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Message: [QUOTE="AJ Waggoner, post: 617162, member: 16665"] Very very interested thread, and good comments on both sides of the issue. i can tell you it is basically like walking a fine line for a dealer. I'll give you my two cents,, dangerous as that is ,, but first off will say that i dont think there is right or wrong,, its a bit more complex than that. cdoering - hit pretty close to home. we CAN stock everything.. (and remember all the models and all the changes in them each year almost - so stocking simple things like rings gets far more complicated and expensive than you possibly imagine) I want to stock more.. but then prices would reflect that. you have to have somewhere to put them and someone to put them there. it really is that simple. Also completely agree tha many of the basics should certainly be in stock and at fair prices.. In our case we are trying to provide both..but it is a very very fine line to try and stay competitive with an internet wholesaler yet remain a local shop that stocks a truely full inventory. not whining or complainging at aLL , and threads like these help all dealers if they are paying attention to revise thier business formats the best they can. I do want to bring up a small poiint, that doesnt effect us directly, but i see it as not a great trend in general, not partticularly the motorcycle business. The reference to Walmart is a good analogy. When Walmarts come into a med. to small town. They basically whipe out the mom and pop retailers in the older downtown districts.they cant compete or "stock" to a huge conglmorates level. You often lose the small clothing ,dept, and hardware stores. In fact if Wally world builds beside a Kmart ..they will lower thier prices to a loss for many many months to run the target or kmart out of business or any strong local mom and pop place. they can affored to do this. as the loss is overshadowed by a national structure. They then raise thier pricers back to thier national store structure pricing. this is America and free enterprise. i have no problems with that. However they tend to market and carry brands or certain trademarks. You get good pricing but lose options or selection. it bums me out. and i miss the personality of Norman Rockwell Lil Americana. I also would say many people who feel very STRONGLY on this issue need to realize as a dealer we see many types of customers. For every guy that wants me to stock 5 different kinds of helmets in every color and willing to buy it that day for our regular price, there is another who will come in , try it on so he can order it from the net for $10 less after shippng. also the MAJORITY want a $75 helmet and are not picky about color or brand. while others are pissed you dont have 20 top end aria 's on the shelf. and that it wil take you two days to get it. I understand each ones situation. I cant blame either in each and every case. ive nbeen in thses same situations myself at different times, as i ewantyed different things at different times in my life. The customer is always right, I truely belive that. but you have to realize that each customers situation is unique and individual, and it may even change in a month. There is no way to please everyone. you just do business the best you can . BTW- :) we do get our fair share of just unreasonable customers as well. I recently had a guy wanting a new tire put on .He had bought the tire elsewhere. (no problem) Keep in mind he is bringing the whole bike in and its in his truck. He wants it done in an hour or two ,or while he waits. (again normally no problem) and sure, everyone wants this right? after all its just a tire. Now - also you must realize that it is the VERY first nice day of the year.. and there are 40 other customers that watched the weather forcast and brought thier bikes in yesterday to pick up today for new tires ;) and so i explain that and tell him its tuesday your bike will be ready thursday. I am then the worlds biggest &^%$o ::shrugs:: and he will never come to our shop again- its just a tire how long can it take? I wes dieng to tell him "poor planning on your part doesnt not constitute an emergency on my part" but the customer is alwats right ,, right? ;) anyway we see this every day. its just part of the retail world.. but as cdoering alluded too.. i dont see it NEARLY as often in the walmart scenerio.. Im also still waiting to hear a guy at walmart say with conviction .. where is my 30% discount on this circlip ? i buy stuff here all the time! :) enough rambkling.. but maybe it gave you guys some more ammo to help you local dealer meet the "majority " of his customers needs. [/QUOTE]

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