Ranting about NZ retailers

[Robert Taylor]

Lets go back 10-15 years to the time before internet shopping then?

Oh wait, thats no better.

Most people are capable of upskilling, and a skilled workforce is going to bring in more money than an unskilled one.

Your doom and gloom prophecies about internet buying ruining NZ business and tax take just don't stack up with the figures.

Its all about the ability to see all sides of the story, something that a number of people on here are incapable of

[bogan]

Its all about the ability to see all sides of the story, something that a number of people on here are incapable of

Well heres another side. A lot of us buy product in NZ, and use it to make things to sell internationally. But paying massively inflated prices locally makes it difficult to stay competitive on an international market.

These are the people who are bringing money into NZ and creating jobs here. They should not also be expected to provide charity for those businesses who refuse to get with the times and still expect to operate within a national monopoly.

It is worth noting I have managed to find some very good suppliers who are competitive on price, and offer excellent service as well. But it took some doing to find them.

[FROSTY:Me]

?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????? You dont get it. And I guess you want all the social services in the world when the Government is struggling for tax take?

Hey guys without going into a political debate I think you lot have missed this part.
People expect police to be on the beat,firemen to turn up when their house burns down,a "safety net" if they are made redundant.
This money has to come from somewhere.
One place that makes a big contribution is gst (go figure)

[PeeJay]

Its all about the ability to see all sides of the story, something that a number of people on here are incapable of

You're not wrong there. Obviously include yourself in that group.

Care to comment on what the Australian Productivity Commission concluded re lowering the GST free threshold?

Why would it be any different here?

When Customs came back to Maurice Williamson regarding NZ gst threshold they included an estimation of how much money the country would SAVE if the gst free threshold was raised to the same level as Aust.
Hence not only is the govt not lowering it, they are not ruling out lifting it.

Just to get a few more sales you would want to lumber the country with more expenses and costs
As for your suggestion that the govt could force banks to collect gst.
Have you actually thought it through?
To make it work would cost a fortune.
And of course the extra compliance costs for a system that doesn't work will be passed on to who ? me and you and every other person in the country.
All because you think people shouldn't have a choice as to where they buy there stuff.

Not to put too fine a point on it, its business's like yours which contribute to our woeful balance of payments situation.
Rather than export goods and services and import money, you export money and import goods.
So instead of whinging about private importers causing the downfall of kiwi society, how about looking in the mirror ?
And if you wish to drag someones social conscience into the discussion, check your own out first

[PeeJay]

Hey guys without going into a political debate I think you lot have missed this part.
People expect police to be on the beat,firemen to turn up when their house burns down,a "safety net" if they are made redundant.
This money has to come from somewhere.
One place that makes a big contribution is gst (go figure)

True, but obviously there is a breakeven point where the gst collected exceeds the costs to collect it.
As the Aussies and our own govt has figured out it doesnt make a whole lot of sense to spend $50 to collect $5 hence the gst free threshold.

[FROSTY:Me]

True, but obviously there is a breakeven point where the gst collected exceeds the costs to collect it.
As the Aussies and our own govt has figured out it doesnt make a whole lot of sense to spend $50 to collect $5 hence the gst free threshold.

Mon this has been a bugbear of mine for a VERY long time.The customs gst system doesn't NEED to be so complicated. Paying the gst on goods you import should be simlicity itself.

[Headbanger]

Do people like ( for example ) Headbanger and Peejay even care about the social cost?

Amazing how your bubble is burst over and over and over and yet you never notice it as it just doesn't fit what suits you.

As has been pointed out, the effect of crippling the man on the street in order to funnel their money to you is the greater cost, But hey, don't let the numbers get in the way of your delusion.

The world wasn't put here to suit you, and you alone.

[Headbanger]

Its all about the ability to see all sides of the story, something that a number of people on here are incapable of

LMFAO.

Thats you all over.


Have a tissue.

[FROSTY:Me]

Hey guys something to think about.
Yep we live in a global economy.Yep you can save money by going on e bay etc and buying stuff from wholesalers in the states etc.
I see your logic.
But what happens when the last accessory shop has closed. The last bike shop has gone under?
Ohh they won't I hear you say. Hmmm ok take a look around -how many west auckland bike shops,south auckland?
How many places have closed their doors in the last few years?
Im not Naive enough to say the only reason the companies folded is people buying offshore.But it hasn't helped.

[Headbanger]

Simple fact of life is that needs and wants of the customers change and never stop changing, the industries affected by this need to adapt or disappear.

The retailer doesn't get to tell the customer what they have to do to be satisfied, that is arse about face.

If the last bike shops close, then they didn't suit the market. If a number of shops closed their doors in the last few years then its because there were too many at that time.

Suggest you retailers look at the bigger picture here, Many businesses (as in not retail) have closed their doors or downsized due to changes in the economy. Do they get to blame their customers?

[bogan]

Hey guys something to think about.
Yep we live in a global economy.Yep you can save money by going on e bay etc and buying stuff from wholesalers in the states etc.
I see your logic.
But what happens when the last accessory shop has closed. The last bike shop has gone under?
Ohh they won't I hear you say. Hmmm ok take a look around -how many west auckland bike shops,south auckland?
How many places have closed their doors in the last few years?
Im not Naive enough to say the only reason the companies folded is people buying offshore.But it hasn't helped.

Somebody raised this point before I think, but the ratio of bike shops to bikers is pretty high. Half could close up and we would still have plenty (assuming the others took on the brands).

Lets exaggerate and say 50% of parts sales go overseas, just close 50% of the shops. Hell, take em both to 75%, that's still going to leave at least a couple in all the cities. There will always be a few bikes shops left providing the local service that are not available online, and catering to those who would rather buy local.

Bike shops have been closing and opening, expanding and downsizing, over here for ages. I think those that close are more to do with the shop's poor evaluation of market size than it is to do with some overseas purchases.

[PeeJay]

Hey guys something to think about.
Yep we live in a global economy.Yep you can save money by going on e bay etc and buying stuff from wholesalers in the states etc.
I see your logic.
But what happens when the last accessory shop has closed. The last bike shop has gone under?
Ohh they won't I hear you say. Hmmm ok take a look around -how many west auckland bike shops,south auckland?
How many places have closed their doors in the last few years?
Im not Naive enough to say the only reason the companies folded is people buying offshore.But it hasn't helped.

Things change. Wasnt that long ago we had a thriving vehicle assy industry, 1000"s employed, directly and indirectly. There was none of this importing s/h or even new cars. Once importing was adjusted people started bringing their own cars in and then it snowballed till we have hundreds like yourself bringing in 1ooo's of s/h cars. Killed the assy industry and all the attendant jobs that went with it. I used to make wiring looms for all sorts of cars. 40 of us down the road. History.
Cheap car imports pretty much killed of motorcycles as transport as well. There were bikeshops everywhere back in the 60's 70's. More mechanics than you could shake a stick at. Now try and find someone who can build a crank. Good Luck with that.
We used to have a thriving electronics industry, made our own TV's and radios, cheap Jap imports killed that of as well.
If the retail industry has to adjust to a new way of doing business, and some of them dont want to/cant be bothered/or plain old had enough, so be it.

[Woodman]

Things change. Wasnt that long ago we had a thriving vehicle assy industry, 1000"s employed, directly and indirectly. There was none of this importing s/h or even new cars. Once importing was adjusted people started bringing their own cars in and then it snowballed till we have hundreds like yourself bringing in 1ooo's of s/h cars. Killed the assy industry and all the attendant jobs that went with it. I used to make wiring looms for all sorts of cars. 40 of us down the road. History.
Cheap car imports pretty much killed of motorcycles as transport as well. There were bikeshops everywhere back in the 60's 70's. More mechanics than you could shake a stick at. Now try and find someone who can build a crank. Good Luck with that.
We used to have a thriving electronics industry, made our own TV's and radios, cheap Jap imports killed that of as well.
If the retail industry has to adjust to a new way of doing business, and some of them dont want to/cant be bothered/or plain old had enough, so be it.

I think a lot of businesses in various retail categories are adjusting ok, but there are those who want to change the law so it was like it was in the olden days like you describe with everything protected. Ain't gonna happen though.

[gammaguy]

Hey guys something to think about.
Yep we live in a global economy.Yep you can save money by going on e bay etc and buying stuff from wholesalers in the states etc.
I see your logic.
But what happens when the last accessory shop has closed. The last bike shop has gone under?
Ohh they won't I hear you say. Hmmm ok take a look around -how many west auckland bike shops,south auckland?
How many places have closed their doors in the last few years?
Im not Naive enough to say the only reason the companies folded is people buying offshore.But it hasn't helped.

last time i went into a bike shop in AKL the guy behind the counter was too busy texting someone to even lift his head to greet me.

Clearly if they are an endangered species they dont fall over themselves to be saved

maybe they all deserve to die off like the dinosaurs that many of them are

[Robert Taylor]

Well heres another side. A lot of us buy product in NZ, and use it to make things to sell internationally. But paying massively inflated prices locally makes it difficult to stay competitive on an international market.

These are the people who are bringing money into NZ and creating jobs here. They should not also be expected to provide charity for those businesses who refuse to get with the times and still expect to operate within a national monopoly.

It is worth noting I have managed to find some very good suppliers who are competitive on price, and offer excellent service as well. But it took some doing to find them.

No argument about that. No one is asking for monopolies, just a level playing field