The all new Rudy Project Colour parade has arrived!

[ASG]

The Highly successful Rudy Project Rydon "Colour Parade Series" is back and more diverse. Available from all leading Cycling stores & Optometrists. Give us a call on 0861 783 972 for more info. Visit http://www.asgsport.co.za/colourparade for the entire collection. The "25th Anniversary special" applies to the purchase of one of these Rydons, so you receive a FREE Rudy Project Zuma helmet & Pair of Rydon Smoke black lenses with every purchase!!

 

http://www.asgsport.co.za/Web-launch.jpg

[bikemonster]

Snicker, snicker....Zuma helmet....snicker snicker....

[bored girl]

So is the price up to the stores that are selling them? Or is there a set price? We saw the advert in the Cyclingnews magazine but the fact that there was no price was a bit confusing.

[AndreZA]

Snicker, snicker....Zuma helmet....snicker snicker....

 

Wonder why it's called "Zuma". Does it offer any protection?

[Christopher Brunsdon]

Wonder why it's called "Zuma". Does it offer any protection?

 

Prob safe to use in the shower

[splat]

Its got a built in shower

[ASG]

So is the price up to the stores that are selling them? Or is there a set price? We saw the advert in the Cyclingnews magazine but the fact that there was no price was a bit confusing.

 

Hi there, we can not prescribe to the stores what price to sell at but I can tell you that the "package" (Rydon with photo clear, free smoke lenses and helmet) sells for between R2100 to R2400 from what we have seen. Where are you based - perhaps we can point you in the right direction? Good luck!

[Christopher Brunsdon]

Hi there, we can not prescribe to the stores what price to sell at but I can tell you that the "package" (Rydon with photo clear, free smoke lenses and helmet) sells for between R2100 to R2400 from what we have seen. Where are you based - perhaps we can point you in the right direction? Good luck!

 

Actually if you advertise Selling Price to the public then retail outlets are no longer allowed to sell more than that amount. Found this out from one of my wifes suppliers who was advised by his lawyer to drop RRP from his website due to the new companies act.

 

Just mentioning it as a way to prescribe prices for the outlet

[ASG]

Actually if you advertise Selling Price to the public then retail outlets are no longer allowed to sell more than that amount. Found this out from one of my wifes suppliers who was advised by his lawyer to drop RRP from his website due to the new companies act.

 

Just mentioning it as a way to prescribe prices for the outlet

 

Thanks for this.

 

We got the same advice and in fact were told to not advertise RRP at all to be safe...especially with all the issues some distributors and dealers are facing in the cycling industry (related to price fixing)...it can be a bit of a mine field out there...we are moving away from this in all new ads that have not been submitted yet - post November mostly.

 

Generally also we do not have issues with guys asking more than RRP but rather asking less or "clearing" items at cost or just above - this is something we have no control over...especially online. On SIDI I can tell you that our prices in SA now (based on our "unofficial RRP") is very much in line (and in most cases cheaper) with online and international prices considering shipping and duties (20% to 30% depending on origin). This is mostly thanks to a better exchange rate and the fact that we are now shipping in bulk - a bit more risky but something we felt we had to do if we wanted to compete with perceived online prices (people generally compare local advertised and LBS prices with online prices without considering (shipping, duties and VAT). We are following this same policy on most of our brands (Rudy, SIDI, Pinarello, etc.) and stocking up while rates are low.

 

Probably more info than you needed but thanks for the comment.

[Yang]

Hi there, we can not prescribe to the stores what price to sell at but I can tell you that the "package" (Rydon with photo clear, free smoke lenses and helmet) sells for between R2100 to R2400 from what we have seen. Where are you based - perhaps we can point you in the right direction? Good luck!

 

Mr ASG, why is it that a pair of your little strips of metal, a couple of screws and some plastic so expensive? 4 pairs are the same price as my technologically miraculous 50" plasma TV at R9999. Why is there a profit margin of 1000%+ that makes it feel that its a rip off? Why?

 

BTW, I got a Zuma at the Argus Expo this year. It came in at a better price than the ridiculously priced Giro helmet just down the way from your stand. Its a nice helmet, despite its puzzling name for many SA's. You were either expecting to attract large numbers of ANC members into cycling, or that was the payoff to a politician to get them into the country duty free, or you were not allowed to rebrand for SA.

[ASG]

Mr ASG, why is it that a pair of your little strips of metal, a couple of screws and some plastic so expensive? 4 pairs are the same price as my 50" plasma TV at R9999. Why is there a profit margin of 1000% that makes it feel that its a rip off? Why?

 

Hi Yang,

 

Not sure if you read this promo but you get a helmet and set of lenses with the frames - for what it's worth to you

 

These glasses are all still made in Italy (they refuse to move production to China in order to manage quality) and has won countless awards (too many to mention) so difficult to respond to your description of the glasses - try a pair sometime - they are really great - especially the impactX photo lenses.

 

Some guys sell these at almost no margin and they can do that not only because they bring them in grey and "skip" the dealers but because they have the luxury to buy from overseas at much lower ruling exchange rates than what we may have had to pay when we imported originally - consider not too long ago the R/EURO was at R14 plus - currently R9.30. Not that this is the problem of a consumer who just wants the best possible price - we understand that and that is why we will never be upset when someone buys online (it is your right as a consumer).

 

Finally with eyewear (all brands) - the biggest cost is not production (you have to make peace with this fact because the material cost is low) but marketing. sponsorships, branding, logistics, etc. Rudy is probably an exception where the manufacturing cost is more than most brands although the biggest cost is still indirect and "overhead" related.

 

Let me give you an example - The Rydon Crystal with photoclear lenses did not exist until we (SA distributors) asked for this model to be manufactured specifically for us - we marketed it aggresively (and spent serious money on this) because we felt it was something special (it was) and it then exploded world-wide. Unfortunately when we had almost 3000 of these made 2.5 years ago the exchange rate was not fantastic (R14 to EUR) but again this is not your problem. Where we have a concern with local suppliers importing grey is that they sit back and capitalise on our marketing efforts - when the market was established (at our expense) for these they started to scout the globe for cheap sources and sold them on direct at super low margins - the lower rates obviously helped a lot and if it moved the other way we would not be exchanging these posts. This unfortunately leaves the impression that our pricing is out of line - there will always be exceptions and cheap product (from clearouts / discounters / etc.) online and it remains the consumer's choice to purchase product here - but this is our challenge: to provide quality product at competitive prices to the public and through our dealers and we are constantly working towards this goal.

 

The current promotion (free helmet and set of smoke lenses with every Rydon with ImpactX photoclear lenses) is an effort to give the consumer even more value than they would get by buying grey or direct product while not selling for less than we paid for the product.

 

I am probably opening a "can of worms" here which is not the intention but I can assure you our margins are not fantastic (especially in these times) and we are working everyday to meet certain price points that make our products affordable in the local market compared to the online stores and local grey importers.

 

Regards

ASG

[Caerus]

I have to agree, very overpriced stuff - Nice to look at, but not worth the money. Was quoted R7000 for prescription lenses & frames You wonder for that price how much better can the lenses actually be then say Ray Ban(who still supply the US airforce, Mmmmmm)

[ASG]

I have to agree, very overpriced stuff - Nice to look at, but not worth the money. Was quoted R7000 for prescription lenses & frames You wonder for that price how much better can the lenses actually be then say Ray Ban(who still supply the US airforce, Mmmmmm)

 

Why don't you call Bernhard - our inhouse Optom at ASG SPORT. There are some very expensive RX opions with extremely specialised sport specific solutions (with lenses manufactured by some of the best labs in the world in Israel). Not sure what you were quoted on but there are also countless more economical solutions in the Rudy Project RX range - speak to Bernhard if you want - office: 0861 783 972 or cell: 082 456 2645

 

Good luck!

[Caerus]

Why don't you call Bernhard - our inhouse Optom at ASG SPORT. There are some very expensive RX opions with extremely specialised sport specific solutions (with lenses manufactured by some of the best labs in the world in Israel). Not sure what you were quoted on but there are also countless more economical solutions in the Rudy Project RX range - speak to Bernhard if you want - office: 0861 783 972 or cell: 082 456 2645

 

Good luck!

 

I did, he said R5000 for the prescription lenes alone - My new adidas Rx ready full presciption photochromic lenses with Adizero frames are costing me R2100 There is now way I would get anything like that from rudy project- Youre paying for the name, its funny that there are so many sales on Rudy glasses Please dont think Im havin a go at you, but they are just way overpriced.

[Yang]

ASG, thanks for the response. After all, every objection to a sell is a request for more information, and an opportunity to make the sell stick, so respect.

 

I love those Rydons- looked at them when I picked up the Zuma at the Argus, but came up with the same problem as Crack- price, especially for prescription lenses. Ouch.

 

I think that what you don't reveal is that you have targetted the more discerning market which has the disposable income to spend on the upmarket brands, which includes Rydon which have unquestionable and second to none quality characteristics. And that there is a particular consumer psychology that identifies lower price with lower prestige and status. So what you are is fact selling, is attitude, prestige and status. The fact that there are many who fall into this bracket as cyclists with money (especially us MAMILS - middle aged men in lycra) means that the brand can sustain those prices. But R2400 for a pair of glasses still seems out of proportion- ie questionable value for money. The same applies to those exquisite machines in your other post- I believe that its aimed at people who are willing to pay for the prestige of the name, and not about the intrinsic value. As it is for most cycling products actually, isn't it? I look forward to checking out the bikes at the 94.7.

 

And to the extent that you are successful, well done. Really.

 

BTW, I spoke to Bernhard at the Argus expo as well, when I managed to get his attention from amongst the dozens at the stand.

[Caerus]

ASG, thanks for the response. After all, every objection to a sell is a request for more information, and an opportunity to make the sell stick, so respect.

 

I love those Rydons- looked at them when I picked up the Zuma at the Argus, but came up with the same problem as Crack- price, especially for prescription lenses. Ouch.

 

I think that what you don't reveal is that you have targetted the more discerning market which has the disposable income to spend on the upmarket brands, which includes Rydon which have unquestionable and second to none quality characteristics. And that there is a particular consumer psychology that identifies lower price with lower prestige and status. So what you are is fact selling, is attitude, prestige and status. The fact that there are many who fall into this bracket as cyclists with money (especially us MAMILS - middle aged men in lycra) means that the brand can sustain those prices. But R2400 for a pair of glasses still seems out of proportion- ie questionable value for money. The same applies to those exquisite machines in your other post- I believe that its aimed at people who are willing to pay for the prestige of the name, and not about the intrinsic value. As it is for most cycling products actually, isn't it? I look forward to checking out the bikes at the 94.7.

 

And to the extent that you are successful, well done. Really.

 

BTW, I spoke to Bernhard at the Argus expo as well, when I managed to get his attention from amongst the dozens at the stand.

 

 

Is that directed for me or ASG - They will be invalueable for me as ive been riding blind for a while now, so these will make the world of difference - I do agree that it still is a lot of money for a pair of glasses at the end of the day(with a shelflife of two years) The problem being nothing is relative these days - You just need to walk around a shopping mall to see that