Tokai SA wrote
It's interesting the affect a recession can have on even the biggest of international online dealers...they're sweating blood at the moment.
They're paying for shipping to SA, but they'll ship for free, which means they're losing a ton of money on the deal.
Not too long ago they wouldn't even sell to SAfrica, now they'll ship an amp to SAfrica for free...welcome to the recession. ?
Total BS as far as I'm concerned.
There are distributors in SAfrica for these products (whatever the brand is, Peavey, Fender, etc)), but MF are offering to ship these products for free...but the distributor has to pay Peavey, Fender, etc, to have his product/stock shipped to SAfrica...Fender and Peavey wont ship for free to the distributor.
If I were Fender or Peavey, etc, etc, I would stop MF and 'others' from offering these kind of international "free shipping"deals.
They're meant to protect their international distributors, not screw them.
Makes me wonder what the future of the music store business is in SAfrica.
Possibly distributors opening up their own stores selling direct to the public (some already do)?
How about distributors selling online in SAfrica direct to the public (some already do)?
Yip, that's where I see the future, distributors selling online direct to the SA public at wholesale prices, because at the moment distributors are making peanuts.
I know I'm going to go completely OT here..
These are valid points stated. but to me they bring to mind a bigger scenario.
The global economy is evolving, it always has been. If we try and put laws in place, as govts do, to stop that or delay it we will probably cause more damage than good.
I attended a seminar with a WITS business lecturer and he said, "In the long run, our only true competitive advantage is being able to learn faster than others."
You're right there, Lance, the future will be different. I just hope that the stakeholders do good market research before changing the model too much cos business in general is at a risky time period.
