Author Topic: Japanese online store  (Read 10617 times)

Offline trevoro

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #15 on: November 06, 2007, 04:36:56 AM »
I hate to be captain obvious, but read the following.

What you are requesting is for a Japanese company, in a country whose official language is Japanese, to send products from Japan for the benefit of foreign, non-Japanese speaking purchasers.

When I type that out, does it not seem ridiculous to you too?

The argument will come up that Japanese will order from the US, blah blah blah... BUT! Those foreign people are forcing themselves to learn English so they can order products from a different foreign country. Not everyone in this world does, or should be forced to, speak English.

End point.

Offline Felon_Monk

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #16 on: November 06, 2007, 05:02:59 AM »
that is an excellent point. i was going to say earlier that "The US doesnt make webpages available in Japanese so why should the Japanese?" but i felt like it was a little closed minded and counter productive to the topic. In actuality the Japanese do have webpages in dual languages, check out http://www.magicfruits.jp/ (i love the front page picture of the girl also.. damn thats hot). Almost all Japanese students learn english in school these days but if you have ever taking a foreign language class in high school/middle school, you know you dont really learn anything except the basic words unless you have a love for that language.
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Offline Paradoxium

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #17 on: November 06, 2007, 12:43:32 PM »
I hate to be captain obvious, but read the following.

What you are requesting is for a Japanese company, in a country whose official language is Japanese, to send products from Japan for the benefit of foreign, non-Japanese speaking purchasers.

When I type that out, does it not seem ridiculous to you too?

The argument will come up that Japanese will order from the US, blah blah blah... BUT! Those foreign people are forcing themselves to learn English so they can order products from a different foreign country. Not everyone in this world does, or should be forced to, speak English.

End point.

Yes, thats a good point, but who will be the big winner here if it happens? Japanese flat companies.

 The Japanese flatland companies will benefit from higher sales. The flat community will also benefit because you cant buy this stuff elsewhere, so its a win win situation. Maybe FF will sell this stuff in the future, but I dont know. Its expensive, so that may be part of it.

English is extremely widespread and is taught as a second language in many countries, so its more logical for any business to offer english as well as thier own mother tongue.

Foreign languages is one of my favorite hobbies, too, so I am not an English speaking snob, too proud to learn a foreign tongue, and I have no problem with trying to learn other languages, and although I'm not fluent in other languages, I have been studying them for years.

Offline cruiser_flatland

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #18 on: November 06, 2007, 01:04:25 PM »
If you took that perspective the western world would not have a wide variety of cameras, motorcycles, and automobiles.

Also, you will find that Japanese culture is based slightly more on tradition -combined with the incorporation of western concepts, cultures and communication. (explains why you see thousands of businessmen in dark blue suits everywhere)

As for Japanese exports to the US, I see here english as the 2nd most commonly spoke language in all of Asia, but it often takes time and resources to translate ideas and product catalogues into a English-speaking market. The population is so big here (Asia) that it supercedes Canada, USA and Europe combined, so I'm sure certain smaller Japanese companies aren't too concerned with all the effort in exporting overseas.

I'll be in Hong Kong next (after Japan) and ask them what they think about it. I know they get Japanese flatland products.


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Offline timmyg

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #19 on: November 06, 2007, 01:10:40 PM »
move to japan and start a flatland mail order company  ^_^ ^_^
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Offline Felon_Monk

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #20 on: November 06, 2007, 06:22:37 PM »
move to japan and start a flatland mail order company  ^_^ ^_^

I wish it was cost effective or i would start doing it.. but i think i have only talked to one guy that has said he wanted parts from Japanese companies..
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Offline ColinSmith

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #21 on: November 06, 2007, 08:54:31 PM »
For the Europeans, Louis in Porto is starting a flatland specialist mail order store with Magic Fruit and some other cool stuff.

Early days, but worth keeping an eye on it ;-)

Raso

Offline out~riding

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #22 on: November 06, 2007, 09:39:56 PM »
For the Europeans, Louis in Porto is starting a flatland specialist mail order store with Magic Fruit and some other cool stuff.

Early days, but worth keeping an eye on it ;-)

Raso


Thanks Colin,

RASO is still very new and I dont have to much stuff in stock yet..
We will be selling some japanese brands: Magicfruits, 059brand, Dirty 450 are on the way already!

Something we will also do is custom builds, paint jobs, chrome-plating, and wheel lacing.

The english version isnt updated yet so please check out the portuguese.

www.rasobmx.com


Offline Paradoxium

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #23 on: November 07, 2007, 11:40:41 AM »
If you took that perspective the western world would not have a wide variety of cameras, motorcycles, and automobiles.

Also, you will find that Japanese culture is based slightly more on tradition -combined with the incorporation of western concepts, cultures and communication. (explains why you see thousands of businessmen in dark blue suits everywhere)

As for Japanese exports to the US, I see here english as the 2nd most commonly spoke language in all of Asia, but it often takes time and resources to translate ideas and product catalogues into a English-speaking market. The population is so big here (Asia) that it supercedes Canada, USA and Europe combined, so I'm sure certain smaller Japanese companies aren't too concerned with all the effort in exporting overseas.

I'll be in Hong Kong next (after Japan) and ask them what they think about it. I know they get Japanese flatland products.




It sounds like your having a good time touring all over asia , it would be an awesome thing to do. I saw your pics on another post, lucky you. :beer:




Outriding, i checked out  www.rasobmx.com . Looks cool. Much like spanish too, luckily for me ;D.   Let us know when you stockpile your Japanese parts that noone else seems to stock. Cheers. :beer: :mellow:

Offline timmyg

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #24 on: November 07, 2007, 12:28:42 PM »
hey i dont speak portuguese or spanish at all, but i looked through your site and it is so much easier to use and laid out so much more intelligently then other bmx mail order websites! even through the language barrier i could still easily navigate!

props!

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Am I a man? Yes, technically i am

Offline Ultraman Zoffy

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #25 on: November 08, 2007, 01:56:14 AM »
Does flatland fuel ship to Japan?  I thought the mail flew both ways... :mellow:

we ship to Japan almost every day. The Japanese would rather have what we have than what they can get there in a lot of cases. Even with shipping its less expensive to order from the US or Europe than to buy locally in Japan.

So true... my bank account got murdered while living in Tokyo when it came to buying parts. $30 Frequency G's, anyone? The Japanese companies were usually the most expensive brands in the shops... nothing like getting to see every flat part you could want in person and having it be out of reach! hehe...
For a good indication of what kinds of prices you can expect for getting brands like Magic Fruits and 059 stuff in the US, just take a look at the Ares Bikes America site... tons of respect for Scott getting everyone access to those parts, but you can see how much it costs to provide that kind of product stateside. Which reminds me: I want a Garuda.

Offline Mike Dood

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #26 on: November 08, 2007, 02:13:47 AM »
Does flatland fuel ship to Japan?  I thought the mail flew both ways... :mellow:

we ship to Japan almost every day. The Japanese would rather have what we have than what they can get there in a lot of cases. Even with shipping its less expensive to order from the US or Europe than to buy locally in Japan.

haha It's just like that  with sport compact cars, The USA wants all the JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) stuff and the Japanese want the American stuff.

Funny how that works... the grass is greener type stuff...

Offline Felon_Monk

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #27 on: November 08, 2007, 03:28:51 AM »
well, alot of stuff in Japan is expensive... generally speaking the same part you would buy in the states for 30USD will cost the equivalent of 50-70USD here....

So true... my bank account got murdered while living in Tokyo when it came to buying parts. $30 Frequency G's, anyone? The Japanese companies were usually the most expensive brands in the shops... nothing like getting to see every flat part you could want in person and having it be out of reach! hehe...
For a good indication of what kinds of prices you can expect for getting brands like Magic Fruits and 059 stuff in the US, just take a look at the Ares Bikes America site... tons of respect for Scott getting everyone access to those parts, but you can see how much it costs to provide that kind of product stateside. Which reminds me: I want a Garuda.

thats exactly what i was saying... Things are expensive here... But if you live here you normally get paid enough to afford what you want. If i skip pratice today imma run by the shop and check out their pegs...
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Offline Paradoxium

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #28 on: November 08, 2007, 12:26:58 PM »
This has been a real eye opener for me. It sounds like most of these Japanese parts are so expensive, that not many places stock them. Also the fact that Pat said they often prefer to order from FF insead of buying local made parts is incredible. It looks to me like this sort of stuff will remain inside that locked candy store window refered to at the beginning, haha.

Offline Felon_Monk

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Re: Japanese online store
« Reply #29 on: November 08, 2007, 03:27:47 PM »
dood, dont get confused.. they dont order from the states because its cheaper.. they order because its cool to have sh*t from another country.. If i sent you my bike and you started rocking out with it and people figured out it was a japanese company, theyd be all over you.. no matter how it looked.. just cause its cool to have different sh*t.. thats the cool thing about freestyle... different is cooler.. unless its a peice of sh*t.. but thats a different story..
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