Quote:
Originally Posted by Renato1
Hi Peter,
Thank heavens things have changed.
Oh - I just remembered that we actually got closer to US prices when Meade got rid of York Optical as their sole Australian distributor and just started selling direct to individuals Australia, with an Australia Desk and an individual at their company solely responsible for selling here. Prices tumbled.
Then cheaper Chinese imports came along which made things better. And it was then that Andrews undercut everyone even on those cheaper prices.
I really wonder how many more people would be into astronomy now if for two decades the hobby hadn't been so unaffordable in Australia relative to its cost in the US.
Regards,
Renato
|
Hi Renato,
Unfortunately, it wasn't as simple as you suggest, but I cannot actual say why, due to certain confidentialities. Things are often more complicated than they appear on the surface.
When I worked in the industry I was selling Meade and the profit margin on them was extremely low, so low, in fact, I often wondered why we even bothered. Costs to do business in Australia are extremely high, but then, so is our standard of living. The Chinese have certainly changed the dynamics though, with very low cost overheads and production efficiencies.
A major advance is the increased quality that is now coming out of China, it is improving, but the price reflects that though. Chinese costs will go up over time, as the quality of the output increases; it is only natural. The old adage still applies, you get what you pay for. Having said that though, my Williams Optics FLT110 is an example of excellent quality vs price. It is a magnificent scope, and sure it ain't no Tak, but then, it was much cheaper.
When I was a kid, a very long time ago now, the words that were bandy about back then was "cheap Jap crap", and that changed over time. Now, Japanese is synonymous with quality, however, the cost reflects that too.
I think Laurie (LarryP) probably said it best, some time ago, that you can get 90% reasonably cheap, but the other 10% is much more expensive. (apologies to Laurie, if I got that wrong, as I am going by memory alone). I would never pay the price increase for such a small gain, as I am only a visual observer, so it becomes difficult to tell, with these old eyes.
We are indeed fortunate in this country to have a high standard of living, but with the global market place, we are currently taking advantage of that, by getting high wages and being able to buy at low prices overseas. It probably won't last. The dollar is heading south with some predictions it will go as low as 75 cents again. Fortunately, I am reaping the rewards, as I bought US currency when it was 96 cents, as I knew it would go down; well, I was gambling on it going down.
Cheers Peter