What a Ripoff Nexstar 8SE for $3499

netwolf · #1 25-01-2007, 09:52 PM

What the hell is this price, and how the heck do they justify it. I will not name the store but really this is outrageous. This scope retails in US for 1200$.

The CPC-800 at another Australian shop is only $3399, seriously how to people get away with this. I think there needs to be some serious pressure brought to bear by some authority on these merchants.

Regards
Fahim

Geoff45 (Geoff) · #2 25-01-2007, 10:25 PM

There are two things you can do:
1. Shop around--I found something around $700 difference for my ZS110 package from Australian dealers.
2. Buy overseas. You can often get gear cheaper and more quickly. My recent experience for a flip mirror finder was a 4-6 weeks wait from an Aussie dealer for $190 or a week's postage from the US for $140 (including postage costs)

duncan · #3 25-01-2007, 10:29 PM

dead right.allowing for currency exchange and freight and profit margin,$2800. should top it off.
Cheers,
Duncan

netwolf · #4 26-01-2007, 12:11 AM

The problem is that we get slugged more by the freight then dealers do. Usually a supplier will bring it by the container or some similar arrangement and save on shipping costs. So the markup is truly a ripoff. You could possibly buy the OTA on its own and get it shipped more cost effectively.

duncan · #5 26-01-2007, 12:24 AM

you are probably right.i admit i'm not sure but you don't have to be einstein to work it all out thats for damn sure.

merlin8r · #6 26-01-2007, 12:40 AM

They do not come by the container. There are a few more factors like customs, GSt etc. But that is a bit expensive lol. Glad its not my shop!

Clear skies,
Shane

netwolf · #7 26-01-2007, 02:47 AM

Trouble now is that no US Retailer to the best of my knowledge, is shipping Meade or Celestron gear over hear. So we are locked into these local prices. It was possible up until about a year or so ago to buy from overseas but I believe local suppliers may have had a hand in shutting that down.

merlin8r · #8 26-01-2007, 03:41 AM

Again, no. That is Meade's and Celestrons policy. Australian suppliers don't have a say in it. We cannot ship their products to New Zealand for example.

Clear skies,
Shane

Gama · #9 26-01-2007, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlin8r

They do not come by the container. There are a few more factors like customs, GSt etc. But that is a bit expensive lol. Glad its not my shop!

Clear skies,
Shane

A heap of equipment come by container, not all. My RCX400 did, i had to wait 25 days for it to rock up !.

But, what you can do is put a wanted ad in astromart, you should get a response.

The prices are a bit on the heavy side. I also cannot beleive the cost difference. Plus you also need to remember that the GST the shop pays is peanuts, as there is no mark up yet, and they claim it all back too. So they pass on the GST after their big mark up.

merlin8r · #10 26-01-2007, 04:05 AM

We most certainly do not get our stock by the container. Show me the shop that has storage for it lol. Plus, and here's the big one.... warranty. Dealers in the US do not cover the warranty. If you buy a scope from a shop in the US and it becomes faulty, you send it back to Meade or Celestron direct. The retail outlet has nothing to do with it. Here in Australia, it's the retailer who has to cover the costs of warranty repairs. Would you prefer to send yours to the US?

Clear skies,
Shane

netwolf · #11 26-01-2007, 05:52 AM

I know its a Meade and Celestron Policy but it seems to be the only ones to benifit from it our local suppliers.

Weather or not the equipment comes in bulk, does not negate the fact that it cost less for the supplier to bring it in then it costs the consumer. Also GST would be applicable on the purchase price the supplier pays to Meade which will be much less than the retail price at the US store. And if as merlin sugests warranty has to be provided locally then its one less headache for the manufacturer hence one would image the price is further discounted.

What our price seems to boil down to is volume of sales not being high. Hence shop must make profit on fewer sales to cover all there expenses. One can not imagine that they are selling them by the truck load. Hence we know have some startup stores that purely deal online to keep overheads to a minimum. Hence providing a better price.

Warranty is an issue with an overseas purchase, but I would assume that there is only a certain level of problem that the locals can try to fix before its passed up the chain to be rectified. As I understand it Celestron have a supplier that sells to the retailers, where as Mead is a direct relationship.

I think we can all agree that the prices here are higher than they need to be even with the lower volume of sales.

Regards
Fahim

merlin8r · #12 26-01-2007, 12:02 PM

I think you would be surprised just how low the margins are. Remember that we also have to keep a stock of replacement parts and specialty tools as well.
Local warranty repairs certainly do not reduce supplier costs. If a telescope becomes defective and cannot be repaired, it still has to be shipped all the way back, and a replacement unit back again. At any rate, we still have to pay what the supplier charges, it doesn't get cheaper.

Clear skies,
Shane

netwolf · #13 26-01-2007, 12:24 PM

I dont imagine shops keep a full set of spares for every telescope they sell. The might keep one whole or two full units to use for parts and as repair reference. I can appreciate this does add cost to the price, but some of the prices around today are just ridiculous. Given the current economic climate and disposable income being harder to come by, I cant imagine the volume of sales will increase if prices stay high.

merlin8r · #14 26-01-2007, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by netwolf

I dont imagine shops keep a full set of spares for every telescope they sell. The might keep one whole or two full units to use for parts and as repair reference.

You think the shop keeps a complete telescope for spares? Think the local Ford dealer does the same? No, we have boxes of replacement parts. Plus, the technicians are Meade/Celestron trained, not winging it as they go by what they see in another telescope.
As I said in my original post, yes the price you quoted is very high. So shop around! Don't pay the high price, find it somewhere else cheaper. Retailers like to eat too!

Clear skies,
Shane

paninaro · #15 26-01-2007, 12:52 PM

You can get cheap return flights to hawaii now and buy it at the US$ rate, fly there drink a cocktail, throw it in your luggage, fly back, don't declare it and your set. (if they do question you, say you took it out of aus to view venus or something)

paninaro · #16 26-01-2007, 01:02 PM

OK, looked it up you can get return flights for around $1000, the scope will cost you US$1200 ($1500 AUS), thats $2500 AUS and saves you $3499-2500 = $1000 not bad. Of course you will have to take $10 off for the cocktail.

In fact why not throw the $1000 at a holiday while your there! Seems really simple to me, either you give someone profit or you have a holiday! Which would you like????

mill (Martin) · #17 26-01-2007, 01:03 PM

Hi all.
Just had to respond to this.
As i see it , if the customer doesn't want warranty on certain items ,it can be sold cheaper.
With these prices it looks as if every customer prepays future warranty,freight costs and labour, even when his/her item doesn't break down.
So if every item breaks down that is sold then nothing is lost for the retailer?
If nothing breaks down then the retailer makes a nice profit on the prepaid warranty money.
Just my 2 cents.

netwolf · #18 26-01-2007, 01:22 PM

Is there extended warranty insurance to cover this type of costs? I can appreciate the ideology of shopping around, but only when there are other alternatives which are also not overpriced. The Meade and Celestron policy needs to be changed. It maybe an idea to get the local Astronomy groups to come together to write a petition letter to Meade and Celestron asking them to change this policy.

In whatever manner you to warranty, I dont think anyone hold every part for every scope sold, instead they would hold few full sets of spares. That is the point I was trying to make with the whole scope for parts idea.

Would not mind a trip to hawaii that makes a lot of sense.

This brings about another question, i recall searching the web one day and coming across a Federal ACT that seemed to declare astronomy equipment was not to be taxed on import. It may have been an older version that has been revised or some such. Can anyone else confirm this?

Regards

netwolf · #19 26-01-2007, 01:38 PM

Ok I found it..

Look at http://www.austlii.edu.au//cgi-bin/d...elescope#disp2

search page for number 9005

Taken from page this is a quote.

Quote:

9005
BINOCULARS, MONOCULARS, OTHER OPTICAL <<TELESCOPES>>, AND MOUNTINGS THEREFOR; OTHER ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS AND MOUNTINGS THEREFOR, BUT NOT INCLUDING INSTRUMENTS FOR RADIO-ASTRONOMY:

9005.10.00
-Binoculars Free
9005.80.00
-Other instruments Free
9005.90.00
-Parts and accessories (including mountings) Free

Regards

matt · #20 26-01-2007, 01:54 PM

Hmmmmmm

Interesting stuff, Fahim.

I agree with you 100% that the prices we pay for Celestron and Meade gear and the policy which is currently in place regarding its direct sale (or non-sale, as the case is) to us, the consumer, is complete and utter BS.

I'd sign any petition in a heartbeat if someone wants to get one going.

I'll even pay for its mail delivery to Celestron and Meade

But seriously. It's something which I find infuriating.

I'm also not a big fan of the fact there's only 1 business in the whole of Oz selling Televue gear