Online shopping to be stopped

[Christie]

Tri, I've got no problem with guys getting the rights to a product etc. But that should not give them carte blance to rip South Africans off. I will support the local guys, but not at a higher price than on-line shops. I am a Campag fan, I bought most of my Campag stuff at 40 to 50% less than what the LBS quoted me. I've been buying on-line for 3 years now, and I have never had a warranty issue with any of the wheels or components I bought, but if I do, I can mail it back since I paid much less for it in the first place.

As for the LBS closing down - sorry for them, thats what capitalism is about. If you want a regulated economy, see where it got the Soviet Union.Christie2007-05-17 15:24:54

[Savage]

True, and I am hear what you are saying and agree, but we live in SA where everything is a ripoff. Paying R6K less to import a camera is also possible. Can you imagin the impact on the cycle shops (Not talking about the wholesalers). I bought zipps and had problems with the body. The agent here replaced it 4 times no problem. (Thanks for the service!!) If I bought it over the web it will be a wast to ship back and foth time wise. Having wheels not rolling for six moths is dead capital. Put youself in there shoes? (Bike shops) They need our business!

[Icycling]

And the 1 dealer no doubt beleive in the 3 tierd system i.e. manufacture, local wholesaler / distubutor / service supplier and retailer and the other does not! Never having imported campy cannot comment on campac price stucture, but I know many of the other price structure!

[javadude]

 

I think Campy in particular is way overpriced locally. Case in point was the 2006 Raleigh RC6000. Available in Veloce and 105, except the Veloce version was a full R4000 more expensive than the 105.

 

I really hope Marvuli wont be forced to shut down, because the local distributor wont be getting my business either way, so it really would be a waste of time, money and effort on their part.

 

 

velo2007-05-17 15:38:03

[Willehond]

With the growth of cycling in SA I don't see why we have to be held ransom by a couple of greedy importers.  I often have to wait for wheels/ clusters/ components (currently waiting for lights) because the importers don't have stock and are 'waiting for shipments'.  I honestly don't see what value these middle men add when they don't have sufficient stock and the ask a premium for it.  Then they spend their money fighting honest competition in court!!!

When I buy a bike I will go to my LBS where I spend LOTS, but sometimes I would like to get something for a sweet deal, so let me buy some stuff off Marvuli, or CWC or any other startups.  Like the rest of the world does! These bully boy tactics smack of anti-competitive bahaviour and turf protection.  Not great for the consumer.  We will buy more and more from overseas if we get whiff of who is doing it.  Purely on principal.

 

Look at what Hi-Fi Warehouse did for 'grey' imports.  If it wasn't for them we would be paying over the odds up to this day.  Long live the enthusiastic entrepeneur and my LBS.  Everyone is doing great these days and if they can't keep head above the water in these great times, they need to restructure their business or go bust.   Lots of new bike shops are opening, or have opened recently, must they stop because they are taking customers from other bike shops?  No, so why must 'importers' be exempt from competition?!

 

[javadude]

If a small shop like CWC can afford to ship a container load full of bike gear, sell it to us at European prices, and still make a profit, then why the hell can't the official importers do the same. When i spoke to the guys at the shop recently they reckon they can barely keep the stock on the shelves before they have to organise another container.

 

You'd think that the official importers would maybe figure this out for themselves. Cheaper prices means more gear sold which means more cash in the bank. You get the added benefit of getting your group sets on way more bikes so your spares sales go up as well over the long term.

 

[ewep]

 

If you buy anything overseas' date=' you won't get local backup either[/quote']

 

Trispoke, if a product has an international warranty they local distributor is "forced" to fix it.

 

The local bike shops need the support from their comunities to keep going.

 

Icycling' date=' please tell me why I should support a LBS if (1) the oke charges me R1000+ more for a product, (2) there is no after sales support and (3) they do me one HELL of a favor to bow down to the poor d*&s and render their "service" to me and sell me their overpriced product?

 

Wheels - I seen some comments on the marvuli site!

 

That was my thread Icycling.  And after the whole saga the guys at Marvuli went, sharpend up their admin and client feedback.  What happened after that, great service, at an even better price!!  And all this without trying to sell me a "hang sung chang chi saddle because the LBS doesn't stock my saddle or the no name brand has been lying in his shop for 3 years!

 

Put youself in there shoes? (Bike shops) They need our business!

 

Savage' date=' I'll give the guys my business any day.  But to pay R2500 more for a set of wheels (and the wheels are not top of the range!) is a total rip off!  Don't tell me the bike shops don't make good living margins, because that's a lie!!! Look at their homes, their cars, their lifestyle, etc, etc.

 

Cheaper prices means more gear sold which means more cash in the bank

velo, you are so right, BUT, this will not allow the distributor to get rich quickly.  He/she will have to work for a few years before buying that Merc/BMW, nice house and gold jewels.

 

As for Marvuli, I hop OcTaLl fights it all the way!!!  And he would probably win, if not, guys and gals, take out your wallets and increase your bonds, wnat dan gaan ons K@K en betaal!

 

[IanC]

I see this as follows. The Agency holder that threatens to take Matvuli to court probably only try te employ scare tactics. The lawyer letter is probably done by a friend. An Agency contracts give agencies sole distribution rights not sole import rigts. As long as Marvuli or CWC imports products and do not supply other bikeshops but only sell it from there own store/online site they don't do anything unlawfull. If an agency contract give that agency the sole right to sell certain products in SA at what ever price they wish the competition board will surely have a serious look at that. Take for instance Solomons that are importing Treks and selling them at way lower prices than the bikeshops that get their Treks through the agency, no one can do anything about that.

I don't think we or Marvuli need to worry about this.

[Norris]

I see this as follows. The Agency holder that threatens to take Matvuli to court probably only try te employ scare tactics. The lawyer letter is probably done by a friend. An Agency contracts give agencies sole distribution rights not sole import rigts. As long as Marvuli or CWC imports products and do not supply other bikeshops but only sell it from there own store/online site they don't do anything unlawfull. If an agency contract give that agency the sole right to sell certain products in SA at what ever price they wish the competition board will surely have a serious look at that. Take for instance Solomons that are importing Treks and selling them at way lower prices than the bikeshops that get their Treks through the agency' date=' no one can do anything about that.

I don't think we or Marvuli need to worry about this.

[/quote']

 

Ya but you'll never be able to stop a shop owner to buy from a online shop.

He may also be a customer and buy online.

[wheels]

LONG LIVE MARVULLI - LONG LIVE CHRIS WILLEMSE CYCLES - LONG LIVE ALL ONLINE SHOPS. We will keep supporting them.

 

Question. Did CWC also get a love letter from the wholesalers. I am sure that he started online in SA and therefore would have also got one.

 

GOOD LUCK and keep us informedwhats happening.

[AndreZA]

LONG LIVE MARVULLI - LONG LIVE CHRIS WILLEMSE CYCLES - LONG LIVE ALL ONLINE SHOPS. We will keep supporting them.

 

Question. Did CWC also get a love letter from the wholesalers. I am sure that he started online in SA and therefore would have also got one.

 

GOOD LUCK and keep us informedwhats happening.

 

Wasn't there a time when Bicycling mag did not want to publish a CWC ad because they were threatened by a big brand retail store?

 

I buy werever is the cheapest. Some stuff don't have real quarantee either. The shops quickly turn it around as a simple "wear and tear" issue and you have to pay for repairs anyway.

 

 

[Norris]

YOU GO CWC AND MARVULLI !

 

I'll phone chris jnr today and hear what he's got to say!

[Guest Big H]

Julle piete wat so gier en tier moet net een ding onthou. Suid Afrika is 'n klien fietsry nasie. Ons regverdig soms nie eers al die glitzy fietsrywinkels wat ons het nie. Ons winkels moet stock aanhou teen 'n redelike monetere risiko. Hulle sit met 'n klein kliente getal aan die een kant en 'n wankelrige Rand aan die anderkant. Ek self koop oorsee want dit is goedkoper. Die rumour dat jy nie klientediens gaan kry nie is twak. Dit word versprei deur van die groot invoerders. Toe my POLAR S725X se cadence sensors gepak het wat ek by Totalsports gekoop het, het Polar dit reggemaak en vervang nadat hulle vasgestel het dat Totalsports 'n geakrediteerde POLAR agent is.

[Turk182]

YOU GO CWC AND MARVULLI !

 

I'll phone chris jnr today and hear what he's got to say!

marvulli, what is the web link???

[Brakkies Sport Fotos]

Yes a year or 2 back, CWC ads was removed from (i think the ride mag.) because he advertized his cheaper online prices in there.

 

 

 

It was a big story, and even BIG CHRIS publish a letter on the hub were he told us nothing will stop him selling at cheaper prices.

 

 

[Guest Big H]

Scroll net boontoe,,,, maak jou oe oop en jy sal hulle advertensie sien!!!!!!!!