GPR gone bust.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Bob Pearson

What is this strange belief creeping in that because someone asks for discount the supplier is bound to roll over and comply.

I don't think it's a strange belief when GPR, like DT, offered a discount card. Must admit I never had any problem with getting the discount that THEY OFFERED, what I did have a problem with was actually getting hold of the stuff that I had ordered despite being promised that "it will be in the post tonight". On one occasion I ordered some brake pads and despite chasing did not receive them for 2 1/2 weeks. Fortunately I was racing at Anglesey and could collect another set from DT without going too far out of my way.

Anyway, I thought that GPR had actually been bought by the Minshaws about a year ago??

[Peter Mallett]

This is sad news if true. I liked their outlet at Silverstone and even if I didn't need anything I'd always walk out with a new pair of gloves!

[JohnMiller]

Originally Posted by andy97

Anyway, I thought that GPR had actually been bought by the Minshaws about a year ago??

Is that the same Minshaws that don't own Demon Tweeks Andy?

[RF_Racer]

Originally Posted by Bob Pearson

What is this strange belief creeping in that because someone asks for discount the supplier is bound to roll over and comply.
Sure you are entitled to go begging if it suits you, but the supplier has to make a profit, or else they go broke, just as you see here.
Prsonally I always used GPR against DT, nothing to do with price, just quality of the equipment and attitude of the staff.

That may be true, but you cannot ignore the fact right now it is a buyers market.. if the company does not offer to reduce prices the customer simply walks away and buys from someone else... even if it is a few quid cheaper! better to make £10 profit than £0

[RF_Racer]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

I agree (I would as i have a shop!) but it does erk me this continual trying to barter you down, I just opened a letter from one of my material supplier informing me that they are putting up stuff to between 10 and 20%, how can I survive if I don't pass the material price increases on at least even if not my labour. I also found their staff very knowledgable on the product.

I feel for you mate, its always the middle man that suffers. You try to pass the increase on to your customers and they will go else where, catch 22 situation.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by JohnMiller

Is that the same Minshaws that don't own Demon Tweeks Andy?

Arhh, John, I thought that they'd bought DT back as well!

[JohnMiller]

You might be right for all I know actually!

[Bob Pearson]

Originally Posted by RF_Racer

That may be true, but you cannot ignore the fact right now it is a buyers market.. if the company does not offer to reduce prices the customer simply walks away and buys from someone else... even if it is a few quid cheaper! better to make £10 profit than £0

Sufficient profit has to be made to cover overheads, failure to do so has only one end. Bearing in mind that very few companies are cash rich, and actually survive on an overdraft, the recent reduction in the size of overdrafts available means that suppliers have had to increase profits to stand still. If the £10 you refer to doesn;t increase their profit ( which, if you have been haggling it almost certainly won't), then that sale is only delaying the inevitable. Their are merits to sticking to your guns and surviving strongly or accepting defeat earlier rather than after a drawn out struggle.
It's these reasons and some others which led to all the "false sales" on the high street in recent weeks. I'm sure you all noticed that once behind the enormous sale banners, it was hard to find anything which constituted a price reduction of any size.

[Al Weyman]

And if any of those 'sales' were genuine and they were just trying to shift stock at cost just wait till they have to restock. (BTW how come DFS have a sale and you place an order to be told you have to wait for the factory to make it, how can that be a sale i thought a sale was to shift unsold STOCK!!) anyhow just had three or four jobs come in so must get on :-)

[GORDON STREETER]

Just had a talk to Jason and he said there is no connection with Tweeks !

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by Bob Pearson

Prsonally I always used GPR against DT, nothing to do with price, just quality of the equipment and attitude of the staff.

I find the opposite but then it could be a matter of who you speak to on the day.

Originally Posted by RF_Racer

That may be true, but you cannot ignore the fact right now it is a buyers market.. if the company does not offer to reduce prices the customer simply walks away and buys from someone else... even if it is a few quid cheaper! better to make £10 profit than £0

The problem with that is when you have walked away and forced every company out of business you either end up with one company who can't or wont need to budge on price or no companies at all to buy from.

Speaking to one of GPRs sales staff last summer he was saying they had been hit by the GBP dropping against other currencies making a lot of their goods from Europe complete loss items on the catalogue prices.

[Al Weyman]

The problem with that is when you have walked away and forced every company out of business you either end up with one company who can't or wont need to budge on price or no companies at all to buy from.

Sort of thing Tesco's want to achieve then and once they do and have half the population out of work they will wonder why their profits are dropping.

[dtype38]

Al, I don't agreee with haggling for the sake of it, but I do stand my ground if I think the price being asked is unreasonable.

I just got a quote for repairing my broken gearbox. It's a lot of money, (£350-£550 depending on how many bits are broken) but I think not unreasonable for the work involved so I didn't haggle. I also just got a quote for a new inlet manifold. I think £700 for a lump of aly with some pretty basic machining is just too much so tried to haggle. Was told that it was a rare item and the price was as quoted. I just walked away.

Bargain hunting is one thing, value for money quite another.

[PTRACER]

GPR's prices were a bit OTT. Sure, they competed with Demon Tweeks, but I found another site selling exactly the same stuff that I wanted (all racewear) and they were selling it for £135 cheaper than GPR!

[PTRACER]

Originally Posted by dtype38

Bargain hunting is one thing, value for money quite another.

Many business owners seem short sighted and greedy.

Now I'm one of the tightest people on the planet (think nearly as bad as Arkwright from Open All Hours!), but also the most sympathetic when it comes to what customers have to pay, I see things more from the customer's point of view than I do my own (which is bad business I'm sure and got a telling off at my last job for undercharging), but I also see it as - if you don't rip them off, they WILL come back! Since Saturday, I've had 7 jobs, 4 were previous customers with new problems and 1 was a recommendation.

[Al Weyman]

My prices are very reasonable anyhow, I am even cheaper on canvas prints than ASDA and Tescos (I did email them once and said look I won;'t sell food, you don't sell canvas prints and mugs etc, wonder why they never replied :-)) However you still get people coming in haggling especially on van sign writing(especially foreign guys who could get it done back home for a lower price, I then ask them why are they here, obvious because they can earn bigger money here and that bigger money has to come form somewhere which is why I cannot charge Rumanian or Polish prices ), I just find it depressing in the end.

The thing is you all want to earn your fancy wages if you are working for a company so just where do you think that money comes from, don't delude yourselves here, its easy to dismiss things as a rip off but then to find staff want paying £500 a week plus.

[A Quartermaine]

London Store is also closed

[RF_Racer]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

My prices are very reasonable anyhow, I am even cheaper on canvas prints than ASDA and Tescos (I did email them once and said look I won;'t sell food, you don't sell canvas prints and mugs etc, wonder why they never replied :-)) However you still get people coming in haggling especially on van sign writing(especially foreign guys who could get it done back home for a lower price, I then ask them why are they here, obvious because they can earn bigger money here and that bigger money has to come form somewhere which is why I cannot charge Rumanian or Polish prices ), I just find it depressing in the end.

The thing is you all want to earn your fancy wages if you are working for a company so just where do you think that money comes from, don't delude yourselves here, its easy to dismiss things as a rip off but then to find staff want paying £500 a week plus.

Get some Romanians or Polish and give them 100 per week, job done.. Many dont have high rental expenses, they live 10 to a room in sleeping bags!! Everyone is a winner

[PTRACER]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

However you still get people coming in haggling especially on van sign writing(especially foreign guys who could get it done back home for a lower price, I then ask them why are they here, obvious because they can earn bigger money here and that bigger money has to come form somewhere which is why I cannot charge Rumanian or Polish prices ), I just find it depressing in the end.

I've never had an British customer haggle with me. Not once. 90% of all non-British customers I've had have wanted to strike a deal with me. One offered to call my local newspaper up and get me cheaper advertising, if I did her job for nothing. I preferred to take the £95 for the job and try and get the cheaper advertising myself!

The British way of doing business is - "This is the price, it's non-negotiable, you pay it, or try to find a company that's doing it cheaper." If you're already under-cutting the opposition, they'll come crawling back to you when they can't find anyone cheaper (as a number of customers already have done with me, several months after telling me I was too expensive).

[Farbrooke]

I found prices varied between DT and GPR and others - just because one item in the book is cheaper than the other company does not mean everthing will be - always has and always will pay to shop around.

Haggling over the price or wanting a discount must be down to volume purchased over a period of time - just because you finished a close second in the central weston hot hatch series last year and you want a roll of tank tape and bottle of brake fluid, for a sticker on you helmet, doesn't in my book warrant a discount.

[RF_Racer]

Originally Posted by PTRACER

I've never had an British customer haggle with me. Not once. 90% of all non-British customers I've had have wanted to strike a deal with me. One offered to call my local newspaper up and get me cheaper advertising, if I did her job for nothing. I preferred to take the £95 for the job and try and get the cheaper advertising myself!

The British way of doing business is - "This is the price, it's non-negotiable, you pay it, or try to find a company that's doing it cheaper." If you're already under-cutting the opposition, they'll come crawling back to you when they can't find anyone cheaper (as a number of customers already have done with me, several months after telling me I was too expensive).

This is why Energy companies, the governent can get away with it. The British people will not speak up, rather just pay what ever they get charged!

Look at all the rail fair increases this year (we are in recession) we just accept it!

Thats the British way of doing things alright!

[Bob Pearson]

Originally Posted by RF_Racer

This is why Energy companies, the governent can get away with it. The British people will not speak up, rather just pay what ever they get charged!

Look at all the rail fair increases this year (we are in recession) we just accept it!

Thats the British way of doing things alright!

What do you suggest to counter these matters?

[RF_Racer]

Time people stopped ripping each other off, if companies try it on, either tell them what you think, walk away, find a cheaper supplier!

[terence]

In the ideal world yes,but is it not the way of life in the UKkk,as a good friend said,"Its the American way of doing business".Even the Multi National companys are up to thier little stealth add-on charges.You are quite right about the French though,THAT is HOW we should be,not the stiff upper lip old boy! syndrome and just accept it.Cant imagine why there are sooo many Brits just dying to get out of here!

[Bob Pearson]

Originally Posted by RF_Racer

Time people stopped ripping each other off, if companies try it on, either tell them what you think, walk away, find a cheaper supplier!

But you were refering to rail fares and the costs of energy, difficult to apply such actions in those cases. The old addage about cutting one's nose off springs to mind.