Indoor trainer price GOUGING during / after lockdown...

[Meezo]

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/indoor-trainers-and-accessories/403370/training-rollers

 

these are amazing, dude is making them it seems

[BaGearA]

Okay please enlighten me if I'm wrong but rollers aren't trainers right?

 

They provide no resistance just a way to keep the legs moving right? That's why pros are typically on them right before the start and on proper trains back at the team tent, right?

[Cookie88]

Is there any more news on developments with regards to the delivery of the 'Lockdown' IDT's?

 

My sources tell me there is some industry lobbying taking place but not sure how reliable this information is...

[asianzone]

Is there any more news on developments with regards to the delivery of the 'Lockdown' IDT's?

 

My sources tell me there is some industry lobbying taking place but not sure how reliable this information is...

 

I can give you an update based on several conversations i have had with owners of bike shops

There are Kickrs and Tacx at Durban Port and suppliers but none will be shipped as there are no permits. Basically either we get to level 3 OR our precious minister allows e-commerce for sporting goods or whatever this falls under even at level 4.

Alot of bike ships have "expected delivery" May 20th or whatever on their website if you pre-order. Not sure how they can commit to this when it is almost totally out of their control

[Cookie88]

I can give you an update based on several conversations i have had with owners of bike shops

There are Kickrs and Tacx at Durban Port and suppliers but none will be shipped as there are no permits. Basically either we get to level 3 OR our precious minister allows e-commerce for sporting goods or whatever this falls under even at level 4.

Alot of bike ships have "expected delivery" May 20th or whatever on their website if you pre-order. Not sure how they can commit to this when it is almost totally out of their control

 

Interesting... I see that reported on the CWC Lockdown Thread that they have a permit - holding thumbs for a breakthrough here...

[timdm]

Hi all

On a related question, my Kickr blew up. I have tried everything that has been asked of me. Does anyone know where i can get this service? Distributors aren't open so i am looking for options. I can deliver the kickr to the doorstep as long as it is within Gauteng.

Let me know

 

Ash

Hi Ash, did you have any luck with this? Mine gave up the ghost yesterday,

Help!

Edited May 20, 2020 by timdm

[ChrisF]

Hi Ash, did you have any luck with this? Mine gave up the ghost yesterday,

Help!

 

Contact :

Christian van Zyl

https://community.bikehub.co.za/user/63087-christian-van-zyl/

[Thug]

I managed to order and pay for probably the last Wahoo Snap 2 before the price went up by 25%. Still waiting for delivery though, which I'll start worrying about a couple of weeks after we move to Stage 3.

[asianzone]

Hi Ash, did you have any luck with this? Mine gave up the ghost yesterday,

Help!

 

What happened? There are several things you can do to "fix it"

Mine is under warranty, so i am just waiting for them to replace it now that they are functioning although with a massive backlog. Meanwhile i bought a Snap as an interim solution but will sell it the moment i get my replacement

 

The distributors are working but it will be a long wait

[asianzone]

I managed to order and pay for probably the last Wahoo Snap 2 before the price went up by 25%. Still waiting for delivery though, which I'll start worrying about a couple of weeks after we move to Stage 3.

 

You will probably get it faster than that! I picked up and collected one last week.....other stuff i ordered online a few weeks back have been delivered this week as well!!

[Trackz]

Hello NINER_Boy, and readers, 

 

Christian here, managing director at Ikhambi Distribution/Wahoo Fitness South Africa. 

 

Thanks for starting the topic and it is a very important point to answer as the Wahoo distributor in SA. 

 

It was undoubtably the toughest month to make decisions for both myself and my sales management team... Our greatest concern was that we seem to be profiteering due to the demand for trainers. 

 

I would like to take this opportunity to give some background to the past couple of weeks:

 

The week before lockdown we landed some stock at a reasonable exchange rate of R15/usd and with a healthy 150 trainers in the warehouse we were on par with our sales forecasting. Needless to say that as soon as the lockdown was announced these units evaporates into thing air in a single day. 

 

I estimate that if we had 3,000 trainers we would sell every single one in the week the announcement landed. 

 

During the lockdown our next shipment arrived early in April, and became payable in the last week. The assumption that distributors pay months earlier or always take forward cover does not apply to all brands, and with a fast moving product like Wahoo we did not have the luxury of either options. Cashflow is a challenge, many debtors has started to delay outstanding payments since end of March. 

 

We ended up paying at an average of R18,50/USD for our shipment. The compound effect hit us extra hard on shipping line charges and to add insult to injury SARS is not paying additional demurrage charges due to their instruction to not inspect non essential goods. 

 

These costs were mostly unplanned, but has to be absorbed by our business using our dwindling margins. 

 

Our planning the past couple of weeks revolved around how we implement price increases without making it seem like we are price gouging. The best way to view this is to take the US prices and do the conversions:

 

KICKR 4 - $1,200 * R19 (spot rate average) + VAT = R26,220 

This places South Africa below the international price. Even if you take the past 4 months of trade Wahoo South Africa has sold the KICKR 4 at a price in Rand below the direct conversion. 

 

A price increase is even harder since we are not blind to the fact that many cyclists, Hubbers and enthusiasts will not only lose a part of their income, but many will lose their jobs. 

 

If anyone has any questions pertaining to the Wahoo brand, our price increases or even criticism in general please do not hesitate to send me a direct message and I'm happy to answer. 

 

Your local Wahooligan 

 

Christian 

"16th of March 2020 it was R16.63 to 1$"

7 June 2020 USDZAR R16.86... when are you expecting the next batch to land :-)

[gemmerbal]

prices never go down, there'll be a "sale" with the RRP giving the impression that you're buying a moerse bargain... that's just the way of the beast. i had this argument with a national bike dealer on one of the social media platforms, and they tried to convince me that a 60% increase was due to increased transport costs and the the exchange rate". this was in mid april, I just laughed...

 

 

"16th of March 2020 it was R16.63 to 1$"

7 June 2020 USDZAR R16.86... when are you expecting the next batch to land :-)

[ChrisF]

Article in the news this week. Some R7-billion rands worth of storage fees for items that got trapped in the ports during the lockdown.

 

Anybodies guess as to the actual exchange rate on the day payment was effected on each of these containers.

 

Certainly the most horible time to be an importer !!

 

You were selling goods at "R10", the next shipment may be at "R11" ... but you are stuck with a shipment that cost you "R15" .... (fictitious numbers to illustrate the principle)

 

After months of no income many importers may take a real knock on the shipment that got stuck in port ... and somehow, they need to do this quickly to try and get back to a normal turnover ... in a fast shrinking market ....

 

 

Lot more at play than just the fluctuation in the exchange rate ...

 

 

All that said .... I would hate to pay the current Kickr prices !!!

 

Best wishes to Christian (and all other importers) in dealing with these challanging times ...

[Veebee]

I have a client who imports raw materials for the paint and cement industry, all low value products. They had about 90 containers come in during late March and April. They are sitting with around R1.5m worth of storage costs after a 50% discount.

 

The shipping lines offered some assistance but its not enough for non essential goods.

 

Crazy times.

[Veebee]

"16th of March 2020 it was R16.63 to 1$[/size]"

7 June 2020 USDZAR R16.86... when are you expecting the next batch to land :-)

If you place the order today, you still end up paying the bank a rate of around 17.

Then actual freight costs have increased and all costs at the ports have gone up from 1 April, annual increase from Transnet.

 

So there's many other factors that affect the end price, not just ROE.

[Thomo]

On 4/22/2020 at 2:15 PM, RABUBI said:

I see that Alixpress also now have a chinese made direct drive IDT

 

https://thinkrider.eu/product/thinkrider-x7-smart-trainer/

 

goes for 10k on alixpress

Anybody using or have an opinion on the X7.?