Why shop online?

[LSpindenIII]

Hey everyone, I am wondering if I can get some opinions here.

So I work at a Powersports dealer in Wisconsin.
As well as being in the parts department and running the shop's eBay I am also part of our marketing team.

Our last meeting I brought up the fact that where I live (45 minutes away in Minnesota) a lot of people are going online and doing their shopping there for parts and gear. It got to us wondering, what is it that they have over us?

Now what I am wondering is where do you go for powersports shopping? In a dealer? Online? Somewhere else?

Also why do you do this?

I mean online will be cheaper, but 90% of the time people will price match, I know I will if you can prove it and its not something on closeout or something that the site will charge shipping to make up for the discount.

So I just want to know opinions, why go online when most of the time from my experience, you can get the same thing faster and a lot of times the same price?

[atv4life95]

It's the convenience of having everything arrive at your door at the press of a few buttons. It also really depends on what you're buying as well. Dealers don't always carry the exact part you may need, or the apparel, or accessories you want. And the people don't always know what you have in stock, where you can have the exact item you are looking for pulled up on the screen within a matter of seconds really. Just better convenience I guess.

[chrisroberts916]

I do it because,
1) I can compare prices
2) I don't have to wait for the parts guy to get off the phone with his girlfriend
3) I can shop 24hrs a day
4) I don't have to drive to the dealer to have them order it and then drive back to pick it up.
5) I buy aftermarket if I can.

[evileyes]

also, my local dealer wont price match, my parts guy will even suggest where to get it cheaper because he knows im gonna look anyway and have an idea of what is over priced, also dealers dont usually have things in stock, and quite frankly ships to my house faster than it does to the dealer, and then on top of that have to go pick it up

[atv4life95]

Originally Posted by chrisroberts916

I do it because,
1) I can compare prices
2) I don't have to wait for the parts guy to get off the phone with his girlfriend
3) I can shop 24hrs a day
4) I don't have to drive to the dealer to have them order it and then drive back to pick it up.
5) I buy aftermarket if I can.

Excellent points as well!

[20redfrogs]

Where I live the local dealerships do not price match. If I do not need the part quickly, I order online. If it is something I need to go riding that day, I will shop at the dealership. Right or wrong, I look at the dealership as a convenience store. Where you pay a marked up price for the convenience of getting the parts that day.

[biggiej42]

Prices are usually much cheaper due to less overhead. It's also nice to have reviews at your disposal when you're about to drop some serious coin. I find myself, no matter what store I'm in, going online and looking at reviews/prices before I buy. I'd say a good 75% of time time I wind up going home and ordering online.

It's sad, but most often stores can't compete with online prices.

[LSpindenIII]

So what mainly you are all saying is it's easier to push buttons and get aftermarket?

Link removed. No advertising unless you're a site sponsor.

Here is the link to our online shopping page by the model of machine. What do you guys think of it?
Now I will also tell you the our dealership consists of 2 parts guys, 1 shipping and receiving guy, 3 salesmen, 2 service writers, 1 service manager, 1 setup guy and 3 techs. So really we are not that big of a dealer for carrying the products that we do.

Also we carry a large selection of aftermarket parts, in stock for our brands.

We are about to start promoting our site more like others do in hope to get more online and in store sales. Is our site user friendly enough for people to navigate?

[TuckerHardRide]

How much stuff do you have for an LTZ? That's what i think when i go to a dealer. I get there and i would love to be a kid in a candy shop with so many parts but the reality of it is usually dealers have 3 parts for the specific machine your buying for. "You want an axle? Sorry we only have a body skid plate that's marked up 200%"

[biggiej42]

Originally Posted by LSpindenIII

So what mainly you are all saying is it's easier to push buttons and get aftermarket?

It's easier, and you don't have to deal with the dealership's inflated prices. A lot of these places have low low overhead, and that reflects in the pricing. Would I rather buy from my dealer... absolutely, but fiscally it just doesn't make sense. I work for a Mercedes dealer, and I see all of the different "price levels" that the parts dept. uses. Sometimes it's just highway robert, sometimes it's fair. More often than not, the dealer is trying to make budget for that month, so prices get jacked across the board.

[LSpindenIII]

Really people actually do that?

We can't charge any more than retail on our stuff. And then on the flip side, most of the stuff then has a MAP policy so we can't advertise a lower price. I don't know how online places get away with it, but we can only advertise full retail and hope people call or come in to see the lower price.

It seems like most of the time people have witnessed or heard a story about a greedy dealer that will over charge, over sell and then under deliver. So then it messes up the reputation for the other dealers that have employees that ride and want to actually help people to get out there and have fun.

[Deuce]

My reasons:

1) Usually after paying shipping, the cost difference is still cheaper to get them shipped to me than going and paying dealer MSRP
2) The local dealer wont price match
3) Other dealers are a drive away, which if they do price match, the cost of fuel out weighs any savings
4) I like being independent, having my own part numbers and list of what I like to order... the parts guy at my local dealer always laughs when I just come in with part numbers if I go there
5) online is 24 hours a day (as stated above)

[chrisroberts916]

when I started riding (long before the internet) there was a dealer for each make. If you wanted a part for a Suzuki you went one place, Honda went to another place. Noway in he!! would the Honda shop have a Yamaha part. You had to go there thou to get your parts. Today everybody wants to everything for everyone. Dealers should just stick to selling the machines and get out of the part business, imo. It's actually cheaper for me to buy a new quad from a CA. dealer and pay $500 to have it shipped to Ohio, then it is to go to the local we sell everything dealer. I don't see the future being very good for the little guys.

[TRMN8TR]

Originally Posted by chrisroberts916

I do it because,
1) I can compare prices
2) I don't have to wait for the parts guy to get off the phone with his girlfriend
3) I can shop 24hrs a day
4) I don't have to drive to the dealer to have them order it and then drive back to pick it up.
5) I buy aftermarket if I can.

Basically this. ^

The only thing to add is, for major purchases I would prefer to buy from a physical store so if something goes wrong or isn't right I know there's people I can talk to in person to get it fixed.

[ltz400dave]

i like using the computer and you dont have to deal with snooty people who think they know every thing. the woman at the parts department at my local power sports dealer is a real big itch and dont give a crap about. every time some one goes to the counter you here her huff and puff like if she is being bothered. ebay and craigs list and my brand new best friend is advantage