Commercial marketing of grey imported tackle

dugongboy

Sealiner
LJ - let me tell you a little story about how 'sole agencies'(monopoly) can screw the people of this country.

Three years ago I needed a new watch (the previous one was removed at gunpoint) and after looking for a few weeks decided on a Tag.  Having friends and family overseas I got prices, Dubai was only about R300  cheaper so to support 'local'  I decided to buy it here - all was fine with my shiny new watch........untill I had to replace the battery - R650 ! Ok it is a pricey watch and they pressure test it etc etc...

The price to get it done in Dubai by the genuine dealers with genuine parts etc. is R270. The price in Singopore is R200 !!! also by proper dealers.

It dosen't end there - recently I needed repairs(simple) done to the same watch so this time I took it to a reputable watch repairer - alas, no matter how simple it was to fix, the Tag agency would not supply the part required - end of story - I have to send the watch to them !! They cannot quote me on the phone but tell me the part is nothing less than R700 and labour will take it to over R1000.  The same part in Dubai is R300, less than half !!! and I imagine Singapore would be cheaper.

So while the initial cost is the same for the watch - they are screwing the public blind with the backup/servicing/spares.

Why the difference ??? - because they have MORE THAN ONE AGENT  - there is no MONOPOLY !! and they do not want to rip you off in fear of chasing you away when you buy your next Tag or ROLEX......!! - they VALUE your business !!

It is all to do with GREED !!!
 

royboy

Sealiner
Hi DB, an interesting perpective to this. Last year while in London, the battery on my Tag croaked, and as we were "shopping" in Harrods (the only Tag Heuer service Centre in Knightsbridge is in Harrods) dropped the watch off with them for next day collection......

New battery and Pressure test set me back 90 quid!!!! The sweat poured off my face after that little excercise......
 

carcharias

Sealiner
[color=#006600]royboy[/color] wrote:
Hi DB, an interesting perpective to this. Last year while in London, the battery on my Tag croaked, and as we were "shopping" in Harrods (the only Tag Heuer service Centre in Knightsbridge is in Harrods) dropped the watch off with them for next day collection......

New battery and Pressure test set me back 90 quid!!!! The sweat poured off my face after that little excercise......
Knightsbridge/ Harrods= Expensive! Everything in the " ever so posh knightsbridge" is more expensive.
 

royboy

Sealiner
I knew that I would have to "bite the bullet" but didn't expect it to be 90 smackers. Didn't really know any better because Ihad been living there for 4 years.....back then all calculations were done in GBP, whereas now it's all in ZAR. I miss not earning in Sterling............
 

Long John

New member
DB, you are very right I also experience that kind of rip-off everyday. Authorised watch dealer/jeweller in Menlyn (Pta) also a while ago told me they couldnt repair my watch as it was a fake. I bought it personally at the factory in Switzerland, not even a retailer.

A friendly corner kiosk Pakistani guy near here took one look and said the jeweller had installed a flat battery, and replaced with his pirate one and it has been going strong since then.

But again - it is somebody's initiative and money that got him the sole rights to the product. That is called capitalism. Nothing stops anybody else from doing the same with other products for which there is a market here. We are discussing fishing tackle here, but it affects us all in every other way and every other thing, every day of our lives. From motorcars to pharmaceuticals to Kentucky Fried Chicken!

As for all our other grey jokers here above, nice to see a good sense of humour, grey reels, grey rods, grey everything, probably grey men also - hahahaha! :hyst: 
 

skrops

Sealiner
jeez guys had a battery replace on my....my......my Casio..........I am really trying to keep up with the laanies here, anyways battery costed me a whole R75 bucks, but poor service hey had to wait 5 min and then still had to go home and pressure test it in the bath:fbash::craz:hyst::hyst::hyst:
 

On_Dad

Senior Member
[color=#006600]Long John[/color] wrote:
DB, you are very right I also experience that kind of rip-off everyday. Authorised watch dealer/jeweller in Menlyn (Pta) also a while ago told me they couldnt repair my watch as it was a fake. I bought it personally at the factory in Switzerland, not even a retailer.

A friendly corner kiosk Pakistani guy near here took one look and said the jeweller had installed a flat battery, and replaced with his pirate one and it has been going strong since then.

But again - it is somebody's initiative and money that got him the sole rights to the product. That is called capitalism. Nothing stops anybody else from doing the same with other products for which there is a market here. We are discussing fishing tackle here, but it affects us all in every other way and every other thing, every day of our lives. From motorcars to pharmaceuticals to Kentucky Fried Chicken!

As for all our other grey jokers here above, nice to see a good sense of humour, grey reels, grey rods, grey everything, probably grey men also - hahahaha! :hyst: 
FYI- It's no longer Kentucky Fried Chicken- cos it's not chicken. Therefore no mention of "Chicken" anywhere on their products
 

skrops

Sealiner
[color=#006600]poseidon5gp[/color] wrote:
[color=#006600]Long John[/color] wrote:
DB, you are very right I also experience that kind of rip-off everyday. Authorised watch dealer/jeweller in Menlyn (Pta) also a while ago told me they couldnt repair my watch as it was a fake. I bought it personally at the factory in Switzerland, not even a retailer.

A friendly corner kiosk Pakistani guy near here took one look and said the jeweller had installed a flat battery, and replaced with his pirate one and it has been going strong since then.

But again - it is somebody's initiative and money that got him the sole rights to the product. That is called capitalism. Nothing stops anybody else from doing the same with other products for which there is a market here. We are discussing fishing tackle here, but it affects us all in every other way and every other thing, every day of our lives. From motorcars to pharmaceuticals to Kentucky Fried Chicken!

As for all our other grey jokers here above, nice to see a good sense of humour, grey reels, grey rods, grey everything, probably grey men also - hahahaha! :hyst: 
FYI- It's no longer Kentucky Fried Chicken- cos it's not chicken. Therefore no mention of "Chicken" anywhere on their products
huh?
 

Hooked

Senior Member
My Citizen is solar powered and has been running for 13 years.Does this make me cleverer than you lot? or just cheap?
 

badballie

Senior Member
Poseidon, please tell me you did not fall for that Hoax e-mail !!!!!

Go do a bit of research please - all untrue and rest assured it is still chicken...good old Rainbow chicken to be exact ....

Dont believe everything you read on your e-mails !
 

Loams

Sealiner
[color="#006600"]badballie[/color] wrote:
Poseidon, please tell me you did not fall for that Hoax e-mail !!!!!

Go do a bit of research please - all untrue and rest assured it is still chicken...good old Rainbow chicken to be exact ....

Dont believe everything you read on your e-mails !
Amen to that! Gosh I get the funniest mails from someone... Mail it to 5 million people or dracula will come eat you!!

I must be honest, in my industry I also get hot under the collar when people buy stuff from wherever in the world and when it breaks they complain because their "warranty" is not being honoured. You got to be very careful when you buy a product overseas, because if it breaks here, nobody will replace it. THINK BEFORE YOU BUY!!!! What happens if this thing breaks???

But what about consumables? Like soft plastics and so on? These things don't have a warranty..... Except that Berkley guarantees you will catch fish... "Uhm sorry sir, this whole packet caught nothing, can I get it replaced under warranty pls??

I think what LJ and Van can take from this is that the average consumer feels like we are getting screwed. I have appreciation for their business accumen to see a gap in the market, or to be just plain lucky to get the import rights. That's besides the point. If they didnt get the agency, someone else would have. That is capitalism. But honestly guys we feel that we (The consumer) are being taken for a ride
 
Top