Does anyone from Touratech check out this forum?

[stolzy]

If you are fortunate enough to be able to buy TT parts for less in France as a resident, I'm not clear why you opt to
1. spend more to buy them in the UK
2. then complain about it
3. post a kind of complaint here, even before there's anything to complain about.

Firstly, where I choose to buy is my business, but since you ask, it is oft times more convenient for me to have stuff delivered in the UK.

I think I am entitled to at least ask why TT stuff is more expensive in the UK than in France (where VAT and costs are generally higher). I note, you choose not to answer that question.

I know you could only have spoken to one guy yesterday, not a "they".

They, I should have thought obviously, referred to TT UK.

I know he will have asked for the spares prices, (we have to ask Germany for individual prices where kits are broken down into components) immediately. He will then let you know as soon as he hears back.

Good and as soon as TT UK respond I will applaud, and sing their praises here.

What, exactly, other than that, are you expecting here?

Just that (and maybe a justification for why UK prices are 25% higher than French )

Did he take your order professionally?

Yes

Guess so, but you don't mention it.

Because it's no more than I expect

Did he offer an alternatives that would be quicker and even possibly less expensive?

Jury is still out, since he didn't know the price, I doubt he could have said whether it was cheaper to buy the spares or the kit

Yes he did, yet you turn that into an accusation.

No accusation.

I don't get it Stolzy, this guy on behalf of TT is doing exactly what you requested, yet that's not good enough and warrants a message here. Why my friend, why?

No complaint, just a skepticism born from several experiences with TT UK

 

[Lamble]

Stolzy, having spoken with the "they" that you spoke to, I don't feel it apt to continue that conversation in this forum and that's for your benefit, not mine.

By all means bring your grievances, when, or indeed if, they should arise, to my attention.

[email protected]

On the price differential, if you worked through all 5,000 items in the catalogue, plus those unique to each territory's website and shops, you'd find that it's not as clear cut as picking an item then saying 25% more here, or there.
Items we source in the UK and sell to Germany are more there than here. You must surely have some grasp of international economics and markets?

How much for example is an advert in a mag here, compared to one in the USA, just one aspect of marketing. What's the basic unit charge for rates, water, electricity, wages, transport costs, NI...keep going and then let me know how you'd get it so there was one price across all the countries that TT operate in. Work that out and then perhaps you'll be able to tell me why prices differ.Throw in inflation, exchange rates, tax zones......................

Who does have a standard international rate card?

How come I could buy a Tee Shirt in the USA for $10, in Mexico for 10 pesos or 1/10 of the USA, yet both were made in China, where a similar T shirt was more expensive than Mexico, even though it hadn't been shipped across the Pacific?

Any idea?

 

[MikeMike]

If you can buy a t-shirt for $10 pesos in Mexico, tell me where. I must be shopping in the wrong stores here!
If the t-shirt says "Touratech" on it, will it cost $150 pesos?
Relax, just kidding.

 

[stolzy]

I'm involved in several businesses in both the UK and France. Costs of employment, taxes, social security charges, TVA/VAT are all higher in France than in the UK.

In my experience it is very rare (dutied goods excepted) to find things more expensive in the UK than in France, especially where they are sourced in a third country.

Just a bit of rip off Britain perhaps.

I'd be the first to agree that the main variable in pricing is what the customer will pay - just don't be surprised if your customer points out the differences between territories

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

If TT UK are so good, how come the thread has gone to 3 pages.

BTW, the same criticism seems fairly true of all international outlets, that only leads me to believe the real problem seems to be the head office not fully supporting the rest of the world.

Personally, i have never bought a TT part for 2 reasons.

overpriced
negative press.

There seems to be far better companies in the world to deal with.

 

[EmmettC]

Personally, i have never bought a TT part for 2 reasons.

I bought a camel foot for my side stand, it was cheap and delivered within 2 days, it was second hand though off this site. I think I prefer the metal mule one though, if I was buying new.

 

[Loiq]

I've read this with some interest as we wrote a proposal to update the website which would remove lots of the issues raised above. (but we got told to pissoff)

funny really... they spunk so much money on physical catalogues to be shipped all over the place, when a single website that's cloned to become a regional hub would be easier.

Plus order tracking could be handled on the back end, CRM, billing, technical stuff....

Other companies do it

Reminds me of Phillips TV in some ways their strapline was "Phillips we invent the future" when it should have read "Phillips simply years behind!"

best of luck trying to change somehting that has probably taken years to evolve into what it is.

If TT UK are so good, how come the thread has gone to 3 pages.

BTW, the same criticism seems fairly true of all international outlets, that only leads me to believe the real problem seems to be the head office not fully supporting the rest of the world.

Personally, i have never bought a TT part for 2 reasons.

overpriced
negative press.

There seems to be far better companies in the world to deal with.

 

[Lamble]

If TT UK are so good, how come the thread has gone to 3 pages.

Personally, i have never bought a TT part for 2 reasons.

overpriced
negative press.

There seems to be far better companies in the world to deal with.

So we had the first guy from Mexico...problem solved. Folks who dealt with the bosses family rather than staff..problem gone. A case of no problem but still posting to complain about global economics and now someone who hasn't ever used us complaining.

That's how it's got to three pages.

 

[Lamble]

I've read this with some interest as we wrote a proposal to update the website which would remove lots of the issues raised above. (but we got told to pissoff)

funny really... they spunk so much money on physical catalogues to be shipped all over the place, when a single website that's cloned to become a regional hub would be easier.

Plus order tracking could be handled on the back end, CRM, billing, technical stuff....

Other companies do it

Reminds me of Phillips TV in some ways their strapline was "Phillips we invent the future" when it should have read "Phillips simply years behind!"

best of luck trying to change somehting that has probably taken years to evolve into what it is.

I agree the website and associated back office functions should be better integrated. One job at a time though. I've got a new site that we are taking from TT USA and have a consultancy tender in to the Welsh Assembly for assistance in CRM and stock management integration.
Oh and I doubt "piss off" would have been the reply, that sounds a little too emotive for the Germans, or was it the UK you tendered to?

If it was the UK, dust the docs off and send them in. Ta.

You'd be amazed at how many of the "spunked up" catalogues that we print up and send out free, are absolutely loved by customers. They want the physical books. Sure, I agree, when it could be on the web and all dynamic without having to include products that are still in development in the catalogue because there aren't reprints during the year, that we'd save 3 quid per catalogue on postage alone. Hell, if only our customers didn't demand the catalogues. Tried to include the price lists on line rather than insert them in 40,000 copies...should have heard the uproar that caused.

Looks like the best we can manage is catalogues and website, so that's what we have do Lo Iq, until such a time as all our customers are on-line and prefer searchable databases to sitting on the toilet and flicking pages.

Anecdote time: NEC 2009. Guy says he won't take the catalogue now it's gone over 1,000 pages.
"Why, too much to carry round the show?"
"No. I read mine on the toilet and after about page 720, my legs start to go blue!"

We have book marks available, free upon request.

 

[Lamble]

If you can buy a t-shirt for $10 pesos in Mexico, tell me where. I must be shopping in the wrong stores here!
If the t-shirt says "Touratech" on it, will it cost $150 pesos?
Relax, just kidding.

That'll be the finest magnesium thread interwoven with the flaxen hair of young German damsels, collected just as the morning Sun's first rays tease its golden hue , combined with the dye created by Herbert himself chewing and spitting out the rare cocchuana nut pulp, that he then compresses with his bare manicured feet, to produce meagre droplets of the distinctive yellow required for the logo.

Blind monks, huddled in perpetual darkness, complete silence and cold cells in the high, deeply forested Bavarian mountains then, blah blah....washed in chilled bottled volvic, blah blah....scented with edelweiss petals, blah blah....you get the picture.

$150 pesos, bargain!

 

[Dean]

You'd be amazed at how many of the "spunked up" catalogues that we print up and send out free, are absolutely loved by customers. They want the physical books. Sure, I agree, when it could be on the web and all dynamic without having to include products that are still in development in the catalogue because there aren't reprints during the year, that we'd save 3 quid per catalogue on postage alone. Hell, if only our customers didn't demand the catalogues.

Why are the negative coments louder than the positive

Wow so if every member here ordered one now and asked a couple of mates to do the same that would cost TT over 100K

BTW I usualy by from TT for 2 reasons one I like it and 2 I want it

RR is better, (and lower priced) just not as big. (but growing) I think there complaints department is smaller

But its thoes specific parts that you can not get elsewhere (Yet) like for instance for my bike the best screen in the world (today)

no one is forced to buy from TT, but I bet they make good profits

 

[stolzy]

A case of no problem but still posting to complain about global economics

Nothing to do with global economics, a simple question as to why TTUK goods are more expensive (in every case so far as I can see) than the same goods sold in France where VAT is higher, taxes personal taxes are higher, costs of employment are higher, deliver costs are higher, employer social security charges are higher and delivery costs are higher.

As I said before, it is very rare to find goods more expensive in the UK than in France.

 

[Dean]

Nothing to do with global economics, a simple question as to why TTUK goods are more expensive (in every case so far as I can see) than the same goods sold in France where VAT is higher, taxes personal taxes are higher, costs of employment are higher, deliver costs are higher, employer social security charges are higher and delivery costs are higher.

As I said before, it is very rare to find goods more expensive in the UK than in France.

Oh bugger I was going to smuggle myself in a lorry to france for a better way of life, I'm not bothering now

 

[DavidJames]

Nothing to do with global economics, a simple question as to why TTUK goods are more expensive (in every case so far as I can see) than the same goods sold in France where VAT is higher, taxes personal taxes are higher, costs of employment are higher, deliver costs are higher, employer social security charges are higher and delivery costs are higher.

As I said before, it is very rare to find goods more expensive in the UK than in France.

The worst case of pricing I have seen is the Safari Fuel tank for the KTM 950 Super Enduro which I am looking to buy.
TT Germany = approx 700GBP
TT UK = approx 800GBP
Adventure Spec = approx 620GBP

Seems a little bit mental to me!

 

[Lamble]

Why are the negative coments louder than the positive

Wow so if every member here ordered one now and asked a couple of mates to do the same that would cost TT over 100K

BTW I usualy by from TT for 2 reasons one I like it and 2 I want it

RR is better, (and lower priced) just not as big. (but growing) I think there complaints department is smaller

But its thoes specific parts that you can not get elsewhere (Yet) like for instance for my bike the best screen in the world (today)

no one is forced to buy from TT, but I bet they make good profits

Our happy customers are probably out riding rather than sitting in front of a PC.

Don't get TT UK mixed up with TT. We buy stock from them, we get some branding and support at the NEC, everything else is down to three people here in the UK, another reason we don't dictate what prices should be in France or anywhere else.

Profits, well some has gone into the infrastructure, so we can stock more and display products better. Staffing has gone up from 2 to 3 with another 1/2 joining in May.
Like everyone, last year and the year before were very lean business wise, and we held prices when the pound had dropped against the euro, so we were buying in at a far more expensive rate, without passing that on.

In Jan/Feb when the new catalogues arrived, you'd still be way off on the cost of sending out catalogues, especially as we now have three variants extending beyond GSes.

Still, by the end of the today...if you subscribe to our newsletter of course, you may find yourself reassessing matters, otherwise you'll need to wait a while longer.

 

[Lamble]

As I said before, it is very rare to find goods more expensive in the UK than in France.

Stolzy, stolzy stolzy.

You can travel around France, or the UK and find price differences. And it is a question of economic differences, just not the simple ones that you are applying. International exchange rates, regional pricing...

Okay here's a proposal, as I'm sensing the only way you will accept anything is if you come up with the answer yourself...you tell me how multi regional pricing structures work and what all the variables are, don't forget market size, logistics and that factor of international margins being set (margins not profit), marketing cost, stock holding, tax right offs against material holdings, costs of local materials and costs of manufacture, postage, telephone charges, rates, sundry supplies etc etc etc etc etc, and I'll be fascinated to see what you come up with. I do hope you can keep it simple.

 

[cookie]

i think it would be much better if i could just order from the german TT website, pay in euro, and they post it.

what's the point of TT UK for me? every time i've dealt with them, it's been a fuck up and they cost more.

i never use them now, and can't see that changing.

 

[Dean]

The worst case of pricing I have seen is the Safari Fuel tank for the KTM 950 Super Enduro which I am looking to buy.
TT Germany = approx 700GBP
TT UK = approx 800GBP
Adventure Spec = approx 620GBP

Seems a little bit mental to me!

I supose the thing to do is like you have shop around

Our happy customers are probably out riding rather than sitting in front of a PC.

Don't get TT UK mixed up with TT.

some are working on there PC I did think TTuk was TT as in one big happy family. not different (black sheep of the family) so thanks for putting me straight, I was asuming that was the TT price (same world over) not different

i think it would be much better if i could just order from the german TT website, pay in euro, and they post it.

thats a good Idea, I supose it may be worth riding over If the language barrier is a prob i could take the TTuk brochure they post me one every month and point at the pictures


Also it good to have a more expensive brochure as when your other half catches wind of your purchase you can show them the brochure and also point out that you purchased much cheaper elsewhere making huge savings and she (or he) will be over the moon with all the money that you saved

 

[Loiq]

It was the UK....

I'll PM you there are some things even I can't put on a public forum...

it's pretty simple global company, single inventory, delivered world wide... can't be that hard to achieve... other companies some which larger some smaller achieve it.

I agree the website and associated back office functions should be better integrated. One job at a time though. I've got a new site that we are taking from TT USA and have a consultancy tender in to the Welsh Assembly for assistance in CRM and stock management integration.
Oh and I doubt "piss off" would have been the reply, that sounds a little too emotive for the Germans, or was it the UK you tendered to?

If it was the UK, dust the docs off and send them in. Ta.

You'd be amazed at how many of the "spunked up" catalogues that we print up and send out free, are absolutely loved by customers. They want the physical books. Sure, I agree, when it could be on the web and all dynamic without having to include products that are still in development in the catalogue because there aren't reprints during the year, that we'd save 3 quid per catalogue on postage alone. Hell, if only our customers didn't demand the catalogues. Tried to include the price lists on line rather than insert them in 40,000 copies...should have heard the uproar that caused.

Looks like the best we can manage is catalogues and website, so that's what we have do Lo Iq, until such a time as all our customers are on-line and prefer searchable databases to sitting on the toilet and flicking pages.

Anecdote time: NEC 2009. Guy says he won't take the catalogue now it's gone over 1,000 pages.
"Why, too much to carry round the show?"
"No. I read mine on the toilet and after about page 720, my legs start to go blue!"

We have book marks available, free upon request.

 

[Dean]

Mike,

Anyone here in the UK who wants to see how TT are ramping up on service and prices should set a date for 4-6th June and come down for our Travel Event. There's some big news coming soonn too...shhhh, can't say any more at the moment.

Don't rely on second hand hearsay, come and find out for yourselves.

Or, perhaps an even easier solution is an attitude change and new business philosophy at the existing suppliers.

I have a newsletter going out on Thursday, then I can lift the embargo I have on the news I want to tell you.

Is this the news ?

There's only one major topic this issue




Our Price Reduction


Announcing a price reduction across all Touratech branded parts,
with Immediate Effect.
For sometime we have been looking at ways to address the disparity of prices across the Touratech network, where certain countries have been able to take advantage of location, exchange rates, logistics costs, local and national taxes and a whole host of other variables.
While we will not pretend to have eliminated all of the differentiation, what we hope is that we will have certainly narrowed the gaps as much as possible.
A number of factors have recently come into place, enabling us here in the UK to reduce all of our Touratech branded components price, with immediate effect.
On average this reduction is between 10% and 13%.
As mentioned, this price reduction has been applied immediately, so you can place orders now and into the future, with confidence that you will be making savings on all Touratech branded parts and that the margins between all global Touratech locations are as close as we can feasibly make them.

NOTE: If you have an outstanding order with us, that we haven't charged for, we will apply the new reduced prices and amend your order accordingly.





I feel so much better knowing that the over inflated parts I bought have been reduced.
























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