Please laurie can we start it again - it was just like eastenders ... BJ goes down and dirty on Stevo...
Most amusing thread i read in ages
Doesnt look like its working.....
Steve is it true that you only pay 50c for those stickers that you sell in your shop for $5????
Steve.....is it true you are making a profit from us poor,destitute kitesurfers ?
What you think he is gonna stand in a shop all day mumbling on about how great kiting is... for free (ie no profit) then go and work a night job in order to have a feed and a beer and a life in general? All shops/businesses must make a profit other wise they stop being shops and businesses. Kapish
Nah, I think Steve has issues with re-sale of his enhanced wives as they are all modified to his height
Never get married, you got to trade them in every couple of years for a younger sleeker model with dual airbags or the maintenance gets too high.
Hey, short robot wives with enhancements are cheaper, and they quoted me another mill for a 6 foot version of me too!
Cya and
Goodwinds
Steve McRobot
HE steve put your price up 12% per month.
my steel supply do it to me all the time,not to mention coles and woolys
and my clients say to me, why does it cost that much
Yeah good idea Spot1, I'll get a prices board outside th shops, like the petrol stations have, and then advertise how many percentage points my prices have gone up or down, but you can guarantee that little robot will put up prices on the windy weekends (he gets direct boroadband feeds of wind info from laurie).
So come on down on a Monday or Tuesday, unless its windy.
Cya and
Goodwinds
Artificial Steve
i read somewhere kites were made of plastics, as these come from oil. so i guess the price board out the front is fitting[}:)]
As fun as it is to see a couple of retailers going for it I really think many of you missed the point I was trying to make.
Retailers don't like customers buying their gear from overseas because it is cheaper.
There is no good reason why kites should be cheaper overseas. If someone can put forward a good reason I would like to hear it. Its not the retailers that are making all the money, our margins have been about the same for the past few years.
My questions for anyone who thinks they have a good answer is Who is making all the money and why are prices in Australia so much higher than overseas.
http://www.kite-line.com/kiteboarding/kites.php?brand=Slingshot
Rev 11M price is virtually identical to Oz, when our Gst and their local taxes are factored into their price.
www.realkiteboarding.com/index.cfm?page=detail&catID=475&productID=9330
Same price
Its a figment of your imagination BJ. Sure there are close out deals, and some companies are have big sales, but overall prices around the world are very similar.
You have an alterior agenda here, that is becoming well known now, my advice is give it a rest, stop attacking your fellow retailers and kite brands generally.
There are 40 something inflato kite brands, way too many, its a buyers market. None of the inflato kite brands are doing exceptionally well, none of the brands owners I have met are dripping in gold, same goes for retailers.
Do you complain on other forums about the occassional inequality of pricing, of other products that your store sells, compared to prices overseas?
Doubt it.
No-one is making squillions in the kite game, give us all a break.
Cya and
Goodwinds
Steve the android
Generally speaking, most products you buy from overseas (US,ASIA) are a lot cheaper than Australia. From clothing to electronic equipment..... You can hardly go point your finger at kite retailters alone.....
Things are cheaper in US,
Part of this is because of exchange rate - however a big part of this is because of customer base, put simply - US retailers can afford to buy in bulk and have huge warehouses to store this bulk, this means they can afford to discount.
The entire market in australia probably doenst come even close to a single state in the US. Think about it.
As Steve has commented - prices of kites are similar, and its mostly true, shop around, negotiate with the shop and you are likely to get a deal just as good as anywhere else, plus the bonus of a local distributer who can sort out any warranty issues. .....
The cost of the kite is over $1000 aud so you should pay 10% gst on import into Australia.
Otherwise you are a very naughty boy for not paying your taxes!!
I just heard steel is going up 30% because China is sucking it dry and the suppliers cant keep up with the demand not good it happenned with copper last year it doubled in price.Imagine that happenned with kites no one would be kiting , it would be to expensive.
Anyone in business is in it to make money and of course to create a lifestyle for themselves, if your not happy with a price from a shop , shop around competition keeps prices down.
There was an article in the papers that our dollar will be dollar for dollar with the US and buyers are flocking to the net and saving up to 30% so I guess the same could be said about kites , thats not good for the Aussie retailers as they are finding it hard to compete with, but it means savings for the consumer.
i lack tact, so sorry if i bump your nose out of joint.
there were some ordinary arguements put up in the last thread for high prices. and to suggest all prices are near equal based on one example is not showing much respect for the forums intelligence. surely you wouldnt practice these tactics in your store?? you wouldnt, i believe you. you did wonders for your integrity there. so much for added value.
.
it is not the exchange rate,the AUS$ is at highs against most of the leading currencies not seen in decades. travel, our dollar goes a long way right now.
the US$ is weakening at the same time. cross that one off
.
it is not freight costs, as those who have bought from retailers such as kiteline can deliver one kite from oregon to remote locations in australia at very competitive prices. (actually 2 days faster than from sydney, same kite and all.) and their point of sale service left all the aus retalers i contacted in the shade. (CardBoards excepted, they have service you only get in stupidly expensive hotels. and they are internationally price competitive with an outstanding product)
buying power from larger markets is a valid arguement, but at what percentage? still the best arguement i have seen raised
run a smaller margin, you may sell more kites, and end up with a bigger share the existing market, and may even increase overall demand. around $2000 is some serious coin for a high school kid, and beyond comprehension for a uni student not still at home. you got kids, they chew through some coin too.
oh then add 2 to 4 hours of lessons. (which are awesome value regardless)
double dipping and wholesalers running percentage markup instead of nominal are my guess. but its a guess.
manufacturers do run bonuses to close out in most retail sectors. i have seen a jap car maker throw more than 20% at dealers to move stock. bicycles too. cant speak for kites.
but australia does get jabbed, itunes charge $1.69 here or 99c US. about a 60% markup.
soon wholesalers will realise it is 2008 and it is a world market.
i feel for the poor retailer, even the one with robots. cause overheads in australia are high, particularly wages. its not fair. innovate. or learn how to add value to your product. "it keeps me in business to help you" is not enough. why? damn it. why? do you really know why i would want to buy from you? its not sympathy.
i have gone on far too long.
