Buying from the States?

[YellowDog]

In the past 2 weeks, there have been 4 bike shops in nz go under....
Just something to think about.

Well yes, maybe they priced themselves out if the market. I paid retail price plus shipping plus GST and was $5k cheaper than the NZ price. The NZ dealer could have bought at NZ trade price and still made a good profit, plus the service revenue etc.

As it happens the bike I wanted (ABS version) wasn't available in NZ and it would have had to be shipped in. Well I had to do it myself because nooone would play ball.

[Robert Taylor]

But distributors are always at liberty to add their profit margin...at times it is an 'Awful Lot'(tm).

Thats the common misconception yes. When you factor in overheads the nett margin is not that great at all.
Plenty of people have also started motorcycle shops thinking they were going to make a killing, the reality is quite different. Dont believe me? Try it.

[chrispy121]

wow this has got a lot of feed back
doing the sums the jacket I want is not available here Astars mx1
but if I compare another jacket the rc1 I can import this for $850 including freight and GST from a price in the states.
the NZ price is $1200 and a couple of dealers will not give a discount on that in fact I have walked into a couple of dealers and they wernt that interested at all.
I try to buy as much as I can in NZ the keep the shops I deal with in business.

But in Feburary I was made redundant so I need to save money.
I would consider a RC-1 but I think close to $400 premium is a little to much to pay if the difference was $100 I would.

Please bear in mind this will be even cheaper if customs do not pick this up so potentially I am will to pay up to $200 more to support the local motorbike shops.
I have worked out that I have spent over 7k at bike shops in the last 10 months now that I am not working I have to be a little more selective about how much I spend

[98tls]

Fwiw got any mates in the States?The stuff available over there is as you will know incredible,second hand as new everywhere,the bonus of having someone you know over there posting it as they can do the paperwork to suit your needs.

[scumdog]

Probably going to get a drive-belt for CBs Sporty direct from the US, will let y'all know how it goes price-wise etc if I do.

[wickle]

But distributors are always at liberty to add their profit margin...at times it is an 'Awful Lot'(tm).

Distrubitors and retailers to me are two different business's the markup generally apllied by retailers is not that high( except in fashion clothing ) the retailer generally has to buy goods and pay for them ages before they sell them . where as who knows what mark up Distributors(wholesalers) can put on goods that are most probably bought at prices less than one off sales sourced from overseas.

[DMNTD:Me]

In the past 2 weeks, there have been 4 bike shops in nz go under....
Just something to think about.

Yep...one just down the road from us plus there's another looking VERY 'fluid' at the moment.
We're about to lose a staff member at work too which sucks.

[Robert Taylor]

Yep...one just down the road from us plus there's another looking VERY 'fluid' at the moment.
We're about to lose a staff member at work too which sucks.

And I think this is the whole point. Too many assume that distributors and dealers make profits that are making them filthy rich. Its all too easy to say "'I got great service from overseas'' Fact of the matter you are dealing with faceless people who it is rather more difficult to build prejudice against, a theme I see often on this forum when talking about dealers. Many people seem to delight in pitting dealer against dealer, but for sure there is no excuse for bad service. Its also more than once Ive noticed comments such as ''great guys and great prices'', more than a few times Ive noticed that the same great guys had to close their doors because the balance sheet was none too pretty.The more and more that people buy offshore ( all commodities ) the less and less viable it is to run a business in NZ and the longer the dole queue becomes. The problem further exacerbates itself.
And if the official distributors got their suppliers to fraudulently undervalue all of their shipments Id bet theyd get done for tax evasion like a dogs dinner.
We should all take a step back and be very concerned about where all this nonsense is leading us.

[nallac]

And that is a good thing for the country, we need to pay more credence to export earnings.

not so good for people who's business rely on imported products tho.

such as motorcycle shops....

[rosie631]

I have had a local price of $437 for my drive belt and to get one from the states I was quoted $211 including postage. On the currency conversion I used that worked out at $370 New Zealand. I'm thinking factoring in the postage time, hassle to return if it's the wrong one etc and also the fact that my local shop have been really good to me lately, with free advice and small jobs etc, that for the sake of 60 bucks i will buy NZ. But if the difference had been 100 plus I probably would have bought direct from US.

[JacksColdSweat]

I bought two Icon Moto jackets, pants, gloves - the works at Xmas US$1500 or so - brought them home in luggage with tags still attached - no questions were asked.

I think smaller items like this don't attract attention - especially if the quantity is small enough to be personal. If I had a bag full of jackets they might have been more curious but one or even two is OK - no one's getting rich selling one jacket on Trade Me

[Robert Taylor]

not so good for people who's business rely on imported products tho.

such as motorcycle shops....

Let me tell you something, I am a distributor of premium suspension products, some of those paid for in $US. I may sell more product when the exchange rate is more favourable for importation. But for the good of the country overall I think its better if the exchange rate is around 50 cents. That helps our export earnings and foreign exchange.
Its time more of us dispelled selfish motive and thought about whats actually good for the future of the country.

[scumdog]

I have had a local price of $437 for my drive belt and to get one from the states I was quoted $211 including postage. On the currency conversion I used that worked out at $370 New Zealand. I'm thinking factoring in the postage time, hassle to return if it's the wrong one etc and also the fact that my local shop have been really good to me lately, with free advice and small jobs etc, that for the sake of 60 bucks i will buy NZ. But if the difference had been 100 plus I probably would have bought direct from US.

My line of thought exactly.

If the NZ price is not too out there I will buy locally.

[NOWOOL]

just have him include a card saying 'happy birthday' and make sure everything is hand-wrote with no invoices or store names.

[HenryDorsetCase]

just have him include a card saying 'happy birthday' and make sure everything is hand-wrote with no invoices or store names.

I dont think I would be comfortable dealing with someone who would be so ready to commit fraud. Mail fraud in the states is a Federal offence carrying unbelievably stiff penalties. it was the original anti-trust, anti organised crime legislation.