With the recent flood of internet companies where do you spend your money, and how many internet companies will it take to close down your local shop?

After surfing the internet all night I have come to at least one conclusion, the days of going to your local shop and hanging out are almost over. There are just too many companies out there that flood the market with products that are priced a few dollars over cost because they they have no overhead working out of their parents garage. They don't understand that in their quest to make a quick buck and get cheap parts for their friends, they are ruining the import parts market. I could go on for a long time trying to convince everyone that internet parts ****** are the devil but I won't. I just want everyone to think before they spend their cash with someone that can't support the product that they sell.

 

i couldn't agree more and I AM a vendor online,

to me, i love the experience of hanging at my local garage and seeing stuff first hand. i do think however that you can have both world because you have 2 types of clients. you have the type that are lo0oking for the best price and the ones that are looking for the experience that goes with the shopping. i am the second one who really enjoy buying from local vendor even if the price isn't the best one out there. before i became a vedor i used to buy all my stuff from people like Adam from Z1 and my friend from T3 in Boston and guess what? i still do the same. if you have a local shop that is cool and they do what they do because they like it, it will become a long term realtionship that will last years unlike online where you are just a number. don't get me wrong, online is a great way to shop but only to some extent and from people that you feel like they are in the business due to their love of cars. for example, try talking to gruppe-s and you will see that you can have a realtionship inspite of the distance. they are amazing people who i have had the pleasure of buyinhg from for the past 2 years.

 

I have to shop the internet for aftermarket parts for my Lancer. The shops in my area don't carry the parts I want and the few that do are have always been higher in price. If the local shops want to be in competition with internet companies, they need to lower there prices and carry more parts for other vehicles.

 

do internet business have over head? didn't think so.

your local shop has to pay: rent,wages, storage etc...

 

The advantage your local shop will always have is it will always be there to install these parts (Unless you're a "Do-It-Yourselfer").

Personally, I'm looking for the better bargain. I certainly try my best to stick with a few select suppliers that treat me well but I'll usually gravitate towards the lowest prices.

 

there isn't a shop that's worth a damn in the greater Minneapolis area. The few stores that are here stock more lights/mufflers/aero-kits/etc then parts that I would put on my car. Plus, none of them have install bays, or staff that is even remotely knowledgable. Plus, there isn't an awd dyno in MN, though this is supposed to change this spring...

So, I find a reputable vendor and buy from them - Rotary Performance for my RX7 & Steeda for my Cobra. I don't know what way I am going to go yet on the Evo - there are a lot of good choices.

 

If an internet business is 100% legit, it should have some overhead costs. As I understand it, it's actually a zoning violation in many states to run a business from your garage. And if you are violating a zoning regulation, you usually can't get the proper insurances and licenses to run your operation legally.

I think that the bulk of the people who are buying stuff online are DIY'ers. If I can install something myself, I don't bother the guys at the local shop until I want to do dyno runs. But if it is a part that I would rather not install myself, you can be sure I head straight to the local shop to have it done. And when you go to a shop to get work done, you often have to buy the parts through them.

I really don't see the local shop disappearing. I see them being forced to evolve...

SC~

 

SC,
sure they have some expenses but they are really nothing compared to a shop.

 

True. I was just contending that they do have some overhead....not 'none' as stated above.

 

Most of the top name vendors on Evolutionm.net ARE local shops for some of us. I have been to Buschur racing, and to Godspeed in person, and had parts I purchased installed by them. Shops like Godspeed give good customer service and (in my case) reduced price dyno time to draw you in. Yes I could have gotten my SAFC II, air filter, and boost controler cheaper somewhere on line..... but I recieved FREE instalation, and about 4 hours dyno time for the price of 2 hours dyno time.

Keith

 

here in the UK it has helped to lower over the top prices charged by stores for products such as HKS etc....the internet companies have brought better competition in the market as well.

Alot of shops/stores also now have there own websites through which they sell.

 

I jsut know that when I am at my local shop here in chicago (ams), I always hear them explaning to customers how much money it costs to run their business per hour and I was astonished!!!! It is so expensive for them to have the facility that they do, which by the way is pretty nice IMO, and I know that if they were to go out of business because of this, alot of people would not get the free tech advise that I see them giving out on a daily basis. Most of the people that I see get the advise are the do it yourselfers that don't spend money with them, I guess I could see the frustration in that. I also understand that for alot of people the best price is the way to go for them. All I am saying is that if the internet companies would sell the products at a price that is competitive with the bigger shops (not a price that is unreasonably low), everyone would come out better in the end. Everyone would make the proper margin (which works out better for the internet guy), and the market would grow stronger. Anyone who has taken a basic marketing class will tell you that as demand for a product or service goes up, the price doesn't drop. it should remain competitive but strong. As for me I love all of our local shops here in the greater chicagoland area, and will always spend my money with the local guy that gives me the best combination of parts, service, tech advise, and price.

 

That is great that it has brought that level of helthy competition to your local market, and that it helped guys to open their own facility. I wish it worked that way here in the states.

 

i agree. altho ive only been to a couple of local shops. who is planing on getting an AWD dyno?

 

Can you believe that in all of Las Vegas there is not on decent import shop.

I went into a local shop that was recommended to me to get a price quote on installing some cams on my evo. $695!!! Ha yea right cya.

I wish there was a good local shop that was run professionally.