|
Dare I wade into this one !!
I think its all a state of mind.
Some people choose to see things a particular way, and forget to see a given situation in its entirety.
On the thread in question
I cannot see for the life of me why anyone would want to complain about a cheaper source of goodies !!!
Lambasting domestic retailers for not being cheaper than another retailer or another country with entirely different rules, regulations, taxes/duties, cost structures, delivery charges, import costs etc etc is ignoring the opportunity that presents itself.
If Coles is cheaper than Woollies I don't complain that Woollies is dear and lodge a formal complaint with them and the Consumer watchdog and all and sundry ! - I buy from Coles and think myself lucky I got it cheaper and how much more I now have to spend on the other things I want.
If I am looking for a new car - do I argue the point with every car yard that has what I want but at a higher price ? or do I just buy what I like at the best price I can find ?
It makes no sense to me - if its cheaper to buy in the US or from India, China, HK or UK - then buy from there - its easy and relatively safe to do so, and often quicker and easier than going down to the local store which might take hours, costs in parking and fuel and sometimes costs more and takes longer to get delivered because they don't have stock or with less choice on the options.
Books are usually much cheaper in the UK and US and the range, variety and instant stock holding is huge, plus freight is often free.
I can order a book from the UK and its delivered a week later (for free) - yet I have ordered books locally and waited months and ultimately never received them !
Taiwan, HK and China is great for all manner of things including electronics and parts, and almost everything
Heck I can buy a USB blue tooth adapter for 0.99c with free delivery or pay $1.99 for a USB WiFi dongle ! (that I paid $149 for 2 years ago !)
I dont complain about that - I take advantage of it, if that is what I want.
The US is often good for good quality telescopes and many things astro, but also photographic gear and so much other stuff - so buy it from there - if it represents the best deal for you.
I recently bought a 12+mp digital camera for a friend who wants to get into 'real' photography at a level above her P&S - AUD cost is $600 (was a lot more a year ago) US was only $149 ! - for a DSLR that can take the full range of interchangeable lenses - freight was dirt cheap - took a week.
Lets not hear that it can't be done - anyone can buy pretty much anything a US consumer can buy and get it delivered here.
Fact is - almost everything is presently cheaper than its been in the recent past whether you choose to shop domestically, on the net or OS, or just look around at home as the case may be.
So I would argue that its more a case of people looking on the negative side of things rather than reality or the positive side.
We have a choice, unlike some countries where the citizens are not allowed to import without huge import taxes.
In the end market forces will prevail - Supply and demand.
Businesses will adapt one way or another - a bit like the plague - some will die, some will already be immune (ie already practising competitive retailing) and some will get sick and develop immunity (initially lose business and be forced to restructure their business models) and live on to be stronger.
Why pricing is different depends on all sorts of factors, way too many to simply summarise, as each case on a product, by region, by retailer basis will be different.
We live in a democratic society, business can charge what they like and the market will decide, people can say what they like on the forum and they are allowed to do so - rightly or wrongly.
To suppose that everyone should and must be the cheapest - well I'll leave that question alone, but thank goodness we dont live in a regulated world where all the prices are preset and determined by regulators - otherwise there wouldn't be a cheaper alternative !
And novelty and research and creativity would be thwarted.
I am just being the devils advocate here.
Vest on !!
Rally
PS If people are really serious about then they should start promoting the opportunities that exist and force the market through normal dynamics of supply and demand to move even faster.
|