People really need to stop and think before buying stuff online from overseas for the sake of saving a few bucks & get out there and support their local store.

Ercorn said..
No they don't have to stop and think.

My money goes to the person with the best price, if the service is good I return.

Its not all about price!

Will that overseas online store:
- be their on the Friday afternoon when you need spares to get yourself on the water for the weekend?
- support the local juniors, thus growing the sport, through discounts and team rider programs?
- give back anything at all to the local (or national!) kiting community?

After-all, I'm sure whatever you do for a living could be done much cheaper with overseas workers...
Would you be willing to lose your job to skilled imported workers?

Loftywinds said..
Sad but true!

www.facebook.com/KitepowerQLD

www.kitepower.com.au/

It's very, very tough out there to get into this industry. I just hope Briskites survives.

Website still active - facebook still active ????

Kitepower Australia said..
Just to clarify for everyone. It is Kitepower QLD which is unfortunately closing its doors in Brisbane.

Kitepower Australia which is based in Sydney and operates www.kitepower.com.au is still going strong after 22 years and open 7days

I'm pleased about that, because you guys offer good service even to us on the west coast.

...yeah I know, I shop out of my immediate vicinity and buy stuff from the east coast mexicans, but hey good service and products...

It is all about price for me.

the only things I have purchased overseas were kite lines for Wainman which were significantly cheaper than the dudes in Victoria. I will purchase overseas again if I discover that prices are overly inflated in Oz. i work hard for my money and will purchase where I get the best value, as is my right.

in saying all that Ethan at KP Brisbane has always delivered excellent service, answered my queries straight away, put up with my silly emails and delivered my goods quicker than ever, therefore, I was dispapointed when I received the email that KP Brisbane is closing down.

Sad news. Good luck John!

There's nothing worse when someone purchases something oversea's, whether it be to do with kiting products, or other things in general, and goes to another shop and expects them to do something with it.

Out of good faith, some shops will honour this, and go above and beyond to help out, though majority will tell you to go back to the person who supplied the item. I personally will never buy from someone over sea's, and always a local shop for this reason. If you have problems with the item, your not trying to send emails to get a response, you can go into the shop and someone will help 9/10 times. of course there is that 1/10 that will stuff you around though it's just a lesson to not buy from them in the future.

When you spend that extra few $ you are buying customer service, from a local person, and someone who will help you out with the warranty should things go wrong.

Brisbane's Kite Power store closing up is unfortunate, though that's business. Luckily enough for the kiters, and other product purchasers there is still a shop that they are able to get in contact with.

Australia has local shops within your community which will provide service that the shops on the internet wont should things go wrong. If you continue to buy from the local's they soon get to know you, and are able to help out by giving discounts to repetitive customers, customer service when it comes to warranty, and general advice when needed.

Spend the extra few $, Get the advice from the locals, and make some good friends while at it, at your local shop.

Sorry, Kamikuza,

I'm not too sure if you read what I wrote, though if you read the first line it says "oversea's"

Thanks

Over sea is

shi thouse said..

Kitepower Australia said..
Just to clarify for everyone. It is Kitepower QLD which is unfortunately closing its doors in Brisbane.

Kitepower Australia which is based in Sydney and operates www.kitepower.com.au is still going strong after 22 years and open 7days

I'm pleased about that, because you guys offer good service even to us on the west coast.

...yeah I know, I shop out of my immediate vicinity and buy stuff from the east coast mexicans, but hey good service and products...

+1 from this vicco.

Freddofrog said..

sir ROWDY said..

The skate industry (retailers) had a massive hit when the Australian dollar was high, kids would buy overseas for almost half the price it was in the local shop due to the shops having to pay overheads, import duties/ taxes etc. Now the Australian dollar is dropping again and kids are returning to the stores, sadly for some shops it's already too late and they closed up. Retail is a vicious cycle, you really have to be on-top of things and have some decent luck to stay ahead.

The retailers could have chosen to pass on increased margins when the dollar was high, but most just pocketed the increase. Happens everywhere.

Now the dollar is weak, they will hike up prices to maintain their margins. No wonder people get fed up and shop overseas.

Its sad to see any local shop close but for better or worse, the global marketplace is here to stay.

Wrong. Hate to say it but you obviously have never worked in retail (well at least not skate retail that's for sure).

Most shops don't work like you ellude to because they buy from a distributor not direct from the US, thus prices will only fluctuate marginally. For example a $110 dollar deck (RRP) would end up being $100 (RRP) dollars when the exchange rate was good, nothing close to the 50 or so dollars it could be bought for direct from US online stores. If retailers or distributors matched those prices (or even close) they would never make any money.

wishy said..
That was a good shop! Bugger.
I wonder what portion rent was of their costs.
It must be hard to pay the rent for a big, good location premises, particularly when the landlord compares anything to the rents paid by cash cows like JB hifi, rebel sport, supercheap auto, etc.

It seems that we are going the way of America, anything that isn't Walmart or Bunnings style gets eaten by these monsters.

Hopefully Aldi can smack up the supermarket duopoly in WA, prices are mental for food.

What's black and yellow and full of Shiite
you got it an Aldie shopping bag Brings back memories loved the place

Most Businesses are not open to be not for profit organisations and have overheads to pay.
If you look around on the net you can get better prices ( sometimes ) but I like the touchy feely experience where I can be 1 on 1 with my purchase.
I also know first hand that you don't always get what you paid for..If bought from a local shop, and something isn't quite right,you take it back and talk to them and they will saught out your issues.
If everybody bought local we would still have car manufacturers in Australia and still have thousands of people still employed for them.( Governments fault )

Well said

clicks and mortar

Highjump said...
Sorry, Kamikuza,

I'm not too sure if you read what I wrote, though if you read the first line it says "oversea's"

Thanks

Ah, so local means "within Australia".

So what you've said is, you're buying products produced out of town, from companies based out of town, who ship it to your local representatives for that non-local product and brand. And you think they shouldn't service the brand they represent, if you didn't buy it "local".