Maybe you have heard of Small Business Saturday… First observed in the United States on November 27, 2010, it is a counterpart to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday is a relatively new phenomenon, making its first real appearance in 2005 but the idea of getting deals online with the advances in shopping searches has changed many people’s notion of a shopping experience. However, we would like to think there are many reasons why a “real” shopping experience is still superior in most situations and especially when dealing with certain products and services.
I was reading a motorcycle magazine recently and noticed an ad that sadly struck me as offensive. The ad was for an internet parts seller who, in their advertisement, stated, “who you buy from is as important as what you buy.” I was stunned.
While I strongly agree with the statement (indeed, it is an All American mantra), when one considers the source, it is hard to swallow. How is a faceless, out-of-town (or out of country?), computer-generated pseudo-store some place that one should value? I find this assertion absurd because our team at All American H-D spends each day trying to prove that “who you buy from is as important as what you buy”. To suggest an Internet pseudo-store can provide the same benefits as our Parts and Accessories counter is simply incorrect. By spending large sums on national ads in respected magazines, these businesses attempt to convince you that their goods are less expensive, even though this is typically not the case. Now they are attempting to convince us that they are somehow important to our community?? Let’s face it, they are important to the motorcycle magazine community- not the biker community and certainly not the biker community in our area.
At All American Harley-Davidson, we have invested in the local community, not only with our building, taxes, and civic contributions, but more importantly for fellow bikers, by hiring experts who live and breathe Harley-Davidson and by maintaining a multi-million dollar inventory so our customers can see, feel, and touch the items they love. We are, of course, here to answer your questions, provide solutions, and offer our expertise as required. Furthermore, we maintain and train a full department of Harley technicians. We service, and we stand behind what we sell.
At All American, we do not pretend that good service is free shipping or a computer generated email response, rather we are here in person to offer our expertise with honesty and integrity and to share our enthusiasm daily. If the kind of personal service we provide and the ability to talk to pros in person and to look at and touch the merchandise you are interested in is important to you, we ask you to support the people who support you.
I bring this up because All American is not only grateful for but, like all other brick and mortar stores, dependent upon your patronage. As you consider where to spend any shopping dollars consider, patronizing local businesses that support what you love. Our goal is to ensure All American Harley-Davidson is one of those businesses. We know you have a choice of where to spend your hard earned dollars and whether it is our facility, our large and well trained service department, the free seminars we provide, our large inventory or the knowledgeable and professional staff we employ we hope we give you reason to bring your business to us and to recommend us to your friends.
I apologize for the rant, but I encourage you to patronize local businesses that support what you love. Our goal is to ensure that All American Harley-Davidson is one of those. Remember, “Who you buy from is as important as what you buy!”
Pass it on.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
Lyndon & the All American H-D crew
All American H-D Rider Rev-elations 