Why Aussies are Buying Overseas. Amazon Service

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by MAD

It's not the consumers fault the gap in prices has widened so far that it has now attracted many people to the savings of online shopping.

it doesn't matter whose fault anything is. if we keep asking for huge wages and then spend it overseas, none of us will have a job in the future. considering retail is an area that could employ many after manufacturing is gone, it seems a great idea to try and kill them off too

[AMGC63]

Originally Posted by MAD

The main difference at face value that I can see is that a retail shop, primarily these days, is there to offer a service.
The supply can easily come from anywhere in the world, as we are seeing, so to remain competitive they need to offer something that cant be bought online.

It's not the consumers fault the gap in prices has widened so far that it has now attracted many people to the savings of online shopping.

So shops are just research facilities? How are they to earn an income if they cant sell anything?

How would internet shopping look if our $ was back at $0.58USD?

The problem is the strength of our dollar now, not that Australia is uncompetitive...

[MAD]

Originally Posted by gtxb67

it doesn't matter whose fault anything is. if we keep asking for huge wages and then spend it overseas, none of us will have a job in the future. considering retail is an area that could employ many after manufacturing is gone, it seems a great idea to try and kill them off too

Well it sort of does matter, since the blame seems to be getting squarely pegged at the consumer.

If the only prospect is that everyone will be out of work, then something has gone seriously wrong in the world.

[FgNewbie]

Originally Posted by MAD

Buying as an individual you dont get to buy from a wholesaler.
You buy from a retailer that has already paid for shipping and applied their markup. And yet you still come out in front.

Some retailers sell at wholesale prices.

One problem with Australian pricing for some products relates to when they were purchased and AUD value at the time.

In some circumstances the importer can't win. I know of one company that was effectively losing money when the dollar dropped because they didn't increase their prices. Now the dollar is stronger and the importer is balancing out his losses, people are screaming because he hasn't decreased his price.

There is a lot of stuff I'd like to comment on but the whole topic is a minefield.

[MAD]

Originally Posted by AMGC63

So shops are just research facilities? How are they to earn an income if they cant sell anything?

How would internet shopping look if our $ was back at $0.58USD?

The problem is the strength of our dollar now, not that Australia is uncompetitive...

That's not what I was suggesting. 'service' could be anything that is not a physical item.

Online shopping would probably look similar, since the shops would be the first to jack their prices due to increased import costs.
But if you take in to account the increased weekly costs due to fuel price rises, then both would probably be worse off.

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by MAD

then something has gone seriously wrong in the world.

that has been happening for a long time and will continue to happen. no one can think about anything but the here and now. great idea for enjoying yourself at present, but sometimes a bit of thought has to go into the future as well . . . . and people seem to not have that ability

[randel]

what upsets me is when people expect a retail place to provide them with all the info on products, let them look at and compare products, then they go online and purchase.

[MAD]

I hear people say that a lot, but I dont know anyone that has actually done it.
The only time I use a shop and then dont purchase from them, is if I am pitting one against another for price on a TV or something.
So I still buy from retail, just not theirs because the other beat the price.

[AMGC63]

Originally Posted by randel

what upsets me is when people expect a retail place to provide them with all the info on products, let them look at and compare products, then they go online and purchase.

This is becoming more and more prevalent, shops are becoming librarys now..

You'll see a trend out there to Branded shops, i.e Nike Shops etc, this is to promote the brand first and foremost, not just sell product.

They have realised that people have online options now and Nike dont care where their product is bought, as long as its their product.

Mass Retailers on the other hand are losing market share....

Some online shops in the US will not ship Brands sold here, i.e Eastbay will not ship certain model Nike and Asics runners to Australia because they have an agreement with the Australian Distributor NOT to backdoor them.

[69XWGT]

Here's a few for you.

175hp 4 Stroke Suzuki outboard. Australia $22000 USA $8500
A mate runs the QLD water police and he can't even get these prices from the Haines Group who import Suzuki outboards and he buys over a hundred outboards a year
Furuno 620FCV Fish Finder Cheapest in Australia $1250 USA including shipping $825
I import my own mower parts
Kohler 27hp V twin engine Australia $4400 USA $1608
Plastic catcher shoot Australia $620 USA $162
Blower impeller Australia $550 USA $132
Drive belts Australia $185 USA $66

With the AUD so high how many of you have seen a reduction in prices apart from chinese TV's.

Thats right nearly no one.

The importers are and have been screwing us for years.
It's about time they lifted their game and if they don't have the buying power like they do in the US well it's time they re-negotiated what they pay for things

There are plenty of frieght forwarders in the US

I use this company as it's close to where i buy my gear and i get free shipping from the company i buy from to there so i only have to pay for it to be delivered into Australia
http://www.nybox.com/about/

[trippytaka]

Slightly segued but I have heard that most local bottle shops can't get booze cheaper than they can buy from Dan Murpheys a lot of the time, so they buy there.

Any truth to this

[RG]

Originally Posted by flappist

I am just wonder how many on here would be so positive about direct importing if the thing that was imported was YOUR JOB because YOU are too expensive.....

That's a fair cop out and a long bow to draw and I think even you know that. If it were possible though it all comes down to competition, the more competition the more you have to offer. If Australian retailers were offering more to the consumer than their internet competition then they wouldn't be losing customers hand over fist to net sales.

Australian retailers are very much stuck in the 90's regarding the way they operate. It is their fault and their fault alone that they are being priced out of the market as they failed to read what consumers were doing and so far have done nothing to counteract it. They still want their high profit margins, something that cannot exist today due to savvy consumers and external financial pressures on all of us. 80-160% mark ups are not justifiable in this day and age.

Gerry Harvey bleating continuously does the industry no help either.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by flappist

I am just wonder how many on here would be so positive about direct importing if the thing that was imported was YOUR JOB because YOU are too expensive.....

Ok, I'll say it, I don't care. Just as some poeple don't care about certain issues, I don't care about peoples welfare and employment.

Apart from other things I've purchased from O/S lately I purchased Bilstein shock absorbers for my Pajero. AUD$555 including a $125 airfreight component. The closest price for the same shocks in Australia is $880.00

There's a hand held automotive programming device available in the US for $USD379.00. That same device with different firmware (the same unit, no hardware changes) cost $695.00

Someone mentioned warranty. Easy. Box the item up and send it back. You may have to pay freight one way. Big deal.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by AMGC63

True, here's an exercise for you, head down to your local Westfields shopping centre and try to negotiate a lease on a shop.
Once you've waded through the mess of conditions, securities, % of sale skimming your till, rollover lease penalties, opening hrs conditions, then work out the wages bill for 7 day trading at agreed rates, then you'll be able to come back and explain why the $100 item in the US from the net is $200 in our shops....

You raise a valid point. These shopping centre conglomerates have a lot to answer for as to why retail trading is going down the drain. The rediculous rents and leases charged are a big contributor to retail costs. If you own a hairdresser shop, you have to do a lot of haircuts to cover a $2500-$5000 a month lease/rent bill!

[RG]

Originally Posted by F6 Concorde

You raise a valid point. These shopping centre conglomerates have a lot to answer for as to why retail trading is going down the drain. The rediculous rents and leases charged are a big contributor to retail costs. If you own a hairdresser shop, you have to do a lot of haircuts to cover a $2500-$5000 a month lease/rent bill!

And Westfield is actually on the cheaper side. That being said though if the rent wasn't worth it retailers wouldn't pay it would they.

[Badcooky]

WE ARE OVER REGULATED OVER TAXED AND THE HIDDEN COSTS FOR BUSINESS ARE VERY RUDE,THIS IS WHY WE ARE TOO EXPENSIVE PRODUCt WISE
Pure and simple succesive governments are destroying free market enterprise,fuel excise,INSURANCE and wages kill the rest.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by F6 Concorde

Ok, I'll say it, I don't care. Just as some poeple don't care about certain issues, I don't care about peoples welfare and employment.

Apart from other things I've purchased from O/S lately I purchased Bilstein shock absorbers for my Pajero. AUD$555 including a $125 airfreight component. The closest price for the same shocks in Australia is $880.00

There's a hand held automotive programming device available in the US for $USD379.00. That same device with different firmware (the same unit, no hardware changes) cost $695.00

Someone mentioned warranty. Easy. Box the item up and send it back. You may have to pay freight one way. Big deal.

So, as you work in the construction industry you have no problem with bringing in tradesmen and labourers from overseas and paying them half of what you get while you are sacked on the spot with no recourse?

Or is that different?

[trippytaka]

Originally Posted by F6 Concorde

Ok, I'll say it, I don't care. Just as some poeple don't care about certain issues, I don't care about peoples welfare and employment.

May I ask what you do for a crust?

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by 69XWGT

The importers are and have been screwing us for years.
It's about time they lifted their game and if they don't have the buying power like they do in the US well it's time they re-negotiated what they pay for things

http://www.nybox.com/about/

A very good point, perhaps if the retailer has to pay too much because of the distributors/importers, they should be having a go at them rather than focussing all their efforts on the consumer.

[SteveJH]

Originally Posted by flappist

So, as you work in the construction industry you have no problem with bringing in tradesmen and labourers from overseas and paying them half of what you get while you are sacked on the spot with no recourse?

Or is that different?

Bad example, they'd still have to be paid Minimum wage wouldn't they? Plus would the government approve a visa for that?

[mcnews]

Minimum wage is a bit different than the 100k a year the majority of suburban tradies earn though... or the 125k a year for fairly unskilled labour in the mining industry...

Glad I am not in retail that's for sure.

[RG]

Originally Posted by flappist

So, as you work in the construction industry you have no problem with bringing in tradesmen and labourers from overseas and paying them half of what you get while you are sacked on the spot with no recourse?

Or is that different?

Again a poor example and a very long bow to draw.

But going on that, it already happens in certain industries here. Look at the Security Industry, a LOT of imports being paid wages that Australian workers won't work for.

It happens, no one really complains.

[cs123]

Originally Posted by SteveJH

Bad example, they'd still have to be paid Minimum wage wouldn't they? Plus would the government approve a visa for that?

I work in IT and it's a common practice to offshore work. Even project based worked done in Australia is usually performed by guys shipped in. Much, much cheaper than paying Australians, about 1/4 of the price.

Same could happen for mining. You bring in someone from SE Asia and pay them the basic wage, would probably be 1/3 of what they pay Australians.

It's a tough choice buying from OS, but in the end we will put ourselves out of business. We shutdown local manufacturing because it can be done cheaper OS, retail will go online. Lots of jobs can be moved to lost cost regions.

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by SteveJH

Bad example, they'd still have to be paid Minimum wage wouldn't they? Plus would the government approve a visa for that?

All the overseas workers in the industry i am in (Oil & Gas) are paid the same as the rest of us, and receive all the same entitlements and benefits....

[MAD]

If the problem here is that Aussies are expecting too much money for their time, shouldn't that be adjusted down instead of adjusting everything else up which will eventually lead to what we have now?

[JG65TE]

my brother holed the radiator on his big bear quad, it was about 1200 to buy here, shipped from the states was under 400. I am the same, I find something I want and then go net trolling all around the world for the best price. I am sorry but I work hard for my money and the amount left for toys after bills isnt much so I want the best bang for my buck so to speak. If I find the best price in america and I have to wait a coupla weeks, i wait. I play with motorbikes a bit as well, and the price difference for hot up parts between oz retailers and america is just stupid. look at the repo car panels and rubbers coming from china , hong kong or wherever they get em made. the companies sellin em are serving a captured market,so we have to by em no matter how crap they fit because we cant ask china to make us 1 gt bonnet. yes i went to rare spares yesterday and am still burning at the ridiculous prices i paid for items.

[XWGT]

Book Depository UK

Delivered to Australia in 5 days........free postage...total cost $41
Same book at Borders $165..........

Have ordered easily 10 books from them and Amazon Uk over the last year.

Australian book and media retailing is dead.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by MAD

If the problem here is that Aussies are expecting too much money for their time, shouldn't that be adjusted down instead of adjusting everything else up which will eventually lead to what we have now?

I agree with this, but I doubt the companies will be passing on those savings in labor onto the consumer if that happened.

[XESP351]

Originally Posted by tex

My last set of tires from Tire Rack took 6 days from payment to delivery to me, air frieght to Melbourne, then sea / road freight to my door in Hobart!

Total cost, including frieght was around 50% of buying them local. While I do my best to support local businesses, the difference is simply too much to ignore I'm afraid.

Will be ordering another set of tires from them shortly.

Do they ship to Aus? Looks like they only ship to US and Canada...They ask you to enter zip code and won't recognise any Aussie post codes.

Great prices by the way.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by flappist

So, as you work in the construction industry you have no problem with bringing in tradesmen and labourers from overseas and paying them half of what you get while you are sacked on the spot with no recourse?

Or is that different?

Yes, I work in the construction industry. It's very competitive indeed. Being in the industry for over 15 years I've watched my sector become inundated with competition. The market rate has dropped from around $130/hr including labour and machinery to as low as $80/HR. Now, I had two choices, join the race to the bottom of the barrel with regards to pricing and market rates, or diversify and go do something different, but which also adds value to my existing business.

I've now two businesses, both are extremely profitable; both complement eachother.

My point being, rather than whinging about job losses, cheap import labour, unfair trade practices, the colour of the neighbours fence etc one needs to adopt the principles of free market trade and adapt.