10 replies to this topic Post Order

[meerkat]

20/08/2010, 16:58 "I stay in Switzerland and bought a Ritchey cockpit on BuyCycle.co.za in South Africa. It was cheaper for me to ship it here from South Africa than to buy it in Europe through online shops. Go figure!
Well done Buycycle.co.za"

– Blackie

I realise the intent of this entry by Blackie in the “Testimonials” of http://www.buycycle.co.za was to applaud his friends from Java house on their great service... Needless to say, neither Blackie nor BuyCycle thought about their contribution to “Grey Imports”! After all, this is coming from an outfit condemning "Grey Imports"

Hmmm, maybe this only applies to imports into South Africa....?

I notice on some international web sites, when you attempt to purchase a product, the sale is prohibited sighting supplier agreements as reason. I wonder how BICICLETTA views this and also the RITCHEY agent in Switzerland and perhaps the Suisse Federal Council.....?

Part 6 perhaps on your Facebook wall.....? BuyCycle you are no different from Chain Reaction Cycles!



PS. Let’s forget about Gerrit for the moment....



04/08/2010, 16:45 "Hallo Hennie,

My goodies arrived here in Windhoek, Namibia, this morning. Everything in order and well packed. Thank you very much for the great service and help supplied.
Will definitely make use of your service again.

Greetings and Kind Regards,


Gerrit"

– Gerrit van Schalkwyk - Namibia

[AndreZA]

Interesting view on this subject. So the knife cuts both ways. I just think the people in Nam.....ibia does not have any suppliers. How can you survive if you only have 5 riders and 4 of them are at university in SA.

[kosmonooit]

Common who gives a Marsupials Nipple over what a grey import is and who does it anymore, considering on-going bad service and price-fixing.

The only moral case an 'authorised' importer could have is pirate parts coming in: that is items under 'their' brand that are fake. Otherwise it's all fair game now.

[meerkat]

Mampara, on 03 September 2010 - 02:11 , said:

Interesting view on this subject. So the knife cuts both ways. I just think the people in Nam.....ibia does not have any suppliers. How can you survive if you only have 5 riders and 4 of them are at university in SA.

Point taken.

I also thought about leaving the reference to the Nam sale out of the equation. Often the objection to Grey imports are product support and maintenance. Then we could also ask if the South African dealer is authorised to sell in the foreign country?

[david16v]

If its not pirate, cheaper than LBS and suits my pocket, then I`m gonna purchase it.

Whether its CWC, CRC or buycycle.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I think Buycycle needs to adjust their definition of a "Grey Import", basically what they are referring to is a "Parallel Import.".

A grey Import is termed legally and by customs as one in which an "UNFAIR ADVANTAGE" is gained by one business importing the goods over another, (ie) a grey import is one where the importer fraudently alters the invoice to reflect a non duty item to evade duty payable, or which is underinvoiced to reduce applicable duty or Vat, or similar fraudelant methods, hense giving the seller an unfair advantage over one that legally imports the same goods in an official or parallel capacity.

SARS is not interested in the origen of a product, how it is supported, where it is sold etc, SA is a FREE MARKET ECONOMY which means any dealer can import any product whether it be through the official channels or not and retail it in the market as a Parallel Import.

The only requirement by law is a Parallel Importer must make the client aware that it is a parallel import, and the official distributor is under no obligation to honour the warranty or provide spares, other than that, it is absolutely incorrect to label a "PARALLEL IMPORT" which is legally imported and accounted for, with NO UNFAIR ADVANTAGE to the seller as a "GREY IMPORT".

[meerkat]

Don't get me wrong I don't enjoy being ripped off. Therefor support CWC, CRC, BuyCycle and others.

[Mecnic]

I think buycycle must be looked at in a local South African perspective.

Buycycle's main market is SA that is there focus, they buy from local SA Suppliers and provide SA based back up.


Although they are anti grey import or parallel imports (what ever you want to call them) simple economics dictates that people will always go for what is cheaper and suits them whether it means buying in SA and having it shipped to Switzerland.

Personally I don't think it has anything with them creating any kind of import or whatever you want to call it that's just capitalism at its best, remember the internet has made the world a small place and surly custom fees and duties will be paid like any other legitimately imported product into an external country.

I say go crc, crc, buycycle, local shops and any person importing and trying to make a living. As I am a firm believer in free capitalism and ultimately the customer dictates what sells and what doesn't and that must not be forgotten.

[Trek Fan]

Personally - couldn't care less where it comes from as long as it is cheaper and the service is good

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Trek Fan, on 04 September 2010 - 08:09 , said:

Personally - couldn't care less where it comes from as long as it is cheaper and the service is good

Sure, I agree, most people think the same.

Unfortunately many dealers (and we are NOT talking only cycling here)use the term "Grey Import" very loosly, which tends to cast an unfavourable pall over the seller, when in fact he is probably importing the goods perfectly legally and accounting for all duties and taxes and offering his own form of warranty and service, so in reality, he is just as entitled to compete in the market as the "official" distributor, he has no unfair advantage.

Probably 90% of goods sold in SA which are not from the official distribution lines are parallel imports and 100% legally imported and distributed - "Grey imports" are few and far between.