Ranting about NZ retailers

[AllanB]

Yes an old chestnut but being close to Christmas I'm watching my bucks. kids to buy for and wine to consume, sometimes in the reverse (hell I live in CHCH!).

Each year there is one pressy to myself around this time of year. As you will no doubt understand each year it is motorcycle related - hell has been for decades so I consider it a tradition and it would be rude to ignore tradition (like sex on birthdays and public holidays).

As I am due for a brake fluid change on the Hornet I figured stainless steel lines as well. To their credit the NZ supplier I contacted was very quick to respond. Unfortunately their price for front/rear lines was NZ$80 more than ordering them direct from the maker in England (yes including shipping). And fark me the UK ordered ones arrived in 5 days! Darn purdy they are too. So as much as I'd like to support my NZ cussie - at this time of year $80 will by me a lot of good quaility wine.

So I thinking I've 'saved $80 - why not repack the Yoshis too? I contact three NZ suppliers of Yoshi systems and one TM advertiser for the price of a repack kit. Two weeks later no reply ......... I can order a repack kit from the States - it will be here in a week. I've just e-mailed the three and the TM dealer that I'm taking my $ off-shore.

So sorry NZ, as much as I'd like too support you it ain't happening from my bank account this Christmas.

PS I did drop some bucks at my local for coolant and plugs recently.

PSS I also got some fancy full synth oil (OK it was on special) but I'll admit I'm going to use a oil filter I got from the USA some time back when I ordered some parts as Honda parts are 30 - 60% cheaper in the USA. Seriously up to 60% for a genuine Factory part. I can land a air filter from America cheaper than getting one from my local dealer. Something is wrong here.

Thats all, I blame the wine I have consumed tonight, I could afford a good bottle this week due to the $80 saving on my SS brake lines.

[Sable]

I know exactly what you mean, when I needed new airbox to carb rubbers for my FZR1000 the local Yamaha dealer quoted me something stupid like $400, ordered them from the states with something else and paid ~$200NZ for the lot.

[Brian d marge]

As I keep bleating on , the money isnt in spares , ( it can be if you are a niche product and flexible such as our own Robert Taylor ) , with the internet and shipping these days unless its on the shelf at a similar price why would you bother

Motorcycling is a hobby entertainment and the sooner dealers understand this the better ( and organise events ) , and no that doesn’t mean a few scraggy snarlers and a bit of dry bread outside the front of the shop

tis the way the world is moving

Stephen

[kevie]

I too buy a few items stateside .....

I wanted a new starter motor and Yamaha NZ quoted me $1,400 plus freight from Japan, I sourced one brand new in USA and landed it here for NZ$218 in just 10 days,

Also ordered some airgun parts Stateside as the NZ shops refused to sell the parts to me.

I wanted 2 rubber 'o' rings for the Yammie carbs too and they were $20 EACH told them I wanna pay for the rings not the fancy Yamaha label on the plastic bag.... they told me they were that price cos they were a special rubber and special size.... went to the o'ring manufacturer in Palmerston North and got them for 35 cents each, and they said they were a standard off the shelf item .

NZ dealers need to rethink not only what they charge .... (and what they say to try to bullshit the customer) ......one said "oh but theres a huge tax on automotive parts ...... compare the prices, and the tax must be ginormous ..... or are they just ripping us poor customers off.

Looked at a new indicator for the Boulevard last week ...... Suzuki shop locally $146 and none in the country ...... on the net .... NZ$47 and available IN AUCKLAND...... shops comment >>>"Oh but they will be aftermarket" my reply >>>"Who gives a F%#k they look and work the same"

[jellywrestler]

I too buy a few items stateside .....

I wanted a new starter motor and Yamaha NZ quoted me $1,400 plus freight from Japan, I sourced one brand new in USA and landed it here for NZ$218 in just 10 days,

i don't beleive you're comparing apples with apples here
bet you two bob versus a hairy knob of goat shit that the magical $218 was an aftermarket one and of course the yamaha dealer would've been quoting you for a genuine factory part

[imdying]

i don't beleive you're comparing apples with apples here
bet you two bob versus a hairy knob of goat shit that the magical $218 was an aftermarket one and of course the yamaha dealer would've been quoting you for a genuine factory part

Well I'm more than willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. If Blue Wing can try and charge me $630 for a rear seat cowl that the states had for me for $163 delivered (yep, NZD, both OEM, 8 page Honda instruction manual to fit it and all), then I'd believe that.

I realise that it's probably not that you don't believe him, it's more that you simply can't believe that would happen. Well, believe it buddy; NZ is not the place to buy OEM spares.

[Katman]

Well I'm more than willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. If Blue Wing can try and charge me $630 for a rear seat cowl that the states had for me for $163 delivered (yep, NZD, both OEM, 8 page Honda instruction manual to fit it and all), then I'd believe that.

What people need to understand though is that it is Bluewing that need to cop it in the neck if the consumer is unhappy - not the poor old retailer who is tied to the price that Bluewing sets.

[Grumph]

What people need to understand though is that it is Bluewing that need to cop it in the neck if the consumer is unhappy - not the poor old retailer who is tied to the price that Bluewing sets.

Maybe so - if the retailer is selling for the wholesalers recommended retail price....

For many years however at least in the ChCh area retailers have been applying a loading of up to another 40% over recommended retail.
i have no reason to think it's different elsewhere in NZ.

Personal experience working for a very small sub agency in ChCh some years back, we were told we'd do a lot of farm market bits - very little road. By selling for recommended retail and thus undercutting the main agent the shop topped parts sales for that brand in NZ for 2 years running....no longer an agency for that brand obviously....Oh and most of our sales were road market.

[bogan]

What people need to understand though is that it is Bluewing that need to cop it in the neck if the consumer is unhappy - not the poor old retailer who is tied to the price that Bluewing sets.

But surely the only way for bluewing to cop it and not the retailer is if the retailer deals with somebody else? Or do you just expect consumers to give half what they save by going overseas to the retailer as charity?

Bottom line, consumers aren't going to do shit about bluewing's price gouging other than find other channels, if retailers want to keep those customers it's up to them to get the prices changed.

[Katman]

But surely the only way for bluewing to cop it and not the retailer is if the retailer deals with somebody else?

And lose their contract to sell new Hondas?

I don't think you understand how the motor vehicle industry in New Zealand works.

[bogan]

And lose their contract to sell new Hondas?

I don't think you understand how the motor vehicle industry in New Zealand works.

I don't need to, its simple market economics, if there is a link in the supply chain that isn't competitive you need to re-negotiate or replace it with a competitor. Until you do one of those things you'll be losing business to overseas companies.

[carburator]

it pays to shop around, no longer are we limited to the local merchants who frankly
in my neck of the woods are shit..

one company im dealing with at the moment (NZ) frankly if i could go to the wholesaler/ supplier
direact i would as the retailer is an ass..

trademe is a source of intertainment at the moment, yes made in china and whatever badge/ label
you want on it.

The blue collar NZ dollar is shrinking, peaple these days are watching what they spend and where..

[HenryDorsetCase]

Yes an old chestnut but being close to Christmas I'm watching my bucks. kids to buy for and wine to consume, sometimes in the reverse (hell I live in CHCH!).

kids to consume and wine to buy for?

[HenryDorsetCase]

Y

Thats all, I blame the wine I have consumed tonight, I could afford a good bottle this week due to the $80 saving on my SS brake lines.

A customer is NEVER wrong to take a better deal. Simple as that.

[White trash]

I too buy a few items stateside .....

I wanted a new starter motor and Yamaha NZ quoted me $1,400 plus freight from Japan, I sourced one brand new in USA and landed it here for NZ$218 in just 10 days,

i don't beleive you're comparing apples with apples here
bet you two bob versus a hairy knob of goat shit that the magical $218 was an aftermarket one and of course the yamaha dealer would've been quoting you for a genuine factory part

I wouldn't mind knowing what year and model bike this was to fit. An extremely possible explanation is that the part you got ex USA was a NOS part, sitting on a shelf for many years until the dealer simply wanted it gone at whatever cost. A starter motor purchased 20 years ago will owe a whole lot less than one ordered from the factory today.