http://summittosea.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/an-apolitical-broadcast-from-summit-to.html

Well it’s one perspective I guess, slightly biased maybe…

😉

It’s disingenuous to say ‘save 50p by buying from an online giant’… If that were the case (stuff being just slightly more expensive at LBS than online) then I would use mine more often. But when they regularly charge me double the price for bits for what I can buy them online for, they are taking the biscuit. Recent example – needed a brake adaptor. 5 mins to LBS. Only ones they had in store were xtr (apparently 🙄 ) – 12 quid. These are 6 quid on CRC and to be honest I would have been happy with a 3 pounds cheapo from ebay. Being dim I bought it anyway as I had asked for a brake adaptor, he had gone out the back to get one and I was too polite to walk away. But, as I did walk out my thoughts were… ‘last time I ever do that’

I mainly shop online for the sheer convenience of having stuff delivered to work and being able to shop on work’s time. I rarely have time to go into town, probably shop in town maybe 2-3x a year.

I don’t think he’s referring to CRC, more the Tax dodgers…

more the Tax dodgers…

Who are?

People normally name Amazon, although as Amazon don’t actually make a profit (their strategy is to invest every penny in growth), it’s a mute point.

refers to ebay in the blog.

I’d guess Amazon invest every penny after dividends and bonuses, as it doesn’t come across as a workers co-operative…

😉

He is correct folk moan about all sorts of things when the reality is business can only exist if we buy stuff from them. if we stop due to their tax practises they will change. If no one bought a starbucks coffee till they started paying tax they will be paying tax by Friday.

It wont happen as we want cheap rather than principles…see also supermarkets rather than the high street etc

it’s a mute point

You are joey from Friends and I claim my £5 🙂

He regurgitates an article on amazon so i presume them. The only problem with attacking Amazon is that they don’t make much money, they made a loss in the second and third quarters, if you are making losses you don’t pay tax.

I’d guess Amazon invest every penny after dividends and bonuses, as it doesn’t come across as a workers co-operative…

They don’t pay dividends, much to the annoyance of share holders!

Mefty, it’s definitely ebay that he speaks about and links to. I read it before linking to it here.

Mefty, it’s definitely ebay that he speaks about and links to. I read it before linking to it here.

Sorry I even skimmed it. Apologies, ebay is even trickier to tax as they are just a marketplace, they have limited need for bricks and mortar operations.

I like the idea of supporting LBSs, but then I think about how often I see them supporting local business by using public transport instead of driving a car bought from a multinational using fuel from a garage owned by an even bigger multinational, so I order on line and get the parts delivered cheaper.

Why would I use public transport
The bus takes almost 2 hours
The train takes about 1.30 hours
By car about 45 min
By bike about 45 min

It wont happen as we want cheap rather than principles…see also supermarkets rather than the high street etc

This +100
See every “If I order from the US can I get out of tax” question.
If you support the tax dodgers then you really don’t get to complain about cuts etc. Buy your bike bits from the continent and all the money leaves the UK.

. If no one bought a starbucks coffee till they started paying tax they will be paying tax by Friday.

It wont happen as we want cheap rather than principles..

interesting pair of thoughts there JY.
I dont use starbucks and havent, but that my choice and the queue in the one in town last time i passed shows my POV isnt for everyone.

where is that, live online list of companies to avoid?
and more to the point, where do you draw the line?

*cuts the power and goes out to forage for tomorrows breakfast*

Why would I use public transport…

Exactly my point.
Why would I use my LBS, or Local Anything Shop for that matter, when I can have stuff delivered to my door cheaper?

I cant support a lbs. I have to support a family. Cycling is an expeesive additional expense sadly. If you said I’d have to double spending on it and drive/park for every item I’d stop cycling. I wonder how many stopped?

if you are making losses you don’t pay tax.

Hmmm, and it’d be in your interest to file a loss so you don’t pay tax wouldn’t it 😉

I have an LBS just a couple of minutes walk away.

Not that I use it much. it was nearly double the cost for my last purchase. Didn’t even win the ‘helpful advice’ bit of the experience.

Social security payments on salaries are tax, pensions too. Anything a company has to pay to the state. Companies use and abuse the discrepancies between EU states to find a cheap home in Europe, which may not be the place with the lowest company/income tax but the place with the lowest overall tax bill. Multinational companies will centre profits where they pay the least tax and employ labour where it’s cheapest. The losers in this system are countries which offer their citizens the best infrastructure, health care and social security safety net.

You vote every time you buy something, vote wisely. I’ve never bought anything from E-bay (but have three lights that were bought for me). The chances of my LBS having cones for an XT hub, a reservoir kit for Formula brakes (or even pads), a 1990 Flite saddle or a Nobby Nic in 2.2 x 27.5 are zero so I use CRC etc..

The chances of my LBS having cones for an XT hub, a reservoir kit for Formula brakes (or even pads), a 1990 Flite saddle or a Nobby Nic in 2.2 x 27.5 are zero so I use CRC etc..

True, but like any local shop, if we used them, they’d surely have more stock, more choice.
I always think of the old style ‘fork handle’ hardware shops that had everything, and they knew where it was. You could buy one hinge, or three screws or whatever. The modern mega warehouses are just horrendously frustrating places to deal with.

That’s sadly the way things are going with everything, but like nearly everyone, I search out the cheapest prices I can so am as guilty as anyone. 😕

Remember back (not so long ago either) that for anything vaguely well priced you’d have to look out for a specific ad in the back of a mag?

If you wanted a second hand bike you’d look in the back of mbr etc? Otherwise you had NO choice. The internet has created choice (and built many many many bikeshops into bigger business too). Many bike related businesses have started and flourished due to the internet.

The convenience of online shopping is the major factor for me. My lbs is only open during my working hours mon-fri. I could go Saturday but have better things to do.

Thats an obvious and good point- why not open 12-8 daily instead of core hours of 10-6? I know the bigger stores now have longer opening.

The World’s Saddest Bike Shop Owner 🙁

Thats an obvious and good point- why not open 12-8 daily instead of core hours of 10-6?

Presumably shop workers/business owners are quite partial to having a life too?
🙂

Many years ago we were predominantly a craft shop. Then QVC and big craft barns arrived so we expanded our gift side .The big craft places then went bust.
We now get disgruntled old dears moaning at us that we don’t stock craft stuff. ” I always used to get all my craft stuff from you.” Reap what you sow.

The biggest issue for me is fairness of supply, when a LBS has to admit that their trade price is less than an online retailer is selling for it’s easy to see how the market is distorted. Grey/OEM etc. is having a serious effect, it may only be a short term win for the consumer.

Presumably shop workers/business owners are quite partial to having a life too?

Often if you work in retail your day off is in the week isn’t it?

Often if you work in retail your day off is in the week isn’t it?

Unless your small and then it’s never. Or the day of is spent doing accounts, orders, invoices and payroll. Or in the shop doing all the jobs you can’t do when you are working.

Surely ebay (and Amazon marketplace for that matter) is a massive enabler and supporter of small one man/woman businesses, and should be praised, rather than pilloried?

Whether these pay taxes is another matter entirely…

I bought my Reverb from Pete at Summit to Sea. Best price around at the time, certainly for a UK Reverb, and was useful when the warranty return was needed.

it’s a mute point

Pardon?

Hmmm, and it’d be in your interest to file a loss so you don’t pay tax wouldn’t it

Maybe in one or two jurisdictions because you transfer the profit somewhere with lower tax – but if you lose money globally, you’ve…lost money.

Amazon is well known for not making profits and not paying divvies – they replough everything in the business, supposably because they want to increase the capital value of the company.

We sell on ebay, … I can promise you we’re working hard to reduce our reliance on this side of the business.

Hmm. I’m far from being any sort of businessman, but the only advice I’d feel like giving any local business anywhere is “get on eBay”.

Hmm. I’m far from being any sort of businessman, but the only advice I’d feel like giving any local business anywhere is “get on eBay”.

Have you spoken to anyone who sells on ebay? the cash goes to ebay mostly.

Hmm. I’m far from being any sort of businessman, but the only advice I’d feel like giving any local business anywhere is “get on eBay”.

Including cafes and windowcleaners?

eBay has its uses for businesses, but with an effective fee of around 20% it’s a lot of margin to give away for the privilege.

mikewsmith – Member
The biggest issue for me is fairness of supply, when a LBS has to admit that their trade price is less than an online retailer is selling for it’s easy to see how the market is distorted. Grey/OEM etc. is having a serious effect, it may only be a short term win for the consumer.

POSTED 33 MINUTES AGO #

Surely that’s how you would hope things are . It’s when your trade price is more than online retailers are selling for that you have difficulty .