http://www.box.net/shared/2v24e2lg8e
Let's have a look at a few things from that page (which is a bit small to read to be fair)
"Musicthingz opened in 2004 with a goal to provide New Zealand musicians with honest and fair prices. We noticed that other retail stores were selling products at hugely inflated prices compared to overseas markets (such as the American market). Products sold overseas at a given price were being sold locally for triple the price , in some cases more. Certain importers and retailers believe that they have a monopoly on the brands they carry and therefore set their own unrealistic prices at the expense of hard-working NZ Musicians."
This is utter bollocks and exaggeration to make themselves look better. Triple the price? Name one product that was like that. Manufacturers like Tama, Yamaha, Ibanez, Fender, Gibson vet the prices of their local dealers so that they couldn't scalp customers in their country even if they wanted to. If I wanted to truly expose the alleged huge prices, I would take an example and show how wrong it was. But no, he doesn't, he just says that they were triple the price and we all must believe him.
"Six years ago we began selling guitar pedals and have since expanded our catalogue to include microphones , monitors , instruments , recording and studio equipment etc. In 2008 Musicthingz became a NZ registered company."
Yep, prior to 2008 you weren't paying tax, filing GST returns and in the beginning you weren't even offering warranties. So you were acting illegally like a kid running a business from his bedroom with no idea about the real world.
"Because we buy from authorised overseas distributors at wholesale prices we are able to provide the best prices in NZ. If you find a lower price elsewhere please let us know and we will endeavour to match it (we are not able to match prices for second hand gear or prices listed on Ebay/Amazon)."
They're not the best prices, being cheaper than the RRP in NZ by $10 isn't the best price you can do. Today you have a Rode Stereo Video Mic for $389 - and the RRP according the Rockshop website is $399. So you haven't arrived at the best price you can do, you've just gone for $10 cheaper to make your price better than theirs.
Also, there are a large number of legitimate businesses that sell brand new product through eBay and Amazon, so why won't you consider their prices?
"Per capita , NZ has a large number of music stores which are all fighting to win your sale. There is a fiery competition between NZ Music stores ..."
Once again, utter rubbish. It's clear MT makes a lot of this stuff up because they have no actual idea. Let's call a spade a spade ... the big chains in New Zealand are The Rockshop, Musicworks and Music Planet. With the exception of a few brands, each company sells their own products. You won't find Pearl at Musicworks stores, and you won't find Ibanez / Tama at a Rockshop etc. So there's no competition between them at all. Since I believe The Rockshops and Music Planet are all owned by the same people (different people for each brand), they won't compete with each other, and they can't compete with Musicworks because they don't have the same product lines. Most Musicworks stores are affiliates so there might be some competition there but only on the MW products lines
"... this has lead to some music stores resorting to under-hand tactics to win your sale."
Boy, if this were true and you actually had proof, you should have contacted the Commerce Commission of the Office of the Fair Trading Act and let them know. And you know how they work because you've been contacted by them already, haven't you?
Since there is 'fiery competition' maybe you should take this to one of their competitors and see if you can get them onside with you. Surely they'd band together with you to see an illegal action stopped?
"Simply call your local store and mention you are able to buy a product for half the price from an overseas retailer (or a local one) and you will be given "reasons" not to do so - such as "no warranty" or "incorrect power supply".
Once again you are blinding people to your ways by missing out words, in an attempt to discredit others. Almost misleading. If you purchase internationally, you may well receive a power supply for the unit you purchased which is not meant for use in NZ. However, just about every product comes with a 110v-230v switch or is a switch mode power supply which allows you to plug it in via adaptors, just about anywhere, with relative safety.
If a customer purchases overseas there is no 'local' warranty. This means that the NZ importer for that product is NOT bound to help you in anyway shape or form. They may choose to, but why should they? Even if you pay for the service they are still draining their parts and service technicians time on something that they didn't sell. Not to mention the number of high quality counterfeit items coming out these days.
"At Musicthingz , when you purchase a product you are provided with a full one year warranty through manufacturer authorised repairmen and all units are intended for New Zealand 240VOLT operation."
MT might offer a warranty but it's not a NZ warranty. Meaning that the goods will have to go back to wherever he got them from (US / UK / CHINA / insert whomever has the cheapest price this week). Who pays for the freight back there, and then back here? And how long will the goods be away for? Days? Weeks? Months even? I've heard of months. I've also heard of goods turning up at the NZ supplier with a note pleading for them to fix it for an MT customer.
Shit costs more in NZ because it cost more ship here, sell here and also be able to offer a warranty on it.
"Because we import in bulk from authorised overseas distributors , our prices will fluctuate depending on the exchange rate. Although our listed prices are seldom changed , if the NZ Dollar is strong at any given time this will result in us being able to offer larger discounts than usual. Currently the NZD dollar is strong and our discounted prices are as low as they've been for some time."
When have you ever emailed a customer and said 'hey this product actually arrived cheaper than you bought it for heres a refund'? And why would you? You're in business to make money, not friends.
Here's something ... guitarcenter has the same graphic announces that it ships to 90 countries worldwide. That's a coincidence. Either you supply products from guitarcenter, or you have stolen the graphic which would be a breach of copyright. But it's not the only graphic that you have pilfered is it ... new series Mbox stuff from Sweetwater ... etc. These companies paid graphic designers to make the graphics for them and you just stole them. That's right, stole them. I'll have to let them know.
No comments:
Post a Comment