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Whats the deal with shunning grey imports? A rant.

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  • BMurray
    replied
    Re: Whats the deal with shunning grey imports? A rant.

    I may be only new to this forum but I have been around long enough and been on other types of forums (boats etc) to know that this type of topic has always been around and most probably always will!
    I have spent the extra $$ to buy local but have also bought things online saving a stack of money (snowboard, snowboard boots etc) saving over $600-$700! I doubt there many people here who have not bought something online that they could have bought locally, doesnt matter what it is its still taking away from local sellers. So my point is that why it may be frowned upon here (as most people are coffee purists that frequent this site) but its going to happen. Most people who buy a machine for example from overseas will most probably buy accessories etc locally, get services locally and usually if the service is good keep going back! So even though the machine is bought elsewhere people need to understand that there is more to it than shunning people as down the line you will most probably benefit also (give good service and the next machine might be bought from you!)
    This topic will never end and people need to understand both sides and just move on..in the end we all love and search for the perfect brew!
    Anyway, im sure we will all never here the end of this..time for a coffee!

    Leave a comment:


  • Fresh_Coffee
    replied
    Attilio

    hehehehehe....I enjoyed seeing my name in the title even if it was slightly out of whak!

    Leave a comment:


  • brettreaby
    replied
    Re: Whats the deal with shunning grey imports? A rant.

    Sorry about the typo Attilio.

    Looks like Ive been in business too long... no one cares about me either. Been shafted too many time i guess..

    I do care, but just stating how I think people operate.

    Leave a comment:


  • Fresh_Coffee
    replied
    Attilio

    Hey Brettly, 

    if you are going to disagree with me atleast spell me name correctly  ;D

    Your response comes under the heading of....." no one gives a fig about the traders...."  thats ok, we understand that!

    Notice however where I wrote: "...Prospective clients wishing to purchase one of our excellent BFC / Diadema Junior machines please do give us a call. They are very well priced, are atleast equal to the highest standard of design build finish and performance, and are guaranteed in Australia...."

    The operative phrase is: (Our machines are)...very well priced. You see we have adjusted ourselves to the market. It doesnt however preclude anything that I have written.

    Cheers,
    A.

    Leave a comment:


  • brettreaby
    replied
    Atillo

    Well Ill be the first to disagree. ( no flames please)

    But grey market do keep importers honest and stop a lot of captive marketing ripoffs.

    Lots of examples: Apple music, record labels (in the past), books, premium clothing, CARS ( chris wants a 50k porsche but without Aussie Design Rules cant get it) and on and on..

    Bluntly, if you are importing your deal needs to offer value compared to a parallel import and then youre ok. I think as coffee machine importers you have some advantages like the weight & size, plus electrical issues to slow down grey imports. Not all importers enjoy these advantages...

    Leave a comment:


  • Fresh_Coffee
    replied
    Re: Whats the deal with shunning grey imports? A rant.

    A POSITION STATEMENT

    From the importer / trader perspective....you know, the bloke that went to italy, put his house and anything else he may have of value on the line, and made a deal with a manufacturer to start importing his goods and market them in Australia.

    Then he went home (to Australia) and worked quite hard and spent money to put the good name of the manufacturer / model equipment out there and started the ball rolling with client / brand / model awareness, to start generating a demand for that particular brand model. He also sets up a system of service and retailers around the traps.

    For that, the trader expects to have some protection. He is not just legally deemed to be the representative of the manufacturer in all things "guarantee" for the equipment he imports, but he is the one that has put all the work in to generate the demand......

    ....so that some of you people can try tooth and nail to bring one in the back door because its your choice to decide that you can bring it in for cheaper.

    If it wasnt for the good work put in by the importer, you probably wouldnt be considering that brand model equipment in the first place, and you are ripping off the people that brought you the brand.

    Good manufacturers will protect their importers and plug the holes that appear in the international market from time to time. Sloppy manufacturers allow their products to be bastardised around and eventually lose sales and profit world wide as importers leave them to look for other brands and the wheel starts going round again. You need not look far to find out what brand models they are....

    My own growing and successful business is an example of what can be done if your manufacturer is professional and lends the proper support, and also an example that there are still plenty of sales to be made to people that may or may not read all this never ending cyclic stuff in internet forums, and still buy local within Australia because they want a point of local support.

    Bluntly, these topics in real terms, are an example of what some may call a situation where there is plenty of smoke but precious little fire.  The translation of this being, in internet circles this stuff seems to be bigger than big and have far reaching importance. In reality, show room sales tell us the opposite is true.

    Please feel free to disagree, but that will make my own opinion no less valid than it is, because my opinion is tempered by real life sales figures and expertise from within this industry.

    There are two sides to the story, the trader side is no less important than that from the interfering sidelines, and if anyone wants to import something from OS by all means do so and leave the rest of us in peace....please.

    Attilio
    very first CS site sponsor.

    Prospective clients wishing to purchase one of our excellent BFC / Diadema Junior machines please do give us a call. They are very well priced, are atleast equal to the highest standard of design build finish and performance, and are guaranteed in Australia.

    Leave a comment:


  • cjt10
    replied
    Re: Whats the deal with shunning grey imports? A rant.

    Originally posted by 6A727376697972761A0 link=1326694090/47#47 date=1326973202
    So lets be civil and Ill see you on the coffee side of things.
    Well said, after all we gather here to share our experiences, knowledge and love for coffee.

    Leave a comment:


  • philschl
    replied
    Re: Whats the deal with shunning grey imports? A rant.

    Originally posted by 2A332222470 link=1326694090/46#46 date=1326954762
    Dont trivialize it until youve lived through it.
    Who are you to know what Ive lived through? Material damage is one thing. Life another. At times we have to rebuild. Some people are happy that they can do just that. Others have not been that lucky. I feel for the latter, and share the joy with the former. Not sure what to do with people whove had the good fortune to live through bad fortune, who can tell the tale but not wag it in joy. What do you want? Pity? Seriously? For making an insurance claim? Do you know how many people out there would love to have your problems for only one day?

    I didnt start this thread do make enemies and Ive heard enough to know that there are still plenty of folks out there whod rather keep things the way they are rather than even contemplate change.

    So lets be civil and Ill see you on the coffee side of things.

    Leave a comment:


  • mtee
    replied
    Re: Whats the deal with shunning grey imports? A rant.

    Originally posted by 263E3F3A25353E3A560 link=1326694090/38#38 date=1326792176
    With all due respect, $80K damage, recovered from the insurance, doesnt seem all too heartbreaking to me.
    Thats naive, insensitive and pretty damn rude. Dont trivialize it until youve lived through it.

    My partner suffered a fire at her business premises, also as the result of an electrical fault.

    Dont believe for a second that being insured means they wave a magic wand and then everything is better. She was out of business for months (no income, still receiving bills), was working longer (non-productive) hours and trying to keep staff employed or risk losing them.

    She was badly let down by the insurance company (Alliance) and is still recovering financially, 4 years later. The mental and emotional cost is not covered by insurance.

    Your glib comment does you no credit at all.

    Leave a comment:


  • LaughingAtFate
    replied
    Re: Whats the deal with shunning grey imports? A rant.

    Strictly speaking from my own perspective, If Australia was to change Power Connectors (not that itd ever happen) Id think the best choice would be the current British plugs, theyre pretty much the best connectors in the world in terms of contact and grounding.

    Round pins suck plumber-crack

    Leave a comment:


  • Vinitasse
    replied
    Re: Whats the deal with shunning grey imports? A rant.

    Originally posted by 7D62607A63766160770F0 link=1326694090/43#43 date=1326877813
    On the point of the "silly flat-pinned power plugs", the rest of the world should adopt them, by the logic of the OP, seeing as China uses them and they are the biggest market in the world.

    Just saying.
    And... having lived in Europe for 9.5 years I can say the round Euro design is highly flawed! Seldom properly grounded and they tend to fall out of the recepticles under the slightest provocation... at least ours are safe and fit snuggly :P

    Leave a comment:


  • rmoulynox
    replied
    Re: Whats the deal with shunning grey imports? A rant.

    On the point of the "silly flat-pinned power plugs", the rest of the world should adopt them, by the logic of the OP, seeing as China uses them and they are the biggest market in the world.

    Just saying.

    Leave a comment:


  • timmyb
    replied
    Re: Whats the deal with shunning grey imports? A rant.

    Originally posted by 0C392E2C1C2439262A272F4B0 link=1326694090/41#41 date=1326843378
    A smart DIY renovator gets a licensed professional to sign off on the job

    However a smart licensed professional should never sign off on a DIY renovators work! ;D

    Leave a comment:


  • GregWormald
    replied
    Re: Whats the deal with shunning grey imports? A rant.

    Originally posted by 4D5D4A5B5B5D4A4E4D562F0 link=1326694090/27#27 date=1326772236
    so greg are you aware of any insurance claims where the householder has been knocked back on a claim due to their resposnsibility?  im thinking electrical rewiring or other dodgy repairs,  often wondered how the DIY renovators is liable......
    Yup.

    A smart DIY renovator gets a licensed professional to sign off on the job--especially electrical and plumbing. Ive done that myself.

    Greg

    Leave a comment:


  • galumay
    replied
    Re: Whats the deal with shunning grey imports? A rant.

    Its a changing world, and there is a lot of resistance to that change.

    People should not be surprised at the passionate responses they get on this site, despite appearances its not a public forum in the usual sense of the term, its a commercial site run and operated by commercial coffee businesses so they are going to be a little touchy on the subject of grey imports and direct imports.

    The reality is that we are in a period of massive change in peoples buying habits and as businesses we will either wither and die or adapt. The big businesses like the movie and music industries were the first to completely misjudge the changing world and try to hang on to outdated models of finance and business, they may well die as a result. The world is passing them by because they failed to grasp the opportunities of online delivery of content and accept that their historical price gouging and profiteering could not continue.

    One thing I have noticed in my line of business, (IT) is that customers in my town will buy anything online for under about $1000, but over and above that amount they generally prefer to deal with a bricks and mortar business. As a result I dont even try to sell into the sub $1000 market.

    Coffee hardware is a bit different to a lot of other gear due to the voltage/electrical issues, interestingly its not relevant with IT gear because these days 99% is designed to work with all available voltages, its just the duckhead plug that needs to be changed.

    I know I buy most things from whatever source I can get the best price, I will take my chance on having to ship back to country of origin for warranty, I have never had to do it and would be tens of thousands of dollars ahead in savings over the years. Just bought a new chartplotter from the US for my boat, half the cost of the equivalent here, arrived in 5 days - would have taken longer from Sydney!

    In the case of my coffee hardware, well given the electrical issues and the need for calibration for Australian conditions as well the expertise of a local dealer like Talk Coffee, it was never really a viable option to import something as large and expensive as an Izzo Pompeii.

    I suspect we have only just begun to see the changes which will sweep traditional retailing in this country, a lot of it will be to the detriment of bricks and mortar shops, but other opportunities will open up for adaptive business people.

    Imagine 10 years ago considering running a successful business selling green and brown beans online, one that I suspect has a very healthy turnover! You would have been dismissed as mad.

    Anyway thats my ramble for tonite!

    Leave a comment:

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