nah it's come up on the kiteboarder a couple of times, but this is the first time i've ever brought it up.

You could prove it to us for £1 Simon:

http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/d8f13 ... ompdetails

Click on 'Order information on this company'

OOI, what are you up to these days?

Paul.

i would post it up but of course the info is copyright.

but i did check last night, and lo and behold its a fact, mister GRF is indeed a director of surface to air.

I thought that it was pretty common knowledge SQ?

apparently not. seeing as he has been denying any links with surface to air for quite a while.


certainly on the kiteboarder forum anyway.


i was just wondering, is this the way forward for distributors who have to fight against manufacture direct to shop, a two tier service, manufacturer/importer to customer.


is that admission that 3 levels is too much and its time for the gentlemens agreement to dissolve

SQ what are you so supprised about?in Oz its very similar.there are a number of shop/distributers here and there are a few pure distributers as well.Its just the nature of the business.depends on who you deal with.Just pure business sence dictates that if you can distribute a product as well as retail it in your own shop you have to be better off.

Justoon,

This may be the case in your neck of the woods but in the UK there is an importer who has been very very verbal about the direct selling root and when this has been pointed out has denied any attachment to this shop.

Honesty and trust is what this is about, you need to ask yourself what can you believe.

Selling direct and owning a store are not the same thing, or at least they don't have to be.

Selling direct suggest cutting out the retailer, so somewhat lower price to customer with distributor making more margin.

Owning a store while still capturing more margin suggests investing in a storefront which will eat a lot of this extra margin. A distributor may be tempted to do this if the local retailers are not stepping it up and stocking enough product, showcasing it properly, servicing it properly or flat out just can't get their shit together.

While the distributor owned store will almost certainlty have some advantages (ie limitless credit, better access to new product) if the distributor has their long term distribution business' interest truly at heart (ie they genuinely want to be in the distribution business) they will maintain something resembling proper retail pricing and will even turn away mail order business if it hurts other dealers.

I am not a retailer so I don't know all sides of the story but it strikes me the US distributor of North and Naish has been relatively successful running their store (Kiteboarding Hatteras) without destroying their dealer network. I have no idea if the store makes money but it's an awesome store. It definitely got a whole lote better when they bought it


Anyway, not sure if this thread was about the evils of distributors owning retail (which I don't have a problem with) or just some SQ personal grievance airing bitchiness but this is just my perspective

SE

The later!

sq is just being childish and twat like! Thinks he is a consumer hero but really just playing daft games.

big fucking deal sq big fucking deal!

Magnum PI = sq

Is this connected to your link to S2A on kiteboarder? Sq?