Dear Power2Fly Dealer,
Out of sheer desperation, this website was born.
We understand that this is undesirable for you and your business by the publications that have been and will be posted here.
I have been treated unfairly by Miguel, he lied to me and deceived me.
I live in The Netherlands.
The Netherlands is a crowded country which is over-regulated with Laws, regulations and far-reaching requirements for flying a paramotor.
Because of this our market is limited in size, there are several paramotor dealers active in our small paramotor market. These are all flying schools that off course recommend their own brand to their students.
Our active community counts around 250 licensed pilots. This group all ready has their equipment so to score a sale is a hard and a long way.
Our climate is far from perfect for our hobby, only a few summer months but even than a lot of rain and windy days.
Nevertheless i still see an opportunity to sell a yearly limited amount of paramotors here.
Our first delivery of 3 complete Power2Fly paramotors took place mid juli 2023. We then started to work on an online platform, and at the end of febr.’24 we opened our real shop where we sell paragliding and paramotoring equipment.
We have a reliable list of suppliers, several import licenses, and are known for being hardworking and a trustworthy business partner.
About me: As an entrepreneur in various industries, I have over 25 years of experience in business.
We are active in various businesses in trade, production, and repair. We produce steel structures, work on bridges, ships, offshore installations, refinery equipment and perform maintenance and repairs on heavy equipment. Our knowledge and expertise sometimes take us to the farthest corners of Europe and occasionally even beyond.
Entering the trade of paramotor and paragliding equipment stemmed from the desire to start a business in this branch too.
I have always been transparent with my business partners and have never had a conflict with any supplier.
My companies are known as reliable partners and build on long-term relationships with both suppliers and customers.
My standard saying is: “Success only comes before work in the dictionary.”
You don’t start a company quickly; you do it calmly, thoughtfully, and with the right intentions. You advise customers, support them, and also give them freedom. This creates a mutual trust that can later serve as the foundation of your business. Scoring a quick sale is not part of this approach, especially if it comes at the expense of a customer or business partner.
After a brief email exchange, I traveled to Portugal. (May 2023)
There was no Power2FLy dealer in the Netherlands yet. However, several pilots had purchased a complete paramotor directly from the factory in the past. I was already somewhat surprised that the factory used dealer prices for selling to end-users.
This creates an uneven playing field and undermines the chances for potential sales from a neighboring country where an official dealer is established.
I am an advocate for an open market and mutual competition. However, when a wholesaler or manufacturer positions itself as a competitor and competes against its own dealer network, it’s a free-for-all. The brand name suffers losses, and it becomes impossible for dealers to provide good service.
Integrity is choosing your actions based on values rather than personal gain.
During my visit to Portugal, agreements were made regarding pricing, ordering procedures, and payment conditions. It was also clearly agreed that Dutch customers would be referred to me.
Shortly after my visit, I heard from several pilots in Belgium that they had done business directly with Miguel, behind the back of their official Belgian dealer.
I asked Miguel about this, and he denied the accusations. In his email, he wrote literally:“I always forward the customers to the country dealer, and never make a direct sale of a brand new machine.”
I accepted this as the truth…
From Miguel’s perspective, it is normal for a manufacturer to sell used products directly to end-users. From my point of view, they should also be sold through the established dealer network.
Integrity is doing the right thing even if no one is watching.
The real problem explained
The real issue lies in the discrepancy between Miguel’s assertion of only directing customers to country dealers and the reported direct sales to end-users. This inconsistency undermines the integrity of the dealer network and creates unfair competition.
Shortly after the delivery of the first 3 complete paramotors, a local pilot approached me. He expressed interest in a Power2Fly paramotor, as his current one was underpowered and he wanted a stronger motor. Two acquaintances of his had ordered and received their new motors directly from the factory at dealer prices years ago. I was convinced that this was no longer possible now that I had been granted the dealership.
I spoke with this pilot several times and showed him some models. However, the current Power2Fly website has not been maintained for a long time and does not provide a good representation of the products and options. This made it challenging to provide comprehensive and complete information.
From the moment I received the approval to represent Power2Fly in the Netherlands, I took promotion seriously. A website was built with all kinds of information. Whenever the opportunity arose, I spoke highly of the products and their qualities.
As mentioned earlier, sales weren’t going smoothly yet, but the seeds had been planted.
During the winter months, I heard rumors that there might have been a direct sale from Power2Fly to a Dutch pilot. I dismissed this as nonsense; my trust in the agreements made between me and Miguel was very strong.
During a flying week I organized in central France the following spring, it became evident that my trust had been unfounded. The Dutch pilot had made arrangements with Miguel and planned his vacation to Portugal to visit the factory there. A few months later, he made the advance payment directly to Miguel.
A P2F Titan with a Vittorazzi EFI engine was sold to an end-user for an amount of less than €7200 (approximately $7700). Since the pilot in question had a company in the Netherlands, VAT could be invoiced with reverse charge mechanism. The new motor was then shipped to the Netherlands. Would Vittorazzi do the same if a pilot would visit their production facility?
Throughout the entire process, Miguel did not consider the implications of his actions. He did not approach me, nor did he ask any questions. There was no inquiry about the progress of introducing Power2Fly in the Netherlands, nor was there any inquiry as to whether I had already received any inquiries for P2F products.
The day I discovered I had been betrayed by Miguel was surreal; I was utterly speechless. The costs and efforts I had taken to personally visit Miguel, the agreements made, the expenses and efforts involved in introducing the brand to our market, the countless pilots present at the opening of our new store, and my significant contribution to promoting and recommending the brand to our community—was all of this for nothing? No, this couldn’t possibly be the truth…
That same evening, I sent an email to Miguel Simões explaining my feelings. I proposed that I would like to continue, but under the condition that I would receive a guarantee that such a thing would never happen again. I also demanded a firm commitment that Dutch customers, flight schools, or traders could not buy directly from the factory, even if they were on vacation in Portugal, and that this would always go through the dealer. In addition, I wanted to be compensated for the direct sale Miguel had made to my customer. An amount of €800 = ±$850 seemed like a very reasonable compensation to me. I wanted to receive this money in our bank account and not as a discount on a future purchase or as a free gift of P2F product(s). If the sale had gone through us, this amount could have been credited to our account as well. I suggested settling it with a gentleman’s agreement to not put our bussiness relationship under pressure. At that time i stilI was very motivated to continue with Power2Fly, especially since the flying season had already started and I had received some inquiries for the P2F machines.
The further course of events can in a few days be readed our email communication that i will post here. I was offered an empty paramotor frame but not the financial compensation as requested. I did not agree to this. I presented my standpoint from various angles and remained calm, honest, transparent, and objective throughout with the focus on to save our business relation.
This email communication will be published here in the upcoming week.
Escalated
The problem has now escalated to record levels. I no longer wish to be a P2F dealer, still demand compensation for the unjustified sale and now also require a minimal reimbursement for my efforts to travel to Portugal because this was useless, our made agreements seemed to be of no value…. Additionally, I want Power2Fly to take back the new and unused machines we have in our store showroom at the original purchase price. This calculation will be posted here upcoming week.
This entire problem may continue for a long time, maybe followed by legal proceedings and all associated costs. I see this as an opportunity to show Miguel how steadfast, tenacious, and persistent I can be.
Indeed, those qualities would have been beneficial for a representative of his brand. Unfortunately it’s too late for Miguel and his company Power2Fly now.
It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own stupidity.
É preciso um conhecimento considerável apenas para perceber a extensão da sua própria estupidez.
Es erfordert beträchtliches Wissen, um das Ausmaß der eigenen Dummheit zu erkennen. Se necesita un conocimiento considerable para darte cuenta del alcance de tu propia estupidez. Il faut beaucoup de connaissances pour se rendre compte de l’étendue de sa propre stupidité. يتطلب الأمر قدرًا كبيرًا من المعرفة حتى تدرك مدى غبائك.
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