eBay rocks

**ducatilover** · 11th February 2013, 09:27

It doesn't help that many parts department staff are dribbling fucktards.
obody in Palmy, or Pahiatua could find a fork seal for a ZXR400H1, let alone the retaining clips, even when I gave them a list of bikes with the same seal.

I purchased on line intsead (pyramid parts are useful buggers)

Really, how the fuck can somebody not find a part on a database?

**Robert Taylor** · 11th February 2013, 12:34

Originally Posted by imdying

Better prices, better service, faster delivery, why wouldn't you buy overseas...

Let us deal with Madness' main piece of propaganda.... If we don't buy local, there will be no bike shops left. That is a fallacy. There will always be bike shops, as there will always be a market. Yes, that portion of the market might only be small enough to support one shop, but so fucking what? If that's all the market can support, then so be it. The weak will always perish. Those unable or unwilling to adapt, will perish.

The only people killing the NZ motorcycle after market sales are the importers. Their predatory pricing, unwillingness to even special order particular parts/models, lackadaisical attitude to delivery times, and blatant profiteering is what's making the dealer unprofitable.

Now according to somebody at the top of the NZ food chain at a (the?) major parts/accessories importer, this is being done on purpose. Apparently once they have killed off the local distributors (i.e. the local dealers, the people that push their product), they are planning to rebirth as an online wholesaler selling to the public. Apparently similar to what Australia have been doing?

My business does not fall into that category ( Im an importer ) Wholesale is slowly becoming the new retail with many products because that is about the only way now that many products can compete locally. Many distributors would like to have much healthier balance sheets than they currently have, I can assure you.

**307a** · 11th February 2013, 16:52

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

My business does not fall into that category ( Im an importer ) Wholesale is slowly becoming the new retail with many products because that is about the only way now that many products can compete locally. Many distributors would like to have much healthier balance sheets than they currently have, I can assure you.

Hi Robert, please explain to me why we need retail. I have thought for a very long time now that there are just to many people in the supply chain.

**Robert Taylor** · 11th February 2013, 17:05

Originally Posted by 307a

Hi Robert, please explain to me why we need retail. I have thought for a very long time now that there are just to many people in the supply chain.

Largely I will pass on that subject as plenty of people on here will get bitter and twisted. This is a sensitive subject because MANY ORDINARY PEOPLE LIVES ( including many that inhabit this forum ) will earn their living from many retail industries. One justification is being able to go down to your local store for parts and service, rather than up to many hundreds of kilometres away. In any event this is becoming more of a reality with accessing many forms of specialised service. People will just have to get used to that. Take BMW dealers for instance, you have to have a huge and costly inventory in test equipment to be one, and to be able to service the bikes properly. Given that we only have about 4 million people ( and seemingly at least half on welfare ) there are very few BMW dealers, so you have to travel for service. Thats just the way it is.

**2SMOK** · 11th February 2013, 20:40

In my experience some of these small businesses are doing themselves out of business with the utterly terrible service, or even non existent service when you visit their premises.

I bought all my riding gear from Avon City Suzuki. I could have saved over $500 (or even more if I somehow managed to not get stung with GST from customs) by getting it from Sportbiketrack or Revzilla or some other outfit, but I didn't because the guys at the local shop took their time to fit me out with the best gear for me. These guys obviously realise that they won't ever match the price from the online retailer, so have to work 110% on customer service in the shop.

**Oakie** · 11th February 2013, 21:42

Originally Posted by 2SMOK

In my experience some of these small businesses are doing themselves out of business with the utterly terrible service, or even non existent service when you visit their premises.

I bought all my riding gear from Avon City Suzuki. I could have saved over $500 (or even more if I somehow managed to not get stung with GST from customs) by getting it from Sportbiketrack or Revzilla or some other outfit, but I didn't because the guys at the local shop took their time to fit me out with the best gear for me. These guys obviously realise that they won't ever match the price from the online retailer, so have to work 110% on customer service in the shop.

Yeah, I got really good service from a guy at Hampton Honda (and a 10% discount for a big purchase) so I was quite happy to buy replacement boots, jacket and gloves from them rather than get the equivalent online.

**Wil_K** · 11th February 2013, 21:57

Ordered some front discs for my NSR recently. Ended up getting them from Oz for $200 less than here after shipping, and paying Australian GST, which they wouldn't deduct. The discs are made by Metalgear, an Australian company, they are distributed here as well. They retail on the Metalgear website for $150 AUD inc GST. You would think at most they could retail here for maybe $200-250, but no, they're $317. I do have sympathy for the retailers trying to earn an honest living, but so am I, and I'm going to take advantage of a saving like that.

I also have to agree with what others have said. Being that retailers must adapt to changing times. There are some out there who already have. MotoXparts for example. If you factor in shipping, their prices are actually as good as buying from overseas.

**speeding_ant** · 12th February 2013, 07:42

Originally Posted by Wil_K

Ordered some front discs for my NSR recently. Ended up getting them from Oz for $200 less than here after shipping, and paying Australian GST, which they wouldn't deduct. The discs are made by Metalgear, an Australian company, they are distributed here as well. They retail on the Metalgear website for $150 AUD inc GST. You would think at most they could retail here for maybe $200-250, but no, they're $317. I do have sympathy for the retailers trying to earn an honest living, but so am I, and I'm going to take advantage of a saving like that.

I also have to agree with what others have said. Being that retailers must adapt to changing times. There are some out there who already have. MotoXparts for example. If you factor in shipping, their prices are actually as good as buying from overseas.

I can understand the disks. If you import the wrong ones you've got hassles (finding one for a hornet 250 wasn't easy). If the bike shop does, they deal with the cock up. The extra $100 in the case was worth it for me. For some it may not be I guess

**speeding_ant** · 12th February 2013, 11:32

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/n...ectid=10864860

Definitely all doom and gloom for retailers...

**imdying** · 12th February 2013, 11:47

Originally Posted by speeding_ant

I can understand the disks. If you import the wrong ones you've got hassles (finding one for a hornet 250 wasn't easy). If the bike shop does, they deal with the cock up. The extra $100 in the case was worth it for me. For some it may not be I guess

Yeah, I think of it as a stupidity tax... i.e. you would have to be fuckin stupid to order ones with the wrong dimensions.

**speeding_ant** · 12th February 2013, 12:41

Originally Posted by imdying

Yeah, I think of it as a stupidity tax... i.e. you would have to be fuckin stupid to order ones with the wrong dimensions.

Suits me to a t

That and metalgear refused to send me a rotor directly

**ducatilover** · 12th February 2013, 12:42

Originally Posted by speeding_ant

I can understand the disks. If you import the wrong ones you've got hassles (finding one for a hornet 250 wasn't easy). If the bike shop does, they deal with the cock up. The extra $100 in the case was worth it for me. For some it may not be I guess

Hornet 250 disks are easy and super cheap overseas

**speeding_ant** · 12th February 2013, 15:24

Originally Posted by ducatilover

Hornet 250 disks are easy and super cheap overseas

You need to open a bike shop

**Digitdion** · 12th February 2013, 19:50

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

Largely I will pass on that subject as plenty of people on here will get bitter and twisted. This is a sensitive subject because MANY ORDINARY PEOPLE LIVES ( including many that inhabit this forum ) will earn their living from many retail industries. One justification is being able to go down to your local store for parts and service, rather than up to many hundreds of kilometres away. In any event this is becoming more of a reality with accessing many forms of specialised service. People will just have to get used to that. Take BMW dealers for instance, you have to have a huge and costly inventory in test equipment to be one, and to be able to service the bikes properly. Given that we only have about 4 million people ( and seemingly at least half on welfare ) there are very few BMW dealers, so you have to travel for service. Thats just the way it is.

What a beautiful answer Robert. You should be a politician.