Skybox companies: Buy less things online

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

Fewer

[sMASH]

The only currency more worthless than TT $ is Vene and Argentina.

Thank our lucky stars we not like dem.

Ok .. Think a little

If nobody wants our currency and it is worthless outside of TT , how do we trade ?

Why everybody wants US$ and not TT$ ?

Figure this riddle and you will be amazed at what you find

How can a country like Singapore be so successful with no natural resources? IIRC they hardly even have water yet almost everyone is a millionaire.
The answer I got from my research is that they use their location to their advantage.... they are a trans-shipping point, but rather than just receive and send out, they add value to the items as much as they can. Trinidad is also ideally located geographically and we have fuel which makes us a better trans-shipping location.... this is why we once had the largest naval air base in the world!
IMHO our "business people" are mainly of the baby boomers generation and are literally stopping the flow of currency... the lifeblood of the economy.

We are also a transhippemnt point, but for cocaine.


Since the opt came out in was expounding the same points, but is only when big sawatie say it, then allyuh listen?
Arite alrite.
Ah go do fuh allyuh.


The heart of the matter is, we have little that other countries want.
We need to do two things, reduce how much we purchase from other countries and find tings to sell other countries.

Our tourism is a good starting point but it is inhibited by our exuberant crime performance, and our lackluster customer service.

What was a good sideline income, is our export of professionals. Our tertiary education system allowed for people to become very marektable, from oil and gas, to nursing.
This, although not large, had a very small impact of foreigners sending home monies, and the local families being able to prop up the local economy.

This was a two pronged effect in that while bringing in foreign incom it also reduced demand for foreign stuff from local resources. I.e. Instead of using up local USd reserves, they brought in their own USd or euro, which added to our reserves.




Thst is why, when this governent said they cutting back on tertiary education funding, yet sponsoring 3 Christian studies institutions, I know they are mad in their asses. Foreign Christians coming here to dig out we eye, we can't send ours to compete and an already saturated market.

At least with the carnival studies, we can expand on the tourism both locally and as foreign professionals, potentially.
(But I think than the engineering and technical aspects are more reliable return on investments)






We need to find things that other people are willing to pay for.

I say, we enclose Beetham , lavantee and PoS and promote hunger games tourism. Are u tough enough to survive the ghetto challenge!

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

Smash please stop talking nonsense.

[kstt]

Buy Local? STEUPS

Sheit products and stink customer service? Id rather starve and do without...

Sounds like a capitalistic, dictatorial comment! If it's the same products, that we would buy online ourselves then it cannot be called "Sheit" products. Starving should not be the only option either..... reminds me of the days TSTT used to charge $4.50 per minute for an overseas call!
Stink customer service..... now this seems like a "white elephant" in the realm of commerce wrt Trinidad and Tobago, especially wrt warranty. A good warranty/ replacement policy is something that will persuade me to purchase locally, not this seven days for refund, you will keep repairing it until I get fed up or the warranty period expires and the best of all "SALE ITEM, NO WARRANTY" and everything is always on sale in the store!

But how can we get to this level if the only option is to "starve and do without"?

So u prefer to continue buying and encouraging this rificulous behaviour?

[matr1x]

He either owns a shop, or is one of the fools who believe in trini trickle down economics

[sMASH]

Smash please stop talking nonsense.

[matr1x]

Bought an item from the states. Saw the same item in a local business in LA Romain. ...2300 more.

[stev]

I gave up on buying local a long time ago...it's just too ridiculous. I understand the impact of not buying locally but it's just not cost effective to do so...here are some examples (no exaggeration):

book bought online: $87TT to purchase, ship and clear
same book priced in trinidad: $200TT



oneplus 3 phone screen replacement online: $80US (new on ebay)
oneplus 3 phone screen replacement locally: $1100TT (including replacement service)

even car parts....for example:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/147T-JDM-TOYOT ... 4J&vxp=mtr

$10US

when i have to pay $300TT + in bamboo for the same dam light

edit: u guys ever saw the cost difference of buying something as simple as Bounty (paper towels) online vs buying locally? lol

[matr1x]

Plenty business claim it's to pay workers and rent. In reality, even when things were good, they give real pressure to pay workers and they always dodging paying rent.

[RedVEVO]

Plenty business claim it's to pay workers and rent. In reality, even when things were good, they give real pressure to pay workers and they always dodging paying rent.

Small business in a pressure cooker ..
Even the small parlor business under pressure ..

Gov't pressure ..

[Numb3r4]

When sMASH spoke about exporting professionals he isn't far off. We've been doing it for a while, within the oil and gas sector.

He is fairly accurate in saying that we do need investment in the engineering / tehnical sector. These are the areas that can add value to raw materials and can make them more exportable or fetch a higher price on the open market. Think Germany and Japan.

Could it be that local business haven't kept pace with the times? They don't have the capacity to take full advantage of young graduates nor are they attractive to them. The aim of a young graduate is to work for a foreign company/multinational. Most would prefer it anyway but lacking that well "iz a wuk".

We claim to have this variety of businesses but that is only numerically. If you consider the type of business the vast majority simply buy(foreign) and re-sell. Not a good model with online retail.

[streetbeastINC.]

Simple toy on amazon US$8, not electronic...local toy store chain same toy TT$289 (US$42)

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

Local businesses don’t even bother trying to improve other aspects of their service. It’s 2017. Why I can’t stuff available locally and consistently have it delivered to my house?

[maj. tom]

They not even interested in the Amazon model locally. Can't pay with credit card online and deliver. That's too much work for them. Then they could actually cut worker costs.

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

They not even interested in the Amazon model locally. Can't pay with credit card online and deliver. That's too much work for them. Then they could actually cut worker costs.

Not interested but vex and losing business to skybox companies? Ok then.

[Redress10]

Buy Local? STEUPS

Sheit products and stink customer service? Id rather starve and do without...

Sounds like a capitalistic, dictatorial comment! If it's the same products, that we would buy online ourselves then it cannot be called "Sheit" products. Starving should not be the only option either..... reminds me of the days TSTT used to charge $4.50 per minute for an overseas call!
Stink customer service..... now this seems like a "white elephant" in the realm of commerce wrt Trinidad and Tobago, especially wrt warranty. A good warranty/ replacement policy is something that will persuade me to purchase locally, not this seven days for refund, you will keep repairing it until I get fed up or the warranty period expires and the best of all "SALE ITEM, NO WARRANTY" and everything is always on sale in the store!

But how can we get to this level if the only option is to "starve and do without"?

So u prefer to continue buying and encouraging this rificulous behaviour?

They are not the same products. Products in Trinidad take more time to sell etc meaning that by the time they actually reach the cutomers, they may be out of date. In "foreign" that product's price would have been 'slashed" to reflect this. You take that occurs in Trinidad? Most times the price is actually more expensive than when it actually came out in "foreign"...Things like shoes etc "dry rot" after awhile. That's why products go on sale overseas...Time deteriorates all products.

[RedVEVO]

Buy Local? STEUPS

Sheit products and stink customer service? Id rather starve and do without...

Sounds like a capitalistic, dictatorial comment! If it's the same products, that we would buy online ourselves then it cannot be called "Sheit" products. Starving should not be the only option either..... reminds me of the days TSTT used to charge $4.50 per minute for an overseas call!
Stink customer service..... now this seems like a "white elephant" in the realm of commerce wrt Trinidad and Tobago, especially wrt warranty. A good warranty/ replacement policy is something that will persuade me to purchase locally, not this seven days for refund, you will keep repairing it until I get fed up or the warranty period expires and the best of all "SALE ITEM, NO WARRANTY" and everything is always on sale in the store!

But how can we get to this level if the only option is to "starve and do without"?

So u prefer to continue buying and encouraging this rificulous behaviour?

They are not the same products. Products in Trinidad take more time to sell etc meaning that by the time they actually reach the cutomers, they may be out of date. In "foreign" that product's price would have been 'slashed" to reflect this. You take that occurs in Trinidad? Most times the price is actually more expensive than when it actually came out in "foreign"...Things like shoes etc "dry rot" after awhile. That's why products go on sale overseas...Time deteriorates all products.

Hard wine 2 ?

[matr1x]

What exactly Trinidad have to offer of value? I not taking a dump on the country, but without oil and gas, what else?

[Numb3r4]

What exactly Trinidad have to offer of value? I not taking a dump on the country, but without oil and gas, what else?

Nothing.....

I am not saying this to sound negative, I do believe if we get our sheit together we can salvage things long enough to turn things around.

Better usage of the young minds that are currently unemployed, try to get them into the public service and purge the non-productive ones.

Try to computerise the licensing office, as well as ID office.

Improve access to technical and vocational training, electrical, masonry and plumbing.....I guess for a start.

Get young engineers/technicians into the manufacturing sector by launching some state funded projects, a good example would be using TOFCO as a vehicle to produce offshore wind turbine platforms, help them get into this could be an avenue for diversification.

Encourage energy friendly policies that decrease local consumption of fossil fuels, which would help the environment and mean we have more to export or use a feedstock.

Try harder with agriculture with chocolate production as a flagship spin-off industry.

[skylinechild]

What exactly Trinidad have to offer of value? I not taking a dump on the country, but without oil and gas, what else?

Nothing.....

I am not saying this to sound negative, I do believe if we get our sheit together we can salvage things long enough to turn things around.

Better usage of the young minds that are currently unemployed, try to get them into the public service and purge the non-productive ones.

Try to computerise the licensing office, as well as ID office.

Improve access to technical and vocational training, electrical, masonry and plumbing.....I guess for a start.

Get young engineers/technicians into the manufacturing sector by launching some state funded projects, a good example would be using TOFCO as a vehicle to produce offshore wind turbine platforms, help them get into this could be an avenue for diversification.

Encourage energy friendly policies that decrease local consumption of fossil fuels, which would help the environment and mean we have more to export or use a feedstock.

Try harder with agriculture with chocolate production as a flagship spin-off industry.

most ppl dont even know we had cadbury buying our chocolate back in the day....

we had the WORLDS best chocolate....and what happened..???

[Miktay]

What exactly Trinidad have to offer of value? I not taking a dump on the country, but without oil and gas, what else?

Nothing.....

I am not saying this to sound negative, I do believe if we get our sheit together we can salvage things long enough to turn things around.

Better usage of the young minds that are currently unemployed, try to get them into the public service and purge the non-productive ones.

Try to computerise the licensing office, as well as ID office.

Improve access to technical and vocational training, electrical, masonry and plumbing.....I guess for a start.

Get young engineers/technicians into the manufacturing sector by launching some state funded projects, a good example would be using TOFCO as a vehicle to produce offshore wind turbine platforms, help them get into this could be an avenue for diversification.

Encourage energy friendly policies that decrease local consumption of fossil fuels, which would help the environment and mean we have more to export or use a feedstock.

Try harder with agriculture with chocolate production as a flagship spin-off industry.

most ppl dont even know we had cadbury buying our chocolate back in the day....

we had the WORLDS best chocolate....and what happened..???

Oil and Gas.

Plus agriculture is hard work.

[matr1x]

Let's no ignore the elephant in the room..sit down Marlene.


Pnm has tried to kill large scale agriculture for years.

[88sins]

Bought an item from the states. Saw the same item in a local business in LA Romain. ...2300 more.

& some would expect you to support local businesses, regardless of whether or not they robbing you blind.

[ismithx]

Not to mention when you need to buy clothing or accessories in a non standard size.... Buying 'local' is a complete waste of time

[matr1x]

The bast joke is buying something you can't get here. Try buying a 14" Schmidt cassegrain telescope in Trinidad

[Miktay]

They not even interested in the Amazon model locally. Can't pay with credit card online and deliver. That's too much work for them. Then they could actually cut worker costs.

And for good reason. Amazon doh make any money on e-commerce sales.

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

They not even interested in the Amazon model locally. Can't pay with credit card online and deliver. That's too much work for them. Then they could actually cut worker costs.

And for good reason. Amazon doh make any money on e-commerce sales.

Doesn't mean local business can't make money doing deliveries. If I know I don't have to wait a few days to get something from Amazon I might consider buying local. Convenience comes at a cost and many are willing to pay that cost. Doing nothing extra business wise while complaining that people shopping online is tuner mentality.

[Miktay]

They not even interested in the Amazon model locally. Can't pay with credit card online and deliver. That's too much work for them. Then they could actually cut worker costs.

And for good reason. Amazon doh make any money on e-commerce sales.

Doesn't mean local business can't make money doing deliveries. If I know I don't have to wait a few days to get something from Amazon I might consider buying local. Convenience comes at a cost and many are willing to pay that cost. Doing nothing extra business wise while complaining that people shopping online is tuner mentality.

ABE: Making $ in e-commerce retail requires scale and automation in warehousing and logistics. There may not be enough buyers in sweet T&T to justify that type of capital investment.

Without a plethora of buyers to sellers will have to jack up prices to maintain profitability. And that iz what we have now.

[matr1x]

Another problem: you start making real money from an enterprise, and suddenly, issues start coming up and hard to get goods.


Then a month later, massy doing your same idea.

[Miktay]

Another problem: you start making real money from an enterprise, and suddenly, issues start coming up and hard to get goods.


Then a month later, massy doing your same idea.

Not just massy. But them ppl who doh seem to have any problems getting 'financing'.