tell me about it even ive got to book in 2 months in advance and i occasionally work at grumbles in my down time from my current job. also i do his tech support and i refuse to build a web page the other son is better at that.
“We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.” Bill Hicks
the chaos project - click me
grumble wrote:psimitar,i can understand what you are trying to say and where you are coming from,unfortunately I do not have the time or the manpower to run a website,i enjoy my job and customers.Over the years i have built a good clientelle with a strong VW following,this unfortunately interferes with my free time when I am trying to slow down.If you would like to buy into a viable business this is your chance.👍 cheers Les
I'm glad you enjoy your job and customers. There aren't all that many that can truely say that these days.
Where abouts in the country are you? A VW business is a tempting idea
🙂
Cheers,
Mike
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍
ah, I just Googled Taree. You're NSW. Miles away from Brissy but I can also see why your clientele is pretty good. From what I've learnt the VW scene is bigger and stronger in NSW than QLD.
Probably if I was down your way I'd buy from you too. Still, a VW business 😀 Hmmmm.......
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍
Many of the aussie shops don't like giving out prices on VW parts
as it depends on where the parts came from [made] and How much they cost them....
You can buy cheap taiwanese/chinese stuff that doesn't fit...
or Good quality more expensive parts...
so, a website can tell you all these things...
where a 30 second phone call won't..
most aussie shops prefer you to tell them what you want and they will give You the total cost...
and this is what we have to do sometimes...
and then wait for the post to see what quality parts You have received... or crap... lol
cheers
LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
I don't think many people/businesses in Oz that run their own site actually spend time on the net to know how people use it, they are to busy running a business. The young and net literate don't own businesses yet and dad/boss/partner wont listen to their ideas.
Most Aussie don't have good internet connections (comparitive to OS), if they do they live in the city and shop on foot.
It seems our "out back" folk are much more internet savvy than city folk. Just say you live in Shark Bay WA, you're so far from anywhere it doesn't matter were in the world stuff comes from.
At the end of the day I need to save any dollar, so wont hesitate to buy OS. If I need it quick I'll order local but call first to make sure they can pull it off a shelf and describe the box. It may be businesses don't see improvment in sales due to a web site. I don't think it will remain that way.
👍 Good thread. Agree on most points, but don't think even a brilliant online Aussie VW marketplace, would 'clean up' - once a broken part is fixed or replaced with quality it's gonna last another 40 years, where's the return market? Henry Ford was in the car manufacturing game to sell spare parts not to sell good cars. VW on the other hand.
Tuned Type IV power - shaking out the rust.
MY68VW wrote:I don't think many people/businesses in Oz that run their own site actually spend time on the net to know how people use it, they are to busy running a business. The young and net literate don't own businesses yet and dad/boss/partner wont listen to their ideas.
Most Aussie don't have good internet connections (comparitive to OS), if they do they live in the city and shop on foot.
It seems our "out back" folk are much more internet savvy than city folk. Just say you live in Shark Bay WA, you're so far from anywhere it doesn't matter were in the world stuff comes from.
At the end of the day I need to save any dollar, so wont hesitate to buy OS. If I need it quick I'll order local but call first to make sure they can pull it off a shelf and describe the box. It may be businesses don't see improvment in sales due to a web site. I don't think it will remain that way.
👍 Good thread. Agree on most points, but don't think even a brilliant online Aussie VW marketplace, would 'clean up' - once a broken part is fixed or replaced with quality it's gonna last another 40 years, where's the return market? Henry Ford was in the car manufacturing game to sell spare parts not to sell good cars. VW on the other hand.
Once you have established yourself as a reliable reseller of quality parts and are well known throughout Oz then you are more likely to be used then other businesses with poor websites but are local. This is where the Oz businesses are losing out because people are firstly going OS for parts due to better pricing and quick turn around.
It's an untapped market in many markets in Oz. The businesses seem to be of the mentality that if you phone or come to the store then you will end up buying there due to laziness of not trying elsewhere. The public is now moving towards the mentality that if they don't like the prices or can't find what they think should be in the store that they are then less likely to ever use that store again and maybe only in emergencies. I only use supercheap cos they are a 5minute walk from me and even then only for things that Bunnings don't have, which is right next door.
🙂
Cheers,
Mike
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍
68AutoBug wrote:Many of the aussie shops don't like giving out prices on VW parts
as it depends on where the parts came from [made] and How much they cost them....
You can buy cheap taiwanese/chinese stuff that doesn't fit...
or Good quality more expensive parts...
so, a website can tell you all these things...
where a 30 second phone call won't..
most aussie shops prefer you to tell them what you want and they will give You the total cost...
and this is what we have to do sometimes...
and then wait for the post to see what quality parts You have received... or crap... lol
cheers
LEE
For pricing I understand if you don't have the part in stock cos due to international exchange rates the price may have changed but that doesn't stop you saying 'Not in Stock' on your website but if it is in stock then why oh why can't it's price be displayed? all you do is update the price when you have to re-stock and this is just updating a spreadsheet that almost anyone can do these days.
It really does depend on the shop too as some I won't even call again cos they were so unhelpful or just rude on the phone. Politeness costs nothing but can make you money
🙂
Cheers,
Mike
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍
I've had this gripe for several years, either the description is generic and doesn't differentiate between years, so you have to ring or there's no price, so you have to ring.
I rarely buy anything from this country any longer, I find it quicker and cheaper including shipping in the US, for instance, queried an oil pump from a well known shop in Sydney $103 delivered, the exact same pump cost me $61.95 Aus to my door, took 5 days. I even ordered some bits from Jake Raby, not known for cheap bargains, I got a whole clutch fork conversion kit, clutch fork, sleeve, release bearing and bush kit, cheaper delivered than the quoted price for a standard clutch fork here. I think shops like to think they have a captive market here and they do to some sense because they are still in business, maybe people don't trust the internet and overseas shipping, I don't know, but I've never had a problem with it. I even bought one of my splits off Ebay US, sight unseen, all original and complete, picked it up from the port and drove it home, all for $3000.
For all of us that live some distance from the a vw shop you would actually use, there is no point in orpdering from this country, it takes roughly the same time to get here unless you pay for express and there's no guarantee you'll get the part you want.
. I even bought one of my splits off Ebay US, sight unseen, all original and complete, picked it up from the port and drove it home, all for $3000.
.
would like to hear more.
from start to pick up ..if u canWell I think I might have to see what can be done about this. Maybe a poll to see who would find it useful to have an Oz web based VW company that is well priced and easy to navigate.
If there's enough interest then I can look into it but if not enough interest it makes it a risky venture 😉
Cheers,
Mike
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍
Approach a US shop like CB, or V dub parts unlimited, CIP1 etc... see if theyed be interested in a aussie arm... they have the website, database stocking system sorted, or ask if you can purchase there complete webshop setup... see if theyd supply wholesale to you etc pfft there are heaps of options out there for decent web shops. Obviously ontop of that you need warehouse storage etc...
to be honest I think if we had any of the above store here is Aus they would do fine 🙄 all it take is one, and it wont be long before everyone has to change there tack and have to compete.... 👍
some shops will do fine running the way they do now due to lestablished customer base... though I think webshops are the future and a far greater way of reaching more people, hell you can have 50 ppl all shopping the same time where is you can only have one person on the phone, unless you have 50 staff ppl to answer 😉
3amigos wrote:. I even bought one of my splits off Ebay US, sight unseen, all original and complete, picked it up from the port and drove it home, all for $3000.
.
would like to hear more.
from start to pick up ..if u can
It's quite a simple process. I wouldn't use an australian agent to initiate it, the ones I spoke to were far to keen adding up costs and extras rather than the fine details, like location, vehicle type, etc.
When you find a US agent, and there are hundreds who do VW's, speak to the receiving agent here, if they seem a bit blase about the process, ask the US guy to find someone else. Ask the seller to send you a pic of the vin for the import approval, apply for approval, as long as you have it before the vehicle lands in Oz, it's not needed for loading and shipping.
Once it arrives be prepared for AQIS steam cleaning it once, maybe twice, AQIS inspectors must have different standards than normal people, mine was cleaned twice and it still had half a farmyard unnderneath.
Customs will inspect it for valuation, at the time and I don't think it's changed, it gets valued at the market price in Australia rather than the price paid. Mine was valued at $350, it had shabby paint, but it was a running, driving, complete 57 panel van. I think I paid a couple of hundred bucks duty as they add the price of shipping onto the vehicle value, most other countries I've shipped to, take the shipping away as it's an expense, but lucky us, they add it on.
Insurance from wherever on the chassis number, permit to drive an unregistered vehicle, done.flipflopsurfer wrote:3amigos wrote:. I even bought one of my splits off Ebay US, sight unseen, all original and complete, picked it up from the port and drove it home, all for $3000.
.
would like to hear more.
from start to pick up ..if u can
It's quite a simple process. I wouldn't use an australian agent to initiate it, the ones I spoke to were far to keen adding up costs and extras rather than the fine details, like location, vehicle type, etc.
When you find a US agent, and there are hundreds who do VW's, speak to the receiving agent here, if they seem a bit blase about the process, ask the US guy to find someone else. Ask the seller to send you a pic of the vin for the import approval, apply for approval, as long as you have it before the vehicle lands in Oz, it's not needed for loading and shipping.
Once it arrives be prepared for AQIS steam cleaning it once, maybe twice, AQIS inspectors must have different standards than normal people, mine was cleaned twice and it still had half a farmyard unnderneath.
Customs will inspect it for valuation, at the time and I don't think it's changed, it gets valued at the market price in Australia rather than the price paid. Mine was valued at $350, it had shabby paint, but it was a running, driving, complete 57 panel van. I think I paid a couple of hundred bucks duty as they add the price of shipping onto the vehicle value, most other countries I've shipped to, take the shipping away as it's an expense, but lucky us, they add it on.
Insurance from wherever on the chassis number, permit to drive an unregistered vehicle, done.
How does one go about finding a US agent?There used to be a good list of shipping agents on the samba. I shipped mine 6 or so years ago now, when a lot of splits were leaving the US, loads of shippers were offering good cheap service. I seem to remember seeing an ad recently in just cars about shipping from the US, the contact was a muscle car crowd here.
Cheers flipflop👍
Ye, there is a fairly new mustang resto garage in Brissy that import direct from the US. Fraid the name escapes me 😉
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍
I have purchased almost everything for my bug from CIP in the US, Machine 7 and VW Heritage in the UK because every site I have visited in Oz is embarrassingly poor. And to be honest the customer service over the phone at many stores has also been below average and the prices often crazy. It's really short sighted for Aussie companies to make excuses, the first company that offers something like Machine 7 will be firing on all cylinders. There's a great opportunity here, somebody go for it.
a great thread and a good discussion
machine 7 has built up its internet reputation probably the same as heritage from good customer service over the phone and at shows.
The service I get from all sydney shops is second to none.
No problems at all. In fact I like the personalised service
Australia is not the uk and not the Us and to be honest thats why I am here ;-)
But I do also like to buy on line, and get it the next day without driving out.
WANTED kombi drivers side rear corner for a early bay! found after six years lol
WANTED engine lid for early kombi 71
So I was talking with my wife about setting up a business to sell parts over the web and it became apparent that I am going to have to find the companies that supply the likes of CIP1, Machine 7 and VW Heritage as although they could supply me it wouldn't be that much less than if I was buying as a private buyer. This would make me more expensive especially if having to pay the dumb import taxes. Maybe this is why Aussie prices are 15% higher than OS???
Things like bearings and seals I could probably source in Australia but body panels, window rubbers etc would all have to come from OS suppliers.
I will continue to research this but one of the biggest killers could possibly be the import tax. Dunno we shall see.
And To Beerboy. Yes this is Australia and it is better than the US and UK in many ways but that doesn't mean that companies can't be more up to date than they currently are. If Halfords can list 80-90% of it's stock online then why can't Repco, Supercheap and Autobarn?
Plus Halfords is open till 8pm most nites so us none tradie workers can pop in after work to get things. Handy just like Bunnings.🙂
Cheers,
Mike
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍
don't get me started on halfords. great business model.
I used to travel 20 k's to get to halfords now they have built 2 more and they are like both only 5k away.
Can't amagine why anyone would want to buy online from halfords. Thats probably me. But then I go to a old skool car parts place that is an idependant as it has a better range is cheaper and the service is excellent. I would never ask any of the kids in helfords for advice.
Then I am talking about a lot of choice very close.
I actually don't know what you can buy on line from halfords
WANTED kombi drivers side rear corner for a early bay! found after six years lol
WANTED engine lid for early kombi 71
Halfords is a fantastic shop for non vw specific items, GSF is very good for vw and porsche stuff, especially 944 discs and calipers. I found heritage and their sister shop SSP quality to be a bit suspect at times and the prices can be horrific, their BMD pulleys are double what you can buy them for in the states.
I also thought about the webshop for several years, but I was a little concerned that people would be put off about the prices being higher although the quality of parts would be better.
People don't always buy or want the best, for instance, I've seen people restore vans (i'm a kombi person) using schofield panels, everywhere you read, they are shocking, thin and don't fit, but it's so easy to get Klassicfab or Autocraft, I won't use anything else. I shipped a box of autocraft panels from the UK, cheaper than it cost me for schofields here and even cheaper than Autocraft here and it was a big box, jack points, outriggers, inner, outer sills, etc
Unfortunately I don''t think there are enough people who will see the benefit of quality parts to make it viable. It is a pretty finite business, there aren't that many vw's here compared to the UK or the US, the rolling business would be pretty small.
So only poms have grasped the concept of the internet?!
IN2VWS wrote:IMO, it is a conspiracy to piss off the Poms that come here. If the businesses started doing internet business like they do in the UK, then that might open the flood gates for immigration from the UK. 😁 Can't have that now, can we?
Mate, I recon that it EXACTLY the reason - as there's no other logical explanation.
Me - I'm an ex POM, and I totally agree with the difference between UK and here, trying to order stuff here is like trying to draw blood from a stone.
And it doesn't matter if you try and do it by email OR phone, OR if you phone them to let them know you will email them - I've been trying to get a (substantial $$$ value) order placed for the past 2 weeks with no reply at all. So much so that I've now decided to use a different supplier and guess what - the same response....
NONE!!
Don't these people want to earn a living????
I've been told that the reason most Aussie VW businesses don't have online prices is that it's too much work to keep updated, but being a software engineer it's simply not true - the same excel sheet / access database etc that you use to keep your stock prices / levels etc can be the same one used to drive your website. it's easy - you just need to invest the $$$'s to set it up.
My guess is that there simply isn't the turnover in the Aussie VW scene to make it worthwhile investing the $$$'s
Due to frustration, I actually looked into fixing the whole issue myself earlier this year - i lined up a vendor discount with one of the major UK suppliers (mates of mine), and then set about drumming up some interest from buyers here in Aus to get the first order together. I had the capital to import a containers worth of stuff without having to collect cash up front from buyers. I could even make quite a big $$$ saving when compared to the existing vendors. My idea was to start an online store - people can order online, minimal overheads - the savings passed on to the end user. I could even get classic fab stuff.
But funnily enough, there was exactly ZERO interest. Like I said, I don't think that is enough turnover to support it.
That said, I do totally agree with Beerboys statement -
Australia is not the uk and not the Us and to be honest thats why I am here ;-)
I also love it here (in SA) as it's nice and laid back.
But... and this isn't a very big 'but' ...there 's being laid back and then there's can't be effin bothered, and that's what it's starting to look like to me.
I'm about ready to place the order overseas, and it's not for want of trying to deal with local (and interstate) suppliers. The way i see it is that the retail business is part markup and part service - is it too much to ask for people to return phone calls and answer emails??? I think not.
(Rant over)
😀T-34 wrote:IN2VWS wrote:IMO, it is a conspiracy to piss off the Poms that come here. If the businesses started doing internet business like they do in the UK, then that might open the flood gates for immigration from the UK. 😁 Can't have that now, can we?
Mate, I recon that it EXACTLY the reason - as there's no other logical explanation.
Me - I'm an ex POM, and I totally agree with the difference between UK and here, trying to order stuff here is like trying to draw blood from a stone.
And it doesn't matter if you try and do it by email OR phone, OR if you phone them to let them know you will email them - I've been trying to get a (substantial $$$ value) order placed for the past 2 weeks with no reply at all. So much so that I've now decided to use a different supplier and guess what - the same response....
NONE!!
Don't these people want to earn a living????
I've been told that the reason most Aussie VW businesses don't have online prices is that it's too much work to keep updated, but being a software engineer it's simply not true - the same excel sheet / access database etc that you use to keep your stock prices / levels etc can be the same one used to drive your website. it's easy - you just need to invest the $$$'s to set it up.
My guess is that there simply isn't the turnover in the Aussie VW scene to make it worthwhile investing the $$$'s
Due to frustration, I actually looked into fixing the whole issue myself earlier this year - i lined up a vendor discount with one of the major UK suppliers (mates of mine), and then set about drumming up some interest from buyers here in Aus to get the first order together. I had the capital to import a containers worth of stuff without having to collect cash up front from buyers. I could even make quite a big $$$ saving when compared to the existing vendors. My idea was to start an online store - people can order online, minimal overheads - the savings passed on to the end user. I could even get classic fab stuff.
But funnily enough, there was exactly ZERO interest. Like I said, I don't think that is enough turnover to support it.
That said, I do totally agree with Beerboys statement -
Australia is not the uk and not the Us and to be honest thats why I am here ;-)
I also love it here (in SA) as it's nice and laid back.
But... and this isn't a very big 'but' ...there 's being laid back and then there's can't be effin bothered, and that's what it's starting to look like to me.
I'm about ready to place the order overseas, and it's not for want of trying to deal with local (and interstate) suppliers. The way i see it is that the retail business is part markup and part service - is it too much to ask for people to return phone calls and answer emails??? I think not.
(Rant over)
😀
So as you've already tried you think it a waste of time? I do find this strange that there is an option for Australians to buy quality parts at far more reasonable prices than local businesses and they don't want too?? That is just bizarre.
Well if Australia doesn't wish to keep it's money within it's own country then so be it
🙅 We may be a smaller VW fraturnity in Oz but I would of still thought it a good idea.
Is there a way to do a poll on this forum to get an idea of who would find a parts website useful and actually use it?
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍
I guess if the general concensus as shown in this thread is to not support domestic suppliers, perhaps our local clubs should be seeking sponsorship from the likes of cip1 and VW Heritage overseas to support our local shows?
PartyHatCentral wrote:I guess if the general concensus as shown in this thread is to not support domestic suppliers, perhaps our local clubs should be seeking sponsorship from the likes of cip1 and VW Heritage overseas to support our local shows?
I certainly don't speak for everyone here, but this is my view, I mean no offence to anyone in this post.
Above I believe you are refering to the sponsorship of the 2010 drag racing by mick motors? I think that many people appreciate this, and are aware that it is very unlikely for businesses outside australia to sponsor it. This however does not mean that people will go out of their way to support an aus based business.
More importantly than that however, people want to buy from somewhere cheap, with GOOD quality products/ trusted names, and - less and less people want to travel to a store to buy items, they are less interested in face to face, due to our society becoming fake..... [- facebook proves you haves friends, but when they see you in real life, they dont want to talk to you at all....] Hence why buying online is appealing, and its only appealing when a website is setup well - I.E cip1 (photos, description, Price! in/out of stock).
Hi Colonel, no I am not referring to any particular show / event / sponsor at all, but I do personally (as a VW club member and a VW show-goer) think it is a point that no-one else seems to have raised. My 2c anyway...
Yeah - fair question I reckon, but at a guess I'd say that the amount of stuff that the US and UK sites ship to Australia doesn't even register on their radar.
Then again, Cip1 does have a "show prices in AUD" setting on their site... anyone know if that's always been there ???
Altho I think Aussie places miss out with their internet sites, there's still nothing like having a local VW parts place for those "oh crap" moments that seem to happen way too often.
👍
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I'm from the UK too so it seems they're doing a great job of upholding the age old tradition of winding poms up! I here what everyone is saying, I tried ordering a beam from Classic Veebub in Sydney for 10 days and could not get a reply by email or phone. Other companies were similar and as you say, it's was like trying to get blood out of a stone when asking what bushes etc I might need to complete the job. Credit where credits due, Micks Motors really were helpful over the phone but I'm baffled why they and everyone else use their domain name so heavily in their adverts only to lead to you a site which gives you not much more than a phone number! I too have run an online business and know how managable it is to do, if I had the vw parts knowledge I'd start up a business in a flash. I think we've made our point now! 😂
Wow, the last 4 replies!!! Where to start....
Colonel Mustard, I agree that out of country sponsorship is highly unlikely and in house/country sponsorship is highly valued but if Aussie business' were more readily available then this would help their revenue and hence their ability to sponsor. The world persay is becoming more 'fake' as you put it but I'd love to be able to pop to me local VW supplier on a Saturday arvo to get the bits I require for sundays garage time. Trouble is that the Aussie way of life hasn't kept up with the corporate monster. Most of us poor bastards have a work a full day and week to pay for sky rocketing mortages/house prices and so we cannot pop down the local shop in the arvo to get the part we need. This means most folk only have the evenings, gone 5pm, and the weekends to do our shopping. With VW suppliers they are too small to pay for an employee for a Saturday and/or Sunday and this is where a fully functioning website comes in useful. Yes, you may not get your part until Tuesday morning but it's ordered and on it's way cos it was shown in stock. Back up and running by Tuesday nite without having to spend Monday arvo travelling half way across town.
Living in North Brissy I think Mick motors are very good with their email and phone responses but a more involved website would help even more.
Partyhatcentral: the above kinda covers what you have said
Sides: I agree with you but again, if you work a 8-5 day then you can't get to your local VW supplier. As for CIP1, they offered to supply an Aussie site but for profitablility our web price would still be higher than an individual buying from overseas. Only way you may draw even is the shipping cost. Machine7, VW heritage and CIP1 actually do a fair trade from us Aussie/ex pats so they are quite happy to keep doing this.
Vorsprungdurchtechnique, can I call you Mr Audi for short?
Being an Ex-pat myself I know where you are coming from. As for Vintage in Sydney, highly unimpressed 😬 Incomplete pricing on the website and complete lack of replying to emails for a genuine wish to buy the parts. Well Mick's Motors got your money matey cos he was far more helpful and is even going to replace my bushes for gratis cos the suppliers tolerances were off for that batch. Bloody good bloke and so far the only Aussie supplier I will stand behind. Maybe if the QLD clubs band together Mick we can help pay for a website upgrade to expand your business?
I love this country and I love my VW's but buying parts is a true pain in the keister 😉
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍
