Fritz Pienaar denies uncompetitive behaviour

[flats4life]

 

what people seem to forget is what they are doing/have done for the sport.

 

 

 

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Kind of like the ANC. They freed South Africa from Apartheid so now we should just let them steal, corrupt, commit fraud, and generally do as they please?

 

[brianj]

what people seem to forget is what they are doing/have done for the sport.

.

 

and this is relevant how? whats the cutoff for how much they need to have done for the sport to be indemnified from ripping customers off?

[big_guy_g]

Just out of interest... How much research have you put into that post???

 

There was a massive outburst over it last year already! How much research was done into that??

 

I have pretty close ties with the industry at a supplier lever and at a retail level... I was clearly not involved with the meeting, but the way I understand it is that the minutes you all read on the hub last year... were very misleading and one could be forgiven for making the assumptions that were made. It really made Fritz and Andrew look bad! And as I understand, they were NOT out to make us (the consumers) pay more, but rather to protect their market! Retailers don't make massive margins at all and I don't blame them in the least for wanting to protect their margins. 

 

But please tell me what you all know about price fixing???

 

Is it not all rigged from the supplier side of things?! Eg. Tigerbrands story. How do you suppose the retailer is going to fix price??? Stand with a gun to his oppositions head and TELL him that he MUST sell a tube at R50 so that he can do the same?? Please man!

 

I am sure that ALL the info I have got my hands on and ALL I have heard is not all 100% true and some of my opinions may be influenced by that. I want to see what comes of this whole case still and if my views on it are incorrect I will accept that. But before making comments like "why weren't any customers invited?" Think about it a little bit. Am I allowed to know what your company's margins are if I am your customer??? I doubt it!! There is an element of secrecy regarding pricing in any industry, not only cycling!! Also, how would this meeting have helped us, the consumers??? Quite simple... If stores aren't making ends meet, there is no prospect for investment in the stores and they close.

 

Do yourselves the favour... Go have a look at The Lab and at Fritz's stores... They don't even sell the same stock!!! A tool that serves the same function from 2 different manufacturers cost different amounts. A dual suspension MTB from 2 different brands cost different amounts!!!

 

So before everyone slings mud in the direction of the guys who are only here to provide us with a service and make a living, let's see what the competition board decides... and let's all quit speculating. I believe the competition board is a little more qualified to make judgement on this case than any one of us is!!

[Mutt]

Nonetheless I feel aggrieved by it all and as a result am voting with my wallet. Won't spend any more money in those 2 shops in a hurry.

[TNT1]

 

what people seem to forget is what they are doing/have done for the sport.

 

 

 

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Silly manfrog... Stop diverting the sheeple's attention!

 

[Wazza]

So before everyone slings mud in the direction of the guys who are only here to provide us with a service and make a living' date=' let's see what the competition board decides... and let's all quit speculating. I believe the competition board is a little more qualified to make judgement on this case than any one of us is!!

[/quote']

 

Make a living?

More like make a killing!

They ripping us off to pay for their lavish lifestyles.

[Mavric Man]

Big_Guy well put. Such a big fuss, if this was about fixing prices of essential consumables such as milk or bread different storey, we are talking about cycling which is a luxury...if you feel ripped off go to another bike shop. 

[big_guy_g]

With low margin, you have to turn big volume!!

 

If I were a big shot in a company turning the volumes they have to turn in order to make the business viable... I would also be driving a Porsche.

 

Belive me when I say, the margins that are made relative to the outlay involved in even setting up a small shop are k@k!! As an investor, I can almost assure you, you wouldn't invest in a bike shop!! Hats off to the guys who do, they are the people who keep the sport alive. They are the guys who keep fancy "porn" on their shop floors for us to drool over! They are the guys who keep us interested!!

[Moab]

Nonetheless I feel aggrieved by it all and as a result am voting with my wallet. Won't spend any more money in those 2 shops in a hurry.

 

What about the others that were there and are not owning up? You gonna walk straight into them and pay even more cause they will spike their prices. At least these guys are saying that they are fixing prices but have been caught out so their prices wont be as bad as those swines who have not admitted.

 

[Mutt]

Its more about colluding to ensure I cant shop around otherwise my supplier who undercuts others will find himself without supply. I do go to another bike shop now.

[Gman1834]

 

Big_Guy well put. Such a big fuss' date=' if this was about fixing prices of essential consumables such as milk or bread different storey, we are talking about cycling which is a luxury...if you feel ripped off go to another bike shop. [/quote']

 

Don't worry we are going to other shops and CRC is getting most of my money.

 

"Thanks CRC for my new helmet you saved me R500.00"

 

 

 

[TNT1]

big guy, I don't get it. Why are you so hell bent on making these bike shops (the ones who collude to fock us, and the ones who don't) out to be such goody two shoes? Shame, they are out there slaving away to provide us a service and keep us interested. What a load of BS. They are out there to stay in business, and faced with shrinking margins, they colluded to my (the patron) detriment. End of story. By holding this meeting, whatever it's actual aim was, was in bad faith from the point of view of the consumer. This will make people talk negatively about them, and rightfully so. I for one hope the Comp Co investigates this fully and brings closure to this.

[Mutt]

Nonetheless I feel aggrieved by it all and as a result am voting with my wallet. Won't spend any more money in those 2 shops in a hurry.

 

?

 

What about the others that were there and are not owning up? You gonna walk straight into them and pay even more cause they will spike their prices. At least these guys are saying that they are fixing prices but have been caught out so their prices wont be as bad as those swines who have not admitted.

 

?

 

 

 

 

Good point - My LBS and the alternate I use were not at this meeting from what I can gather from the minutes.

[zeepee]

well put big guy 

 

Why are the other shops that were present at the meeting not taking any flak on this forum?? surely they are just as guilty as CL and FPC?

Please name them so they can also be boycotted and their owners called criminals

Methinks some people on here are a bit peeved because certain shops are doing well for themselves

[Newlands]

how come FP and AM get to decided what's best for consumers? Surely retailers cannot also represent the interest of consumers! Or perhaps some people are not just mighty (at least when it comes to cycling), they are in fact ALMIGHTY! Perhaps a little bit like a "godfather". ala FP.

[fandacious]

hang on... arent you all a little bit hypocritical?

 

You're meeting in an open forum and deciding collectively to not support the cycle shops?

 

how is that different from the cycle shops meeting to discuss setting a pricing model?