Dorsland
Bachelor Dog
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2012
- Messages
- 12,858
- Reaction score
- 4,963
- Location
- Nie van hier nie
- Bike
- Honda CRF 300L
Like everybody else, I have seen the news about online stores like Shein and Temu. I also see the flood of Chinese vehicles and motorcycles coming into South Africa. So last night, after @Bike_Buddies sent me some Temu links for stuff for my 300L I was looking for locally but couldn't find stock of, I went and looked around on the Temu site.
We all know China is the factory of the world. We know how they get to these "bargain" prices. But looking at the range of products, the variety and the prices I couldn't help asking myself how local companies will ever remain in business against this flood of competition. I say "competition" in inverted commas because most consumers will buy the product based on price.
I see soft pannier bags comparable in looks and (superficially and initially) quality to my Wolfman Dry pannier bags. Cost? Around ZAR680 each x 2 = R1360. Versus around R6000 for the Wolfmans. Not sure what someone like Turkana charges for similar pannier bags. Sidestand foot enlarger for around ZAR78 - ZAR100. Frame protectors for ZAR277. Acerbis frame guards for my 300L are over ZAR1000. Handguards with a backbone for ZAR336.
It's crazy. And I cannot see how local (here in SA and in other countries around the world) manufacturers can compete with these prices. In our consumer crazy society where people will rip their own toenails out with a pair of pliers if they thought they could sell them for R10 apiece, consumers have absolutely no loyalty or longer term view of things and buy almost purely on price.
I browsed around Temu and felt slightly ill after a while with the sheer magnitude of the Chinese onslaught on local manufacturers and retailers. On the motorcycle front I fear we will become like the gluttonous Yankees where no product is new enough/good enough/blinged enough/modified enough and needs a few thousand USD to "customise" it. It is a consumer orgy and frankly, it repulses me. Besides this aspect, and after reading that Temu is a highly organised data harvesting setup, I decided to holster my debit card and wait until I can support local guys.
If more of us don't take this approach I fear for the future of any form of local manufacturing.
Be good to get some comment from @zebra , @Chrisl , @Runner, @cracklin , and other local suppliers.
We all know China is the factory of the world. We know how they get to these "bargain" prices. But looking at the range of products, the variety and the prices I couldn't help asking myself how local companies will ever remain in business against this flood of competition. I say "competition" in inverted commas because most consumers will buy the product based on price.
I see soft pannier bags comparable in looks and (superficially and initially) quality to my Wolfman Dry pannier bags. Cost? Around ZAR680 each x 2 = R1360. Versus around R6000 for the Wolfmans. Not sure what someone like Turkana charges for similar pannier bags. Sidestand foot enlarger for around ZAR78 - ZAR100. Frame protectors for ZAR277. Acerbis frame guards for my 300L are over ZAR1000. Handguards with a backbone for ZAR336.
It's crazy. And I cannot see how local (here in SA and in other countries around the world) manufacturers can compete with these prices. In our consumer crazy society where people will rip their own toenails out with a pair of pliers if they thought they could sell them for R10 apiece, consumers have absolutely no loyalty or longer term view of things and buy almost purely on price.
I browsed around Temu and felt slightly ill after a while with the sheer magnitude of the Chinese onslaught on local manufacturers and retailers. On the motorcycle front I fear we will become like the gluttonous Yankees where no product is new enough/good enough/blinged enough/modified enough and needs a few thousand USD to "customise" it. It is a consumer orgy and frankly, it repulses me. Besides this aspect, and after reading that Temu is a highly organised data harvesting setup, I decided to holster my debit card and wait until I can support local guys.
If more of us don't take this approach I fear for the future of any form of local manufacturing.
Be good to get some comment from @zebra , @Chrisl , @Runner, @cracklin , and other local suppliers.
