Buying stuff....

[Weirboondocking]

When ever we can we buy from the dealer... mostly because of what fernie snow is saying... I want them to be doing good and for it to be worth their while to stock parts that way I can get what I need right away.

 

[bourgon]

I just orderd a skid for my sled went to 3 dealers and looked online found a dealer that was 50 bucks more so I went through them! One dealer was 900 bucks more! Thank god I shoped around! I like to support local but 900 bucks on one part wow.

 

[bjd68]

I buy most OEM parts from dealer but there is some things I just dont like these hmk boa voyagers boots I just bought the dealer wanted $340, but I got them from a vendor in states for $179 , so with the shipping and exchange rate it came too $224 so over 100 bucks saved even with our dollar being so low!

 

[fidorama]

I go either way. if I have the time, I use ebay. However when I am in a hurry it a different story. You really do need to be careful tho, as you can really get nailed with shipping and duty fee's. for cheap items sometimes its just cheaper to find it local.

 

[Chrisco]

Yah im more talking aftermarket. Like im trying to price some options out... But its hard because my sleds a double duty sask and bc sled. Look at the products page and the price is ok. Then find a dealer in canada and its way more than the part price but in cnd funds.

Like they order a bunch of units, some times if they order early they get better deals on what they order depending on the size of the order. They probably (hopefully) have their own broker and use a single shipping service to save money getting the product. So its a fraction per unit for shipping than it would be for a normal person shipping one to canada. But then.... Its still as much or more than me ordering one part my self from the manufacturer.

I understand, your in the business to make money. But being more competitive with the us would probably bring in more sales....



#canadastrong

So when a vender puts out lets say 10 grand to buy product and we get a bit of a break on the shipping because we bought 10 grand worth of stuff, So you think the vender should pass that along to you??? So on an average most parts being at 20 to 25% mark up so off that 10 grand we made 2 grand and tie the 10 grand up for god knows how long before we sell all that product just food for thought. Lets go bigger now 100,000 grand, my overhead at my shop is 35000.00 pr month so I need sell over 100,000g of product to pay the bills just the bill THANK GOD we have OK Tire. 100 grand is a lot of parts to sell, our prices are set as if you were to order that same part and get it to your house that seems fair to me what else can you ask for. When you rip off your frontend in November and you walk into my store ill have one for you that day or will send you one to the mountians for you. There is not to many business in Alberta that can keep the doors open under 30%. I do this because I love sledding and the people that go with it and hate when I cant find a part I need. I hope this makes you look at the big picture and not just a DEAL for you.

 

[teeroy]

for branded parts (brp, honda, harley, etc) I will order and buy from the dealerships. their set prices vs American are close enough that I don't mind paying the little extra. for expensive specialty aftermarket parts I will buy from the US, as long as the vendor will ship USPS.

the difference in prices on big dollar parts ($500-$1000) are often several hundred dollars, makes it tough to support local in such instances.

 

[sledneck_03]

So when a vender puts out lets say 10 grand to buy product and we get a bit of a break on the shipping because we bought 10 grand worth of stuff, So you think the vender should pass that along to you??? So on an average most parts being at 20 to 25% mark up so off that 10 grand we made 2 grand and tie the 10 grand up for god knows how long before we sell all that product just food for thought. Lets go bigger now 100,000 grand, my overhead at my shop is 35000.00 pr month so I need sell over 100,000g of product to pay the bills just the bill THANK GOD we have OK Tire. 100 grand is a lot of parts to sell, our prices are set as if you were to order that same part and get it to your house that seems fair to me what else can you ask for. When you rip off your frontend in November and you walk into my store ill have one for you that day or will send you one to the mountians for you. There is not to many business in Alberta that can keep the doors open under 30%. I do this because I love sledding and the people that go with it and hate when I cant find a part I need. I hope this makes you look at the big picture and not just a DEAL for you.

Im aware of if your not making min 30% its not worth it.

Im not talking at all about a deal. Im just saying there is products out there in canada that are way more than buying it from the online and paying for shipping and duty. (Clothing is completely different cause sometimes mark up is 200%)

It just sucks for the cnd dealer cause.... Every order online from someone else is a lost sale for them.

But! If you HAVE to sell it for that to make it worth it, keep bills payed and so on thats what you got to do. Just sucks that the wholesaler doesn't sell it to the dealer for a price to be or par or competitive with online.

It is great to walk in and walk out with product, there is for sure value in that. it does suck to walk in and get the "no but we can order it".


#canadastrong

 

[knee deep in it]

So when a vender puts out lets say 10 grand to buy product and we get a bit of a break on the shipping because we bought 10 grand worth of stuff, So you think the vender should pass that along to you??? So on an average most parts being at 20 to 25% mark up so off that 10 grand we made 2 grand and tie the 10 grand up for god knows how long before we sell all that product just food for thought. Lets go bigger now 100,000 grand, my overhead at my shop is 35000.00 pr month so I need sell over 100,000g of product to pay the bills just the bill THANK GOD we have OK Tire. 100 grand is a lot of parts to sell, our prices are set as if you were to order that same part and get it to your house that seems fair to me what else can you ask for. When you rip off your frontend in November and you walk into my store ill have one for you that day or will send you one to the mountians for you. There is not to many business in Alberta that can keep the doors open under 30%. I do this because I love sledding and the people that go with it and hate when I cant find a part I need. I hope this makes you look at the big picture and not just a DEAL for you.

if it was 20 to 25% markup, nobody would ever buy from the states. My experience with dealers is 100% markup.

I just bought a slide motor for my recreational trailer slide. The dealer in calgary who sold me the trailer wanted $1,400. I found a dealer that specializes in repairs and they wanted $525. Took me 10 minutes of searching to find the same new part for $265 Canadian delivered via Ebay. This was the part the specialty dealer was going to buy so I know he was usinng 100%. I have no idea what the original dealer was thinking but $1400 selling price on a $265 part is a little more than 20 to 25%

 

[revbyu]

Was buying parts from a US supplier for a skidoo ! Parts were about 20% cheaper than buying locally ! Ordered few things needed then I get an e-mail stating that they are no longer able to sell BRP parts to canada ! So in meantime exchange rate has changed -they refund my purchase - but due to currency rate change that day was out about $45. Buy locally now !

 

[Slamnek]

I buy most OEM parts from dealer but there is some things I just dont like these hmk boa voyagers boots I just bought the dealer wanted $340, but I got them from a vendor in states for $179 , so with the shipping and exchange rate it came too $224 so over 100 bucks saved even with our dollar being so low!

Can you please post or PM me that vendor? That's a great price for good boots. Mine are worn out and need to be replaced. Thanks

like other have said, if i need the part and it's in stock then I will buy it from the dealer. If not it will find it on ebay but I have to say that I have noticed that there are not as many good deals on ebay like there used to be. In the fall of 2012 I bought a premium travel tarp and a heavy duty cat bumper off ebay for my Proclimb for the same price as a local dealer wanted for just the tarp.

 

[ferniesnow]

There is a huge advantage living close to the border! Most vendors offer free shipping within the USA and that gets the package to the border. There is a $4.00 charge/parcel at the Montana Shipping Outlet. The next hurdle is the CBS and whether or not they are going to charge the tax. I have been very lucky and have not paid any tax nor duty for the last two years. Even got through with my flat deck with no tax! In many cases the CBS is too busy to collect the relatively small amount of tax to be paid.

Now, it is taken for granted that one has to pay for gas to get there. The plus is that Alberta gas is sooooooo much cheaper in Montana. Two hours driving back and forth on 14-16 liters of gas is pretty cheap. There is also the exchange rate to be taken into effect. We buy American money when the dollar is high and put it in an American bank resulting in a fairly good savings.

OEM parts are always bought at the dealer but camera equipment, 509 gear (Black Friday is the bestest for them), truck parts, clothes, some groceries, and if we were drinkers, we would be bringing back some booze. Kokanee is half the price in Montana! We have never cheated at the border and always answer their questions correctly. We doo not have any red flags on our file! Most times after the mandatory question/answer period, it is "have a nice day"

 

[ZRrrr]

...and the manufacturers are not offering the breaks on margin they used to, then the shipping companies and brokerage firms hold us Canadians right over the barrel. Many manufacturers realize how cheap it is have an online store and keep margins close. I have tried to educate some of my suppliers about the exchange, duties, tariffs and those robbers the shipping companies. They give me a blank stare and really don't give a fawk. Odd time I get a break but more and more it's on a case by case basis. Not to mention how much I cringe every time I hear our governments say they are supporting the development of entrepaneurship and the small business, yet they make it harder and harder for the small business to survive! Not enough corporate campaign donations I guess......

Really, I am not sure how small business survives these days.

I try to support my dealer as much as possible, really don't like big box stores, and really appreciate good old GHI..Genuine Human Interaction. Customer service and knowledge has become a fine art for the few.

Rant over.

So when a vender puts out lets say 10 grand to buy product and we get a bit of a break on the shipping because we bought 10 grand worth of stuff, So you think the vender should pass that along to you??? So on an average most parts being at 20 to 25% mark up so off that 10 grand we made 2 grand and tie the 10 grand up for god knows how long before we sell all that product just food for thought. Lets go bigger now 100,000 grand, my overhead at my shop is 35000.00 pr month so I need sell over 100,000g of product to pay the bills just the bill THANK GOD we have OK Tire. 100 grand is a lot of parts to sell, our prices are set as if you were to order that same part and get it to your house that seems fair to me what else can you ask for. When you rip off your frontend in November and you walk into my store ill have one for you that day or will send you one to the mountians for you. There is not to many business in Alberta that can keep the doors open under 30%. I do this because I love sledding and the people that go with it and hate when I cant find a part I need. I hope this makes you look at the big picture and not just a DEAL for you.

 

[doorfx]

There is also a big difference between margin and markup.

 

[Trukker]

...and the manufacturers are not offering the breaks on margin they used to, then the shipping companies and brokerage firms hold us Canadians right over the barrel. Many manufacturers realize how cheap it is have an online store and keep margins close. I have tried to educate some of my suppliers about the exchange, duties, tariffs and those robbers the shipping companies. They give me a blank stare and really don't give a fawk. Odd time I get a break but more and more it's on a case by case basis. Not to mention how much I cringe every time I hear our governments say they are supporting the development of entrepaneurship and the small business, yet they make it harder and harder for the small business to survive! Not enough corporate campaign donations I guess......

Really, I am not sure how small business survives these days.

I try to support my dealer as much as possible, really don't like big box stores, and really appreciate good old GHI..Genuine Human Interaction. Customer service and knowledge has become a fine art for the few.

Rant over.

I'm a shipping company within Canada and operating the U.S. I can tell you with our operating costs with new emissions (rebuilding ISX motors within 500000. Km )and the price of fuel we'd be happy with 5% return so not sure about bending anyone over. I support local as well but today when I went to buy a vent kit for my XM my local guy just kind of told me to buy it on line. Respect that and will support him as much as I can .

 

[Highfly]

I want customer service and will support local if I get it. It's not hard to give good customer service.
When I'm working on my sled off season and need parts but told to go away and come back in the fall when the parts are brought back out of hiding your damn rights I'm going to go shop elsewhere.....

 

[gedakbx]

I want customer service and will support local if I get it. It's not hard to give good customer service.
When I'm working on my sled off season and need parts but told to go away and come back in the fall when the parts are brought back out of hiding your damn rights I'm going to go shop elsewhere.....

I hear ya i needed a new mx 52 tire so my kid could race the same week end i went to TB in red deer on a friday they told me they had some in the back on pallets but wouldn't be unpacking then until the first of the week so i should come back then. WTF i will never go back there.