Online stores killing RSA economy!

[Weight Weenie]

No way im supporting the local  ''mortar and brick'' economy if they want to do business as they do.  Service mostly sucks and as for a warrantee - its such a schlep and mostly they try to not honour it, so with the money saved online you can almost replace it again. 

 

To ask more they must provide more and they just dont IMO.

I thus see no reason to not buy from CRC etc. seeing as my garmin for example was R2000 cheaper than local. 

 

I do however support local online shops as they are wwell priced, efficient, helpfull and keep you up to date with orders.  try web antics, iwarehouse or executool. 

 

 

[brussel]

agree with Velo on this one. The one shop that is doing well has bypassed the local distributors and has also gone online and is coming in so close to CRC prices that I often buy locally now.

[BrendonMyb]

Ag shame' date=' the poor little victims. In case the bike shops haven't noticed but there is a revolution going on. Its called the information age and things have changed for good.

How long do these guys need to burn fingers before they learn their lesson. Up to this point there is only one LBS in SA that has cottoned on to this fact and are doing amazing business. You don't see them crying into their rice crispies every morning about how technology is ruining their business, they just grabbed the bull by the horns and joined the revolution. Its actually quite simple really, eat or be eaten.
[/quote']

 

couldnt agree more with what you are saying

 

If that one particular store can do it, then i ask you with seriously big tears in my eyes, why cant the others ?. They would still be able to keep their floor space for displays & would still enjoy feet going through their shops & then the online thing. Personally i think sales would be through the roof & competition would be fantastic if that started happening

 

but we are still living in yesteryear where in this situation - old school is not cool way of thinking

 

I love that saying

 

"eat or be eaten"

[james]

Whose pocket is more important, mine or that of the LBS? 

You don't mind complianing if the service received is poor, but you never complain if you feel that you are being ripped-off. 

 

The idea is if sufficient people have identified internet based sites are cheaper, the LBS will have to either discount or go out of business. 

 

 I was told by a rep of a bike company that on a daily basis he sees packages arriving at LBS's from CRC etc..  He said that the LBS sometimes complain that the local "so called agents" do not carry the appropriate stock, lead times are long and related to production, so they have no alternative but to source the product themselves.  So it means that sometimes the LBS is the "pot" fond of "calling the kettle black". 

 

My LBS has an understanding as he says that he has no problem fitting the internet sourced parts as at least he makes a penny from fitting the product which is better than keeping himself outside the loop totally.

[CAAD4]

And that local online business is now taking it a step further. Organising local night rides for their clients, or anyone who wants to join, with back up and support, to enjoy riding their bikes. It's called cross channel marketing. Now they are driving online customers back into their brick and mortar store, where the ride starts, at the same time showing them where they are located. It's called giving back. How many lbs' have made the effort to get closer to their customers or even potential new customers? Of course there are a few, but they are in the minority.

[splat]

I doubt the bike stores are ripping anybody off. As in most sectors one needs to look at the wholesalers / importers. Not saying they're guilty in this instance but noone really looks at them' date=' it's mostly the retailer that gets blamed.[/quote'] 

 

 We have a winner!

[SteveS]

The next thing we are going to start a thread that JB is bad for LBS's and the local economy by showing cyclists how to service their own bikes and not send them the the bikeshop for expensive repairs

 

[Headshot]

The reason online stores do well is the lower pricing  - CWC Online does the same and it is local. They can do this because they cast the sales net countrywide, unlike the LBS. If you look on CRC at the moment - you'll see Sidi shoes on sale. If you buy a few goodies you can get free shipping too. Problem is at this side, you'll pay 45% on the shoes. That duty is designed to protect local mnfrs but is ludicrous as there are no cycle shoe makers here I am aware of. Same with MTB tyres apparently. As a result, teh Sidi's I could have got for R2100 plus Vat are R1000 more and close to local pricing. Gov has no incentive to change as it gets revenue but this tariff results in a rip off online or not. Our local agents have the same duty to pay. This doesnt explain the high price on parts  though as they are duty free...

[gummibear]

At the end of the day the bikes are built in SA so the Lbs makes money on the small spares you forget to order

 and labour to build it.

One problem in SA  is service...you walk into a shop and see what you wan't and it's not your size so you have to wait a week or 2 and that's also a major contributor to going onto the net.you wait the same time but it's cheaper.

I have walked into bike shops wanting to buy something and after 10 minutes walked out because the laaities working there were having a long chat or were on the internet.

[splat]

At the end of the day the bikes are built in SA so the Lbs makes money on the small spares you forget to order

 and labour to build it.

One problem in SA  is service...you walk into a shop and see what you wan't and it's not your size so you have to wait a week or 2 and that's also a major contributor to going onto the net.you wait the same time but it's cheaper.

I have walked into bike shops wanting to buy something and after 10 minutes walked out because the laaities working there were having a long chat or were on the internet.

 

What are bike shops like where you are now?

[covie]

The problem are not the foreign online stores its the local ones. (And yes lack of local ones)

 

 

Now I am an IT manager so I am biased i guess.

 

1. Our sites suck, no information, poor design, no usability, poor stock control, little or no information, crap service and the list goes on and on.

 

The second biggest problem is that people in SA think is that the idea of a virutal store is conveniance and should be cost reduction. Once the overhead for developing the site is done, it a free showroom/store and hence the products that you sell there should be less as a result of that. This is a trend not followed in South Africa hence why most of these stores never work.

 

The last problem in SA is aftersales service and distrobution.

 

All of these are fairly easy to overcome and to make a succesfull online market if only SA companies worried a bit about any of the above.

 

 

[covie]

And remember if this was done right you would create an equal if not more work.

Less overhead = more money for salaries + expansion if you forget about the technical people that you need to get this up and running, You create jobs for people at courrier companies, You need a distrabution center, you could setup multiple bike service centers or even a personailez mobile service center etc.

 

But yes at the end of the day i still like having the option going to the LBS and get personalized service, having a cup of crap coffee and talking to the owner getting advise and bargaiing the price down.

[Vinnydabutcher]

You could take 2 guys off of your sales floor, set up a vitual showroom + online ordering system and then pay the 2 guys for warehousing & workshop + sales incentice or profit share but it`s too much work for all the bike shop owners and they dont want to share profits. They want to control everything and then think up some crap reason not to pay the guys. Grow a simbiotic relationship. These guys could work out of their garage - renting floorsapce in there is much lower than in some to end shopping centre!

[FloatingPivot]

I can see ive "roered the pot" quit a bit! my conclution is that there was to many of you guys beieng pissed of by bike stores with poor service, and i must admit its not easy getting a store with good service, but if you feel you must buy online go ahead! Just wondering what happned to LOVE FOR A CYCLING BROTHER! we all make a living of someone else... een man se dood die ander se brood! SO WHY MAY BIKE SHOPS NOT MAKE A BUCK?

Anyway guys! Chill out no need to get aggressive!

 

AT THE END OF THE DAY CYCLING MUST WIN!

[wheels]

Headshot.

 

I aggree with you. Why can CWC give us such good deals [ the same as CRC and sometimes even better ] and not the other LBS shops. CWC proved that someone is making too much money. I have been a big supporter of a certain LBS but I must also look after my own intrest.

 

Long live CRC and CWC

[FloatingPivot]

At the end of the day the bikes are built in SA so the Lbs makes money on the small spares you forget to order

 and labour to build it.

One problem in SA  is service...you walk into a shop and see what you wan't and it's not your size so you have to wait a week or 2 and that's also a major contributor to going onto the net.you wait the same time but it's cheaper.

I have walked into bike shops wanting to buy something and after 10 minutes walked out because the laaities working there were having a long chat or were on the internet.

DUDE THATS K@K service! i mean 2 weeks? dont know where your bike store is but its not the norm, usually its within 3 days and if the okes are sharp they can organize it the next day!