tyre prices

Landy,
your reasoning could be used only to justify the pricing disparity only in regard to tyres manufactured in the USA. If the tyre comes from China, Thailand, India, Japan or anywhere else outside the US the American tyre shop have to go through similar process and incur similar cost to get it to the customer as would the Aussie shop,
Cheers

With all due respect I went thru the process trying to buy air bags for my trailer and was quoted about $900 delivered by a Australian supplier, After searching and ordering from the States it cost me $385 to the door for the same part and I mean the same part. All it took was a Credit Card and an Account with the supplier. Barnray

To Barnray As the item you bought was under $400 you probably got it in duty free.
A bit different if you bought a container load in and got hit with Duty and GST

Apples with apples makes a difference


Try buying a Sydney paper in Alice Springs Will cost you about $4.

You cant have big wages and low costs Or no one would be shifting off shore for cost saving reasons.

The Americam selling ethos is a bit different to here

Buy a container full and sell them for cost plus say 10%

Turn the money over lots of times

Whereas here its put on 50% and wait for the suckers to buy it

And there is no doubt there will be items that can be pointed to that will be cheaper to order on-line, pay for by credit card and have it shipped direct. This would equally apply to locally sourced products versus imported from other countries.

I guess one of the points I was also alluding to, but perhaps didn’t make clear, is that retailers have a business that enables you to walk through the door, view products and purchase. They are also bound by consumer protection laws and need to warranty products. They also employ staff and have employee costs that, in Australia, are very different to other countries (leave loading, guaranteed super etc). So comparisons of this nature are never straight forward. Sure from a buyers’ point of view it comes down to the price and if that is your only criteria than go right ahead.

But the retailer is providing a service that costs money to provide. Bearing in mind that if your product from the USA turns up and is the wrong item, or faulty, or requires some sort of warranty action in the future, the only recourse you will have is to pursue it directly. Often something easier said then done. Buy locally and you can visit the retailer to have it rectified.

Nothing wrong with doing it yourself, if it suits, but that doesn’t mean you are getting ‘ripped’ off by local retailers selling the same product at a higher cost.

I’m not in retailing, but a number of people I know are. One of the pet hates they have these days is people walking through their door, picking their brains on products and using their knowledge, but have no intent of purchasing from them, but are going to order online from someone who can provide cheaper because they don’t have the same cost base and don't have to provide the same level of service.

So often we hear media beat-ups about jobs going offshore…this is where it starts I guess!

Cheers

Maybe 747 can bring some back with him for you and save on freight LOL :)

I know where you are coming from with that I priced an exhaust system that's made in Oz for a motorcycle and could get it cheaper from the USA delivered to my door than I could off the manufacturer
that really had me confused

Actually ...

The aust stuff looked even cheaper in the US when looking at the U.S. dollar price.

The 25% cheaper U.S. prices I saw ... were $au.

Just confirmed my lack of need for certain brands overpriced bling.

I would at a guess say the $300+ are better then the $195 ones.

I'll report any problems..stay tuned.

Correct! USA prices are quoted without state taxes. And probably another 15% to be added for the serviceman!

Kingo

not to mention the australian price would include fitting and balancing

And a $5.00 fee to dispose of the old casing!

K