Does being a kiwi mean, Bend over & take it!

**XRNR** · 1st February 2004, 21:30

(This is a whinge, read no further if you don't want to know)

I am bloody sick of being ripped off all the time!

I am constantly finding out how much I am shafted, & I don't like it!!!

Just 2 out of many examples I can think of I have posted on this website. 1st there was, my post about "titanium chain gel", (In the tips on bits section).
Then there was my general moan about having to buy stuff over the internet.

Now #2...
I get recommended to use some castrol mineral oil in my M/C which can be bought from Repco. Cool, a friend can help me out with a staff discount @ said company. Normally retails for $23 odd. They got it for $9 (4liter pack for $9, better inflate the price so that you think its good enough to buy).

I can see that this competitive, anti-monopoly, economy, policed by the commerce commission is reeaaallllyyyyy working

& yes I do understand the need to make profits & pay for storage, advertising, staff, freight etc, etc.

But this is over the top!

**James Deuce** · 1st February 2004, 22:06

It's not just a Kiwi that bends over. The whole Capitalist Consumer economy is structured in the same way. Though Kiwis are really good a not reacting to serious threats to lifestyle, earning ability and disposable income.

The classic example is your average music CD, which cost 50c US to produce, market, and distribute. That also includes the cost of royalty payments to musicians. The rest is sucked up by middlemen - A&R men who tell us what to listen to (like we can't figure out what we like), chain stores, and the advertising media.

It won't change until we do.

The older I get the more I realise I just need less stuff! I also tend to spend more to get what I perceive to be better quality so it lasts longer. Therefore it ends up being a better ROI.

It can't be long now til I grow a really bushy "unix" beard and buy trousers that come up to my nipples. Might just get some roman sandles too.

**curious george** · 1st February 2004, 22:07

Dude, pretty worked up there.....
I don't know about oil specifically, but most things are pretty cheap in nz, some the cheapest in fact. True, there are some amazing bargains from the states and mailorder, but remember we are a piddly little island at the other end of the world

**PeteThePom** · 1st February 2004, 22:30

Being a 'new kiwi' I find this very interesting!

WHen I first came over I was buying stuff and doing the conversion into £'s and thinking, feck me thats cheap but I have since realised that as I'll be earning kiwi $'s(hopefully, at some point, perleeeeze) I need to treat a $ as a £ and then it sucks, for instance in the UK we'd spend on average £100 on the weekly shop, over here it's closer to $200!!

However some things compare fairly well, £ for $ such as electrical stuff, tv's, pc's etc, fridge freezers however do not,m vehicles are a tad more expensive but furniture is similar in price, cd's, vid, dvd's are a bleedin rip off! as is hiring them.

Still I dare say I'll get used to it but coming from the buying power of the £ to the buying power of the NZ$ has required a bit of adjustment but I still love it here, London sucks................

**Jackrat** · 1st February 2004, 23:09

I get the nasty feeling that where ever you live it means bend over an take it.
I counter it by riding an old bike,not using credit,doing as much for myself as possible,An trying not to get to pissed off.
Come the Revolution

Yamahamaman · 1st February 2004, 23:12

Originally Posted by PeteThePom

London sucks................

Hmmm, wonder why that so many young New Zealanders are breaking their necks to get there.

**MikeL** · 2nd February 2004, 07:11

Originally Posted by Yamahamaman

Hmmm, wonder why that so many young New Zealanders are breaking their necks to get there.

Because London is one of the most (if not the most) vibrant, exciting, awe-inspiring, multi-cultural cities in the world, next to which Auckland's attractions pale into insignificance. Unfortunately living and working there, with the cost of housing, transport congestion, racial problems etc. is a real hassle. But it doesn't put Aucklanders off - they feel right at home.
Eventually they'll come back, though, because London doesn't have any decent beaches...

**Motu** · 2nd February 2004, 07:38

There is always another side,this is my poor attempt at it,just off the top of my head.

Products in NZ are very much cheaper than they used to be,if I looked at my turn over going back 8 years(I don't want to,it's scary) you would find it is not much more,maybe even less now - this is because parts prices are cheaper...and so my profit is less.Take oil as an example - 8 years ago I was paying BP $4.40 per liter,the last drum I got (NOT from BP) cost me $1.60 per liter - do I pass that saving onto you?...no way! I need every last cent...sorry.Steering rack ends - they were genuine only and sold for around $200,at 10% mark up....now I buy them for $16 and put 50% on them,shit,I'm making less money at 50% than 10%! As the price of parts comes down,so does my profit....I need to stack my prices UP to stay in the game.

I know some products are sold at massive mark ups,this is in retail mainly,but in general most of the stuff is cheaper,but big chains can make less profit on each item with a massive turn over - take batteries,because I only sell about one a week I pay more for a battery from Century than YOU can get them for at Repco,they sell thousands a week,so buy them cheaper.I get sick of customers saying they can buy parts cheaper at Repco than what I sell them for.They bring their own oil and filter for a lube - so I charge them more for doing the job...hey,part of my profit from the job is in the parts I sell with it,take away parts profit and I will put what I lost on the labour charge - what a prick eh....no,just trying to survive.

**MikeL** · 2nd February 2004, 08:00

Originally Posted by Motu

Products in NZ are very much cheaper than they used to be

This is an interesting topic. I too can recall the "bad" old days of high prices and what would now be considered excessive margins. But have we really gained anything? In the first place at least part of the reason for cheaper goods is lower quality. I can't comment on motor spares but certainly in appliances and particularly electronic goods there is the expectation that they will not last as long. the first video recorder I ever bought retailed for $3200, but it weighed a ton and went for 12 years before it needed service. Now when a $200 VCR stops working (after a couple of years) you just throw it away...
The other important aspect I think is to do with quality of service. A higher markup means that a business can afford to go that extra mile, give some extra value in the form of well-trained staff, product knowledge, advice, discounts for good customers etc. This was common in the past but is becoming rare nowadays. If we factor in all the delays, frustration etc. from poor retail service the advantage of cheap goods is not so clear-cut.

**Motu** · 2nd February 2004, 08:54

Yes,I find it annoying when people shop only on price - because someone has a higher price for a product or service then they are labeled a rip off,when the quality of servive or back up of a product is higher.Cheaper is cheaper,by all counts.

I remember years ago in Aust when they had an unregulated fuel industry and we didn't.The gas stations with cheaper fuel were self serve,those with higher prices cleaned your screen and checked your oil,pumped your fuel and carried out your change.The price of the product depened on quality of service - it was your choice,but the guys with higher priced fuel weren't rip off artists!

**XRNR** · 2nd February 2004, 09:14

Originally Posted by Motu

Yes,I find it annoying when people shop only on price - because someone has a higher price for a product or service then they are labeled a rip off,...

Oi !
ain't you supposed to be working. Thats the second time you've posted on this today, & its a business day.

I see your ripping off people is funding your m/c forum posts, not quality of service...

**MikeL** · 2nd February 2004, 10:22

Originally Posted by XRNR

Oi !
ain't you supposed to be working. Thats the second time you've posted on this today, & its a business day.

I see your ripping off people is funding your m/c forum posts, not quality of service...

Ooooh...
That was a bit below the belt!