Just bought a new chain - DID ZVM X-ring. Cost £96 (+ carriage) from M & P. Some sellers were asking £139.95 for the same chain.
Bought a Yuasa battery several months ago - about £63 with carriage; others sellers asking double that.
How the f*** does that work? How do those other retailers expect to sell anything? Sure, I realise that if operating a retail outlet carries additional overheads, compared to a purely mail-order operation, but some of those on-line sellers are mail-order only, and are big enough to have reasonably hefty purchasing power. Do they rely on punters being too lazy to shop around?
This crazy modern world . . .
I don't understand
Moderators: Aladinsaneuk, MartDude, D-Rider, Moderators
I don't understand
It flies sideways through time
It's an electric line
To your zodiac sign
I've got a Black and Silver Machine!
It's an electric line
To your zodiac sign
I've got a Black and Silver Machine!
It's not easy competing with companies the size M&P, my purchasing power is next to nothing so I try and concentrate on top quality goods and services in the hope that word gets around, something the big boys all to often neglect in the pursuit of profit.
I'd rather have 1000 regular customers than 100,000 I'd only ever see once because of crap service, but the big players don't have to worry about that as they've all but cornered the market, as a rule buyers only look at the price (especially online), never the quality, so the money keeps rolling in.
And they do get BIG discounts for buying in bulk. Eg. My Pro-Bolt trade discount is actually very little, PayPal charges and postage will eat it on small orders more often than not, I'll still do them because when the money starts to flow again I want to be the one that's remembered for making the effort when times were hard. To get to a decent trade discount of 30% I need to shift £3000 worth of Pro-Bolt stuff each year. So far I've sold about a tenner's worth. Imagine the discount a big dealer that can knock out £10,000 worth of kit gets, even though a lot of it will be late, missing or just the wrong thing, they'll still get the massive trade discount smaller more conscientious dealers can only dream of.
That's not to say all small traders are good, some are just rubbish and plain greedy, leaving the good ones stuck between a rock and a hard place.
I'd rather have 1000 regular customers than 100,000 I'd only ever see once because of crap service, but the big players don't have to worry about that as they've all but cornered the market, as a rule buyers only look at the price (especially online), never the quality, so the money keeps rolling in.
And they do get BIG discounts for buying in bulk. Eg. My Pro-Bolt trade discount is actually very little, PayPal charges and postage will eat it on small orders more often than not, I'll still do them because when the money starts to flow again I want to be the one that's remembered for making the effort when times were hard. To get to a decent trade discount of 30% I need to shift £3000 worth of Pro-Bolt stuff each year. So far I've sold about a tenner's worth. Imagine the discount a big dealer that can knock out £10,000 worth of kit gets, even though a lot of it will be late, missing or just the wrong thing, they'll still get the massive trade discount smaller more conscientious dealers can only dream of.
That's not to say all small traders are good, some are just rubbish and plain greedy, leaving the good ones stuck between a rock and a hard place.
SHINY BIKE SYNDROME Motorcycle valeting and paint protection specialist.
Aladinsaneuk wrote:andy is having a VERY heavy period
-
Willopotomas
- GP Racer
- Posts: 2256
- Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:11 pm
- Location: Coventry, ENGLAND
It was pretty much the same when I was dealing in classic bike spares. The quality of some of the stuff available was shocking. Reason being that it's so cheap to get certain stuff made in China. The cost difference between 1,000 and 10,000 is such that it makes it more viable to buy 10,000 items.. Even if they're crap. No CE markings or minimum standards over there.. For anything. Quality control is brinking on the verge of treason!
Example. We used to stock genuine Lucas brake light switches which we would sell for around £20. These items are made in England to an exacting standard and will last for years. The one's we've seen that have been made in China are half of the price but last 1/10th as long.. So for every £20 spent on a Lucas switch, you'll be spending £100 on crap ones for the same length of time. A false economy.
It's quality every time for me.. It's good to get a guide on price, but I like to use local traders. And that goes for pretty much everything. Not often I'll be found in a supermarket.
Example. We used to stock genuine Lucas brake light switches which we would sell for around £20. These items are made in England to an exacting standard and will last for years. The one's we've seen that have been made in China are half of the price but last 1/10th as long.. So for every £20 spent on a Lucas switch, you'll be spending £100 on crap ones for the same length of time. A false economy.
It's quality every time for me.. It's good to get a guide on price, but I like to use local traders. And that goes for pretty much everything. Not often I'll be found in a supermarket.
Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut that connects the handle bars to the saddle.
As a consumer for me its about 3 things.
1. Value for Money
2. Budget
3. Loyalty
1. I need to be able to buy the best I can at the cheapest possible rate, so I balance product against the job it has to do. So tyres, brake pads, chains/sprockets cannot be classed in terms of budget.
2. I dont have a lot of money so I would rather save up for something than buy a cheap (and wont last 5 minutes) alternative.
3. I try and support "local" traders where possible and will continue to do so even if their product may cost more , Rule 2 will then apply.
I wont use Busters/M&P/The Fast One etc unless desperate or buying non essentials (cleaning fluids etc) as I have been burnt one to many times by their "cheap" product.
1. Value for Money
2. Budget
3. Loyalty
1. I need to be able to buy the best I can at the cheapest possible rate, so I balance product against the job it has to do. So tyres, brake pads, chains/sprockets cannot be classed in terms of budget.
2. I dont have a lot of money so I would rather save up for something than buy a cheap (and wont last 5 minutes) alternative.
3. I try and support "local" traders where possible and will continue to do so even if their product may cost more , Rule 2 will then apply.
I wont use Busters/M&P/The Fast One etc unless desperate or buying non essentials (cleaning fluids etc) as I have been burnt one to many times by their "cheap" product.
..... and it's not always the big chains that can get big discounts that have the best prices .... in fact quite often it's not. I guess they just pocket the discount for themselves.
It pays to shop around and make a balanced decision on quality, price, service and whether the chap serving you is friendly and helpful (e.g. Griff or Nooj} or is called Ken (as Will will confirm, Ken = miserable whining old git).
It pays to shop around and make a balanced decision on quality, price, service and whether the chap serving you is friendly and helpful (e.g. Griff or Nooj} or is called Ken (as Will will confirm, Ken = miserable whining old git).
“Scientists investigate that which already is. Engineers create that which has never been.”
-- Albert Einstein
-- Albert Einstein