Apparently high prices charged by some of our retailers here in Australia

[ColHut]

I happened to be cruising the web and noticed the following "specials" at an apparently major telescope supplier in Australia:

"Bushnell 114mm x 900mm Reflector with Real Voice Ouput to tell you about the wonders of the heavens. This telescope automatically finds objects for you, taking the hard work out of locating and identifying celestial objects. "
The price after "saving" $200, was $849. I was most surprised.

I noted also a "Sky-Watcher 102mm refractor telescope with 1000mm focal length. Excellent choice for serious astronomers." The price after "saving" $320, was $949. Again I was most surprised.

I would be most cross if I had paid that much for either scope, especially as the latter was available elsewhere for $599 in one case, (and at $795 at a more expensive store).

I would not recommend the former at a fraction of that price, and note they are available elsewhere for about $530, and a couple of years ago National Geographic was quitting lots of them for about $350.

I do not doubt that there is a 'list price' somewhere from which these nominal values are derived - I do think that is way too much considering what else is out there from other very well known retailers. I accept that the market will bear whatever price it does. However, anyone new to astronomy might be disappointed with the results they get for the money expended.

regards

[bmitchell82]

people charge the price they think people are willing to pay. if that price is higher than your nearest comp, then so be it. why does 2 fuel stations oppisite each other sell fuel at different prices? say 1.27 and 1.08. still you see people at the 1.27 servo fillin up.....

[Louwai]

There's a difference between Competition & Blatent Rip-off.........

I looked at a CGE1400 a very short while ago.
In the US they were (& still are) retailing for around AU$8k.
A well known Astro retailer here in Brisbane had them advertised for just over AU$24k.???????
And this was AFTER the Australian Distributor had been changed.

[bojan]

It is all about having correct and up to date information.. :sadeyes:

I can not agree to "so be it"... because it is NOT in retailer's interest to allow correct information to be widely known.. and there will always be some sucker that will pay the higher price (I was once.. and I am still not feeling good about it) when confronted with competitor's pricing, they would just say nothing or try anything to blurr the picture with with something like "yes, they are cheaper but our product has support and it is of higher quality..." This is just BS... And it is NOT about free choice - free choice is possible only if all information is available and that is clearly not the case most of the time.

That is why it is in our (consumers.. that is what we are unfortunately) best interest to spread the price information as much as we can :thumbsup:

[alanfvic]

I expect the low turnover of stock in Australia justifies the high margins. I don't expect it is easy to turn a profit and there seems to be quite a bit of competition here.

I have bought direct from overseas and mostly it has worked out ok, but it is a gamble. One time I received a star diagonal when I ordered a secondary mirror, and it was not possible to resolve the dispute due to the high cost of returning the item (they would replace it, but would not pay for shipping). I have been charged $70 by customs on one occasion so they could inspect the package (user pays!) and that was on top of GST charges.

I recently purchased a telescope from a local dealer which had some cosmetic defects, and it was replaced with free pickup/delivery - that sort of service costs the dealer. All of our local dealers seem to offer good service from my experience.

[netwolf]

Its pure and simple its called Greed. And I wish one of the so called Astro magazines would do some real journalisim and expose the distributors behind this. I know there are some editors here on the forum and I would like to here what they have to say on this topic as to the best of my knowledge they are still sponsored by these distributors. Perhaps it would serve the community better not to advertise for them.

[matt]

Good luck with that, Fahim.

[bokglob]

I recieved a "christmas specials" junkmail flier from a large Brisbane inner-city telescope shop(xmas08) advertising 300mm dob ref (rebadged g.s.o) for $1800!!! Thats arrogent robbery,doing nothing to promote astronomy. I would be expecting good advice and a FAIR price from a specialist store! Shame on you. You won't be getting any more of my bussiness. P.S Andrews were selling the same setup for $799 at the time:confused2:

[Kal]

I don't think it is legal to discriminate against another company and exclude them from being able to advertise thanks to Australian Fair Trading laws :)

I would like to see some hard hitting journalism though :thumbsup:

[matt]

What? On this issue?

Riiiiight......

[bojan]

Exactly right...
Or, more politically correct expression would be "reasonable price policy"

[mick pinner]

l priced a scope from a local dealer when the dollar was 68c, and was given their web price, ok. rang back when the dollar was 98c and asked them to order the same scope for me and l would wait for the next shipment and guess what, same price? l've given up trying to work out the system in Aus, maybe someone smarter than me can shed some light.

[h0ughy]

guys please note from section 4 of the TOS:
"When discussing a vendor, be careful about what you post as it can be easy for comments to be taken the wrong way and a vendor may take offense. In general, remember to be specific about your experience or opinion, don't generalise and don't play judge and jury. Think and re-read before pressing submit. "

Just a friendly reminder - and BTW i wished the dollar would go back over the 90 cent mark

[matt]

I thought Mick (Pinner) was quite specific about his experience.

Oz dollar = 89.41 cents. Nearly there:)

[Benno18]

I also think down here because there are less people getting in to astronomy yet there are a fair amount of dealers around, all the dealers bought there stock when the aussie dollar was around the 68c mark, so they have paid more for the same item they would buy now.

So to try and make their money back they have to sell at the higher price. Then when the next shipment has come in they have bought it at a lower price then the price should come down...... but of course human nature kicks in and the price dosnt fall.

Sounds a lot like the fuel at the moment.

Just wondering what the eastern staters pay for all their equipment? Would it be the same retail prices as over here?

[netwolf]

A couple of things i note come up in these threads.

1. Cost is higher because local support and warranty need to be provided. Question why are Scopes from Sky-watcher, Vixen, Takahashi, WO priced much more closely to US prices? Dont they cost more to support here?

2. Import Duty. Only GST applies to amount above 1000$ for any Astronomical equipment or accesory.

3. Shipping from US is expensive. Question Is is really being shipped from China to US and then back to AU? Question again why Sky-watcher, Vixen, Takahashi etc are on par with US retail pricing?

As i said before simple Greed is the only answer. Seriously 20K+ for a Celestron scope, are you kidding. We can get hand made world class optics from Mark for a tenth of that. Bird's Jupiter shot was taken with one sample. http://www.acquerra.com.au/astro/equipment/13/
And the one Binoscope i looked throug at Kulnura was the best scope i have ever looked though visually the 3d bino view gave it the edge over the SDM larger apperture on the field that day.

Celestron have in there own email suggested that all pricing is in the control of there local distributor. So my advise stay away from Celestron, unless your buying from Overseas. They make good scopes but not worth the local Australian prices. I have great respect for the brand Celestron, as it has a rich history to that name. But i have little tollerance for local distributors that think they are above it all.

Edit: If you do wish to import, I would suggest to look at the SouthernGalactic forums, members get discounted pricing from OPT and they offer freight forwarding services. Other alternatives are PriceUSA who also offer Return insuracnce for a small fee which gives you warranty coverage. SG do import quiet a bit of gear for there hosted remote Observatory services.

Regards
Fahim
PS Still cloudy in Sydney... ;)

[chris lewis]

Below is a classic example of overpricing.
This Barska 70 mm / 90 degree eyepiece binoscope is priced at $A 3899 dollars. This is approx. $US 3446 dollars.
In the USA the off the shelf price is $US 829 dollars.
The Australian price is well over 4x times the US price.
I have twice checked with the Vendor in Brisbane who assures me it is the correct price and 'a bargain'.
I dont think so.
You even save $A 1380 at this particular dealer !

Below is the link to the vendor. If I have broken any rules please in identifying the vendor please delete / ignore.
However I believe high lighting these major discrepancies is a way to bring change.

Chris


http://yorkoptical.com.au/ProductMenus/Binoculars/tabid/58/CategoryID/685/List/1/Level/a/ProductID/7765/Default.aspx?SortField=Free3%2cUnit Cost

[gbeal]

Chris,
like the Barska deal, I thought your post was too good to be correct, this is the cynical side of me coming out, sorry.
I did a Google, and found them at a reduced price of US$829 like you said, albeit down from $1700+, but nowhere near the York price.
A bit different for you and I no doubt, it is just as difficult to import from Oz as it is the US, so voting with the credit card is the only way to change this.
Gary

[Wavytone]

You think that's a bad buy ? Sheesh - you could throw $3699 at a pair of measly 10x44 from the same retailer, "saving" a whopping $300.

[Matt Wastell]

Buyer beware!
Our small market would make selling astronomy gear a real challenge - and I guess new people to the hobby are the most venerable to shonky dealers - fortunately I have never been in that situation.
There are some fantastic retailers in this country and they are entitled to make a living - price is not the only concern.

[Spanrz]

Been through Nat Geo shops recently, sheesh....Just for a 4-5 inch newt (ok computer controlled) over $600.
Are you buying a kiddy scope, or just the mount and elec's with the scope thrown in???

[sasup]

I think is just hard times in retail and people are just looking out for themselfs. I would be happy with the higher costs if the service was any good. Here in Sydney I walked into a shop in the CPD two weeks ago and wanted to buy a new 12 inch lightbridge I stood around for a good 20 mins before leaving, ( thier was only onw other punter with two workers) very weak. I will never go back there as a point and bought out of south Australia. Now it could just be me but I have heard the same thing from others. Forget about cost and lets focus on service. My 2 cents

[Louwai]

Cost AND Service is what's required.

If I was going to forget about the prices charged in Oz in favour of service, then the service would need to be a damn sight BETTER than what is offered currently.

I have just purchased 3x EP's + Cats Eye collimation gear(2 sets) + Glatter Laser, all from the US.
Retail purchase + Packaging for multiple packages + delivery + Bank t/fer fees was a total of AU$2350.00

Just 1 of the EP's retails in Oz for AU$900 + delivery
All up, if I'd bought it all here, local purchase would have been close to AU$3100.



I saw in someone's post a comment about local retailers keeping stock.
Very few of them do. That's why it takes 6wks for them to deliver something to you after it's ordered. They order it direct from the O/S supplier & then it takes 6wks. They won't even pay the extra to send it via courier. (4 to 5 days from pretty much anywhere in the world)
& then charge a huge mark-up % for the "service".

I don't think so..................

We might be a small market, but not small enough to warrant the %'s charged.



I was speaking to someone only today who was interested in getting a scope, but were absolutly shocked at the prices when they started to look around.
They now have decided that Astronomy is not for them. The price is too restrictive.

[Satchmo]

Wow , you travelled all the way in from Avalon and couldn't wait 20 min while someone else got service ? You can't have wanted to walk out with a new 12" LB that badly then :shrug:

[wasyoungonce]

It's gotten so bad with some big retailers in Australia that you have to telephone ahead to see if they have stock before ordering.

Yet they keep advertising as if they have the stock ready to sell. I've been burnt by that more than once.

Further to this..I have seen little in the way of "price drops" since the rise in $Aust and if they are ordering from OS on demand then the cat really does have the cream!

Never again!

[marki]

I have said it a million times folks, OPT. Order on monday and you have it by friday saving at least 20% on most items including the cost of freight, often a lot more. Join their club and get even bigger discounts. All this BS about service etc is just that. I am not going to pay huge markups so somebody can have their hobby as a full time job. If their prices are competative then fair enough otherwise they can go jump in the lake.

Mark

[stargate101]

Yup totally agree,bought many a item from OPT as most have come to that conclusion, although i did once have a bad experience with a US company a CCD i bought decided to die on me and the shipping back and forth plus the delay and hassle kinda soured the experience of getting stuff cheap from there, nope if it's generic skywatcher or William Optics or now i see the guy's got Atik cameras on his website(bit late for me now though dammit) check out the astroguy, even cheaper than the andrews from what i've seen, although hav'nt bought anything off him yet.

[TrevorW]

Unfortunately there are retailers surviving on the gullibility and ignorance of newcomers too the hobby

Alas many a future Hawkins dreams could be sullied by their greed.

Buy OS when dollar is high and warranty is not an issue

[tlgerdes]

Has anyone ever thought how much it costs to run, staff and stock a retail shop? I would say getting close to a $600,000 before I sell something. What would be the turnover dollar value? and then the profit for the effort.

Everytime you shop at OPT or some other overseas market, it indirectly increases the cost of equipment for people who don't like to buy from overseas.

You have the choice. But dont think the retailers are in it just to lose money, to make you feel warm and fuzzy.

You pay for advice, and the more you shop OS the less advice they can provide and they now have to compete on price alone.

20 years ago you could go to someone like Dick Smith Electronics and get good researched advice on the products they carry, try getting that same advice now, it is just Woolworths Electrical Supermarket.

If that is what you want then great, but I dont. :screwy:

4 staff $250,000
Rent $100,000 pa
Insurances $100,000
Othe goings $100,000
Stock $$ depending on turnover etc.

So when you start to look at the figures, on a $1mil of stock cost, I have to make about 50% gross margin to just stay in business, $2mil and it is now 25%, $3mil 19% etc etc.

And you all want this for less than 10% margin on Australian volumes.

[Louwai]

No one is disputing the cost of doing business, but when a telescope retails at 3 x the RETAIL cost of what it is in the US (in au $25k - in the US US$8k) There is absolutely nothing that can justify the price difference.

The retailers in the US have similar outgoings & they are still making profit on their retail price + the US retail price usually INCLUDES shipping within the US.
Try getting that here........


Buy it retail @ US$8k + AU$2k shipping to Brissy + AU$1k for taxes + an assumed AU retailers 50% profit = approx AU$17k
Still WAY below the current retail price of $25k

So where's the justification for the remaining AU$8k ????

[tlgerdes]

I dropped by Bintel last Saturday, sign said closed, Michael was inside and he still ushered me in. The week before I spent 30 mins talking to them about imaging OTAs, with no intention of buying one that day, just wanted to know what my options were, yes, I will buy one in about 3 months.

That sort of service doesn't come for free in the longer term.

[tlgerdes]

Turnover of $10mil+, it is a lot easier than $2mil to keep margins down. also have you ever tried to bargin with a manufacturer on 5 units per year.:shrug:

As I said go and buy overseas, soon the whole Australian retail market will be belong to Woolworths with $30k pa staff who cant tell you what aisle the telescope is in, either that or only online and nowhere you can see or talk to person.

[Louwai]

Fair comment.

I've spent a similar 20 to 30 mins in the Bintel shop in Melbourne, just browsing. Looking closely at EP's & the scopes on display.

No one came near me the whole time I was there. The 2 staff members were too busy with a female 'customer' at the counter.
Mind you, this particular instance was a few yrs ago. I've never been back since, so I'm sure things have changed (I would hope).

[leinad]

:question: That's a bit of a ridiculous statement considering the demographics no?

[tlgerdes]

What's ridiculous about it?

I was proud to work for DSE in the 80's, try and get some real information from one of their staff nowadays. I was told black was white the last time I was in there, even though the box said black. :question:.

[leinad]

These days you go to Jaycar instead.
DSE had it's position in the past, but there market position is over. My local DSE doesn't even stock white LED's anymore.

I meant more the fact of the Woolworth's comment.

[fuso]

It's just not astro stuff thats expensive in oz, how about fishing tackle?

Made in Japan squid jigs(yo-zuri, megabass, fish-leage,...etc) cost $25-$39 here , but I can buy them from any jap shop for $13-$17 USD each.
Yet fishing reels are about the same world wide (maybe 10% more in oz)

[tlgerdes]

The Woolworths part comes from being DSE's parent company, take a great electronics company and turn it into a supermarket, selling only on price and range, not on advice, IMHO.

I had an argument with the my local DSE manager, as the DSE website said he had a particular part in stock, when he didnt. He just said not his problem and told me to complain to HO.

Now in my day, when I was a manager of the store, I would have been on the phone to HO 1) to correct the problem 2) to source the part.

[leinad]

Hmm.. still don't see how your point relates to the discussion. DSE is over!! Go to Jaycar. Thats' it. :confused2:

I don't live in Brisbane or Sydney, so I can't visit one of these shops to see the products or have a one-to-one chat with the guys in the shops; to experience that service you're talking about.
Is it the same as if I call them? Worth the extra dollars?

This leaves me to one thing. Researching, reviewing, and buying the product via the website. So naturally what am I going to do. Want the cheapest price of course! If I can save 100's or even 1000's of dollars, that is a huge benefit to me and there's nothing wrong with that at all.

my 2c anyway...

[tlgerdes]

I wasn't trying to single out any one business as better then any other, I just believe that until you have run your own business, you dont realise what you are really up against. Running a business is hard work, the money doesnt roll in the front door in trucks.

I have never owned my own business, but I have been the right hand man of someone who does and have seen his pain when left with $100k of stock and price bottoms out due to $$ fluctuations, a manufacturer who you have bet your house on goes belly up, a store room flooded, sweltered through summers of no air conditioning as you landlord cant get the parts to fix it for 6 weeks.

It is easy to pick up a pay cheque each week, it is harder to generate the business to pay that pay cheque.

If you take your time to get to know your local retailer, then they will treat you well. If you just shop on price, then that is all you will see and all you will ever find.

[leinad]

huh??...

If the USD = AUD this year, do you really believe that customers will comfortably spend $100 - $2500 more for the same product from an Oz retailer then you can get by ordering from a US company out of guilt or an expected service? In all honesty, I doubt it...

Since when did the masses not shop on price? I'm not against the local/Australian market and I'm pretty sure neither is any other memeber of this forum; but the sad truth is if customers can save $$$ they will, and that's what has been the discussion of this thread.

[wasyoungonce]

Well to put it in perspective.

Skywatcher ED120 scope is available from USA for $1495US ($1644 Aust with dollar rate at .90 Aust to US). Obviously this is sale price including shipping from China to USA. I'm guessing shipping from China to Australia is similar costs.

Obviously if we add GST (10%) ...this comes to the sum of $1808 Aust.

Even add another 10% for the Australian dealer markup...this is now now around $1988 Aust.

But....here's the catch...prices in Aust for this item vary from $2999 to $3099 from the biggest dealers..which is a 60+% mark-up above & beyond Australian dealer profit points.

Errrr am I missing something here? Are the Australian version of this scope gold plated?:eyepop:

[tlgerdes]

Ring Ring, "Hi Mr Telescope Manufacturer, I want to buy 5 ED120s, what is your price?"

Ring Ring, "Hi Mr Telescope Manufacturer, I want to buy 50 ED120s, what is your price?"

Who do you think is going to get the best deal???:screwy:

The US market is a lot bigger than ours, but if you keep buying in from the US, there is no way our market can get bigger to bring the price down.

A bit of a circular problem if you ask me.:question:

[JethroB76]

You cant expect people here to swallow such large differences in retail prices in the hope that it might get better one day. The fact that you could buy at US retail prices, undercut local dealers and still make a handsome profit is a joke

[Louwai]

In the past, lots of people have commented on the Australian Celestron (one & only) distributor being the monopoly holder & therefore extracting large prices.
Some people thought that Extravision losing the Celestron distributorship would bring Celestron prices down.

Will that happen???

[chris lewis]

Ha ! Just across the pond in New Zealand we do now get some optics cheaper now then in Australia.
My high grade Skywatcher Equinox ED120 OTA cost me $NZ 2700 which is approx. $A 2170. :lol:
The Equivalent Orion EON ED120 is $A 3400 at Bintel. The 'lower level' Skywatcher Black Diamond ED120 are around the $A 3000 range as noted above.
Even in the USA the Orion EON ED120 is $US 1800 the equivalent of $NZ 2450.
The Equinox / Orion EON ED120's are approx 30% more then the standard Black Diamond ED120 so a Equinox ED120 for $A 2170 is extremely good value.
For some reason - exchange rates etc. the Equinox ED120 is particularly inexpensive in N.Z.
They are available on order from the below site. Even with shipping / duty etc. it may work out cheaper to get one shipped over to Australia. I am not aware if the Skywatcher Equinox ED120 is available in Oz. The Orion EON ED120 is.

http://www.southerncameras.co.nz/category.pasp?categoryid=17

Chris

[Louwai]

Speaking specifically about Celestron.
Extravision used to be the 1 & only Celestron distributor in Australia. (now there is a new one & only as Extravision have lost the distributorship).

Extravision supplied all of the Celestron equipment to all retail outlets in Australia. Therefore, Extravision would have had a reasonable "order" from the manufacturer.
Individual retailers do not order Celestron products direct from the overseas supplier.
I visited the Extravision warehouse in Capalaba, Brisbane, a few times. Each time I went there it was packed to the rafters with Celestron scopes & other gear.

The distributor would remove the "small order" issue you are talking about. This still doesn't explain why a specific Celestron scope is 3 times the US retail price here in Oz.

[JethroB76]

If you check out the prices of the Celestron EdgeHD OTAs' etc you will get your answer I think
There was athread on this here recently
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=47352&highlight=edgehd

[fuso]

There once was a hunting & fishing shop in melb that had the cheapest tackle ever, why?

When shop(a) brought 5 game reels for stock, this shop would buy 200 reels in one hit!
Yet very few people in melb buy game reels.
Shop is now only a gun shop.

[wasyoungonce]

Not really an issue of order numbers at all. Both (Aust) companies are Authorised Skywatcher dealers & thus can buy at markedly reduced prices WRT Joe public. They have the "Authorised import" market nicely sewn up to the exclusion of a competitive Australian competition market.

Both companies order in large batches...that is how they do business. We are not asking them to loose money...just to loosen the grip & pass on the $ savings from a strong $Aust!

Remember early last year when $Aust was at around $.90 to $USD...the Skywatcher EQ6 was selling for $1495...ummm that's a lot cheaper than now days. Considering our $Aust has been above $.85 to $USD for the last 6 months.

Lets look at the importation of Farpoint products into Australia. These are new on to the Aust market. Lets say I want a Farpoint FDC8 (C8 dovetail) ..$79 USD (around $87 Aust). Postage from USA...guesstimate is $25 (USD...similar to ADMs costs)..thus all up $111 Aust. Yet they are $135 (+ postage from the Aust store) in Aust! How come?

I pity the Aust dealers ATM. I purchased a rather large/expensive item from OPT a few months back (to my door) & saved $1k+ ...just on 1/4 the purchase price compared to Australian dealers.

Trevor...you said "Everytime you shop at OPT or some other overseas market, it indirectly increases the cost of equipment for people who don't like to buy from overseas."

But hang on a second...these Farpoint products are new to the market...purchased when $Aust exchange was high..so why are we paying 20% (+ postage) extra for this product.

This is not correct. This is a democratic country and in this case we vote with out money. Competition is the basis of our democratic business models.

This is the Bottom line!

[mick pinner]

what would give us some insight into local retail prices is to know what discount under the list price of an item they are given.
l run a panel shop and a big part of my profit comes from the deal l do with my parts suppliers as to what discount l get on the list price for parts.
eg: i may buy a bonnet for a toyota for $400, the list price may be $500. l've just made $100 for a phone call, sounds great doesn't it, but whether l keep all of this money or split the difference to make sure l get the job is another thing, my assumption is that the local retailers are keeping the entire difference.

[tlgerdes]

We are all hypothesizing about why prices are different and complaining to each other about advertised prices. Has anyone actually gone to their local retailler and asked for an explaination or better price.

I know I didn't pay the listed price for a G11 recently.:D

[wasyoungonce]

Yes...I have from 2 big suppliers...for a big ticket item. Their answer (in not so many words)...take the price or leave it! They get very..."testy" when queried!

They also told me I couldn't do better by importing...I did and I did! By around $1k+.

[tlgerdes]

Maybe i'm better looking than you.:rofl::rofl:

[Matt Wastell]

Never pay full retail!

[Louwai]

Yes I have.
Also on a big ticket item. Well over AU$20k. I was told to my face "try to get it cheaper anywhere else".

The comment tells me that the retailer is confident that the AU market is well & truely sewn up & he can charge what he likes.

This was for a Celestron CGE1400 @ a little over $25k
After the above discussion I was quoted AU$12k for supply from overseas. (Delivered to my door in Brisbane)

I ended up buying a 20" SDM from Peter, & very happy.........

[tlgerdes]

All I can say is that my family has a great relationship with our local retailer and we get good prices and support from them. :P

Try to make friends with them and both stand on the same side of the line. If you ask for a price, that is all you get.

[norm]

From the general gist of things, it wouldn't hurt the local suppliers to pass on the savings from time to time with some 'decent' sales. It just seems to be a sad fact this happens lot less frequently.
Its a wonder how they survive, but then again maybe not given the prices they charge:lol:.

As for service and advise - we have IceinSpace;)

Thats my florence worth.

Norm:P

[Louwai]

I reckon this horse is dead.................

Buy from where you wish people. If you're happy with what you get for your money, then you've got nothing to complain about...........

[tlgerdes]

I dont see Mike sticking his hand up for Warranty.:lol:

[wasyoungonce]

Well that's not hard...even my dogs are better looking than me!:D.....or you missed the "at"......or ...are you coming on to me!..:eyepop:

[wavelandscott]

While I am loath to add my comments to this thread and despite my better judgement I'm going to.

Having dabbled in the 'Astro business' in Australia I will simply say this, if you think that the retailers are getting rich you are mistaken. If you want to know the reason why US based firms can sell cheaper it is largely because they are buying at a better price (yes, pricing is set on a regional basis and is different country to country), they have fewer middlemen to contend with, and have a much lower cost of doing business (labour and overheads) than their Australian counterparts. I won't even go into the impact of exchange rates and GST...

The last comments I will add to this entertaining and well intentioned thread is this...many of the global manufactures of gear will have contractual arrangements that restrict their distributors (retailers) ability to sell outside of their territories.

I do not aim to be offensive but do intend to be instructive...to post boldly here (for everyone to see) that you bought product X from company Y overseas for price Z (saving a motsa of $) is an excellent way to ensure that a contractually obligated manufacturer enforces their limited and restricted distribution model to protect their "exclusive" Australian partner (while these may be morally repugnant they are perfectly legal) and ends the practice.

In other words, a few references to posts in this thread (used as specific examples) copied to a manufacture will force them to shut down the discount honey hole.

Having worked in and with limited/exclusive distribution systems most of my adult life they are nearly impossible to enforce without concrete examples...in this thread we are able to identify several concrete examples that could be used (we have names, products, locations, dates and prices)...were I an Astro retailer with an exclusive contractual agreement with suppliers I would certainly use the information in this thread to demonstrate that company Y was infringing into my exclusive area...the usual penalty for violating sales territories for the offending party is loss of discounts and if blatant enough loss of distribution rights in total.

Now the teaching part...I'm not trying to suggest that consumers should not shop around...I am saying that if you are going to buy from overseas (with all of the related pros and cons) then you should probably be careful about bragging about it...I don't think that Astronomics, OPT, Anacortes, etc. etc. will risk their manufacture discounts, incentives and/or access to sell you an eyepiece in Australia for very long

[TrevorW]

Scott whatever happened too the global economy and free trade ????

[Louwai]

Scott,
It's good that someone can provide exact info from a retailer's point of view. I'm sure there are many members here who are not aware of thepoints you make.

Although, through this thread I couldn't find a post that directly referenced a US retailer with a specific brand & that retailer selling it into Australia.

+ I don't think letting others know of a good deal (either from oveseas or local) is 'bragging'. It's purly helping possibly less informed members of a better value-for-money deal.


For myself, & I'm sure MANY others here, it will be a rare thing to buy certain brand items in Australia. They are simply far too expensive.

B

[chrisp9au]

The global economy rules, everyone is looking for the best deal, dealers and buyers alike, here and overseas.
Traders want to get the best price they can, hence they are are labeled 'greedy'.
Buyers want to get the best price they can, hence they are labeled 'miserly'.
We all buy/trade according to what we can afford, and what backup/service we require.
And on a forum like this, all viewpoints are valid.

Cheers :thumbsup:
Chris

[wasyoungonce]

To further complicate matters...there are forwarding companies in USA & Australia...like:

MyUS (http://www.myus.com/)
Box Voyage (http://www.boxvoyage.com/)
Price USA (http://www.priceusa.com.au/)
USA2ME (http://www.usa2me.com/site/default.aspx)
USABox.com (http://www.usabox.com/)

The list goes on...All willing to on forward purchased goods from USA...for a fee (which is usually not too much).

Also a well known Taiwan manufacturer sell from their online site with free postage worldwide!;)

[multiweb]

Glad you did mate. Makes perfect sense. Crystal clear :thumbsup:

[wavelandscott]

It is free for businesses...most manufacturers can trade goods most anywhere in the world...on balance it works out well for consumers too!

[wavelandscott]

I may have confused this particular thread with one (or two) from the eyepiece forum...regardless, descretion is appropriate when contracts are invovled.

[JethroB76]

On a related matter, who is the Explore Scientific dealer in Australia?

I recently enquired about the 20mm ES 100 degree EP and was told by one well known US store that they arent allowed to sell ES gear to Australia:question: