Ractech and a rotting stench

[Headbanger]

Thats part of my point, why should a private buyer get away without paying clearance fees and then gst on everything, compared to a business with a huge investment that pays full commercial rates and acc levies, this and that etc?

Because we can, there is no need to justify it, its up to the market to adjust to the new reality.

Hell, when I quote a customer 80 grand for some work then its up to them to decide if they want to pay us that for the work, get more quotes, look into hiring just the gear and doing it themselves or consider alternatives to gettin the work done. If the market has moved and we are pricing too high then we either adjust or die.

I don't think they owe us our profit because I have kids to feed, or that the governments role is to step in and protect my business model.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Soon after Uncle B died I needed to replace my helmet. I wanted a Norick as he did, but in tan. Talked to the local. 3 months and $1300! 3 months!!!!!!!!! I had it ex Japan in 3 days for <$800. 3 days!!!!!!!!! I can't see a single reason why I would have waited the 3 months.

Lucky you have an 'Asian' shaped head then.

[gixerracer]

I heard he is joining the labour party

Well, in about 9 months time, during the last weeks of desperate, frantic closing-down fire sales, just before the liquidators come stomping through with their sledgehammers, for lease signs and removal vans, I'll be around to score the proper spring for a realistic price.

Looking forward to the day. Hoping you fellas will have one of your famous lattes, piping hot, waiting for me.

Good luck in your new endeavors. Taylor would be best suited to putting his efforts into running for parliament, he'll fit in well there

[quickbuck]

Its probably pointless telling some people of the benefits of using CKT and maybe paying a little extra initially but what i have saved in the form of tyres and servicing costs is far more then the amount id save importing my own.

Ain't that the truth.... Mr Montgomery doesn't understand that the $150 you "Saved" can be toasted within a couple of minutes if you mess up the settings....
Not rocket science, but it is more than 'It's Just a Motor Bike"

[Robert Taylor]

I heard he is joining the labour party

Not even when hell freezes over!!!!!!

[Robert Taylor]

Because we can, there is no need to justify it, its up to the market to adjust to the new reality.

Hell, when I quote a customer 80 grand for some work then its up to them to decide if they want to pay us that for the work, get more quotes, look into hiring just the gear and doing it themselves or consider alternatives to gettin the work done. If the market has moved and we are pricing too high then we either adjust or die.

I don't think they owe us our profit because I have kids to feed, or that the governments role is to step in and protect my business model.

Not a good answer and you know it. If a business has to pay full clearance charges and gst for the products it imports then why should it be any different for a private individual?
In that respect the current environment helps to undermine the viability of being in business.
I and many other businesses dont ask for help from the Government, we only ask for an importation regime that doesnt effectively penalise business by ''rewarding'' one off importers with too often a blind eye on applying taxes, exacerbated by all the falsification of invoices that occurs.

[Robert Taylor]

Irrespective of all the arguments, all the emotion and valid points raised on both sides of the fence we like many other businesses that are very service related meet the market as much as possible, and within sensible boundaries.
If you find a better price overseas talk to me personally or e-mail me and we will see what we can do as a package. We in fact do this all the time and we fully back up every product / service we sell.
Maybe I dont suffer fools too readily but if people are straight with me its reciprocated in full, cannot be more reasonable than that.

[Headbanger]

Not a good answer and you know it. If a business has to pay full clearance charges and gst for the products it imports then why should it be any different for a private individual? .

Its a great answer, You just can't get your head around the fact as an individual I care what I spend and not how much you make, and I can choose where I spend my money based on my criteria.

Thats your bubble. The reality you are in denial about. You think its not fair that someone has avenues to purchase that don't fit your business model.

The point of my post was to illustrate that just like yourself the company I work for has to cover the cost of running the business (and this is in the millions) as well as doing the work on the day, and that an individual can take on teh work himself and bypass all the compliance costs and overheads.

[jellywrestler]

OK mr headbanger, things are getting personal here; why don't we all keep on dicussing this without a particular company/brand/product being singled out.

The scenario is Mr Smith is going out and needs a little bit of methamphetamine to help him along for the night. A Guy on the street corner has it for $400 a gram but you can go into a chemist in Bangkok and buy what you need to make this stuff for the equivalent of a couple of NZ dollars, work at it a bit and get it to Mr Smith place for much less than the $400.

Now Mr Headbanger how about we discuss the ins and outs of this?

[Robert Taylor]

OK mr headbanger, things are getting personal here; why don't we all keep on dicussing this without a particular company/brand/product being singled out.
The scenario is Mr Headbanger is going out and needs a little bit of methamphetamine to help him along for the night. A Guy on the street corner has it for $400 a gram but you can go into a chemist in Bangkok and buy what you need to make this stuff for the equivalent of a couple of NZ dollars, work at it a bit and get it to Mr Headbangers place for much less than the $400.
Now Mr Headbanger how about we discuss the ins and outs of this?

Jeez, you never fail to draw a giggle or two!

[Robert Taylor]

Its a great answer, You just can't get your head around the fact as an individual I care what I spend and not how much you make, and I can choose where I spend my money based on my criteria.

Thats your bubble. The reality you are in denial about. You think its not fair that someone has avenues to purchase that don't fit your business model.

The point of my post was to illustrate that just like yourself the company I work for has to cover the cost of running the business (and this is in the millions) as well as doing the work on the day, and that an individual can take on teh work himself and bypass all the compliance costs and overheads.

We have to agree to disagree then. But I think if you conducted a straw poll of most NZ businesses that sell imported goods there would be an overwhelming opinion that the application of tax on privately imported goods is far too laxadasical, and that they feel singled out on this.
Individuals can choose to purchase wherever they want, that is a reality. I have no problem with that and always strive within sensible boundaries to get the deal, and then back it up.
But I bet also that there is some sort of correlation between the situation that prevails and people being laid off. It might be hard to quantify but it would be a reality. I like to think that when Im spending money the business is making a fair and reasonable profit and in turn they are able to pay their employees a fair and reasonable wage.
I always remember a farmer that I was talking telling me about a contract he entered into to get new milking machines installed. He brazenly told me that he had screwed the company down to the last possible cent and that the salesman was almost crying as there was virtually no margin left. He thought it was a huge joke but I was disgusted and asked him if he treated everybody like this. Miserable penny pinching prick, sadly there are many people like this, albeit this is an extreme example.

[Robert Taylor]

Heres an interesting point and I kind of eluded to it in a previous post,

With the pressure that is placed on accredited distributors from overseas resellers ( most particularly in the USA ) should a number of distributors consider going direct and eliminate the traditional wholesale / retail etiquette?

Note that this subject matter is not confined to NZ, it also affects Australia, Canada and a number of European countries. Bulk buying discounts, high volume sales, very low margins and a strong kiwi dollar against $US all conspire to create such a situation.

The very first negative by-product is that if all sales ( for in this example suspension ) are direct it completely cuts out the handful of dealers who would otherwise be proactive, as there would be no margin for them. And you cannot just scoot up to any motorcycle shop for suspension help as frankly the training institutions for motorcycle mechanics offers little more than when I was an apprentice back in the 70s. Its as rudimentary as it was then. That is not to say that there are some great mecahanics with good suspension set up knowledge dotted around the country in various shops, but thats because of their own motivation and interest.

Theres a lot more to this that I could elaborate on, but its enough to raise a discussion....

[Headbanger]

OK mr headbanger, things are getting personal here; why don't we all keep on dicussing this without a particular company/brand/product being singled out.
The scenario is Mr Headbanger is going out and needs a little bit of methamphetamine to help him along for the night. A Guy on the street corner has it for $400 a gram but you can go into a chemist in Bangkok and buy what you need to make this stuff for the equivalent of a couple of NZ dollars, work at it a bit and get it to Mr Headbangers place for much less than the $400.
Now Mr Headbanger how about we discuss the ins and outs of this?

Only niggers and filth discuss that crap, I'll leave it up to you.

[Headbanger]

We have to agree to disagree then.

Indeed.

Though I knew we would.

[jellywrestler]

Only niggers and filth discuss that crap, I'll leave it up to you.

I'm sorry Mr Headbanger, I'm not racist, I've got a colour telly and a Black cat so how can I be? but I see you're not happy with that sort of scenario, lets change it to party pills then if it makes you happy, you sound like you could be a party pill man, or at least someone who while no'ones looking whips an Enos tablet into his Berroca just to get that extra shot.-----The point remains you've singled out a particular product yet this really is about many products available in New Zealand from a supplier yet able to be purchased off the interweb for much less, do you have it in for this supplier or what?