"Support local business" my butt

[Elena P.]

$260.00 is a great price. I sell them for $360.00 and will offer free shipping but can't match that price.

$360 is a way better than >$400 some stores asked.
I added your site to my favorites, but please - really, how much your distributor charge you? Why it is such a huge secret if they really want more here than retail store in U.S.?

[Urban_Lounger]

Canadians are so use to higher prices because of more that 3 decades of the stronger US dollars. My dollars will go to whoever that will give me the best deal.

[bitzz]

the groups to blame are the distributors such as parts canada and such. they're the ones that set the pricing and policies to the stores.

If you go on the parts canada website and ask for the requirements to become a retailer for their products, you'll see just how strict the requirements are including having to have a store front with whatever inventory value on a monthly basis, and cannot be a web based retailer. Alteast thats what it said a couple years ago.

Oh good.
I'll go tell Herman, one of the owners of Fullbore, that he is getting rich off all of us.
Herman will be surprised. Herman's bank will be happy. Herman's accountant will be hard to convince.

The distributor DOES NOT set most prices. In most cases the wholesale and retail price is set by the manufacturer.
It is the " Manufacturer's suggested retail price" not the "distributor's retail price".

[Scudzo_2]

Yup, I just came back with a crap load of stuff from the states...10 times better...cheaper...they got Bike stores the size of Walmart...with awesome prices...

Due to the fact that their market share is 10 times greater than what ours is?

[JohnnyP636]

$360 is a way better than >$400 some stores asked.
I added your site to my favorites, but please - really, how much your distributor charge you? Why it is such a huge secret if they really want more here than retail store in U.S.?

You have to understand how the market and bluk ordering for a sores stock vs ordering in one helmet works...For one that online store probably has 50 fo that helmet your looking at in stock, and they probably bought them in a booking order at the start of the year along with 50 of this and 50 of that and 100 of these...So they are getting much better prices from the distributor then some small shop in the GTA that has to order in that helmet for you....

The problem with that kind of business in the GTA is not many shops have the buying power, and they arent selling to a world wide market like internet stores. So even if they could afford to stock that much of one product they would never sell it all...

The only things I find cheaper or comparible in the GTA are things that a store actually stock. You will almost never get something cheaper then you can online if the store has to order just one in for you...

So the bottom line is the more the store buys at one time for stock, the cheaper they can offer it to you...We dont have a large enough market for stores like this in the GTA, its sad but thats just the way it is but there are some exceptions...Riders Choice sells DID ERV3 chains for cheaper then I can get them anywhere online, why? Because John McBride invests alot of money at one time and stocks 200 of those chains in his store...So RC has 200 of those chains and are selling them for $129+ tax, and that same chain is selling for $200 + tax in another local shop just 10 min away. The other store only buys maybe 5 at a time so they cant offer that kind of pricing...

Want another example? I buy 2-3 Arai helmets of Ebay a year and I pay $600-700 max shipped tax included....The stores I buy them from have 20 of every colour/style in every size IN STOCK. There is no store in the GTA that has that volume of helmets in stock, so there is no store in the GTA that can offer those prices...

[Royson]

This issue comes up all the time in my second job, where I work at a camera shop.
Yes, clearly the United States is cheaper. Consider the fact that they are a nation of 300 million people. Hence, suppliers have buying power.

In the camera realm, there is Canon USA, and Canon Canada. Two different divisions, and two different sets of pricing. Given that we could fit our population nicely in California, is it any surprise that Canon Canada can't secure as good of pricing from Japan as Canon USA?

Buy it from the States if you want, but stop ragging on businesses who are just paying the inflated costs Canadians have to pay for being a smaller country.

[AdRath]

Oh good.
I'll go tell Herman, one of the owners of Fullbore, that he is getting rich off all of us.
Herman will be surprised. Herman's bank will be happy. Herman's accountant will be hard to convince.

The distributor DOES NOT set most prices. In most cases the wholesale and retail price is set by the manufacturer.
It is the " Manufacturer's suggested retail price" not the "distributor's retail price".

It begs the question then why a manufaturer sells their product at a different price to Canada and the States? Shouldn't the distributors lobby for similar pricing as our dollar is the same? I don't know much about the industry so I'm just asking not trying to come off as sarcastic. What would stop someone from buying from the manufacturer in the states and then importing it into canada?

As much as it sucks for Canadian retailers I work hard for my money and I don't consider the Canadian bike industry a charity. If I can save half the price of course I'm going to shop at that place. It seems to me that most of the people that say 'Shop local...support your bike industry' are also the people that get 'deals' at the local shop. I won't ever buy enough gear/supplies a year to ever be given a deal so I'm looking out for my own bottom line.

[scarface]

As people have mentioned a Nolan helmet goes through Canada Customs and get's taxed. Then it goes to Parts Canada/etc. and get's marked up. Then it goes to your store who then has to stock the unit (in multiple color's, sizes, styles) and they sell it to you for a price.

Buying online eliminates much of the above. Thus, you get reduced prices. However: Can you inspect the helmet before you buy? Make sure it isn't scratched/banged up? Nope. Do you pay for shipping? Maybe not, but you WILL pay duty and brokerage charges.

Support my local Shop?

Hell yeah. I get great deals there.

Nites

Parts Canada IS Parts unlimited in Canada.

They most likely purchase inventory for all of North America, distribute it accordingly, and enjoy the same pricing. We pay more because they're trying to take advantage of us and think we're some uneducated morons, so if we buy from a canadian retailer we get screwed in the pocket book, and when we purchase our stuff from the states we get a deal but Parts unlimited still makes it's money in the end, and the retailers in Canada get screwed then. So they win regardless.

[scarface]

You have to understand how the market and bluk ordering for a sores stock vs ordering in one helmet works...For one that online store probably has 50 fo that helmet your looking at in stock, and they probably bought them in a booking order at the start of the year along with 50 of this and 50 of that and 100 of these...So they are getting much better prices from the distributor then some small shop in the GTA that has to order in that helmet for you....

The problem with that kind of business in the GTA is not many shops have the buying power, and they arent selling to a world wide market like internet stores. So even if they could afford to stock that much of one product they would never sell it all...

The only things I find cheaper or comparible in the GTA are things that a store actually stock. You will almost never get something cheaper then you can online if the store has to order just one in for you...

So the bottom line is the more the store buys at one time for stock, the cheaper they can offer it to you...We dont have a large enough market for stores like this in the GTA, its sad but thats just the way it is but there are some exceptions...Riders Choice sells DID ERV3 chains for cheaper then I can get them anywhere online, why? Because John McBride invests alot of money at one time and stocks 200 of those chains in his store...So RC has 200 of those chains and are selling them for $129+ tax, and that same chain is selling for $200 + tax in another local shop just 10 min away. The other store only buys maybe 5 at a time so they cant offer that kind of pricing...

Want another example? I buy 2-3 Arai helmets of Ebay a year and I pay $600-700 max shipped tax included....The stores I buy them from have 20 of every colour/style in every size IN STOCK. There is no store in the GTA that has that volume of helmets in stock, so there is no store in the GTA that can offer those prices...

Good thing to know about the did erv3.

I need a chain real soon, and don't want to buy it from sportbike trackgear this time around cause i don't want to get the wrong sprocket again.
i hope they sell the erv3/afam combo.

[AdRath]

The problem with that kind of business in the GTA is not many shops have the buying power, and they arent selling to a world wide market like internet stores. So even if they could afford to stock that much of one product they would never sell it all...

I think it might be time stores re-examine their business practices. Why not sell online also to a world market so that they can buy large lots of product?

[JohnnyP636]

Good thing to know about the did erv3.

I need a chain real soon, and don't want to buy it from sportbike trackgear this time around cause i don't want to get the wrong sprocket again.
i hope they sell the erv3/afam combo.

They do sell the AFAM/DID ERV3 as kits....I think last time I inquired it was about $240 for everything(f/r AFAM sprockets and DID ERV3).....And thats a pretty damn good price, and this is comming from someone that spends a hell of alot of money online shopping for bike parts....

[Guru]

You have to understand how the market and bluk ordering for a sores stock vs ordering in one helmet works...For one that online store probably has 50 fo that helmet your looking at in stock, and they probably bought them in a booking order at the start of the year along with 50 of this and 50 of that and 100 of these...So they are getting much better prices from the distributor then some small shop in the GTA that has to order in that helmet for you....

The problem with that kind of business in the GTA is not many shops have the buying power, and they arent selling to a world wide market like internet stores. So even if they could afford to stock that much of one product they would never sell it all...

The only things I find cheaper or comparible in the GTA are things that a store actually stock. You will almost never get something cheaper then you can online if the store has to order just one in for you...

So the bottom line is the more the store buys at one time for stock, the cheaper they can offer it to you...We dont have a large enough market for stores like this in the GTA, its sad but thats just the way it is but there are some exceptions...Riders Choice sells DID ERV3 chains for cheaper then I can get them anywhere online, why? Because John McBride invests alot of money at one time and stocks 200 of those chains in his store...So RC has 200 of those chains and are selling them for $129+ tax, and that same chain is selling for $200 + tax in another local shop just 10 min away. The other store only buys maybe 5 at a time so they cant offer that kind of pricing...

Want another example? I buy 2-3 Arai helmets of Ebay a year and I pay $600-700 max shipped tax included....The stores I buy them from have 20 of every colour/style in every size IN STOCK. There is no store in the GTA that has that volume of helmets in stock, so there is no store in the GTA that can offer those prices...

6 pages of this thread and some people STILL don't get it...Eh?....

[scarface]

Oh good.
I'll go tell Herman, one of the owners of Fullbore, that he is getting rich off all of us.
Herman will be surprised. Herman's bank will be happy. Herman's accountant will be hard to convince.

The distributor DOES NOT set most prices. In most cases the wholesale and retail price is set by the manufacturer.
It is the " Manufacturer's suggested retail price" not the "distributor's retail price".

oh really, well then tell me why every retail store pulls out that large Parts Canada catologue and quotes the exact same price regardless or where i go?

mmm, maybe cause Parts Canada has set the pricing already before hand?? Do you honestly think that the price in the book magically changes over the course of a year when Parts canada orders in new stock in bulk?

The manufacturer has a MSRP that they give parts canada yes, and they do create their catologues with that price, but it doesn't mean that parts canada's cost price it static. they're reaping the rewards of a strong canadian dollar and not passing it on to any of the retailers or consumers.

[scarface]

They do sell the AFAM/DID ERV3 as kits....I think last time I inquired it was about $240 for everything(f/r AFAM sprockets and DID ERV3).....And thats a pretty damn good price, and this is comming from someone that spends a hell of alot of money online shopping for bike parts....

thats a pretty good price.

sportbike trackgear has the erv3/sprocket specialist combo for 215 US.

when it's all said and done it's close to the same price over all.

[newbieracer]

. What would stop someone from buying from the manufacturer in the states and then importing it into canada?

Alot of manufactures offer whats called "protection" to there distributers, They normally ask where your calling from and if its in someones territory, they say sorry but you have call so and so... And there is no real way around it, Of course if you set up a P.O box in buffalo and say its an office.... Thats a different story.

[JohnnyP636]

oh really, well then tell me why every retail store pulls out that large Parts Canada catologue and quotes the exact same price regardless or where i go?

mmm, maybe cause Parts Canada has set the pricing already before hand?? Do you honestly think that the price in the book magically changes over the course of a year when Parts canada orders in new stock in bulk?

The manufacturer has a MSRP that they give parts canada yes, and they do create their catologues with that price, but it doesn't mean that parts canada's cost price it static. they're reaping the rewards of a strong canadian dollar and not passing it on to any of the retailers or consumers.

This is true thier retail list prices are still high, and need to be adjusted for the higher Canadian dollar. The thing with that is its up and down all year, but they can only make one catalogue...So for them its better to stay high, rather then adjust and loose when the dollar goes back down a month after the catalogue is printed...

And most important factor is still the bluck vs single order issue, look in any catalogue and there is a price code beside the retail list price... That code tells the store what kind of discount they get on that product, and there is usually a chart for bulk savings aswell. The more they buy at one time the bigger the % discout gets..And distributors also send out flyers for booking orders at the start of the season, with better price offerings if the store is willing to invest in bulk of one product.....

I deal with the same thing in my business every day, I cut 4x8' sheets of MDF all day everyday...If I buy 1-20 sheets its $30 per sheet + a delivery charge, if I buy a bundle (40sheets) its $28 a sheet with free delivery, but when I order a truck load direct from the factory its $25 per sheet....So to stay in business I have to buy truck loads, if I was only buying bundle by bundle I simply could not compete with other companies that do buy materil in bulk...

[scarface]

I think it might be time stores re-examine their business practices. Why not sell online also to a world market so that they can buy large lots of product?

Parts canada will not let them.

[scarface]

This is true thier retail list prices are still high, and need to be adjusted for the higher Canadian dollar. The thing with that is its up and down all year, but they can only make one catalogue...So for them its better to stay high, rather then adjust and loose when the dollar goes back down a month after the catalogue is printed...

And most important factor is still the bluck vs single order issue, look in any catalogue and there is a price code beside the retail list price... That code tells the store what kind of discount they get on that product, and there is usually a chart for bulk savings aswell. The more they buy at one time the bigger the % discout gets..And distributors also send out flyers for booking orders at the start of the season, with better price offerings if the store is willing to invest in bulk of one product.....

I deal with the same thing in my business every day, I cut 4x8' sheets of MDF all day everyday...If I buy 1-20 sheets its $30 per sheet + a delivery charge, if I buy a bundle (40sheets) its $28 a sheet with free delivery, but when I order a truck load direct from the factory its $25 per sheet....So to stay in business I have to buy truck loads, if I was only buying bundle by bundle I simply could not compete with other companies that do buy materil in bulk...

Yuppers.

It's really too bad that the retail stores couldn't form a co op and increase their buying power with the manufacturers directly. I'd rather buy locally, but the wallet forces me to shop online most of the time.

[JohnnyP636]

thats a pretty good price.

sportbike trackgear has the erv3/sprocket specialist combo for 215 US.

when it's all said and done it's close to the same price over all.

Yeah its pretty good, and if they dont already have your sprockets in stock. They get them in a few days, which is faster then ordering from the US...And if something does end up being wrong, you can talk to real people and not get the Email not anwsering the phone run around...

Like I said I buy ALOT of things online, but when it comes to chains, sprockets, and quite a bit of other things RC does beat US online ordering prices and wait time. THANK GOD!
Their price on Motul 5100 oil is another perfect example $25 at RC $40 at every other GTA shop, but take note of the amount of Motul product they have in stock...Lots of stock = better price for us...

Oh and I bought a textile Daniese jacket for a great price 2 days ago aswell

[AdRath]

Yuppers.

It's really too bad that the retail stores couldn't form a co op and increase their buying power with the manufacturers directly. I'd rather buy locally, but the wallet forces me to shop online most of the time.

you summed up my position nicely. If I were wealthy hell ya I'd shop local but the fact of the matter is I'm not and I save to afford my hobby. If shopping online means I can devote more money to my family rather than my hobby then I'm shopping online.

Stores and manufacturers look out for their own bottom line and I will look out for my own. I can't fault them for wanting to make a profit and they shouldn't fault me for wanting to save money.