Well, has any wise one bought quality Astro gears like Tak, Vixen, WO, TV stuffs
Direct from country of origin distributor/seller/factory special sale -without paying unjustifiable postage
and
off coarse, avoiding over-confident on-shore monopoly, light bucket sellers charging like wounded flock of bulls and a rhino by giving excuse of 1-2 warranty ie once out of shop too late.
Hate to rain on your parade but have you ever tried to import gear from OS? This is not a trivial exercise from the standpoint of postal charges, insurance and customs fee's.
Then take into account most factories will not sell direct to users and most suppliers are distributors who have sales agreements not to sell to other OS markets (undercut other distributors).
There are a few threads in this forum on buying OS, a search might help you to understand the complexities, downfalls and traps in doing this. Don't get me wrong I'm a supporter of lower prices but IMHO prices in Australia, ATM, from some of the big suppliers, are not that bad (compared to OS).
Just recently I bought LXD75 mount with dual axis motor controller directly from Northgroup in China (while I was in Beijing), to be used in November for eclipse.
The total cost was US$350 (160 for equatorial mount (no tripod, with counterweight), 120 for dual axis controller and motors, 55 for postage (DHL China) from Nanjing to Beijing, 25 for surcharge and insurance).
I am sure they will be willing to ship to Oz as well, and they have other interesting items for sale (APO's, Maksutov's.. )
Talk to Gilman and ask for quotes (via made-in-china.com)
I'm in NZ but never found importing to be much of an issue, I track the parcel online and when it has arrived for distribution I just go to the depot and pay the GST + small import fee and pick it up.
I buy from wherever it is cheapest, which is usually Optcorp.com for the items I have purchased in the past (Losmandy mount, TeleVue eyepieces and barlows, filters and other bits and pieces).
This is factoring in the GST payable upon importing. I check prices with Bintel as well, but with the AUD/NZD exchange rate they are usually more expensive for me.
Hate to rain on your parade but have you ever tried to import gear from OS? This is not a trivial exercise from the standpoint of postal charges, insurance and customs fee's.
Then take into account most factories will not sell direct to users and most suppliers are distributors who have sales agreements not to sell to other OS markets (undercut other distributors).
There are a few threads in this forum on buying OS, a search might help you to understand the complexities, downfalls and traps in doing this. Don't get me wrong I'm a supporter of lower prices but IMHO prices in Australia, ATM, from some of the big suppliers, are not that bad (compared to OS).
There is duty payable on any item over $1000. Customs never policed this too closely but it seems that after a certain billionaire had a very public whinge about people buying OS they are now much more on the ball. Still it was cheaper to buy my Canon 400 f5.6L from Hong Kong than locally.
In the lab we often run into the problem of 'exclusive distributor' and so have to buy locally. Mark ups of 100% are not unknown. These companies generally do not hold stock (so warehousing is not a cost) and just order the goods in when they receive an order. The last case I had was small glass vials we use. The distributor's price was about 40% above the US price, and then they added 'postage and handling'!
I'm not saying don't try to buy from OS but do be aware of the problem you could face.
i became a ASV groupie after the Venus transit ..and now no. IceInSpace..he he..
also got stuck ordered $800 LX80 with a US seller
but some local sellers have thrown wet blanket on beginers like me (and it's already brass monkey and cloudy winter)
i dont know how to put an ad as Wanted working VMC/VC200L or RC8" or C9.25" type OTA and SXW/SXD/SXP or iOptron i30/45/SmartEq or HEQ5 or Celestron Nexstar as i did on Australia Astronomy Buy & Sell website-
i am into those types and a Nagler27mm for DSO later Mewlon210..
has any kind soul near or far, any idea/feelings to share..
Anyone with any brains will try and purchase from the lowest price, best value vendor - but to think that you can somehow circumvent the entire GST, shipping and retail thing is foolish.
I for one don't know how Bintel and other specialty retailers in Australia have managed to stick around. I certainly would not want to be a small business owner in the current environment.
I think you need to recognise that you can't have it both ways - ie, buy straight from the vendor, pay no GST, or shipping cost, and yet somehow have access to great gear and an expanding community. There's a bit of give and take required here, from both sides.
There's a bit of give and take required here, from both sides.
I agree with the general sentiment, but the markups on some products are utterly outrageous. Choice's recent survey of prices here and overseas (not astro-related) concluded that local retail rents/costs and additional shipping were very small contributors. 10% GST is a valid charge, but that's about it. Some companies (e.g. Apple) manage almost price parity, whereas others have inexplicable 100% markups.
As far as I can see, many astro products have similar price disparity.
Whilst I'm no expert at running a local business, and I gather it's not usually the retail outlets pocketing the difference, I can't see how the large markups are justifiable. Personally, I think those responsible for the markups (distributors?) are hanging themselves with their own rope.
By and large, the people want fair pricing - i.e. when items are manufactured and shipped from China, Taiwan, etc. to worldwide markets, and domestic shipping, handling and order processing is pretty much the same in any developed nation, then we expect prices to be comparable (tax/duty and exchange rate adjusted, of course).
Hello all,
Is here/there any astro live-chat on iceinpace/cloudynights?
What website/s UK astro-hobbyist use??
you see on some sellers website here even after say30~50% off asking prices are double/triple of US sellers -
Personally I find it insulting to prospective buyer/s, unless I wanna prezzie for Mothers day by spinning lottery money around..
Ok I am learning the ropes here.. The catch with local 1-2 warranty is eg buyer WAIT L..O..N..G; pay intl shipping again for mirror recoating ...homework time again..
Just for completeness, large price disparity in astro equipment is not always the case. Consider the following example - although prices vary from vendor to vendor, the cheapest prices I've found for this item (so far), when 10% GST is taken into account, are pretty close.
Item
Celestron C11-A XLT with the same inclusions:
Prices
USA (Optcorp): USD $1995
Aust (BTOW): AUD $2250
(Mods: if this transgresses the ToS, please remove).
People should note that any optics or their mounts imported to Australia should incur NO import duties. Authough you still have to pay the gst . I can find the official tarrif number that states this if required
Optical equipment might not attract import duties but some companies, like DHL, like to charge a custom inspection presentation and handling fee to the unwary.