Not a Rant or a Rave but is this the Reality?

[Jewbacca]

Fully agree with you, but it also has seeped into consumers who expect way beyond what the business quid pro quo demands.

 

People who shop on-line for spares that are readily available in South Africa to save a few rand and then complain when the bikeshop they need to fit the parts, wants to charge them a economically viable rate to do so.

 

Or

 

People who use the LBS expertise and then shop on-line when they have pinned down their options.

 

Or

 

People who abuse items they have bought, return them to the store "because it broke" and demand replacement/refund when the cause is clear.

 

Or

 

People who break/lose things and demand that their insurance replaces when the cause lies outside their insurance cover and then badmouths the insurer on the hub.

 

etc.

Eddy, your good sense has no place here!

[mrcg]

I have read above (not all) and concur with OP and some replies.

I would also weigh in with the following: we Saffas are a mysterious bunch.

We expect the best quality, easy available, ready when we are, super service, people running after us etc etc.....AND then want to pay a pittance for it. Preferably below cost and then discounted on top.

How is our economy going to work if we do not factor in all the elements and just ACCEPT that things cost money to stock, operate, support etc etc.??

Of course you shop around and find the best deal.....but ACCEPT that quality costs money. And a cheap buy is an expensive buy.

Ok, feel better now that I got that off my chest 

 

ps this does in no way excuse poor service and commitment..

[Patchelicious]

I have read above (not all) and concur with OP and some replies.

I would also weigh in with the following: we Saffas are a mysterious bunch.

We expect the best quality, easy available, ready when we are, super service, people running after us etc etc.....AND then want to pay a pittance for it. Preferably below cost and then discounted on top.

How is our economy going to work if we do not factor in all the elements and just ACCEPT that things cost money to stock, operate, support etc etc.??

Of course you shop around and find the best deal.....but ACCEPT that quality costs money. And a cheap buy is an expensive buy.

Ok, feel better now that I got that off my chest

 

ps this does in no way excuse poor service and commitment..

True!

 

We want the best and to pay the least for it, until it comes to ourselves. Then we want to do the least but to get paid the best for it.

[NotSoBigBen]

True!

 

We want the best and to pay the least for it, until it comes to ourselves. Then we want to do the least but to get paid the best for it.

OK so we can close this thread right here ... I'm sure it won't be as Friday is still far off

 

Sent from my LG-D958 using Tapatalk

[Halfdoesyn]

I don't understand what is going on. Nobody taking the OP apart.

 

On a serious note though, I do a mixed bag of online shopping and at my LBS, depending on the particular need at the time. I still believe there is room for both. Where LBS's may not be able to compete with price or choice, a LBS can excel at service (customer and mechanical).

 

I am lucky in that I do 95% of my own mechanical work, have the tools and the interest, but not everyone is interested/have the tools/inclination or the time. That is what LBS's should focus on.

[eddy]

Isn't this more of a global issue, in that bricks and mortar retail stores are losing the war with online stores?

 

These conversations are not unique to our market...

 

 

Nothing lasts forever and even here the wheel is turning as Amazon are now opening bricks and mortar shops.

 

I have bought both books and e-books  from Amazon but have discovered that the joy of browsing in a bookshop and the ease of reading a physical book are part of what made reading such an important part of my life.

 

I still have my kindle, but it is increasingly only used for stuff I cannot readily find in tangible form.

 

Maybe I'm spoilt by having Dunkeld, Sprocket&Jack and Mike's Bikes (all owner run) within a 3km radius from home, and even though I still occasionally shop at CRC/Bike24/Evans I only do so for stuff I cannot get locally and then maybe fill up the order with consumables.

 

For me it is important that Marc, Grant and Mike stay in business. I know that I need them more than they need me.

[Hairy]

Nothing lasts forever and even here the wheel is turning as Amazon are now opening bricks and mortar shops.

 

I have bought both books and e-books  from Amazon but have discovered that the joy of browsing in a bookshop and the ease of reading a physical book are part of what made reading such an important part of my life.

 

I still have my kindle, but it is increasingly only used for stuff I cannot readily find in tangible form.

 

Maybe I'm spoilt by having Dunkeld, Sprocket&Jack and Mike's Bikes (all owner run) within a 3km radius from home, and even though I still occasionally shop at CRC/Bike24/Evans I only do so for stuff I cannot get locally and then maybe fill up the order with consumables.

 

For me it is important that Marc, Grant and Mike stay in business. I know that I need them more than they need me.

my eldest son is 12, his room looks like a library.....asked him if he would like a kindle or tab to read from .... "no dad, I like the feel of the pages" he say's

[Eddy Gordo]

my eldest son is 12, his room looks like a library.....asked him if he would like a kindle or tab to read from .... "no dad, I like the feel of the pages" he say's

My son said the same thing. I have to agree too. There is nothing like turning over a page with your fingers, the smell of the paper especially really really old ones....

[Eddy Gordo]

I don't understand what is going on. Nobody taking the OP apart.

 

On a serious note though, I do a mixed bag of online shopping and at my LBS, depending on the particular need at the time. I still believe there is room for both. Where LBS's may not be able to compete with price or choice, a LBS can excel at service (customer and mechanical).

 

I am lucky in that I do 95% of my own mechanical work, have the tools and the interest, but not everyone is interested/have the tools/inclination or the time. That is what LBS's should focus on.

I somewhat agree, the LBS still has a role to play, however I dont put the pricing blame on them. This steep prices we pay is a result of the importer. There are lots of products we import and I have also managed to import some bicycle parts.

 

This is my uninformed opinion. When we have imported directly we pay the "whole sale" price. When we buy locally we pay full retail, and from a wholesaler we pay the overseas retail price, which is the price excl. duties. So any store buying from local wholesalers still have to put their markup on an already retail priced item. Most of our fast selling goods we import ourselves and are ably to sell it far less than what anyone else can. The wholesale/distributor wants to make the beeg piece of the pie and are not that interested in what a retailer is able to make. I know one bicycle parts/accessories distributor personally and they are only interested in moving hi turnover fast moving goods. Items that carry a small market share are not brought in and that lets people buy from overseas stores.

Would be nice if a special order could be place on goods and a world wide RSP.

[MTBeer]

Can summarise the root cause of the this degradation into two words: Entitlement Mentality

 

Some people feel that they are entitled to their jobs and don't actually have to give something of value to get something of value in return. Its a macro trend in SA caused by populist rhetoric, that has seeped into all corners of our society.

agreed to a certain extent. But also people are tired of the k@k in this country and it affects their attitude to everything in their daily life. I for one find it extremely difficult to motivate myself every day to have a positive attitude.

[Patchelicious]

agreed to a certain extent. But also people are tired of the k@k in this country and it affects their attitude to everything in their daily life. I for one find it extremely difficult to motivate myself every day to have a positive attitude.

I know bud, but we cant blame the country for all of our behaviour. At some point, we must acknowledge we are responsible for how we act too.

[MTBeer]

I know bud, but we cant blame the country for all of our behaviour. At some point, we must acknowledge we are responsible for how we act too.

true, I was just saying...

[Iwan Kemp]

Unacceptable, yes

 

Unfortunately it is everywhere. Car industry is bleeding real blood, but try and get

A) a salesman to help you when you walk in

B) a salesman to get back you

C) a salesman who knows their product

D) a salesman willing to make a call or two and then get back to you

 

Same can be said of just about any industry.

[Hairy]

a friend recently returned from a nice long European holiday ... her feeling was very strong that with respect to service in the hospitality and general shop/store industry, South Africa is far better.

[MTBeer]

jeez there always has to be one oke to ruin the negative mood...

[Hairy]

Unacceptable, yes

 

Unfortunately it is everywhere. Car industry is bleeding real blood, but try and get

A) a salesman to help you when you walk in

B) a salesman to get back you

C) a salesman who knows their product

D) a salesman willing to make a call or two and then get back to you

 

Same can be said of just about any industry.

we just picked up a new project because the origional Architect who did the house has not gotten back to the client who has recently just bought it from the old owners for 8 months .... so she got our details from a colleague who's house we are currently working on and bam ...we have more work because someone else was too slack.

 

oh ... these are decent and big projects.