Don't try and order SRAM from overseas anymore...

[shaper]

Shipping option for those with FNB bank, there a promo on with Aramex Global Shopper https://www.fnb.co.za/promotions/PBCAramex/index.html

 

Free lifetime membership, save USD45 and get R75 off shipping

 

https://www.fnb.co.za/downloads/promotions/PBCAramex/ARAMEX-StepByStepGuide.pdf

[Iwan Kemp]

isn't that the business model then?  Set up a CRC  contact point in SA to deal with ORT, returns, warranty issues etc ...

 

 

Add in

1. Workshop space (ideally x 2 so parts won't have to be shipped up and down every time)
2. Warranty and service stock
3. Staff
4. Reps
5. Event / Team Sponsorship or at least some form of marketing
6. Yearly training
7. A vehicle or three

Then subtract

1. Loss of sales through every LBS in the country and with it forever the riders out there who do not shop online
2. Couriers costs to have parts serviced or repaired
3. Loss of OE sales as SA won't have an official distributor

and soon you will find that selling it at those prices, using that model isn't sustainable. 

 

I'd also like to pay less than little for the latest bling, but it could be worthwhile to take a step back and look at the races, events, teams and initiatives SRAM SA supports. Unfortunately for SA Cycling I can't think of too many events Shimano sponsors and there's NOTHING CRC does for Cycling in SA other than getting us great deals. And I'm not just talking SRAM here. There are quite a few other companies who support the sport we love.

 

It would be easy enough for SRAM to say "cool, let's pull all event and team sponsorship" and use that money to subsidise RRP, but who will pick up the slack then? CRC? Wiggle? Who will help us find the next Burry Stander or keep promising athletes in the running?

 

Or would we be happy to get GREAT deals at the expense of that as well? 

[DubbelBuys]

Well there goes my Eagle and Etap upgrades... No ways I am buying these locally at our prices.

Never say never...

 

 

Send me PM so we can have a chat about your upgrades.

 

 

In fact: Anyone looking at SRAM components at awesome prices (as well as other brands) are welcome to send me PM so we can discuss.

 

Much of it is sourced locally with full local warranties. I will inform you whether it's sourced locally or internationally.

[NicoBoshoff]

Add in

1. Workshop space (ideally x 2 so parts won't have to be shipped up and down every time)
2. Warranty and service stock
3. Staff
4. Reps
5. Event / Team Sponsorship or at least some form of marketing
6. Yearly training
7. A vehicle or three

Then subtract

1. Loss of sales through every LBS in the country and with it forever the riders out there who do not shop online
2. Couriers costs to have parts serviced or repaired
3. Loss of OE sales as SA won't have an official distributor

and soon you will find that selling it at those prices, using that model isn't sustainable. 

 

I'd also like to pay less than little for the latest bling, but it could be worthwhile to take a step back and look at the races, events, teams and initiatives SRAM SA supports. Unfortunately for SA Cycling I can't think of too many events Shimano sponsors and there's NOTHING CRC does for Cycling in SA other than getting us great deals. And I'm not just talking SRAM here. There are quite a few other companies who support the sport we love.

 

It would be easy enough for SRAM to say "cool, let's pull all event and team sponsorship" and use that money to subsidise RRP, but who will pick up the slack then? CRC? Wiggle? Who will help us find the next Burry Stander or keep promising athletes in the running?

 

Or would we be happy to get GREAT deals at the expense of that as well? 

Uhm....is that a trick question?

 

Sorry, but I couldn't care less if SRAM sponsors events and riders and therefore I have to pay more for parts that I want to use on my bike.

 

They should be sponsoring riders and events purely for the marketing benefit thereof, and that should be built into their overheads.  That I'll stomach because that's what they need to do to be able to keep the ship sailing.  Anything beyond that is their own altruistic prerogative, but quite frankly, shouldn't be any of their customer's concern.  

 

It's not some bizarre social project to go and find the next Burry Stander. Just like it wasn't Specialized's obligation to help fund the restoration of Jonkerhoek.  But seriously, you have to be some kind of naive to think Spez didn't see the value in doing that. 

 

So sorry, but to reason that we should just stomach paying more because SRAM is helping some local #endurobro get his or her 15 minutes, and therefore we should let them place an embargo on CRC shipping to SA, is frankly ridiculous and has me seriously questioning the local cycling industry.

[Iwan Kemp]

Honest question (and what I was aiming at)

 

Is this:

 

They should be sponsoring riders and events purely for the marketing benefit thereof, and that should be built into their overheads.  That I'll stomach because that's what they need to do to be able to keep the ship sailing.  

 

Not this:

 

So sorry, but to reason that we should just stomach paying more because SRAM is helping some local #endurobro get his or her 15 minutes, and therefore we should let them place an embargo on CRC shipping to SA, is frankly ridiculous and has me seriously questioning the local cycling industry.

 

That money has got to come from somewhere. There are only so many riders like us who know gear inside out and will buy based on that. The bulk of riders out there need to see ads, branding and activation for them to know about it and ultimately buy it. 

[NicoBoshoff]

Honest question (and what I was aiming at)

 

Is this:

 

 

Not this:

 

 

That money has got to come from somewhere. There are only so many riders like us who know gear inside out and will buy based on that. The bulk of riders out there need to see ads, branding and activation for them to know about it and ultimately buy it. 

How then, by your own comparative argument, does Shimano manage to do it without resorting to anti-competitive behaviour?  Word of mouth and industry reputation.  Something SRAM has plenty of.  But seems like they're keen to start a new reputation.

 

I am yet to buy or consider something because Sam Hill or Jared Graves rides it.  I am swayed by unbiased reviews, mostly user generated.  Not what some shill has to say about that thing they're paid to use, or the fact that I see the name everywhere.

 

I'm sorry, but I will in principle not support any brand affiliated with the local agency again.  I'm already stuck with OEM products from the SRAM house, but that'll be the last of it.

[shaper]

Honest question (and what I was aiming at)

 

Is this:

 

 

Not this:

 

 

That money has got to come from somewhere. There are only so many riders like us who know gear inside out and will buy based on that. The bulk of riders out there need to see ads, branding and activation for them to know about it and ultimately buy it. 

Am sure SRAM USA allocate budgets for promotion/advertising etc per market area world wide and is not funded by local distributors.  USA/Europe will probably have the biggest allocation and Africa/Middle East rather smaller in comparison.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Am sure SRAM USA allocate budgets for promotion/advertising etc per market area world wide and is not funded by local distributors.  USA/Europe will probably have the biggest allocation and Africa/Middle East rather smaller in comparison.

Nope. Funded locally, as far as I know. 

 

Same for sponsorship, premises, staff costs etc. 

[Iwan Kemp]

I am yet to buy or consider something because Sam Hill or Jared Graves rides it.  I am swayed by unbiased reviews, mostly user generated.  Not what some shill has to say about that thing they're paid to use, or the fact that I see the name everywhere.

 

That's you and quite a few on here who knows gear and can see through fluff. By FAR the biggest part of the buying market base their decisions on marketing - whether knowingly or unknowingly. Show me the success story of a brand who does no marketing.

[PygaSchmyga]

How then, by your own comparative argument, does Shimano manage to do it without resorting to anti-competitive behaviour?  Word of mouth and industry reputation.  Something SRAM has plenty of.  But seems like they're keen to start a new reputation.

 

I am yet to buy or consider something because Sam Hill or Jared Graves rides it.  I am swayed by unbiased reviews, mostly user generated.  Not what some shill has to say about that thing they're paid to use, or the fact that I see the name everywhere.

 

I'm sorry, but I will in principle not support any brand affiliated with the local agency again.  I'm already stuck with OEM products from the SRAM house, but that'll be the last of it.

I'm with you, right up to the point of boycotting SRAM products - their kit is too good. 

 

I think you can have the best of both worlds, though.  Seems to me that this is not a SRAM issue, as much as it is a SRAM dealership/agency issue, and the 2 are very different.  The local dealer seems to be acting like a dwis in hiking prices, having no stock, and then blocking parallel sourcing, so go around them!  Their prices are so ridiculous in SA that even if it means a little ball-ache to get the kit, you will still get it much cheaper, and hopefully the current agency goes t1ts up, and things normalise?

[NicoBoshoff]

That's you and quite a few on here who knows gear and can see through fluff. By FAR the biggest part of the buying market base their decisions on marketing - whether knowingly or unknowingly. Show me the success story of a brand who does no marketing.

Which again begs the question - how does Shimano then manage to do it without resorting to anti-competitive behaviour?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I'm with you, right up to the point of boycotting SRAM products - their kit is too good. 

 

I think you can have the best of both worlds, though.  Seems to me that this is not a SRAM issue, as much as it is a SRAM dealership/agency issue, and the 2 are very different.  The local dealer seems to be acting like a dwis in hiking prices, having no stock, and then blocking parallel sourcing, so go around them!  Their prices are so ridiculous in SA that even if it means a little ball-ache to get the kit, you will still get it much cheaper, and hopefully the current agency goes t1ts up, and things normalise?

It's not SRAM local blocking it. It's SRAM int'l. If it was just SRAM local, we'd be the only country affected by this - but we're not. 

 

Pricing - yeah, cool, I agree to a point but at the end of the day we all have to eat. Also - SRAM's sponsorship / support at the EPIC has been MEGA. And their kit is SUPERB. I'm not about to stop buying SRAM goodies just because I can't buy them through the online retailers anymore. 

[NicoBoshoff]

It's not SRAM local blocking it. It's SRAM int'l. If it was just SRAM local, we'd be the only country affected by this - but we're not. 

 

Pricing - yeah, cool, I agree to a point but at the end of the day we all have to eat. Also - SRAM's sponsorship / support at the EPIC has been MEGA. And their kit is SUPERB. I'm not about to stop buying SRAM goodies just because I can't buy them through the online retailers anymore. 

So what.  I don't ride the Epic.  I don't need the Epic.  I didn't buy a bike because of the Epic.

 

The Epic exists because people rode their mountain bikes before there was anything resembling a race. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

So what.  I don't ride the Epic.  I don't need the Epic.  I didn't buy a bike because of the Epic.

 

The Epic exists because people rode their mountain bikes before there was anything resembling a race. 

Doesn't negate the cost thereof. 

[MTBeer]

That's you and quite a few on here who knows gear and can see through fluff. By FAR the biggest part of the buying market base their decisions on marketing - whether knowingly or unknowingly. Show me the success story of a brand who does no marketing.

Really? Do people really buy stuff due to marketing tripe. I don't believe I've ever bought anything (cycling or otherwise) based on an advert/sponsorship/etc.. I'll buy based on research, aesthetic appeal, advice from friends with knowledge, etc.

[Capricorn]

It's not SRAM local blocking it. It's SRAM int'l. If it was just SRAM local, we'd be the only country affected by this - but we're not. 

 

 

 

blocked at whose behest? Can you honestly tell me the local guys didn't have a say in the embargo? They stand to benefit the most from this whole deal.

 

As for marketing options, there's the free version called word of mouth. It's never budgeted for, but it sure as hell pays off. IMO its very silly to say we the public need to spend more just to maintain their marketing budget. If they built great products, they will succeed because quality and satisfaction get ppl talking. More sales, more income. Of course advertising helps, but we all know there are many forms, not all of which places a financial burden on the distributor/retailer. The whole argument why the public MUST pay more smacks of protectioneering. Very lazy approach. Zero innovation.