I know there's a flood of people interested in scooters when the following starts happening. Scooter Season is finally here, I'm in a great mood because dealers are buying again. That's good.
Take advantage, stock, promote, get the hype out!
Gas is the driving factor. Gas goes up almost $5 = Phone calls like crazy. So I won't be sad about sales, but I will be going crazy over the crazy calls we start to get. High gasoline prices makes people insane seriously, fortunately for us we benefit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rKb0eqzmOc
So I know it's scooter season. All the local press starts running stories about horrible gas prices, how scooter dealers will get rich, waiting lists, how OPEC is destroying America yada yada yada heard it all before.
In the last 48 hours this signs have appeared to me and I know the season is here because:
1. I just got my Subway Sub, as I'm about to bite into it a reporter from Alabama calls MRP and wants to talk on the phone for an hour about the rise of sales and how it affects gas prices. ( see MotorcycleUSA article since I know I brought this upon myself ) http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/7/9538/Motorcycle-Article/Why-Scooter-Sales-Rise-with-Gas-Prices.aspx
2. Phone keeps ringing from consumers who can't find a shop selling scooters or fix the one they purchased online. - Local Vespa shops refuses to fix Chinese, Local Honda shop won't fix my CF Moto ( we get this call 5 times a day ) why can't stores fix everything?
3. Phone keeps ringing from shops who just found out their distributor went out of business two years ago ( Diamo dealers, Tank, etc...)
4. A Local Credit Union wants to ask us if a local application for loan for a scooter store is a solid business plan or New investor wants to buy several scooter stores that are broke before the next oil boom happens and wants me to consult for them and usually don't want to pay for the time it takes to do the consulting. No worries we'll give you lots of business. = Sure.
5. Honda dealer that has never fixed a Taiwanese or Chinese scooter calls, not to buy, but to ask what I think about Kymco or CF MOTO because they are sold out of Honda units for the season go back to the article: http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/7/9538/Motorcycle-Article/Why-Scooter-Sales-Rise-with-Gas-Prices.aspx
6. The repair shop that last purchased from us in 2006 calls and wants to buy a $3 part. - I stopped selling scooters in 2008 BUT NOW I AM BACK!!! = Great stock up bro.
7. People keep calling because they read something or saw something I did like ride the new CCW Heist and they can't find a local shop. Call them directly I am sure they will find someone to sell you the bike. They go to the local shop and there are no units there. http://www.pitmotorsltd.com It's a new brand no way will they have dealers up overnight. Same goes for Cultura Scooter calls, anyone looking for a Diamo or an old Malaguti, we will refer you to someone since we don't sell units.
8. Guy with a cell phone store at the local Simons Mall calls and wants to open an account and buy $20 in parts because the local shop wants to charge him $30 for the MRP part( Has happened to me 100 times last ten years ) = SUPPORT THE LOCAL SHOP, STOP TRYING TO GO AROUND THEM! Guy working from home wants to help his wife sell scooter parts over the internet without actually opening a store, stocking, repairing bikes and will drop ship from ten different brands. Usually conversation goes like this: Your competitors will sell to me, I buy parts in China, I know everything there is to know about your parts and the Ultimate Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything including the answer is "42" - I don't need to stock, I can repair all the bikes in my house. -
I've heard it all before. I will only buy based on price, I don't buy from anyone unless I have to, I fly to China every week and I know everyone there, I have $200,000 in parts in my closets, I buy from everyone! I have a Chinese girlfriend, no wife, no cousin, who owns a factory or has a cousin of a cousin who owns a factory. I pay only factory China cost = and why won't you sell to me?
9. Someone who just purchased a scooter on Ebay calls us and says the guy who sold them the scooter said to call MRP for parts because the distributor is out of business ( fill in the name here TANK, Cubik, United Motors, etc...)
10. My favorite is. I just purchased __________ scooter online I need help fixing it, I've been on hold for twenty minutes, I've called all your dealers and every shop in the city why can't anyone there explain to me how to fix the carb? Sir- You have to pay a local mechanic or buy something they can't stay in business and fix your bike over the phone across state lines for free. Most shops require you to go to the store for support.
I kid you not everything above has happened the last 48 hours. It will only get worse as gasoline is going to be $5 a gallon soon. Worse or better I can't decide.
Scooter Season is here! I am happy.
No comments:
Post a Comment