And you thought Oz Astro-retailers were bad...

Peter Ward · #1 02-10-2009, 12:56 PM

You're going to love this...below is my final correspondence with a local car performance chip ECU supplier:

I reprogram Gemini EPROMS here in Oz, the chips cost around $40 each.

So these guys are charging locally $A1950 for the chip "content"....I was not happy paying nearly twice the price locally, hence figured I'd simply pick up a pair of chips on my next trip to LAX...the thinly veiled tantrum below has me bemused.... and totally killed my interest in dealing with them.

----- Original Message -----
From: Oz powerchip
To: Peter Ward
Cc: USA agent 1, USA Agent 2
Sent: Friday, October 02, 2009 12:38 PM
Subject: re[2]: Sales information from Powerchip!

Travis and Jeremy, The customer below may attempt to contact you about his Ferrari 348.
Before ANY 348 upgrades are supplied by Powerchip USA in the next year, even to resellers, please email me for authorisation to supply.
In addition, please make up a contact for him and place an alert on it
regards
Wayne

----------------------- Original Message -----------------------

From: "Peter Ward"
To: "Powerchip Sales"
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 10:20:03 +1000
Subject: Re: Sales information from Powerchip!

Dear Chris,

Citing "Australian conditions" as a reason for charging nearly double (at
recent Forex rates, $A1150 vs $A1990) doesn't wash well with me.

I travel to the USA 2-3 times a month, many of my Ferrari spares I
purchase while I'm there.

Different country, but the same part and half the price (often even less)

Sorry, I won't be purchasing a Powerchip here

Sincerely
Peter Ward

astroron (Ron) · #2 02-10-2009, 01:27 PM

You shouldn't have told them Peter

There must be some legal redress in restriction of trade, or something along those lines

You may have to try Europe instead

telecasterguru (Frank) · #3 02-10-2009, 01:34 PM

Peter,

I know exactly where you are coming from. The sheer hide of some people. I also know that we have been down this path before but the current issue of Astronomy magazine has the Celestron CGEM 1100 HD at $3499US plus delivery and taxes.

Even at $500 for these charges it works out to be around $4600AU at the current exchange rate. Would be nice.

Frank

sheeny (Al) · #4 02-10-2009, 01:36 PM

Free market? What free market? Market competition?

The fact that you have the opportunity to operate in the world market rather than just the aussie one clearly poses a threat and has exposed non-competitive market behaviour.

Al.

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #5 02-10-2009, 01:45 PM

Peter, i guess if you drive a car with the prancing pony they think you have more money than sense!

Last year i had to go to Wagga for some business, i went into the local pub, and was charged over $10 for a schoona (sp?) when the guy standing right next to me was charged $3 !!

i emptied my glass, "refill?" enquired the barhand, "not at those prices i said, or do you always charge anyone who hasnt got an Australian accent over 3 times the price?"

dpastern (Dave Pastern) · #6 02-10-2009, 01:46 PM

Place the order with the US and if they give you a hard time, threaten to take legal action. There is no legal reason for them restricting trade. If the local Aussie retailer wants to be a ****wit and overcharge at rip off prices, that's his own fault.

Dave

Peter Ward · #7 02-10-2009, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpastern

Place the order with the US and if they give you a hard time, threaten to take legal action. There is no legal reason for them restricting trade. If the local Aussie retailer wants to be a ****wit and overcharge at rip off prices, that's his own fault.

Dave

What has me tossed is you can mail a set of EPROMS across the Pacific for around $15.00...infact you don't even have to do that, the EPROM code can be e-mailed. ( BTW shipping on big telescope mounts can cost....a PME runs about $US1100 with Fedex.....I digress.... )

Suffice to say, their antics made sure I'd go elsewhere

allan gould · #8 02-10-2009, 02:25 PM

Pete
If I were you I would just get your wife to purchase it from the States and let them go suck if they have put your name on some sort of "black-list"

TrevorW · #9 02-10-2009, 02:25 PM

I recently had some books sent to me from the US through Amazon shipping cost per book was $15

I wanted to order a small package item in Oz from a online store they wanted $19 for p&h

I've sent reigtered packages myself for unedr $10 through AP

I wanted to buy a small bottle of Eclipse Fluid in the US $8 here $30
WTF

I'm sick and tied of how ripped off we are in this country and find often it's cheaper to buy OS than locally

dugnsuz (Doug) · #10 02-10-2009, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrevorW

I'm sick and tied of how ripped off we are in this country and find often it's cheaper to buy OS than locally

Sad but true Trevor - someone's economy is getting stimulated and it ain't ours!
Doug

DavidU (Dave) · #11 02-10-2009, 02:43 PM

Pete, is yours a Bosch Motronic 2.5 or 2.7 injection system?

ngcles · #12 02-10-2009, 02:45 PM

Hi Peter,

I wouldn't be happy with that treatment either mate but as Ron said earlier, you were a very silly sausage for telling them where you intended to go to buy it and why.

But I digress ...

The title of this thread --

"And you though(t) Oz Astro-retailers were bad..."

forces me to make one observation and ask another question ...

(1) I don't think Oz Astro-retailers are bad

(2) Aren't you an Oz astro-retailer?

Best,

Les D

Waxing_Gibbous (Peter) · #13 02-10-2009, 02:57 PM

Peter,
Try MCL Motors in Vancouver Canada. Thy're the local Porsche / Ferrari consessionaires. Upgraded EMS chip for my 964; Local-$2230, MCL-Ca$785 (at the time about Oz$850)!!

Re; Telescopes. Its double BS with an extra dose of BS filling with BS on the side. CA$ is not worth much more than the Oz$ yet Canadians still pay the same rate-adjusted price as Americans. Celestron & Meade are full of it. Don't complain - Just don't buy! Boycott both! If you're gonna pay stupid prices for a compound scope,you might as well go Intes Micro

Kudos though to Televue & Takahashi which work out to roughly the same price in $US / $Oz and retailers bear the same expenses.

Peter Ward · #14 02-10-2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ngcles

.........

(1) I don't think Oz Astro-retailers are bad

(2) Aren't you an Oz astro-retailer?

Best,

Les D

Irony Les, Irony....(a form of humor

)... for the record, no I don't think Asto- retailers are bad.....more a case of these guys taking the cake.

Yes I guess I was naive....what was I thinking?! ...using my real name and all

mental4astro (Alexander) · #15 02-10-2009, 03:17 PM

Just a little one from today:

5metre USB cable extension: in OZ, $24.99, from HK, $8.99 delivered to my door!! Go figure

Outbackmanyep · #16 02-10-2009, 03:38 PM

Well....nobody is in business to lose money are they??

marki · #17 02-10-2009, 03:54 PM

Peter perhaps you should bite the bullet and buy a fully programable aftermarket ECU like an autronics or motec. We ran them for years in road race cars and never had a single problem, not once. That way you could change the tune of the car to suit your own purpose e.g. road, hill climbs/targa/track days etc. The maps once set can be stored and replaced easily.

Mark

TrevorW · #18 02-10-2009, 03:55 PM

No exactly but what you have because of a limited market, is a limited number of suppliers who have limited competition and therefore they think they can charge what they like.

Remember when buying OS we are still paying retail prices not wholesale.

It has been proven that even telescopes that are advertised locally for $3000 can be purchased direct and arrive landed under $1000 (one argues about the warranty issue which unless something is drastically wrong is a mute point as we still have to pay P&H to return products for warranty work in WA as most of my purchases have been ex East)

I for one are not complaining about reasonable markups but profiteering (ie: one who seeks to exact exorbitant profits as by taking advantage of public necessity) is my gripe and unfortunately it's indicative throughout the retail industry in this country take Coles, Woolworths, Bonds and numerous other Australian companies that source products from overseas at the expense of local manufactures and suppliers.

Furthermore ever heard of Simplot if not look them up, they nearly bankrupted a local farming community (putting 300 people out of work) in the SW of WA when they realised they could buy potatoes landed 1 cent a kg cheaper from NZ than the local supplier.

No nobody is is business to lose money but there are moral and ethical issues at stake here and as consumers we are often apathetic too our own plight.

marki · #19 02-10-2009, 04:01 PM

Trevor that's exactly why I purchase most my astro stuff OS. They get it here faster then most of the eastern states mob and it is cheaper... I just ordered a set of 2" LRGB filters from OPT costing $600 AU including shipping. Same filters here are sold for $1000 + shipping. Hmmm must be a big warranty risk me thinks...not.

Mark

telecasterguru (Frank) · #20 02-10-2009, 04:02 PM

Further to my previous email, advertised Astronomy US magazine September 09 page 72, Celestron CGE Pro Fastar compatible $8898.95. Same scope from a Sydney dealer currently advertised Recommended Retail Price $34,999AU.
How can this be? Ridiculous!

Frank