Rant - Craft sale Epic gear.

[nathrix]

Amabubesi members should all tweet @absacapeepic + @kevin_vermaak and pse the question why is it possible for anyone to be able to purchase the merchandise.

 

Special Amabubesi merchandise range only available for members = false advertising?

 

From the lions mouth:

http://www.cape-epic...tle=/Amabubesi/

 

To reward riders that return each year to ride the Absa Cape Epic, we have created a loyalty programme for multiple Absa Cape Epic finishers. Riders that have finished the event three times will be awarded membership of Amabubesi – The Absa Cape Epic Finisher Club. "Amabubesi" means "pride of lions" in Zulu - an excellent description for mountain bikers that return year after year to ride.

http://www.cape-epic.com//data/content/amabubesi%20small%20website.jpg

In addition to a special certificate to honour their achievement, Amabubesi club members receive the set of benefits listed below according to the number of races they have completed. Three finishes will always secure entry into the club, but as the race matures the additional benefits will be reserved for riders that have completed a greater number of races.

• Guaranteed entry into the Absa Cape Epic - you don't have to enter the public lottery in order to get a start place. Membership is on a per rider basis, so you don't have to ride with a fellow Amabubesi member to get your guaranteed start place. Qualifying members receive their invitation at the same time as riders that were successful in the lottery. All normal registration deadlines apply.
  
• Special Amabubesi merchandise range only available for members.
  
• Annual club breakfast in Cape Town on the day before the start of the race (Registration day), for ALL members, not just those who are riding in that year's race.
  

 

To finish the Absa Cape Epic just once is a great accomplishment. That is why we would like to award mountain bikers that keep coming back to the Absa Cape Epic and complete this tough race year after year, to pay tribute to their achievements.

[Wyatt Earp]

Amabubesi members should all tweet @absacapeepic + @kevin_vermaak and pse the question why is it possible for anyone to be able to purchase the merchandise.

 

Special Amabubesi merchandise range only available for members = false advertising?

 

From the lions mouth:

http://www.cape-epic...tle=/Amabubesi/

 

To reward riders that return each year to ride the Absa Cape Epic, we have created a loyalty programme for multiple Absa Cape Epic finishers. Riders that have finished the event three times will be awarded membership of Amabubesi – The Absa Cape Epic Finisher Club. "Amabubesi" means "pride of lions" in Zulu - an excellent description for mountain bikers that return year after year to ride.

http://www.cape-epic.com//data/content/amabubesi%20small%20website.jpg

In addition to a special certificate to honour their achievement, Amabubesi club members receive the set of benefits listed below according to the number of races they have completed. Three finishes will always secure entry into the club, but as the race matures the additional benefits will be reserved for riders that have completed a greater number of races.

• Guaranteed entry into the Absa Cape Epic - you don't have to enter the public lottery in order to get a start place. Membership is on a per rider basis, so you don't have to ride with a fellow Amabubesi member to get your guaranteed start place. Qualifying members receive their invitation at the same time as riders that were successful in the lottery. All normal registration deadlines apply.
  
• Special Amabubesi merchandise range only available for members.
  
• Annual club breakfast in Cape Town on the day before the start of the race (Registration day), for ALL members, not just those who are riding in that year's race.
  

 

To finish the Absa Cape Epic just once is a great accomplishment. That is why we would like to award mountain bikers that keep coming back to the Absa Cape Epic and complete this tough race year after year, to pay tribute to their achievements.

 

 

How I regret the two after my first one.

[rouxtjie]

Amabubesi members should all tweet @absacapeepic + @kevin_vermaak and pse the question why is it possible for anyone to be able to purchase the merchandise.

 

Special Amabubesi merchandise range only available for members = false advertising?

 

From the lions mouth:

http://www.cape-epic...tle=/Amabubesi/

 

To reward riders that return each year to ride the Absa Cape Epic, we have created a loyalty programme for multiple Absa Cape Epic finishers. Riders that have finished the event three times will be awarded membership of Amabubesi – The Absa Cape Epic Finisher Club. "Amabubesi" means "pride of lions" in Zulu - an excellent description for mountain bikers that return year after year to ride.

http://www.cape-epic.com//data/content/amabubesi%20small%20website.jpg

In addition to a special certificate to honour their achievement, Amabubesi club members receive the set of benefits listed below according to the number of races they have completed. Three finishes will always secure entry into the club, but as the race matures the additional benefits will be reserved for riders that have completed a greater number of races.

• Guaranteed entry into the Absa Cape Epic - you don't have to enter the public lottery in order to get a start place. Membership is on a per rider basis, so you don't have to ride with a fellow Amabubesi member to get your guaranteed start place. Qualifying members receive their invitation at the same time as riders that were successful in the lottery. All normal registration deadlines apply.
  
• Special Amabubesi merchandise range only available for members.
  
• Annual club breakfast in Cape Town on the day before the start of the race (Registration day), for ALL members, not just those who are riding in that year's race.
  

 

To finish the Absa Cape Epic just once is a great accomplishment. That is why we would like to award mountain bikers that keep coming back to the Absa Cape Epic and complete this tough race year after year, to pay tribute to their achievements.

 

Yea, put them on the spot.

[Shebeen]

I think they have definitely dropped the ball here, it was a brilliant concept to keep your biggest fans on your side - your repeat customers. They're the word of mouth advertisers worth their weight in gold.

 

If it's an exclusive club, it needs to be e(xc)lusive. they're already giving out a free meal each year - why not just hand out an individual personalised jersey to you on your 3rd finish. It would cost epic ~R300, meagre return to a customer who has paid for three entries minimum (~R75k).

 

I think a very good parallel could be drawn to replica sport shirts. In the old B&H night cricket days the kit was ONLY available to players. You would see the odd supporter in the crowd with a 'Rice', 'Jefferys" or 'Cook' etc. shirt and you knew this thing was worth gold as the player had actually given it to them personally. Any tom dick or harry can buy a replica now and it's nothing special.

 

In saying that, the team are damn good promoters/marketeers. I reckon if enough amabhubhesi guys kick up a fuss over your grievances they will sit up and take notice. I'm sure they're reading this right now (howzit Kev!).

[eddy]

 

I think a very good parallel could be drawn to replica sport shirts. In the old B&H night cricket days the kit was ONLY available to players.

 

Agreed, as was a Transvaal, not to mention Springbok jersey. To wear it, you had to have earned it.

 

With commercialisation came replica jerseys and now every one can boost the sponsors coffers buy buying one.

 

I suppose the equivalent to an "old school" jersey is the Springbok blazer. Although all the hangers-on also get a blazer.

 

Maybe it is only the National cap that is kept for those who have earned it.....

[Dogfish]

With the Epic kit sponsor having changed to Assos, Craft had most likely manufactured enough kit for the next year and needed to recoup costs hence selling off ex stock. If this process of Sponsor change had been better managed craft may have not been in this position and the EPIC brand could have saved some face. this is just a theory....

[rouxtjie]

With the Epic kit sponsor having changed to Assos, Craft had most likely manufactured enough kit for the next year and needed to recoup costs hence selling off ex stock. If this process of Sponsor change had been better managed craft may have not been in this position and the EPIC brand could have saved some face. this is just a theory....

Good theory though. If that is the case KV sold right to use his brand to craft and then craft could print loads of merchandise with the amabubesi logo and cape epic logo on it...riding of its success as a brand and also having him by the short and curly's for negotiating future contracts, since they will have loads of stock with his brand on it, which they can do with whatever they want to.

 

Smarter move would have been to get an apparel manufacturer to make X amount of goodies and buy all X amount back so that you have control of the distribution of said brands...It would have meant some outlay when you had to order the goods but you wouldn't be sitting with this dogshow.

Edited October 17, 2013 by rouxtjie

[Izak]

Was walking through Solomons on Lynnwood on Saturday and saw that they were selling loads of these as well. I still said to the GF, WTF I will never buy one unless I have actually done the race.

I think that's f.... up!

 

IMHO as always!!

[Dogfish]

 

Smarter move would have been to get an apparel manufacturer to make X amount of goodies and buy all X amount back so that you have control of the distribution of said brands...It would have meant some outlay when you had to order the goods but you wouldn't be sitting with this dogshow.

 

A much smarter move, who knows.

[Wyatt Earp]

Smarter move would have been to get an apparel manufacturer to make X amount of goodies and buy all X amount back so that you have control of the distribution of said brands...It would have meant some outlay when you had to order the goods but you wouldn't be sitting with this dogshow.

 

 

Your intellect and logic is of a level that's "out there"

I doubt that the team behind the decision making is capable of a mere portion of your mental capacity.

I could be wrong, but this thread has helped fan the flame of my assumption.

 

IMHO

Edited October 17, 2013 by Wyatt Earp

[rouxtjie]

Your intellect and logic is of a level that's "out there"

I doubt that the team behind the decision making is capable of a mere portion of your mental capacity.

I could be wrong, but this thread has helped fan the flame of my assumption.

 

IMHO

It is such a cool brand and exclusive club, they obviously spent some money on it, so why sink the whole thing with pennies from a couple of t-shirt sales...don't get it.

[Jaco-fiets]

It is clear that this merchandise is the property of Craft and they could not give 2 ****s about an exclusive club. Can't blame them to be honest. The epic event owner/holding company should have bought this stock from Craft. I'm sure Craft would have given them a good deal just to recover costs. Because of blatantly being "ingat" (referring to epic) they caused an entire new problem and screwed up something "cool" in the process

 

I blame Vermaak

[Epic Rookie]

I have a spare 2013 finishers shirt if anyone wants?

 

Got a mail the other day offering me a free one if I wanted it, thought I might as well, after forking out so much for that race anything extra I can get for free is great.

 

I did the race and finished it, never wore the shirt, don't know when I ever will, doesn't bother me.

I would definitely be pissed off having aimed at 3 races to become a member of some elite group but honestly don't think the guys who have reached that milestone care that much, they know they did it, that's what matters.

 

Saw a guy on the weekend wearing the Zebra striped yellow jersey, thought it was pretty strange.

 

Either way, I think KV will not be losing much sleep about any of this.

[nathrix]

It's not so tough these days riding 3 epics compared to previous years because of new technology (think 29ers , lighter+better wheels-pedals-shock-xx1 -materials-designs, just to name a few), better nutrition, better exercise methods, etc.

 

It's much much tougher for us ordinary folk to fork out our own hard earned cash for the entries each year, not to mention dodging hijackings and what not for the amount of time spent in the saddle away from the family is becoming a real challenge.

 

Today if I see someone with a new Amabubesi shirt, I think to myself, hell, he must have lotsa moola or perhaps an ABSA "celebrity" rider...Only the original Adidas Amabubesi shirts gets my respect I'm afraid. Kevin ruined the tradition and I also don't blame Craft selling the stock to anyone as Kev should have though it through and he clearly didn't.