Thread: Aussies Getting ripped off

This is a subject that frequently raises it's very ugly head. You will be able to find quite a few rants about the disparity between US and Oz prices. People have even pointed to a European product being cheaper in the US than it is in the country of origin!

Recently I needed to buy parts for a backhoe. A filter for the power steering was $9.50 in the US, but $55 over here. I actually bought the filter over here because I needed it urgently. However you do have to watch out for the freight costs.

I also had to buy a seal kit for the steering rams. These easily fit into a standard envelope as they are not much more than a few "O" rings. One US seller listed the freight at US$118! I ended up buying four sets freighted for US$20 from a different supplier.

Bear in mind that people tend to charge what the market will stand. None of this is much consolation I know and it certainly tests the Aussie loyalty. Very few of us cope well feeling we are ripped off.

Regards
Paul

I have had similar experience unfortunately, it is a shame but if thats the way it is so be it. I don't care much for aus businesses if they want to rip us off, I'm happy to shop o/s and I do.

I find buying direct from the country of manufacture to be considerably cheaper than local. For instance I purchased a few Robert Sorby turning tools direct from the UK from an English retail supplier. The cost to me including postage was about 15-20% less than I could buy over the counter anywhere in Australia. Add shipping and the savings are in the 25-30% range.

My dishwasher has a little plastic stop thing on the end of the the upper rack slides to stop the rack from pulling off it's rollers when you pull it out. Approximately 20c worth of plastic (and I'm being REALLY generous here), $4 per pair from a UK supplier (plus shipping) $40+SHIPPING IN AUSTRALIA!!!!!

Every seller has the right to make a profit, but sometimes the mark-up is just a tad unrealistic. The last power tool I bought was one of those Bosch mutlitools; $200 from my local trade supplier for the Blue Bosch. $220 for the Green Bosch from the local hardware store in the town where I work.

I've come to the point where my loyalty lies with me and my family, not some rip off merchant (whereever they may reside).

Why should I support someone in Australia when all they are doing is ripping me off?

Originally Posted by Geoff Dean

I've come to the point where my loyalty lies with me and my family, not some rip off merchant (whereever they may reside).

Why should I support someone in Australia when all they are doing is ripping me off?

Same here Geoff - my loyalty is at my front door with my family - FFFForget those others that want to take advantage and I go o/s a lot now

Would it surprise anyone here that one of our forum sponsors charges a 'premium' for their products as opposed to what you can get in the U.S.? I bought from the U.S. and saved $40 or so. The forum sponsor then challenged me and I provided answers. When I challenged them, I got no answer.

Name and shame scott - the only way they will come around - what they hell happened to keepin Aussies in jobs and buying local - no bloody way if ya paying over the top for the smae product.........................

I dunno! In the states they have such thing as "the working poor". And an incredibly low minimum wage. The type of wage the liberals want for us so you guys can get your parts cheaper. You might be able to one day. But the shop assistant won't be able to afford to live anywhere unless they work at least 2 jobs and commute forever to get to work. Careful what you wish for.

Originally Posted by tea lady

I dunno! In the states they have such thing as "the working poor". And an incredibly low minimum wage. The type of wage the liberals want for us so you guys can get your parts cheaper. You might be able to one day. But the shop assistant won't be able to afford to live anywhere unless they work at least 2 jobs and commute forever to get to work. Careful what you wish for.

Yep, agreed TL. But what happens when the cost of the product from the U.S. is then multiplied by 2 or sometimes 3-4 by the Australian supplier?

Just this week I was talking to a mate who works for a local nut,bolt and bearing shop. He said that they were selling a bearing for a certain make of tractor for around $13. The same bearing at the tractor dealership was $397. When the local dealership found out they were missing out on the sale for this bearing they now sell the bearing for $12.05.
OK the $397 bearing was in a box with the tractor manufacturer's name on it, so who is gouging who? The bearings sold by my mate's company are not cheap Chinese ones either.
He said that the same tractor manufacturer sells a bearing that has to have a locking sleeve with it, separately. The same bearing he sells has the locking sleeve included in the the bearing box as part of the bearing and it is only cents dearer than just a plain bearing.
It pays to shop around.
I think I would like to support Aus companies as much as possible, but its my money that I have to stretch to get by. So in my case its an ideal that is increasingly difficult to maintain

While I agree that there are plenty of rip-off merchants around you also need to be aware of the difference of cost of doing business here and overseas.

In the US minimum wages are half what they are here, and house/land is half to quarter, On top of that AUS wholesale buy prices are often less than US retail prices. e.g. AUS Stihl dealers cannot buy saws for less than the price of US retail. This is indirectly a deal made by the world's manufacturers to prop us the US consumer culture because if they fall over, world manufacturing goes down the gurgler.

In china monthly wages are ~ $100 - $200 a month and prices match accordingly or less.

This does not stop me from buying overseas but it explains largely why it is like it is.

BTW this long term unsustainable. We can't all live like kings and keep sending all our money overseas - we are effectively selling off our grandkids inheritance. So long term it is affecting your family

Originally Posted by sjt

Yep, agreed TL. But what happens when the cost of the product from the U.S. is then multiplied by 2 or sometimes 3-4 by the Australian supplier?

Most people think that businesses cost nothing to run and they should just pass the cost +10% onto the consumer. Sorry but we have slowly priced ourselves out of the world production costs

The cost of rental space for a warehouse in australia to stock an item for 12 months can be more than the cost of manufacture in china.

Just the WA state payroll tay paid by an AUS company on an office worker is more than the entire salary of a Chinese worker. The same for the compulsory super payments. For every worker an AUS business can employ the Chinese can employ 12 for the same money.

OHS compliance, rates, power, water, etc - these costs of doing business are 2 - 10 fold over other countries.

You can't live in a country with subsidised health, compulsory super, care for handicapped people and bring in a good income and expect to pay third world prices. Instead of comparing our prices with US or Chinese prices how about comparing us with Holland, Norway or Denmark. Try compare their GSTs with our and then you might have something to complain about.

I'm not normally one to support big business but I see a lot of people have no clue of what has/is happening in AUS. Nothing is free if you want a kings country life style you have to be prepared to pay for it.

The other thing is that there are people around in the mining boom and associated activities that are prepared to pay stupid money for less than average stuff. While the mining boom is keeping us afloat it drives our prices up and those of us not in the game are caught in between.

yes we get ripped off here with the prices that are charged, but you need to keep in mind, it costs more to run a business here in Aus. I too prefer to support Aussie companies, but I also buy from around the world as need be, returns just become the issue.

Some good perspective there Bob which I'm fully aware of. But how do you explain some price discrepancies which, at times, can be close to 500% ?? Sometimes Aus companies are their own worst enemy. I (and all other staff) received a pay rise 6 months ago. The following day they raised the price of car parking in the company owned and run car park by the same amount as the pay rise. I now catch public transport (which is a good thing anyway).