With US$ parity it's easy for the average punter to see how much we pay for the same product in the lucky country.www.amazon.com/Canon-imageFORMULA-Portable-Document-Scan-tini/dp/B003HJ114A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289105554&sr=8-1
$260 RRP $299
vs
www.megabuy.com.au/canon-cdrp150-imageformula-p150-ultra-compact-portable-colour-duplex-scanner-p183596.html
$464 RRP $599
------------------------------------------------
55" 3D TV? www.harveynorman.com.au/product/1256968977876/samsung--lcd-d-tv
$4500
vshttp://www.amazon.com/Samsung-UN55C7000-55-Inch-1080p-Black/dp/B0036WT4JW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1289105864&sr=1-1
Samsung UN55C7000 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV (Black)
$2,199.98 - Quantity: 1 - In Stock
Condition: New
Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC
Including delivery to my Portland Oregon address.
So here's the deal Australian distributors are ripping us off plain and simple. Time to let them know that your going to do you shopping in the USA unless they start to charge something reasonable for their made in China BS.
Delivery from the US to Aus is only:
First 0.5kgUS$ 24.00
Every additional 0.5kgUS$ 4.00
Speed of Delivery (business days)3 - 8
Yeah we were looking at the Chrysler 300C today. I have a softspot for this car. It reminds me of the old Chrylser Valiants. I owned a few Valiants and loved them. Love the fact its such a big car but has little interior space. Just like a Charger. Totally opposite to my Mitsubishi Delica.
Anyway the Chrysler 300C is about $50K. In yankee land they around about $30K new. I doubt it costs $20K to convert the car to left had drive and bring the over to Australia.
If the US dollar collapses and they go into hyper inflation, which unless the government gets its fiscal deficit under control (highly unlikely as the military is sacrosanct), then how will we compare our prices to the US?
Any time a product falls outside a chain manufacturing processes it cost a lot.
Getting a US made car on the other side of the world with modifications for + 70% aint as bad as getting the EXACT same product from a 3rd country at > 100%. My guess is they even tried to keep the cost under $50k to avoid the luxury tax. A Corvette Z06 has a 150-220% markup here.
It cost the same to ship a product to west coast USA as it does to ship to east coast Aus... not only that but other products in east coast USA are still cheaper when the cost is higher.
Rip off rip off rip off.
It's not American it's CHINESE. Everything is made in China. Chances are 50% of your car is made in China.
My issue is that inbetween us and China somebody is adding > 100% to the price OVER and ABOVE what they add in the US.
I even have to buy Chinese made shoes in the UK because it's 1/2 price compared to Australia.
Check it out yourself... Merrell Striker Goals UK price A$101; Aus price A$185.
Or maybe Australians just have way too much money and don't mind paying more than everyone else in the WORLD ![]()
Thank you Tim Berners-Lee for the internet... ooo my ebay auction is about to close (more money out of Oz
).
Compare your spending power, costs versus wages like Laurie says, not costs based on exchange rates.
US has an economy based on mass consumerism like no other country. Their economy works by millions spending very little, very often and continually disposing and replacing what they have. In this model seller-customer relationships for future sales is as important as the profit of the item that is being sold.
Pretty sure the same people moaning about things costing apparently more here, are the same people who complain about mass consumerism and the acts of authorities to control the masses into a bland mediocre compliant mob.
So before you complain too much ask yourself the general question whether you would rather have a mass consumer based throwaway society or one in which material possessions have value and worth.
I know where I would rather be, and instead of just posting a utube clip and have Laurie delete my post I intend to do something about it by not buying into the US consumer model (well, OK I will a bit, but just a bit)
(For example - my car was built in 1984, I bought it second hand and is still going fine. If I was american I would have bought and scrapped 10 different new vehicles between now and then, and hence the US car sellers can sell cheaper cars than the dealer I bought my car off - it is not quite as simple as exchange rate conversions, and there is probably no conspiracy by Australian companies to screw the australian watersport enthusiast)
Another thing to think about - who's making the profit?
Is it the person who physically makes the goods?
Is it the company who manufactures the goods?
Is it the exporter?
Is the the shipping / logistics company?
Is it the importer?
Is it the local wholesaler?
Is it the local retailer?
Be careful about assuming it is the local retailer that is rorting us...
In fact, thinking about it, if you have got the cash to purchase a 55" 3D LCD TV then you probably need to be thinking about reducing your carbon footprint.
But - if you have the desire to buy a 55" 3d LCD TV then you probably won't ever think about it yourself and hence perhaps the inflated cost should be the punishment for not living a greener more sustainable life.
I'm starting to think it is a bit ironic for Flysurfer to complain about about the US government models, the 'NWO' and the such like and then also moan about having to pay for unneccessary luxury items, whose which sole purpose is to deliver the messages that are so evil and come from such a corrupt source.
So my suggestion is to solve both problems - don't buy a 55" 3D LCD TV.
Instead go out for a walk and say hello to your neighbour (unless your neighbour is PM33, then I would stay in and shut the curtains and turn all the lights off)
But, having said that if you want the price to come down to match the US price, you have to follow the US model and :
go get a loan and buy six 55" 3D LCD TVs - one for the basement, one for the shed, one for the bedroom, one for the kids rooms etc. When you can't pay back the loan, go get another to pay the first off.
Everything will be great, prices will plunge, loan rates will tumble, the economy will surge to new heights -
oh yeah that's right - until it all comes crashing down and you are unemployed, evicted and unable to pay for medical care 'cause there ain't no Medicare.
But atleast you got your cheap TV.
Yea he is killing it!! I have noticed that you get alot of red thumbs over in the windsurf forum there mate! What have you done
I can sorta guess but bloody hell!!!
Doggie, it is cos I call the trolls for what they are, somebody red thumbs every post i make. I could say the sky is blue and grass is green and get a red thumb from the juvenile idiot
Hey Laurie, it's been a while since we saw the post count leader board, last I saw it Poor Rellie was at the top, I think he might even have been pipped now?
SELECT TOP (10) username, COUNT(post) AS posts
FROM forums
GROUP BY username
ORDER BY posts DESC
(or some such...)
Chinese Factory > shipping co (BDI indexed) > USA > distributor > customer > retailer = $299 + state tax if applicable
Chinese Factory > shipping co (BDI indexed) > Aus > distributor > retailer > customer = $599
...still working on the time machine.