Originally Posted by
Stustoys
Don't get me wrong, I choose not to pay most of the time also. Its just that I have given up trying to understand it. I'll often buy things I think I will need rather the have to pay the local price when I need them and dont want to wait for the post.
A few years back I bought a set of US made allen keys from the local supply shop, $34. The same keys on ebay were(and still are) about $8 + $13 shipping. The seller doesnt great combined shipping so as I was buying a crimping tool I could add 4 sets of allen keys and a set of brake cylinder hones for about $8 extra postage.
Something that had slipped my mind, in the things we mostly deal with there is likely a LARGE trade discount(some of which comes down to just how much the guy behind the counter likes you and how much of a pain you've been). I've no idea if things work the same way in the US. As an example I had a sparky that used to live up the road from me and did work for the company I worked for replace all light switches and power points, install a new panel and a few other odds and ends, he was there the whole day. He sent me down to ------ (the local supply place) with a list of what he needed, said to put it on his account(to get his discount) but pay cash. They went as far as ringing him up as that NEVER happens they told me. The discount I got meant I ended up "paying" him $50 more for a days work than it would have cost me to pay retail and to it myself(not including the odd bit of wire here and there).
I thought the ACCC had given up on this one...... is it still going?
Stuart