Whats up with our vendors
If I was RRM, I would offer 5-10% off for orders over a certain price (with restrictions of course such as not applicable for products already over that price), occasionally do sales on in-house products (since discounts on imported products is more difficult) and maybe have repeat customer cards so that the more you buy, the more you save. Giving every customer a discount kind of defeats the point in giving a discount as at that point it simply becomes your flat rate (and then people will moan for even better prices).
You definitely know what's up about sponsorships 
I just had to hop in and offer this link up about that same topic.
http://og-made.com/archives/1915
I just had to hop in and offer this link up about that same topic.http://og-made.com/archives/1915
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Wow this thread change in the last few days. I really like how some of you were comming up with great sales ideas. When i originally made the thread i was talking about a full price drop down. there are so many ways for these companies to give the consumers some sort of relief. It would be nice to see that.
OK, I'm not taking sides at all. But "relief" from what exactly? I'm sorry that you don't like what you're seeing, but I really feel like you're over dramatizing the situation. I haven't opened my mouth up til now, but it just really annoys me to see people sit back and bash vendors over and over. All the customers want is "more, cheaper, NOW!"
If you'd like to try running a race shop that caters to a TINY segment of the market, do R&D, and watch your designs get stolen and put on eBay within a week, I welcome you to it. If you'd like to hear even your most local customers beg and cry and whine because something isn't coming fast enough, or there isn't a dyno sheet posted soon enough, or because God forbid they aren't on the computer posting and answering questions 24-7, be my guest.
I consider it incredibly cowardly to sit back on your *** and bash vendors. Without companies like RRM, RPW and Works, there'd be nearly NOTHING for the Lancer. What options do we 2008 owners have from the "big" companies like GReddy, HKS and Megan? One exhaust, a coilover set, and an exhaust that's been "under development" for months. BFD.
Try to show some appreciation for what we DO have. Because if it wasn't here, you'd be driving a stock car around.
If you'd like to try running a race shop that caters to a TINY segment of the market, do R&D, and watch your designs get stolen and put on eBay within a week, I welcome you to it. If you'd like to hear even your most local customers beg and cry and whine because something isn't coming fast enough, or there isn't a dyno sheet posted soon enough, or because God forbid they aren't on the computer posting and answering questions 24-7, be my guest.
I consider it incredibly cowardly to sit back on your *** and bash vendors. Without companies like RRM, RPW and Works, there'd be nearly NOTHING for the Lancer. What options do we 2008 owners have from the "big" companies like GReddy, HKS and Megan? One exhaust, a coilover set, and an exhaust that's been "under development" for months. BFD.
Try to show some appreciation for what we DO have. Because if it wasn't here, you'd be driving a stock car around.
OK, I'm not taking sides at all. But "relief" from what exactly? I'm sorry that you don't like what you're seeing, but I really feel like you're over dramatizing the situation. I haven't opened my mouth up til now, but it just really annoys me to see people sit back and bash vendors over and over. All the customers want is "more, cheaper, NOW!"
If you'd like to try running a race shop that caters to a TINY segment of the market, do R&D, and watch your designs get stolen and put on eBay within a week, I welcome you to it. If you'd like to hear even your most local customers beg and cry and whine because something isn't coming fast enough, or there isn't a dyno sheet posted soon enough, or because God forbid they aren't on the computer posting and answering questions 24-7, be my guest.
I consider it incredibly cowardly to sit back on your *** and bash vendors. Without companies like RRM, RPW and Works, there'd be nearly NOTHING for the Lancer. What options do we 2008 owners have from the "big" companies like GReddy, HKS and Megan? One exhaust, a coilover set, and an exhaust that's been "under development" for months. BFD.
Try to show some appreciation for what we DO have. Because if it wasn't here, you'd be driving a stock car around.
If you'd like to try running a race shop that caters to a TINY segment of the market, do R&D, and watch your designs get stolen and put on eBay within a week, I welcome you to it. If you'd like to hear even your most local customers beg and cry and whine because something isn't coming fast enough, or there isn't a dyno sheet posted soon enough, or because God forbid they aren't on the computer posting and answering questions 24-7, be my guest.
I consider it incredibly cowardly to sit back on your *** and bash vendors. Without companies like RRM, RPW and Works, there'd be nearly NOTHING for the Lancer. What options do we 2008 owners have from the "big" companies like GReddy, HKS and Megan? One exhaust, a coilover set, and an exhaust that's been "under development" for months. BFD.
Try to show some appreciation for what we DO have. Because if it wasn't here, you'd be driving a stock car around.
I'm chiming in a little late here, but that's never stopped me before:
#1 - If there's been no major change in the price of parts over 5 years, that tends to be a GOOD thing for the consumer. Especially since the price per pound of nearly every metal has skyrocketed over the last few years...Carbon Fiber has become harder to come by as well. The vendor making this stuff are taking a hit in order to stay competitive and keep their stuff reasonably affordable in the current market. Appreciate it.
#2 - Keeping products in stock costs money
#3 - Hiring people to make the products costs money
#4 - Making money costs money
#5 - Doing business in a crap economy costs money
The cost of #1 through #4 are made up by...you guessed it...making customers pay for stuff! There's also the intangible of REPUTATION. If Company A is known to be crappy and they have the product I want for $100 less than Company B, who is well respected in their industry...I'm paying the extra $100.
I need to know HOW a vendor can give us "relief"? What does that mean? You're speaking as though RRM is pumping out this stuff for pennies on the dollar and laughing all the way to the bank. They're making car parts for a niche market...they're not ExxonMobil for gods sake.
Asking what RRM has done for us is proof you're in some sort of degraded mental state or just extremely selfish: They wakeup and go to work everyday for this community, sir.
Understand how a business works and think really hard about why people (much like me right now) defend RRM so vehemently and then you'll have your answer as to why their products cost what they do.
#1 - If there's been no major change in the price of parts over 5 years, that tends to be a GOOD thing for the consumer. Especially since the price per pound of nearly every metal has skyrocketed over the last few years...Carbon Fiber has become harder to come by as well. The vendor making this stuff are taking a hit in order to stay competitive and keep their stuff reasonably affordable in the current market. Appreciate it.
#2 - Keeping products in stock costs money
#3 - Hiring people to make the products costs money
#4 - Making money costs money
#5 - Doing business in a crap economy costs money
The cost of #1 through #4 are made up by...you guessed it...making customers pay for stuff! There's also the intangible of REPUTATION. If Company A is known to be crappy and they have the product I want for $100 less than Company B, who is well respected in their industry...I'm paying the extra $100.
I need to know HOW a vendor can give us "relief"? What does that mean? You're speaking as though RRM is pumping out this stuff for pennies on the dollar and laughing all the way to the bank. They're making car parts for a niche market...they're not ExxonMobil for gods sake.
Asking what RRM has done for us is proof you're in some sort of degraded mental state or just extremely selfish: They wakeup and go to work everyday for this community, sir.
Understand how a business works and think really hard about why people (much like me right now) defend RRM so vehemently and then you'll have your answer as to why their products cost what they do.
I have a new opinion on this entire situation. I recently got employed with [a somewhat large parts manufacturer for a certain automobile] and let me just say, sadly, that our customer service is horrible. Things are always backstocked and I always hear other sales people lying to customers about E.T.A.s saying that a hot product will be in within a week when last we heard it will be here in a month.
With that said, I think that RRM is doing an amazing job, although pricing is a bit high, they stand by their customers, trying to ensure that EVERYONE ends up being happy while still running a somewhat successful business. The company I'm currently working for isn't necessarilly small, but we have high pricing and yet most seem to not really care for the customer. If you could see some of the prices we charge as compared to the cost, you'd be surprised how much money THIS company is making and yet they still don't care about customer satisfaction.
With that said, I think that RRM is doing an amazing job, although pricing is a bit high, they stand by their customers, trying to ensure that EVERYONE ends up being happy while still running a somewhat successful business. The company I'm currently working for isn't necessarilly small, but we have high pricing and yet most seem to not really care for the customer. If you could see some of the prices we charge as compared to the cost, you'd be surprised how much money THIS company is making and yet they still don't care about customer satisfaction.
