retailers and ship them over here for less than the NZ distributor charges jewelery retailers here. Nothing to do with buying power. Those same US retailers will discount heavily for bulk orders. Local Jewelers should buy off them and tell the local distributor to FOAD. Blood sucking unproductive middlemen are responsible for halving the buying power of our dollar.

**Molly** · 13th December 2009, 18:06

Originally Posted by sub_low

Your point though about not being arsed to stock something is a bit harsh. Think about how much custom a biker shop owner could expect to have in NZ. Its never financially possible to stock one of everything in the hope that someone one day will come in and buy it from you.

Fair enough with some specialist parts but walk into your local dealer and ask for a replacement rear lense for a popular model (a reasonable request). I bet your a beer they won't have it in stock.

**Voltaire** · 13th December 2009, 18:24

Originally Posted by jellywrestler

Car and bike importers don't crossover, one does cars stuff, the other bike, hence my query through a bike one. AMPS would only have to check with W Whites so I checked direct and then going to order through my local dealer, I'm working away from home and this was the easiest, or so I thought.
I'd still prefer to spend my money through an NZ imported/dealer but their apathy doesn't make that easy.
I wasn't expecting them to stock them as there are three differnt styles to fit the 79ish GS1000, and thats quite an old bike of many many different models, and there are way cheaper alternatives for these through other suppliers in NZ. I wanted what I wanted, a particular part number and was happy to wait and pay well for them etc etc

Ah...with Repco I was quoting Fiat part numbers but it was all to hard.
With Ducati's there has been a lot of hunting for non Ducati parts that can either fit or be modified to fit.
The days of the guy behind the counter actually knowing stuff seem to have passed...apart from the local VW dealer where they know parts off the top of their head even for 70's parts.

**Owl** · 13th December 2009, 18:39

Originally Posted by Molly

Fair enough with some specialist parts but walk into your local dealer and ask for a replacement rear lense for a popular model (a reasonable request). I bet your a beer they won't have it in stock.

Why would they when it can probably be obtained overnight. Surely they can only be expected to outlay so many $$$ for stock?

**sub_low** · 13th December 2009, 19:17

Originally Posted by Molly

Fair enough with some specialist parts but walk into your local dealer and ask for a replacement rear lense for a popular model (a reasonable request). I bet your a beer they won't have it in stock.

yeah ok, point taken. There is a reasonable expectation that current ( less than 10 years anyway) stock items, be available atleast by overnight courier.

**gunrunner** · 13th December 2009, 19:43

Ebay is good but i go to their source .
Its sad that bike shops close but they do need to lift their game .
I can get engine guards via ebayuk $140NZD cheaper than their Australian office for the same product so its obvious the make the diff and the profit .
So much for their customers . Googling a name takes 5 secs .