The chance of a lifetime: You are asked to start a bike shop. How should it be done?

[sidecar bob]

..............

So, nobody wants very much as usual, no $80 per hour bullshit, courtesy bikes for menial 15 minute jobs, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of parts stock for outdated models, a full stock of riding gear in all sizes to try on so they can be bought off the net, etc etc.
Most of the "experts" here would go broke trying to sell ice creams, let alone a multi faceted highly skilled operation with huge overheads.

That's the spirit. "We have done it like this for 50 years. Nobody is gonna come and tell us what we should do. And certainly not the customers!" (Remids me of a old pommy logic that killed all they did...)

Just because you, at this moment, can't se the answer does not mean that there is not one. I will now digress (diversify?) from my initial purpose of this thread, but I recon it is needed...To me it sounds like all NZ bike shops are facing the same problem: "Private overseas purchases are killing us". So what are you, the industry, doing about it? I tell you what it looks like: You are burying your heads in the sand. Your pigheaded attitude will only have one outcome: You be part of the history. To blame the customers, the government, GST, the Easter Bunny is easy. But will not fix the problem!

Just one from top of my head: If all bikeshops in the country are facing the same issues, why not solve it together? Set up a central importer that only the registered shops can get bits/supplies from. Run this importer as extension of the shops. A setup that all will contribute to (in whatever parts that is decided) and make it a setup that only needs to cover costs, not make any profit. Why rely on a privately owned importer that fucks you around? You guys have the power, use it!

Now I will sit back and get the normal shit why it can not be done, why I am stoopid, and why I could never even find my way outta a paperbag.... But instead of shooting me down, try to look at the other angle: how could we achieve this?

To the shop owners: The writing is on the wall. If you do nothing you are dead. So what are you gonna do about it?

Well, i say this with not a hint of sarcasm. Buy yourself a sick, tired shop, run it to youre fantastic plan & live the dream. You have all the ideas & im sure they will work. May you retire to the Bahamas in ten years a wealthy & satisfied man.

[Conquiztador]

Ok retard. If you're told that New Zealand businesses cannot compete solely on price with the WWW, what are you going to do about it?

Happily condemn every New Zealand motorcycle business?

Start your own business that would last six months (if you're lucky)?

Continue to buy overseas until you get sick of being shafted without the means to gain any recourse through the Consumers Guarantee Act?

Ah FFS. Go away. Take your meds or jump of a cliff or something.

[Conquiztador]

..............

Yep. You wrote that first one. And I wrote the second one. Your point is? (You want an ice cream???)

[sidecar bob]

Ah FFS. Go away. Take your meds or jump of a cliff or something.

But he runs a bike shop & i run a car shop, we've learned a couple of things between us along the way.
What do you do for a job? nobody seems to know.

[sidecar bob]

Yep. You wrote that first one. And I wrote the second one. Your point is? (You want an ice cream???)

Yep, im hungry.
You cant quote a huge post on here without the thing jumping around, so i did that & then edited it, cool aye?

[bogan]

Just one from top of my head: If all bikeshops in the country are facing the same issues, why not solve it together? Set up a central importer that only the registered shops can get bits/supplies from. Run this importer as extension of the shops. A setup that all will contribute to (in whatever parts that is decided) and make it a setup that only needs to cover costs, not make any profit. Why rely on a privately owned importer that fucks you around? You guys have the power, use it!

Sounds like a good plan, greater buying power, cuts down on the freight costs we pay to get parts from online shops so should be able to have competitive pricing. Also sounds like the whole industry would need to change their RRP's and way of doing things though.

[Big Dave]

'Chance of a lifetime.'

Tui with that, Sir?

[Katman]

Why rely on a privately owned importer that fucks you around? You guys have the power, use it!

You have no fucking clue.

[Mom]

You cant quote a huge post on here without the thing jumping around, so i did that & then edited it, cool aye?

Yeah you can. Just use the go advanced tab and you can tke your time replying and edit a large post at your lesuire

Bills in the mail

[Conquiztador]

Yep, im hungry.
You cant quote a huge post on here without the thing jumping around, so i did that & then edited it, cool aye?

All well. Did not have the posting by you when I replied.

I don't want a bike shop. But I would like the ones that are operating to stay alive. (Yep, even Pratman even if he sends me secret negative rep asking me to fornicate with my self...) But if you guys keep on doing what you are doing and hoping that all will go back to how it was in the past, then you are dead. The shops in NZ have to realise that they need to change! Customers are knowing more. You can't get away with BS anymore.

Here an idea: Get George (I think its what the Doctor in Auckland is called) to hold a short seminar for you guys re how he is so well respected and has only positive feedback. Then put your heads together and try to figure out how to beat this monster. (No, not George...)

[Conquiztador]

You have no fucking clue.

Past your bedtime! Nitey, sleep tight!

[Conquiztador]

'Chance of a lifetime.'

Tui with that, Sir?

You are too intelligent for that. Must have been someone using your profile...

[PeeJay]

That's the spirit.

Set up a central importer that only the registered shops can get bits/supplies from. Run this importer as extension of the shops. A setup that all will contribute to (in whatever parts that is decided) and make it a setup that only needs to cover costs, not make any profit.

Sounds like a wholesaler who doesnt make a profit.
Or a co-op?
Maybe you are a closet commie? let the government run it

I guess the unregistered shops will have to get on the internet if they want something

[Conquiztador]

What do you do for a job? nobody seems to know.

Not important here. A small organisation with 70 staff.

[Katman]

Past your bedtime! Nitey, sleep tight!

I often get motorcycles that originate from the HB in my shop. With many, the standard of butchery needs to be seen to be believed.

I always find myself wondering if it's your handiwork.