Post by flyscooters on Aug 14, 2009 14:34:12 GMT -5
This is the post I submitted on Scooterbbs:
scooterbbs.net/bbs/showthread.php?p=777369#post777369
I have been absent from this forum for a while, but a lot of dealers have called my attention back to this forum to address some issues you mentioned.
1. Dear Admin of BBS, before you criticize Flyscooters based on one scooter, please keep in mind that there is a conflict of interest on your part, since you sell competing brands of scooters in your store, as well as the fact that you are a distributor for TNG, a competitor of ours. So there is large financial gains for you to come out and speak against us so you can turn our dealers base around to TNG. As well as the fact that we have a dealer within your territory that compete directly against you. Please remember it is WE who denied your request to sell our scooters last year, not the other way around. I know you run this forum so you have the upper hand on posting things (and deleting things). But, if you are going to telling stories, please do tell both sides, and not just ones that put you in a good light. Also, that bikes has been tinkered with by someone else because there is no way, the bike would have the set up from the factory like pictured in this thread. Since you are not an authorized Flyscooters dealer, you could not possibly gotten this bike brand new, ie, it has been though someone else's hand. You probably got this bike after someone probably have already tried to repair it. I do agree that you are a good GY6 service center. That is why I refer people in L.A. area to you if they can't get help elsewhere. But remember, business is a give and take relationship. I have been supporting you on every occasion. I am a bit surprised that you come out and attack us like this without first contacting me to find out the situation.
2. All of the dealers that have voiced complaints on the forums so far are either not our dealers or our "dealers" who have not bought anything in many months. Before all of you start pointing fingers, perhaps you should look at your hand, because four of the other fingers are pointing back at you. Exclusivity goes both ways. While you demand exclusivity from distributors, you shop around, horde every brand you can get your hands on so other dealers in the area can't get them, force your distributors to meet or beat competitors prices, even though you sell both brands in your store, call us for parts claiming that it is flyscooters warranty when it is some other brand of Znen bikes. Of course not all dealers do this. But you don't hear from those dealers on forum very often because they are too busy selling scooters. Until this day, I have not seen any of our top 10 dealers in the country ever get on a forum or even called me regarding an issue mentioned in the forum. They do what they suppose to, which is taking care of business, instead of getting into everyone's business. If you genuinely supported Flyscooters the way our good dealers are doing right now, I would not have to go online to compete in the web marketplace. The funny thing is that people who sell the least complaint the most. Kind like the way retail dealers always complain that the cheapest customers are also the most demanding. People who have supported and followed us in the past is going to be part of whatever we do as a group. Afterall, who is going to service these scooters years down road? Also, our dealer base is not dropping like Fly, like one of you have claimed. There are few vocal dealers that cruise every forum and want to speak on behalf of all other dealers. But remember, there are only about 10 of you. And most aren't even our dealers. Our dealer based...well shall we say a lot bigger than 10.
3. As for going online. I am not going to apologize for competing on the web. Web scooter dealers has always been there. It will always be there. If you are afraid of a distributor going online then you should probably drop every line make you have in your showroom. Because one way or another they are selling online. Here are just a few:
store.qlinkmotor.com/
www.menintools.com/cfmotoecharm.html
www.nationalonlinescooters.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1360
We are getting our dealers involved in Znendirect.com as well. We are support our brick and mortar dealers is giving them radius of protection on all znendirect.com sales. If we sell a bike within 60 miles radius of established dealership with good relationships, we will refer the customers back to that dealer. That dealership will also be the service center for that customer. It is a win-win situation for all dealers. I believe Danny has already signed up for this option.
4. The Flyscooters dealers map is back up on Flyscooters. The reason why we took it down is not because we are funneling buyers to Znendirect like you guys suggest, but because I am tired the likes of competitors calling on my dealer base everyday to try steal business away. But after talking to some of them I realized that if they are loyal to Flyscooters, they will be no matter how many distributors try to sell them scooters. If they are not, all the protections in the world will not stop them from buying from the cheapest guy out there.
5. Znendirect is not Flyscooters. Flyscooters will continue to be a dealer based brand that builds upon service and support. Znendirect is an no-frill, no BS, online business targeting people who would rather buy online than through a dealership. If you are a dealership, perhaps you should ask, why are people buying online? Am I doing my job right. Is it the price? With znendirect it certainly is not the price because our 150cc after shipping is $1599. I have seen 150cc selling for as low as $899 shipped. If it is the price, I would be out of business, right? But people who buy from znendirect.com understand they are getting a quality bike that is fully prepped by people who know what they are doing, and supported by services centers around the country. We do what we say. There is a cost to that. That is why our bike are more expensive than $899.
6. Who is going to benefit, consumers because they have more choices and more option for a genuinely good online dealer if they choose to go that route. But as always, I recommend that all scooter buyers buy from a GOOD dealer. And not all dealers are good.
7. Who is going to hurt by this. Those dealers who compete on price only, who don't provide good enough service, who are not trustworthy in the consumer's eyes.
6. I spoke with our dealer Red Dog Scooters in TN. He told me that he wasn't any part of this discussion. So please don't drag people's name into this forum when you have not obtain prior permission.
Thank you for reading this post.
Leon
scooterbbs.net/bbs/showthread.php?p=777369#post777369
I have been absent from this forum for a while, but a lot of dealers have called my attention back to this forum to address some issues you mentioned.
1. Dear Admin of BBS, before you criticize Flyscooters based on one scooter, please keep in mind that there is a conflict of interest on your part, since you sell competing brands of scooters in your store, as well as the fact that you are a distributor for TNG, a competitor of ours. So there is large financial gains for you to come out and speak against us so you can turn our dealers base around to TNG. As well as the fact that we have a dealer within your territory that compete directly against you. Please remember it is WE who denied your request to sell our scooters last year, not the other way around. I know you run this forum so you have the upper hand on posting things (and deleting things). But, if you are going to telling stories, please do tell both sides, and not just ones that put you in a good light. Also, that bikes has been tinkered with by someone else because there is no way, the bike would have the set up from the factory like pictured in this thread. Since you are not an authorized Flyscooters dealer, you could not possibly gotten this bike brand new, ie, it has been though someone else's hand. You probably got this bike after someone probably have already tried to repair it. I do agree that you are a good GY6 service center. That is why I refer people in L.A. area to you if they can't get help elsewhere. But remember, business is a give and take relationship. I have been supporting you on every occasion. I am a bit surprised that you come out and attack us like this without first contacting me to find out the situation.
2. All of the dealers that have voiced complaints on the forums so far are either not our dealers or our "dealers" who have not bought anything in many months. Before all of you start pointing fingers, perhaps you should look at your hand, because four of the other fingers are pointing back at you. Exclusivity goes both ways. While you demand exclusivity from distributors, you shop around, horde every brand you can get your hands on so other dealers in the area can't get them, force your distributors to meet or beat competitors prices, even though you sell both brands in your store, call us for parts claiming that it is flyscooters warranty when it is some other brand of Znen bikes. Of course not all dealers do this. But you don't hear from those dealers on forum very often because they are too busy selling scooters. Until this day, I have not seen any of our top 10 dealers in the country ever get on a forum or even called me regarding an issue mentioned in the forum. They do what they suppose to, which is taking care of business, instead of getting into everyone's business. If you genuinely supported Flyscooters the way our good dealers are doing right now, I would not have to go online to compete in the web marketplace. The funny thing is that people who sell the least complaint the most. Kind like the way retail dealers always complain that the cheapest customers are also the most demanding. People who have supported and followed us in the past is going to be part of whatever we do as a group. Afterall, who is going to service these scooters years down road? Also, our dealer base is not dropping like Fly, like one of you have claimed. There are few vocal dealers that cruise every forum and want to speak on behalf of all other dealers. But remember, there are only about 10 of you. And most aren't even our dealers. Our dealer based...well shall we say a lot bigger than 10.
3. As for going online. I am not going to apologize for competing on the web. Web scooter dealers has always been there. It will always be there. If you are afraid of a distributor going online then you should probably drop every line make you have in your showroom. Because one way or another they are selling online. Here are just a few:
store.qlinkmotor.com/
www.menintools.com/cfmotoecharm.html
www.nationalonlinescooters.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1360
We are getting our dealers involved in Znendirect.com as well. We are support our brick and mortar dealers is giving them radius of protection on all znendirect.com sales. If we sell a bike within 60 miles radius of established dealership with good relationships, we will refer the customers back to that dealer. That dealership will also be the service center for that customer. It is a win-win situation for all dealers. I believe Danny has already signed up for this option.
4. The Flyscooters dealers map is back up on Flyscooters. The reason why we took it down is not because we are funneling buyers to Znendirect like you guys suggest, but because I am tired the likes of competitors calling on my dealer base everyday to try steal business away. But after talking to some of them I realized that if they are loyal to Flyscooters, they will be no matter how many distributors try to sell them scooters. If they are not, all the protections in the world will not stop them from buying from the cheapest guy out there.
5. Znendirect is not Flyscooters. Flyscooters will continue to be a dealer based brand that builds upon service and support. Znendirect is an no-frill, no BS, online business targeting people who would rather buy online than through a dealership. If you are a dealership, perhaps you should ask, why are people buying online? Am I doing my job right. Is it the price? With znendirect it certainly is not the price because our 150cc after shipping is $1599. I have seen 150cc selling for as low as $899 shipped. If it is the price, I would be out of business, right? But people who buy from znendirect.com understand they are getting a quality bike that is fully prepped by people who know what they are doing, and supported by services centers around the country. We do what we say. There is a cost to that. That is why our bike are more expensive than $899.
6. Who is going to benefit, consumers because they have more choices and more option for a genuinely good online dealer if they choose to go that route. But as always, I recommend that all scooter buyers buy from a GOOD dealer. And not all dealers are good.
7. Who is going to hurt by this. Those dealers who compete on price only, who don't provide good enough service, who are not trustworthy in the consumer's eyes.
6. I spoke with our dealer Red Dog Scooters in TN. He told me that he wasn't any part of this discussion. So please don't drag people's name into this forum when you have not obtain prior permission.
Thank you for reading this post.
Leon
