[mic_m (Michael)]

My basic question is fairly simple; why is the Orion line of dobsonians, including but not limited to the XX12, so highly priced in Australia?

I am basing my contention about the price being high on the following comparisons:

GSO solid tube - $999 (Andrews)
SW Flextube - $1399 (Andrews)
Lightbridge - $1399 (Bintel)

XX12 - $3000 (e.g. Astro Optical, but it is the same at others too)

In the US the pricing is more comparable between the brands (all prices are from telescopes.com and Orion):

GSO solid tube (Zhumall) – US$799
SW Flextube - US$995
Lightbridge - US$899

XX12 – US$1299

Note how most of the prices in AU$ compare favourably with the US$ prices, except the XX12. Doing the conversion; US$(1299/0.80) = AU$1623. Where does the remaining AU$1,300 come form?

The difference can’t be due to the Intelescope; that is included as a part of the converted price of the XX12 scope package and it only costs US$170.

What about shipping and tariffs? I assume that this is the likely cause – but I’m not sure how this accounts for the $1,300 difference between the converted US price and the Australian sale price, or the AU$1600 difference between the XX12 and the LB which are both shipped to Australia from overseas.

I really like the XX12; it has several of the plusses of both the SW and the GSO made dobs, but less of the compromises. I would like this scope, but at AU$3000 it is unjustifiably expensive, at least without knowing exactly what I’m paying for or why I am paying it.

Oh, by the way, I asked Orion the same question, but they weren’t sure why their dobs were so expensive in Australia as pricing is based on dealer discretion. I know that dealers set prices based on external forces, but I can’t identify exactly what has resulted in the XX12 price premium above comparable scopes.

Cheers.