SPIN-OFF!!! Would you rather...

[GirlywithCurlies]

Spend less money at an Asian BSS, or spend a little more to support a black owned BSS?

A few weeks ago there was a post about the Indian monopoly on BSS in the UK, as most of us in the States can testify to, it seems like every BSS on every corner in every city is owned by a Korean! Another member (sorry I'm blanking on your name sweetheart ) explained that Asians are able to provide lower prices because they team-up for better distribution rates, by buying in bulk they get a cheaper price which they are able to pass onto their customers. Now, I personally believe very strongly in supporting black businesses at all costs, and I hate the sometimes negative attitude that Asian BSS owners have to their very own customers! But, on the other hand I also know that some people simply can't afford the extra dollar or two that might go into paying for the same product you could find cheaper at a Korean store.

So ladies...what's your take?

 

[ArizonaBeauty]

I order off line. I hate riding around trying to find all the products that I need.

 

[atlien11]

I have been pondering opening more of a boutique than a BSS store and i wondered the same thing? Would my own support me? I had such an overwhelming response to the hair i had for sale that i was thinking maybe i would get that support. Good question.

 

[JazzyDez]

I know its not always possible, but I would support the black store whenever I could. Just like how you mentioned the asians stuck together by buying in bulk, we need to stick together by supporting our entrepreneurs.....JMO

 

[crlsweetie912]

I usually go for price. Whether african american or not. But, if I have a bad experience with ANY retailer. I cut them off with a quickness. I have found a good BSS that is African owned. But there are still other places that are asian owned that I frequent because they have products that I need or the price is better.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

I will go where the price is cheaper. For me, the only thing that trumps cheap prices is service or something that draws me to the retailer. If a black owned shop is 'a little' more expensive but I like the people there or the place is conveniently located (lots of parking/not scary area) then I'm more inclined to go there.

 

[naturaline]

my family and i made the decision awhile ago to support black owned BSS. we rather pay alittle bit more to help black owned BSS make a headway.

 

[BrownBetty]

I would pay a little more to support Black BSS but the attitude is what usually keeps me away. There is a Asian BSS downstairs from my gym that I go to even though the Black owned one is right across the street. Why? because the woman at the register in the Black BSS has the worst attitude ever! I asked for a product and she barked back "NO, we don't carry that!". You would think she would suggest another product or offer to order it. I just walked out and crossed the street.

 

[camellia]

I don't shop at BSS, I get my hair products either online or from the JC Penny salon when they have a sale (in fact they're having a sale now on Nexxus Phyto Organics! )

However I won't patronize a shop simply because it is black owned. I take several things into consideration, price is a big one, customer service is another. As a small business owner myself, I know how important it is to stay competitive. No shop is going to get my business simply because of the race of the owners.

 

[Mizani_Mrs]

Firstly location is important to me, I ain't driving across town just to save a dollar. Then I'd seriously choose the one who had friendly cashiers. Someone I can ask a question to and not have them roll their eyes at me like they are mad cause i'm making them get off their lazy ***. If all things were equal between the 2 BSS, then I'd choose the black owned one if the prices were comparable. If the price was way more expensive, like .75cents more, then I am not a believer in giving them my money unless they have done something extra to EARN my money. I mean like someone said, if Asians do get better rates and can therefore offer a better price. Then a black owner should have the common sense to figure out that since i'm charging an extra .75 cents, then i have to give the public something extra that would make them come see me. Whether it's exceptional customer service, or offering recommendations, or offering no-question refunds, or somehow getting on a personal level with that customer, then they should be willing to do it. Black owners need to be serious about going the extra mile and/or making a customer feel special. u dig?

 

[Legend]

I buy from which ever vendor is most convenient at the time, which is almost always on-line. *shrug* I only go to the BSS for supplies I need to examine (like rollers) before buying, or if I have an emergency. Price is not really an issue, but I just hate to waste time, energy, and gas to travel to a local BSS only to discover the product I need is not in stock. Buying on-line eliminates this problem, and to me, it’s worth the extra shipping costs and the wait. Otherwise, I really don't pay attention to who's running the back office, how I'm treated, or their prices as long as it is convenient. It's bad, I know, but there it is...it's just commerce to me.

BTW, I live in a city where something like 92% of BSS are minority-owned and operated.

 

[PinkGyrl]

I am glad you posted this .

I love the asian bss because they are so friendly and will order something if i need it. But that gets tiring because they never have what i want.

I have to drive 15 minutes to the black bss just to get everything i want. The service is not so friendly there.

 

[Kimberly]

I would patronize a black-owned bss even if the prices were a little higher if they were conveniently located (gas is high) and if they had friendly service. Hair and product knowledge is good, too (like Sally's hiring cosmetologists or whatever).

But I've often wondered (and not to change the subject) why can't black-owned bss (or any black-owned business, for that matter) get together and do the same thing the asian bss are doing? Why can't they work together and order in bulk? It would reduce their inventory costs and then to be able to afford to offer their customers a better price. Is it really that hard for people to work together?

 

[JazzyDez]

I would patronize a black-owned bss even if the prices were a little higher if they were conveniently located (gas is high) and if they had friendly service. Hair and product knowledge is good, too (like Sally's hiring cosmetologists or whatever).

But I've often wondered (and not to change the subject) why can't black-owned bss (or any black-owned business, for that matter) get together and do the same thing the asian bss are doing? Why can't they work together and order in bulk? It would reduce their inventory costs and then to be able to afford to offer their customers a better price. Is it really that hard for people to work together?

Well honestly there aren't any black owned bss in my area. They are all asian...so if one did open, they would have no one to buy with (at least not in the area). And the asian bss owners around here have nasty additudes anyway...I only go there for emergencies.

 

[tenderheaded]

There are 8 BSS in a 5 mi radius of my house. I was shocked to see that most were Asian. The black owned weren't AA. On one trip to the black bss I bought Breakfree that had turned I knew because it didn't smell or look like what I had left. The other store an older man was talking on a cell phone OUTSIDE the store and didn't come in when I entered. I left after waiting at the register for a few minutes.
These are 2 glaring examples of not wanting my money enough to treat me with respect!!!

 

[punchinella]

This is a little OT but a few years ago my DH and I decided that we were not going to spend any money that week unless it was at a black owned business.
Well the first business was a carpet cleaning which I took a half day off to wait for him, he never showed or called. We called another black carpet cleaning company, this man came and we had a six foot houseplant. Instead of asking us for a cutting he decided to just break a piece and killed the whole plant.
The next business was a black restaurant, the food was almost unrecognizable and when I told the waiter that I did not order anything with gravy he said "that's macaroni and cheese". Their specialty was supposed to be peach cobbler and when we asked about it he told us that the lady who makes the cobbler hung out too late the night before and that she was too tired to make it
And then the man who was sitting in the corner smoking a cigarette got up and went straight to the grill I said "okay I'm outta here, forget this food". So we paid and went home to eat.

After that we decided that customer service would be a big factor in who we do business with no matter what the race

 

[KiniKakes]

I will go where the price is cheaper. For me, the only thing that trumps cheap prices is service or something that draws me to the retailer. If a black owned shop is 'a little' more expensive but I like the people there or the place is conveniently located (lots of parking/not scary area) then I'm more inclined to go there.

Yup.... ITA

 

[GirlywithCurlies]

Wow, what interesting responses! I can completely understand convience, good price, but what strikes me the most from your responses is the need for quality customer service, which can definitely relate to. Bad customer service, when I'm spending my money to support you and yours is such a turn off, whether you are white, red, or purple.

Originally Posted by Kimberly
I would patronize a black-owned bss even if the prices were a little higher if they were conveniently located (gas is high) and if they had friendly service. Hair and product knowledge is good, too (like Sally's hiring cosmetologists or whatever).

But I've often wondered (and not to change the subject) why can't black-owned bss (or any black-owned business, for that matter) get together and do the same thing the asian bss are doing? Why can't they work together and order in bulk? It would reduce their inventory costs and then to be able to afford to offer their customers a better price. Is it really that hard for people to work together

Kimberly, I've wondered the same thing, I'm from Philadelphia and there simply aren't that many black owned BSS that I've come across, which may be why it is so difficult to come together. Whereas there are business plans, DISTRIBUTED IN KOREA, and in Korean, formulated specifically for new immigrants to get their BSS's started up! Dang, if we could get that kind of unity and good customer service, we'd have the whole industry on lock!

 

[Mizani_Mrs]

I dont mean to go further OT but i do try to support a black owned business if all things are equal. But sometimes they just dog you out. For instance 3 years ago when i moved into my new home I knew I had to dish out $400 for moving expenses, so I decided to go with the blackowned moving company. Do you know that these boys showed up 6hrs late and they smelt like WEED!!! (2pm instead of 8am) and when i asked them why they were so late, he was just like well they was tired and couldn't get up. that is seriously what he said to me! Then it was only 2 of them instead of 3, and they were soooo lazy..it took them forever to move and they took breaks like crazy. Then the truck they rented, the lifting gate didnt' work so they had to lift everything. So instead of them trying to tally up hourly charges which what they was trying to do, I told them flatout, I'm only paying $400 which is the estimate, it was YALL fault if yall took all day. It's just stuff like that that makes me wary of just giving my money just cause a person is black... being a black business owner doesnt mean that you are serious about what u do. But on the positiive note, for my wedding 3 months ago, I hired mostly black vendors and my wedding went off without a flaw!! That time around i was wise enough to pray about vendors i select.....

 

[brownhaired_bonanza]

El-cheapo checking in here. When it comes to bss the only color I see is green. Whoever's products are less expensive that's where I'm going to go. Nuff' siad.

 

[sareca]

I dont mean to go further OT but i do try to support a black owned business if all things are equal. But sometimes they just dog you out. For instance 3 years ago when i moved into my new home I knew I had to dish out $400 for moving expenses, so I decided to go with the blackowned moving company. Do you know that these boys showed up 6hrs late and they smelt like WEED!!! (2pm instead of 8am) and when i asked them why they were so late, he was just like well they was tired and couldn't get up. that is seriously what he said to me! Then it was only 2 of them instead of 3, and they were soooo lazy..it took them forever to move and they took breaks like crazy. Then the truck they rented, the lifting gate didnt' work so they had to lift everything. So instead of them trying to tally up hourly charges which what they was trying to do, I told them flatout, I'm only paying $400 which is the estimate, it was YALL fault if yall took all day. It's just stuff like that that makes me wary of just giving my money just cause a person is black... being a black business owner doesnt mean that you are serious about what u do. But on the positiive note, for my wedding 3 months ago, I hired mostly black vendors and my wedding went off without a flaw!! That time around i was wise enough to pray about vendors i select.....

Congrats on the wedding. Just got married myself. Anyway, I had a similar thing happen to me when I was moving. Except the guys showed up late and smelled like straight up funk! I was thinkin' dang, ain't ya'll heard of deodorant?

 

[rosalindb]

I posted most of this in the other thread:

There are two black-owned shops near me which are always practically empty and one of them in particular has very good customer service. A new Asian owned shop opened a few months ago and I think that it is a branch of Beauty Queens and that shop is always packed. I am honestly surprised that the remaining two black-owned stores have not gone out of business yet

There was a third store about 30 minute walk away from me which I would go to as the customer service phenomenal. I would go into that shop and be in there for ages chatting to staff and the owner but they closed down a couple of weeks ago so if I need anything suchs as combs, plastic caps etc I will go to the other 2 stores.

I only use natural products so the majority of my products I buy on line from www.anitagrant.com which is black owned. I have not been able to find Jason shampoos at a black owned store so I will get them from the health shop.

I know its not always possible, but I would support the black store whenever I could. Just like how you mentioned the asians stuck together by buying in bulk, we need to stick together by supporting our entrepreneurs.....JMO

The lady that used to work at the black owned store that closed down told me that the owner collaborated with some of the other black owned stores in the London area and he agreed to place a bulk order on behalf of everyone. That way they would receive a higher discount which they could then pass on to the customers amd everyone wins

The other stores then reneged on the agreement to reimburse him so he was left to foot the whole bill himself and was put out of business straight away. He had such great ideas for that store as he wanted to bring in more purely natural products as well.