Buying Gear from OS, right thing to do?

[philMember]

i work in a local bike shop and people buying stuff over seas is hurting us bad.
what people need to understand is we are not ripping you off!
stuff is cheaper from america simply because they have massive buying power.
the australian motorcycle industry is tiny in comparison to them let alone the world, so obviously they can purchase product in much greater quantities than australian suppliers therefore making it cheaper.
secondly everything is made in china, then american companies buy it from china and our suppliers have to then import it from america where the companies are based ( Fox , Thor etc). everyone along the line needs to make a cut out of it or we all go broke, so it’s not like australian companies are making a killing off it cause thats far from the truth.
our profit margins haven’t changed in years and if anything they have dropped.
so if every one buys shit from the internet, local shops go broke and close, no one can fit your parts, or fix your bike, or spend time giving you advice with your problems,or sell you a new bike, or try on clothing to check sizes before you buy, or return faulty items, or loan you a part to get you out of trouble or any other services your bike shop provides???
i know its tempting to save money, i’m in the same boat. but you have to think of the big picture
this problem is hurting all small busines’s not just the motorcycle industry as all australian dollars at them moment seem to be feeding a downwards american economy that is not helping out australia at all.
The Importers are trying the best they can to compete with the american market because they are suffering aswell but they simply dont have the buying power.
And also all the importers buy there stocks well in advance when the dollar was shit and now that it is in comparison they cant cut all there profits and go broke as there is no point. And its not like america gives them a Rebate when the dollar gets better they just have to wear it and battle through the hard times.
at the end of the day we look after our customers as best we can, espescially loyal customers.
and we all need to make a living somehow.
phil, brock
mud n tar m/c

[corey heatherMember]

Sorry Mick Dumb might have been the wrong word to use but i don’t see the intrest in buying from OS.

Hey phil why arn’t you guys a kwaka dealer? lol i use to get my stuff from you guys when i had my DRZ but now i only got the tools in coffs to deal with.

[GregMember]

Krusty wrote:

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Trailboss wrote:

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One final thing Krusty, after you buy O/S and maybe save some bucks here and there what happens when you bike needs a valve adjustment, its a bucket and shim you cant do yourself and you go to a bike shop. You dont have a relationship with that shop or any because you buy O/S do you expect they should look after you?
TB

I would go to a bike mechanic one who repairs bikes and not sells them.. 2 or 3 in my area… I know them well and have had a few things done by them in the past…

Krusty nearly everytime I work on your bike you bring up the story and bitch about getting ripped with the WR :huh: Remember :laugh:

[ChrisMember]

Trailboss wrote:

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Krusty nearly everytime I work on your bike you bring up the story and bitch about getting ripped with the WR :huh: Remember :laugh:

Yes that was a YAMAHA dealer in blacktown.. I learned the hard way :angry: … I even told that story somewhere on this forum.. Back then there was no local mechanic now there is 3.. I also know heaps more now than I did then…

Phil and Tisco I think have confirmed.. Wholesalers is part or most of the problem from the price perspective..

True free trade imo would allow anyone to freely import, pay tax and duties and on-sell.. Protectionism does more harm than good…

[TobyMember]

Firstly well said Phil.

This issue has no easy solution and only time will see what the market settles down to do. Bike shops run on an old formula of demand for a product that no-one else can supply and have been caught out by the relatively sudden increased availabilty of product through numerous sources.

Two excellent points mentioned by Mick and Phil.

(1)It will take time for the flow on effect of the dollar to trickle through as bike shops and wholesalers will have alot of stock to move before stock bought on parity comes into play (stock in shops does not always sell as quick as consumers might think, sometimes bike shops invest in stock to discover it does not sell at all).

(2)Motorcycle retailers do not have massive mark ups on the of the products they sell.

People that consume with a conscience will realise the value of shopping locally and building a relationship with their local dealer. If your local dealer is not worth dealing with (I realise many aren’t, my local Honda dealer comes to mind) networks like OBT are an excellent source to find Australian dealers that are eager to provide service and competitive prices.

[Mick DMember]

See fellas?? Some great points being bought up by Tisco,Phil and Fossil all guys with an intimate knowledge of how bike shops work.
All stuff your average punter on the street gives no thought to. All the average punter wants to do is get out of it as cheap as they can and go riding, normally conscience doesn’t come into it.

It is great to get some feed back from the other side of the fence (blokes in the industry). Maybe both sides will take something away from this thread.

[ChrisMember]

micknmeld wrote:

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It is great to get some feed back from the other side of the fence (blokes in the industry). Maybe both sides will take something away from this thread.

Sides eh? didn’t know there were sides to choose…

[Bruce CurtisMember]

Call me hardass, but times they are a changing, change your business model or face the consequences, we live in a free market weather we approve of it or not.
Remember the corner shops?
Remember the independant grocery shops?
Remember the small farmers?
Remember the indepndant timber companies that had mills in every town?

well those that didn’t adapt got swallowed or went belly up, such is life, it is not the consumers place to show loyalty, it is up to the retailer to engender those feelings, TB said something a bit silly earlier, “the industry that supports us” the INDUSTRY does not support us, we support the industry and the face of that industry may need an overhaul, SOME shops support a select group of riders, but that in itself is not an industry, just a small portion of it.

The BEST and I mean best service I get is from two seperate retailers, one local, one in the UK………the rest I could care less weather they sink or swim, someone will always take their place if the place is warranted.

Now everyone talking about import tarrifs, how much are they? truly.

The wholeale and distributorship model must change or they will squeeze themselves out of existence, the shopfront retailers will be the first to suffer, next the distributors, then the wholesaler/importer, we cannot afford to support a multi-tiered system of profit-tking, when a simple system will be more efficeicnt and far more competitive. This situation has been dealt with and met front on by many other industries that actually manufacture goods and sell them domestically, and it has resulted in a far more stable and more value-driven industry.

Protectionism is dead & buried, with the dinosaurs, face it and move with it or become one with the museum exhibits of relics of the 2oth century.

BC

[philMember]

hey mate,
we can get you any parts for any brand, bar chinese junk.

and for everyone else who think bike shops are making a killing
fact- suzuki drz70 retails for $2390. minus $100 freight(thanks to stuart/moose for cheap freight)minus $50 dollars labour to build it. leaves $150 profit for us if the customer doesn’t haggle at all. throw in a helmet and we make nothing.

[Mick DMember]

Krusty wrote:

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micknmeld wrote:

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It is great to get some feed back from the other side of the fence (blokes in the industry). Maybe both sides will take something away from this thread.

Sides eh? didn’t know there were sides to choose…

Yes Krusty, Consumers and retailers, normally you are either one or the other. The above statement was not exactly meant an “us and them” scenario.

[ChrisMember]

micknmeld wrote:

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Krusty wrote:

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micknmeld wrote:

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It is great to get some feed back from the other side of the fence (blokes in the industry). Maybe both sides will take something away from this thread.

Sides eh? didn’t know there were sides to choose…

Yes Krusty, Consumers and retailers, normally you are either one or the other. The above statement was not exactly meant an “us and them” scenario.

Cheers… Understood..

[GregMember]

Mr Blue wrote:

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Call me hardass, TB said something a bit silly earlier, “the industry that supports us” the INDUSTRY does not support us, we support the industry and the face of that industry may need an overhaul, SOME shops support a select group of riders, but that in itself is not an industry, just a small portion of it.

OK Hardass, :laugh: I will clear up what I meant, there are shops supporting / helping / discounting for us OBT members. Other shops some people deal with like Nickj’s example in Grafton throw bits and pieces his way they scratch his back and he scratches theirs. I hope that helps, I liked the cnr shop BTW and still support mine.

Mr Blue wrote:

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The BEST and I mean best service I get is from two seperate retailers, one local, one in the UK………the rest I could care less weather they sink or swim, someone will always take their place if the place is warranted.

BC

So much for the rest of us and our shop we are happy with then eh :laugh:

It is an industry, we need it (we all do at times) and it needs us. Yes there will be changes and we and they will adapt

Silly eh :S

TB

[simon burkeMember]

Nice to see the Phil and Tisco have there say.

If i started to rant about closures in the bush etc etc … which sorta links up with this thread,i might go mental and take you all with me :blink:
so i won’t.

Retailers are doing it tough,if you can… support them….just bloody do it and don’t be such a greedy tight arse.

thats all i gotta say about that :cheer:

Bol :woohoo:

[GregMember]

Just remember its all banter as well (even silly banter :laugh: )

TB

[ChrisMember]

Support OBT + Support OBT sponsors = Support for You

I agree with everything stated from all sides of the fence… times are changing, models are changing, retailers are doing it Tuff..

If anything we need to support each other..

[Author]

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