Yep, New Zealand Post are bullshit. Bloody hopelessOriginally Posted by nallac
ACC can go fuck themselves
Yep, New Zealand Post are bullshit. Bloody hopeless
Rest In Peace
Was talking to a guy in a bike shop,he has no problem with orders from overseas from customers,as he usually gets the instal of items,i.e pipes etc.
He even looks via internet for customers,a guy wanted pipes for his cruiser(new bike purchase),the local distributer didn't have anything suitable,so the guy sourced from US,in his shop in 10 days which was quicker than the distributer could do for him.He acknowledges people try on helmets and buy offshore,not much he can do he says,especially if the dollar is good,but he also believes in service and what he may lose on clothes,lids etc,makes up with bike servicing under warranty etc from new buyers,and a lot are loyal buyers.
But as he said if I have the same item in stock he will try to match from US,as much as possible.Case and point was guy interested in jeans,the shopper said he thought NZ prices were a tad expensive,I said yep can get Icon from US for $99 plus freight of $50,so if I bought 2 pair the cost was $250 US,we did quick conversion and worked out at $350NZ or $175 pair,he had jeans in stock for $225,offered the guy a pair for $195,offer taken up as they fitted.
As the customer said he was ready to buy offshore as the service he recieved in a city an hour away was shit,so decided to try small shops,and was considering upgrading his bike,cards exchanged etc,turned out the dealer rang back a week later and new bike picked up shortly after.Moral is one simple word in any retail area or business is service.
Hello officer put it on my tab
Don't steal the government hates competition.
Forum whore
Certainly yes there are a LOT of bike shops that just dont cut the mustard by any stretch of the imagination. The recession is doing its bit to weed a few of those out and maybe more workers will value their jobs and put in more effort? Im not holding my breath. But again, not everyone is tarred with the same brush.
There are also a heck of a lot of people who do their damndest to find the lowest price at the furtherest corners of the world, even if the ''saving'' is relatively insignificant.
Geriatric hoon
One workshop manual CD ordered from the UK, here in five days.
One camera mount ex Canada, here in seven days.
One tool ex USA still in transit, eight days and counting.
None of the above is available locally to my knowledge.
Handlebar requested through dealer system, quoted as five days, now I'm told two weeks - this ex Australia. There are other parts involved in this order as well but the handlebar was requested to be a priority.
I'm not blaming the local dealer, their supplier appears to be operating at a rather underwhelming level of efficiency.
I requested a part from the local Toyota dealer (under warranty) and was quoted 30 days. When I questioned the delay I was told, "We only order genuine Toyota parts." This in a tone of voice that implied that was all the explanation I could possibly need.
The part arrived after only two weeks, but the car isn't fixed yet, another week having passed. Your guess is as good as mine?
It isn't hard to see why some people look further than the local agent.
There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one. - Joey Dunlop
Blue is BETTER
Well, I must say, this is a jolly good read.
I for one am one of those that buy from both overseas and local. Clothing - I would swing towards local for obvious reasons, hardware - where ever I get the price and range. Being as small as we are, like a few have mentioned, mean we have a rubbish selection because no one is prepared to back themselves and supple kiwi's with a decent range. It is possible to organise 'middle-man' supply contracts with overseas manufacturers and distributors to ship straight to the end customer so you don't need to stock the range. But kiwi's don't like risk...
Quasi & Robert - you say support locals? What about if the price is significantly less overseas? Who's making too much of a cut in NZ? What if I was a manufacturer in nz and decided to get my products made overseas because it was "significantly less" to do so? Is there such a moral difference?
Both manufacturer and consumer are saving money so they can spend it on other things - more than likely local.
It pisses me off when NZ retailers justify high mark ups because of our "isolation". If the consumer can get it cheaper than the retailer, Mr Retailer needs to sort there shit out.
It pisses me off when, as many have mentioned, that we should support local because it's the "moral thing to do". I'll support local when they start bringing back local manufacturing, good service, and better prices. (Which I'm happy to say, I mostly do).
And why can't I buy bloody waterproof LED stips in NZ?!?!?!I suppose there's no market for it
Forum whore
Impossible you cant buy a QMOTO jacket overseas, lol
sorry taking the piss.
seriously tho its my Job to make sure my product and service is good enough to encourage NZrs to by from me, if they dont and they buy overseas then thats my problem eh.
I just hope to get a crack and a fair one .........nothing worse than a dark crack ,,,,,,ok time for bed im taking the piss again lol
Ive run out of fucks to give
Forum whore
Had a little look around for a new helmet. Premium here is about $200 on a thousand dollar helmet. Out of that $200 I would have to pay freight, and and taxes that might be incurred along the way. I'll happily buy it locally this time.
I have chosen a particular model/colour, if I were happy to buy whatever colour was being 'run out' then I could find the same model helmet at a $350 saving, and that would make it worthwhile for me to import it.
Geriatric hoon
The chain adjustment tool ex USA arrived on day nine.
I phoned the Toyota dealer to find out how the warranty repair was going.
The ecu has been here a week but the auto electrician is busy and they can't even suggest a time by which he can install it. Ring back Friday they suggest...
Toyota might be OK as cars but their local dealer functions at the level of a bad joke.
Some firms make you wish that they would get bought out or otherwise be taken over by somebody who knows how to run a business.
BlueWing just about makes that category too... [/RANT]
There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one. - Joey Dunlop
Blue is BETTER
haha. Fair call and good attitude.
Forum whore
Im at pains to point out that Im looking at it from all perspectives and as a distributor of a leading product I cannot be accused of self interest as I have been on record many times as saying that we need to have a weaker exchange rate that helps our exporters. As opposed to importers.
There is indeed no excuse for poor service and failing to or taking a long time to respond. That is perhaps why small businesses that are focused ( as Katman has fairly eluded to ) can do well. I also wonder aloud how long the accepted etiquette of wholesale and retail is going to survive?
There are compelling issues that I think a few have overlooked, as follows;
1) We have only 4 million people and therefore a tiny market. It automatically limits the size of inventory that both dealers and distributors can stock. Do all distributors make a healthy profit each month? Perception and reality can be very different.
2) I am sure that there are many people that spend an enormous amount of time scouring the net for product, and how many billions of items are there out there? I can well understand how staff in motorcycle shops dont have a hope in hell of keeping up with it all.
3) Said it before, its not a level playing field when so much comes in without attracting clearnce charges and gst etc. Plus the fraudulent undervaluing that occurs.
4) Everything seems to be a NOW society. Certainly there are some items that are urgent but many not so urgent. Yes many items could be procured more quickly and that increases the freight cost markedly. When you start from a basis that your buy price is nowhere near as good as the bulk purchasing power of big US chain companies then it doesnt stack up
There have been many people that have started motorcycle shops ''because we can do it better and the current shops are rip offs'' Only to get a rude awakening.
Hardcore Biker
Very true, but you do have them made overseas and delivered into NZ as its cheaper for you than having the materials sourced and made in NZ. (not meaning to single you out)
So it goes both ways..............
TBH, if its +/- for me to get it from overseas and the service is better, to the interwebs I go!!!
For instance, I'm trying to buy some bits from a guy in Christchurch for my Pegaso, 3 phonecalls, 2 emails and, you guessed it, no response.
Get smater retailers.......
102° Rx = + /_\
Hardcore Biker
[QUOTE=Robert Taylor;1129241507]Im at pains
hemorrhoid cream not having the desired effects again?
Forum whore
[QUOTE=Rcktfsh;1129241572]Im in extra pain now because I just wet myself laughing, realising that youd have to put your climbing gear on to reach ''Base Camp 1 "", the keyboard!
Hardcore Biker
[QUOTE=Robert Taylor;1129241621]ahhh but i got a fantastic deal on it all from a south american pygmy adventure clothing supplier i found on the net, must pass the address on to dennis.
Forum whore
The internet has been in just about everybody's home for the last decade. People searching and shopping on the net is commonplace. We are much more in a global community and the world has certainly shrunk. Yet for some reason this has escaped motorcycle parts and accessory retailers in NZ. The handful that do have something up online are practically useless with next to nothing in the way of product listed.
I can well appreciate not wanting to carry a lot of stock for such a small market. Perhaps could they try to have some sort of system setup with distributors and manufacturers (around the world) so stock could get into the hands of customers within a couple of weeks or so.
NZ retailers could then list the vast amounts of products that are available. They do not have to stock it. This way a retailer can strike while the iron is hot and capitalise on whims and impulse purchasers. If a potential customer has a pocket full of money burning a hole in his pocket... do not make them wait a week while you get back with a price. That has to be bad retail practice.
A lot could be done to stimulate and grow a market. Think of all the dollars worth of bikes at your typical rally owned by middle-aged people with expendable income. Just about every one has had some kind of aftermarket accessory added to it. Not many would be showroom standard. Dangling nice tempting bits of aftermarket accessories in front of everybody's noses will more than likely stimulate sales.
It is truly staggering the amount of gear that is available out there in the big wide world... and unless somebody dangles it in front of your nose - then you are never going to be tempted by it. Like until just the other day i did not realise you could get body kits like these at a reasonable affordable price... http://www.2wheelkits.com/suzuki-fai...47_58_105.html
It's just like how you Robert, let people know what you can do for them and stimulate patronage of your services. If no one knew what you could offer - then no one would realise the improvements they could have and be sending their suspension to you.
People are purchasing from overseas because they are finding the products overseas. It is there under their noses for the taking with only the click of a mouse button. It is too easy. Yet on the other hand dealing with the parts salesman behind the counter at the local bike shop with a few crappy pieces of old dusty shit on a shelf in a dark corner is anything but.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks