What are you buying from CRC ?

[Vroetelvarkie]

Can someone please help me?

 

How does the import tax work? When and to whom do I pay? Calculation on purchase?

 

How log does a shipment take?

[Christopher Brunsdon]

 

 

Have bought many R1000's worth of stuff from CRC over the years. Do not forget to add on their freight charges' date=' and our 14% VAT. Then re-check their prices against your LBS. Generally, they will still be cheaper, but weigh up the online effort versus the instant gratification of the "see/touch/buy" process. Takes about 6 working days to get here.

 

Up until about 2 years ago, the price of Shimano kit on CRC was far, far cheaper than in SA LBS's. The gap has closed considerably as of recent, not sure why. Also, they seem to be out of stock of high-end Shimano kit like XTR much of the time these days........but then so too is the whole of SA.

[/quote']

 

Just spent an hour chatting to my LBS this morning. He gave me some insight into what is happening and admitted that all the players need to come to the table. He has gotten (certain of) his suppliers to drop prices and he admits  he also needs to drop his. and thats why his pricing is excellent.

 

Good news is the suppliers our out to take on CRC. They need LBSs to survive and online stores will just destroy the market. The result, we the consumer win with better prices in our own neighbourhoods.

 

Look at Chris of CWC, with prices that low why would you bother ordering from CRC?

 

Also it appears to me that CRC are now doing bait marketing. I've just trashed my wish list again because the items where either out of stock or discontinued.

 

Sure, not all my LBS prices are worth it, but between my LBS in Somerset West and the others in Cape Town I'm going to be spending R10K localy in the next 3 months and not on CRC

cbrunsdon2009-07-18 14:34:54

[Guest Big H]

Have bought many R1000's worth of stuff from CRC over the years. Do not forget to add on their freight charges' date=' and our 14% VAT. Then re-check their prices against your LBS. Generally, they will still be cheaper, but weigh up the online effort versus the instant gratification of the "see/touch/buy" process. Takes about 6 working days to get here.

 

Up until about 2 years ago, the price of Shimano kit on CRC was far, far cheaper than in SA LBS's. The gap has closed considerably as of recent, not sure why. Also, they seem to be out of stock of high-end Shimano kit like XTR much of the time these days........but then so too is the whole of SA.

[/quote']

Just spent an hour chatting to my LBS this morning. He gave me some insight into what is happening and admitted that all the players need to come to the table. He has gotten his suppliers to drop prices and he admits he also needs to drop his.

Good news is the suppliers our out to take on CRC. They need LBSs to survive and online stores will just destroy the market. The result, we the consumer win with better prices in our own neighbourhoods.

Look at Chris of CWC, with prices that low why would you bother ordering from CRC?

Also it appears to me that CRC are now doing bait marketing. I've just trashed my wish list again because the items where either out of stock or discontinued.

Sure, not all my LBS prices are worth it, but between my LBS in Somerset West and the others in Cape Town I'm going to be spending R10K localy in the next 3 months and not on CRC

 

And how will they " take on CRC" ...... by bribing somebody in government to abolish Tax Free imports. Again this sounds like a cartel on the move!!!!!!!! They have not even received their hiding form the price fixing scandal and now they are colluding again???????

 

I treid for a long time to get decent rims for building a tandem wheelset. Mavic did not have stock, neither did the agents have DRC rims in stock. Their reps just said the market is so small they will not be bringing rims in. This was before the financial crash. If they now "take on" CRC ( I still do not understand your silly statement) .... will they make sure the cater for my demands.

Big H2009-07-18 13:10:58

[Christopher Brunsdon]

 

Have bought many R1000's worth of stuff from CRC over the years. Do not forget to add on their freight charges' date=' and our 14% VAT. Then re-check their prices against your LBS. Generally, they will still be cheaper, but weigh up the online effort versus the instant gratification of the "see/touch/buy" process. Takes about 6 working days to get here.

 

Up until about 2 years ago, the price of Shimano kit on CRC was far, far cheaper than in SA LBS's. The gap has closed considerably as of recent, not sure why. Also, they seem to be out of stock of high-end Shimano kit like XTR much of the time these days........but then so too is the whole of SA.

[/quote']

 

Just spent an hour chatting to my LBS this morning. He gave me some insight into what is happening and admitted that all the players need to come to the table. He has gotten his suppliers to drop prices and he admits he also needs to drop his.

 

Good news is the suppliers our out to take on CRC. They need LBSs to survive and online stores will just destroy the market. The result, we the consumer win with better prices in our own neighbourhoods.

 

Look at Chris of CWC, with prices that low why would you bother ordering from CRC?

 

Also it appears to me that CRC are now doing bait marketing. I've just trashed my wish list again because the items where either out of stock or discontinued.

 

Sure, not all my LBS prices are worth it, but between my LBS in Somerset West and the others in Cape Town I'm going to be spending R10K localy in the next 3 months and not on CRC

 

And how will they " take on CRC" ...... by bribing somebody in government to abolish Tax Free imports. Again this sounds like a cartel on the move!!!!!!!! They have not even received their hiding form the price fixing scandal and now they are colluding again???????

 

I treid for a long time to get decent rims for building a tandem wheelset. Mavic did not have stock, neither did the agents have DRC rims in stock. Their reps just said the market is so small they will not be bringing rims in. This was before the financial crash. If they now "take on" CRC ( I still do not understand your silly statement) .... will they make sure the cater for my demands.

 

Good points, but from what I understand its not just in Africa that LBSs are feeling the CRC pinch. Online stores like CRC are hitting LBSs globally.

 

Face it, not that many South Africans buy from CRC - but those of us who do, we are buying enough goods to still make an impact on the local industry. Its also frustrating when reps dictate the "market size" and force us to source elsewhere.

 

I have zero sympathy with reps!!!!

 

My statement of taking CRC on might sound silly but its an indication that suppliers know they no longer have a monopoly. Its not about a cartel, its about competition. Economic times are giving the industry a much needed shakeup.

 

[Capricorn]

also, how do you take on CRC when the LBS' are only stocking items for which a sort-of-low-is markup yields them margins they prefer. Granted, it's within their rights, but it deprives us of choice. ?CRC has odds and ends that we often require, and it's those things that often keeps ppl coming back.

 

If I had to hazard a guess, maybe this lack of decent pricing and a downright dearth of choice comes down to just how small our market really is. Fair enough then, others have mentioned this, as CBrunson just did in his post above.

But my question then is: do you protect this market by savaging our overseas choices? Majority of folks in this country cant afford a PC, much less a bike which could easily amount to the cost of a decent 2nd hand car.

Maybe there never was a market large enough to support so many LBS'. Maybe the credit crunch along with the CRC challenge will right size the market. I just pray no one's going to protect another big white elephant.

[Christopher Brunsdon]

I think why I have rather biased approach to the LBS vc CRC choice is that I'm comparing my current needs to what local LBSs can serve

 

How much variety in products do we really need? That is all relevant to our needs.

 

I'm shopping for VBrakes right now. I don't want too much variety and I'm not getting it either - CRC and local.

 

I'm also shopping for shoes but I really do you want choice. My LBS has more than enough (in my size) to meet my needs ~ 7 different types < R1K.