May never get to use the product...

[Lydia]

Re: May never get to use the product...

Media Man, although I didn't quite understand too well how what Mike was saying was relevant to the question, I didn't see anything where he was bashing Canadians. I understand your frustration; even here in the US it can be rather difficult to get products.

About the stores not telling you what's available in their stores, that's the stores choice, not Meguiar's. Meguiar's can't tell the people that sell their stuff "You better tell everybody what's in your store or else!". I guess probably the stores have the theory that if they get you in there, even if they don't have what you want, you might buy something anyways? Just guessing there...

Anyways, I hope you are able to find a sensible, cost-effective way to get the things you want. Good luck!

[TrufflePig]

Re: May never get to use the product...

bud, seriously now, i think you should relax a little.

second, Mike didn't bash Canadians at all. if anything, Mike has been very supportive and helpful with Canadians and knows that we can't get alot of stuff and don't have many clinics etc... what he was doing was explaining in another thread why products aren't available and why there is a price difference....duties, fees, customs etc...same applice in Canada. i think you were being ignorant towards him when saying

"You are right, I should always think in terms of global risk, investment capital, profit taking, obstacles to distribution, and perhaps be concerned about the wages, health care benefits of Meguires employees worldwide."

relax a little and realize Mike is only trying to help. you don't have to be a 'smart ***' and say how you got a 926 word lecture etc...and you need to realize that mike as i said was trying to help.

and stop all this crying about Canadian bashing. I'm Canadian myself. i deal with it. its part of life. ever heard, life isn't fair. you **** it up and deal with it. its not going to kill you. i drove 4 hours once to pick up a bunch of stuff i order from ads one point that got delievered to family in Rochester. i didn't complain. i was happy i was getting what i wanted.

its been like this for years. i mean only US retailers carry all the Dressing (hyper, etc..) and stuff like APC. it *****. I know it does. it really does.

but what can i do about. either sit here and complain or do something about it. last time i drove across the border to get some. made a day of it with the girlfriend and that's it.

in short, i'll be the first to admit Meguiar's Canada isn't the greatest in terms of products. i also don't like some of the people i've spoken with that represent them at car shows, barely know what they're talking about so just skip the questions and grab what you're after. that's my experience.

in terms of help. i spoke with Greg Morton directly and he helped me out in getting exactly what i needed. even sent it to my house. that was a huge help. so the help is there if you seek it.

in terms of what you're looking for.

i didn't let the lack of support of MEGS Canada deter me from Detailing. its just simple. Megs is an American company with their largest market in the US so its a given they support them first right. and btw, as you know, MEGS isn't the first company to do this either.

DURA CHEMICALS is the place to go for MEGS. largest selection i've found from Hamilton to Toronto.

i will say this though. some of our fellow American detailers can't understand what you say because they can get anything they want. i mean although they may need to go to specailty shops, they at least have these shops. we don't really. we can't. what i don't get is why MEGS CANADA can't get it and we just pick it up from them in Mississauga. i mean it is the head office..but then i do understand. its called CUSTOMS.

same reason as to why Australia probably doesn't have rabies, my roomates had never seen a racoon, a squirel etc...strict customs. its for your benefit, not the CANADIAN GOVERNMENT. although we like to think its for theirs

life isn't fair. you just go with it.

cheers

[justgiver]

Re: May never get to use the product...



I believe an explanation from Meguiars Canada to this this thread is in order.

Lets pick our battles, not the availability of car care products.

[TrufflePig]

Re: May never get to use the product...

and remember,

a store is taking a chance bringing in Meguiars products. its the higher end product.not everyone wants to use Meguiars. i know people who hate the product and then people who love it (ME).

but, anyways, they have to bring it what they think will sell. not what they hope will sell. if there is a big enough demand, then they can start bringing in other stuff and new product. companies need to make money you know to pay for their health, and wages and feed their families. its simple.

[MediaMan]

Re: May never get to use the product...

Is Meguiar's Canada owned by Meguiar's, or is it a licensed distributor?

Fair question. Anyone know?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: May never get to use the product...

Closing this until I finish my reply

Hang on a second...

[Mike Phillips]

Re: May never get to use the product...

Are we feeling better now that the Canadian bashing is over? Nice way to treat customers by the way.

We have over 16,385 posts on this forum and we think if you go through them you'll find a consistent theme in that all of them are an honest attempt to help people get solutions to their problems, not bash anyone. There was no bashing in anything we posted towards anyone and if it read like that we apologize. We have to be very careful with everything we post on this very public forum as our immediate boss and all of upper management can read this anytime they like. So we don't as a normal course of business take our very public posts lightly.


We also have to keep in mind that anyone can join this forum and in their first dozen posts or so, post something that can jeopardize our job simply by writing a post that makes it look like "they were being bashed". At this point, I'm beginning to wish I had not even tried to outline some of the factors that make it hard for you to find all of our products in Canada.

Getting back to the point.

1) As to the Canadian availability:

- I am NOT complaining about the price (so I'm not sure what all that Sweden stuff was relevant). Did I once mention price??

The information copied an pasted from the Sweden thread was not intended to focus on price but on all of the things behind the scenes that most people don't think about that are required to bring a product line, whether it be 1 or 2 products or an entire line into a country. (in our case, an entire line is a lot of products). We hoped the ideas presented in that thread, were similar enough that the ideas would get across so we wouldn't have to retype a completely new post in an effort to try to get similar ideas across.

- I am not even complaining about the availability of only part of the product line in Canada vs US (so again, not sure about the lecture on risk and distribution was all about).

My issue was the retailing of those Canadian products in Canada. No ability to purchase on line (Cdn web site) - and hard for the consumer to know what's available at each store. At least tell me "this product is available at these retailers". Eg NXT Generation Speed Detailer is on the Meguiars Canada web site...but impossible to easily find where to buy it. My opinion was that I didnt think I should have to be making a dozen calls to find out where to buy it. There is a FORUM link on the canadian web site - it points here, so I posted my comments here.

It could be we, (meaning me), mis-read what your specific intent was in your questions, things like the inability to order directly from the Canadian website), and instead thought of the issues as be more about product availability and a wide spectrum of product availability at that.

For this we, (meaning I), apologize. No harm intended, heck I don't have anything to do with the Canadian website or distribution, I just try to help people choose the right products and use them correctly when they go out into their garage. We were only trying to help in this thread to try to highlight some of the factors that affect product availability and distribution outside the U.S. we think after this thread that will never try to do this again and instead we'll just forward the link to someone in management.

But that issue was not replied to. Instead I get a lecture, in 926 words, about the global economy, and what an idiot I am for thinking little picture like a consumer. Well sorry for wanting to buy the product. You are right, I should always think in terms of global risk, investment capital, profit taking, obstacles to distribution, and perhaps be concerned about the wages, health care benefits of Meguires employees worldwide. I need to drop the 'I want I want mentallity' I should think big and not be so obsessed with reaching my hand out on the shelf to buy a silly product to wax my car. You are correct.

Again, if the spirit in which I wrote my replies has offended you, I sincerely apologize, that was not the intent. In all most all cases when we make a post on this forum, we try to type in in a way that thousands of people can read it for decades to come and the information presented will answer questions and help people to understand the issue. This goes for how to use a car wax and in this case why you can't always grab the specific bottle of car wax you want off your local retailer's shelf. We don't just post short, once sentence glib answers to get out of work, we sincerely try to type answers that will endure.

Again, from the words and tone in your reply above, we're hoping we don't get into trouble because we've offended a new member of our forum. At the time of this post you 11 posts total on this forum of which 7 are in this thread. Our intent was to type an answer that would help anyone in Canada, and by extrapolation, anyone in any other country, understand all of the factors behind the scenes that affect the availability and selection of our products in their country.

Our posting history shows that most our posts, if not all of them, are in the spirit of helping people, not offending them. So again, if I've offended you because I didn't answer your questions in the right way, I apologize, that was not my intent and we hope a perusal of my posting history on this forum, or any forum, shows that's not how we operate.

Hmmm, but all I wanted was the NXT Generation Speed Detailer I saw on the Canadian web site. Well you know what they say at Meguiars - the customer is always wrong (and stupid - no how did you put it..oh ya.. it might be "hard to understand").

2) As to Meguiars US not selling direct to Canada, I do understand the points re this undermining the efforts of a Canadian distributor. I do wonder (being stupid and all) why it also does not undermine their efforts when you all allow your US distirbutors to sell directly into Canada...ie I can go to a US site and order on line typically with no problem. Don't really need a reply as I am like to stupid to understand.

I sincerely apologize if my reply has offended you, from your reply on this forum it reads like it has.

Anyways, thank you for the response. I am fascinated that you say there is no litle picture point of view. I disagree. Its called the consumer point of view, and it very much does matter. If you dont have customers, all your big picture world econmomy risk analysis doesnt really help much.

Actually, I completely understand the "Customer's Point of View" as I'm a customer also.

For the last 10 years or so I always keep this quote typed onto a piece of paper taped to my monitor,

"A Professional Salesperson never sells anything, they solve their customer's problem. If you can solve your customer's problem, they will purchase your product or service"


That's a marketing philosophy I sincerely believe in and the way I approach my job here on this forum, I never try to sell anything, I try to solve people's problems and the only way I can do this is to put myself in the shoes of the customer, that is to adopt their point of view or mindset.

I started posting to the Internet in 1994, that's 13 years ago and all of my posts are written from the customer's point of view, that is people come to this forum with problems searching for solutions. My job is to do my best to solve their problems.

After reading your replies numerous times and getting a feel for how upset you are, at this point all I can do is apologize and try to find someone more qualified than myself to answer your questions as to why you can't order Speed Detailer online from the Canadian website nor find Speed Detailer at a local retail store.

Again...

I apologize...

[TrufflePig]

Re: May never get to use the product...

as a fellow Canadian, Mike i honestly think you did nothing wrong. you intention is to help people to the best of you ability. that's what you do and always have done. you don't care where they live.

i understand Canada has issues getting products. we also have issues get VeggeMite and BBQ Shapes and Swiss Chocolate and Italian Pizza. ah well.

you whole heartedly tried to help and explain to MediaMan some important issues.

issues which he pushed aside and couldn't see and instead turn your responses into 'smart ***' remarks and take them as a bashing of Canadians.

heck i'm pissed all the time i can't find MEGS products in Canada. its hard enough to find MEGS MF's let a lone speed detailer, yet i casually drive 45 minuets to the US and the closest PEP BOYS and problem solved.

and if he's looking for answers, he should be contacting MEGUIARS CANADA, like was already mentioned earlier on in the thread.

although he is new, 11 posts, it seems as if he's just starting something. who knows though.

[TrufflePig]

Re: May never get to use the product...

taken from MEGS CANADA!!!

How to order

Meguiar's products are not available to order on-line. Please see our dealer listing for a dealer in your area for the product you wish to order. In the event that there is no dealer in your area or you cannot find the product you are looking for please e-mail customer service and let us know which products you wish to order. We will get back to you within 2 business days with pricing/ availability.

All products in our product section are available in Canada.Products available in the United States that are not available in Canada due to governmental regulations (CCCR) can be ordered through Meguiar's Canada in full case quantities. Delivery on special orders will be approximately 2-4 weeks.

[STG]

Re: May never get to use the product...

Maybe Barry just doesn't want to spend the money for Francais / English labels so the products could be sold in Quebec?

[TrufflePig]

Re: May never get to use the product...

whatever the case, MediaMan needs realize Meguiars isn't the only company that does this.

this happens with every company and Canada.

you deal with it.

i've said before, if he has any further questions he can contact Greg Morton, has he's been a very big help with all my questions when dealing with MEGS Canada.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: May never get to use the product...

if he has any further questions he can contact Greg Morton, has he's been a very big help with all my questions when dealing with MEGS Canada.

Greg has contacted him and we're taking care of this, so let's move forward.

thanks,

[MediaMan]

Re: May never get to use the product...

Greg has contacted him and we're taking care of this, so let's move forward.

thanks,

As I started this thread, perhaps I can end it on a conciliatory note. I didn’t want to leave the ‘apology’ hanging out there without an acknowledgement. Mike - I may have been annoyed, but not offended. So apology accepted but not necessary - you did nothing but try to help , and your track record of assistance speaks for itself and needs no defending – certainly not from me. I do regret that this thread took a wrong turn ; a little less sarcasm on my part would have prevented it. So let me apologize to you as well for taking this in a direction it didn’t have to go.


My original post/vent was to get a better sense of the issues Canadians have in getting product - I now know the situation better and my available options.


As you say, let’s move forward – the technical issues are much more interesting to discuss.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: May never get to use the product...

As you say let’s move forward – the technical issues are much more interesting to discuss.

I'm all for that!

[eShine.ca]

Re: May never get to use the product...

It would be nice to be a one stop shop for Meguiar's products but to be honest there are simply too many products! One could never catch up and it is hard to pick and choose which products you think the majority of consumers want. We can easily pick up an entire line from another company in one day but it is just not possible with Meguiar's! To make matters worse Meguiar's comes out with more products and lines than one can imagine!

Chris Pace
eShine Canada