I have recently been told that the shop doesn't stock the item I want. Can you order it ? Yes, we can but it will be six weeks and you will have to take it. I am used to visiting shops in order to touch and feel the items I am considering purchasing. (I can look at a catalogue at home or online).

Questions:
What is the role of retailers ?
Why should I buy from a bricks and mortar retailer in Switzerland that stocks almost nothing ?
What happens when it goes wrong ? Presumably sending it back to the retailer rather the the company itself simply adds weeks to the repair process ?
What advantage does a swiss shop retailer have over an online retailer ?
If I buy from an online retailer , why should I buy from a swiss company at all when the prices are inflated ?

These are serious questions, and bring me to question the viability of swiss retailing. I can understand what value-added means, but I see no value added. The swiss market is relatively small, but I suspect there is more to it than that...

BigD

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You make your own luck.

www.shootingthecheese.ch
The place for fun and chat in Switzerland.

What are you buying?

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It is ridiculous claiming that video games influence children. If Pac-man affected kids born in the eighties, we should by now have a bunch of teenagers who run around in darkened rooms and eat pills while listening to monotonous electronic music....

Watch, clothes, shoes, bike, car usw. All have been subject to the same observations.

BigD

__________________
You make your own luck.

www.shootingthecheese.ch
The place for fun and chat in Switzerland.

I do feel your pain, i have also encountered the same problem.

When i go to a shop, want to pay for an item and walk out of the shop with it in my hands.

I limit my online purchases as i do prefer to get things from shops, but i must say that when i have bought anything online it comes quickly and i have never had problems.

My recent stint in the UK i even used Tesco direct every week

Thinking about it more, i am now buying TV shows (namely 24 & Entourage) from itunes rather than have to wait till they come out.

With regards to music i buy some tracks from itunes, but due to the fact they are **** mp3's i much prefer going out to a shop and getting CD's/Vinyl. There is one site i do buy alot of tracks from online.....but they sell .wav's ( Traxsource.com - the best House Music WAV and MP3 downloads )

Books i only get online as my reading is rather obsure and no shop stocks my weird books. (e.g. Ian Roland - The Full Facts Book of Cold Reading)


I dont think this problem is specific to Switzerland though.

cheers
SC II

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It is ridiculous claiming that video games influence children. If Pac-man affected kids born in the eighties, we should by now have a bunch of teenagers who run around in darkened rooms and eat pills while listening to monotonous electronic music....

I'd never buy clothes or shoes over the internet, unless it was exactly the same brand, style and size as something I'd previously owned (that seems a little dull). I think I'm just to lazy to send things back, not to mention getting stuff to the post office is a pain, or how many pairs of shoes I have to try on till I find a pair that fits, so bugger that really.

Ordering large stuff online is a pain too, it usualy means at least a morning or afternoon off to wait for the delivery, if not a whole day.

Somethings are obviously cheaper, Games, DVDs, Books, but for all other things, unless it's much cheaper on the internet, I'm prepared to pay a little extra to pickup something there and then.

Similarly, but not the same, I was at the doctor this morning to collect some more tablets. This drug is particularly hepatotoxic so my liver function needs monitoring monthly. He knows I am coming and should have made sure he had the drugs waiting for me. Along I go with my daughter, have bloods done, get results and ask for the next 28. He hasn't got them and he'll have to order them. WTF hasn't he got them? Thismeans another, albeit short trip to his praxis to collect them. GRRRRRR

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One should either be a work of art or wear a work of art.

My issue is not that some obscure or esoteric recording or book is not available in WH Smiths, but basic models in a popular colour are not available. Dealers do not even stock the most basic range. Simply having a poster or the wall or claiming to be an authorised-dealer is not enough if you cannot see and touch the thing you are interested in buying.

Online ordering has its limitations in this regard, but if a swiss shop insists that you buy something if they order it, then you may as well order it (equally unseen) online...

BigD

__________________
You make your own luck.

www.shootingthecheese.ch
The place for fun and chat in Switzerland.

I also don't like buying shoes online, really need to try them on for comfort etc. But I've come across shoe shops that although they don't have my size in stock, still insist that if they were to order it, I would have to guarantee to buy them. No added value to that then!

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Bring on Summer!

I had similar when I visited a local bike store a few years ago. Needed a part immediately to get a bike going, went to a few stores but none held stock, would take a week or so to get in. One store the guy started talking and talking (Australia... blah...blah) and would not take no for not ordering it in, much against my protests and definite no. I'm thinking that I can order online and get for half the price if I'm willing to wait a week. A month or so I went in there for something else. Kaboom, he had gone ahead and ordered it, and proceed to chastise me for wasting his time, money etc..... Not been back to that shop.

I think the key question is: what is the added value ?

Advice ? Surprisingly, any advice will point towards what they have in stock.
Configuration or custom build ? Yes, your bike will be ready in November when we receive all the components.
Warranty ? I will sent the faulty device to the company myself , rather than add to the delay, cost and confusion by involving the dealer.
Showroom ? As described, the display rarely if ever has a full range, and for reasons unknown often seems to stock esoteric models at the expense of mainstream.
Discount ? Let's not even go there.
Installation ? "We can install it for you on MAy 23rd at 1500." (Today is Feb 22) and will charge you a lot to do this.
Availability of support ? We are closed at weekends and lunchtimes. We need our time off too you know (accusingly) !
Comparative Shopping ? Nope.
Bargains/extras for loyal customers ? Nope
Convenience ? Nope.

I am trying very hard, believe it or not to avoid a completely damning appraisal of swiss retailing, but apart from the larger departments store which are now only ten years behind the rest of western europe wrt their retailing practices, I feel no positive vibes.

Tear down those barriers to entry in Switzerland !
Champion the consumer and apply customer pressure !
Where is the differentiation from these shops ? Where is the segment focus ?

....on second thoughts, just vote with your feet: pay the risk premium and import from online. Or get your bike, watch or whatever from Germany yourself and reclaim the 19% and pay the 7.6%, and treat yourself to a slap up meal in a German steakhouse, or a sandwich in Zürich Bahnhofstrasse.

BigD

__________________
You make your own luck.

www.shootingthecheese.ch
The place for fun and chat in Switzerland.