Re: [Elecraft] Disgruntled Europeans
Okay we have VAT rates (Sales tax) that run between 15% and 22% depending on one's country but this does not come close to explaining the price differentials. Not only VAT, you forgot that European Dealers have to give 2 Years warranty instead of 1 Year (or for some products only 90 Days) There also are much higher cost for burocracy, office rental, man power, Insurance, tax. Not only Ham Eqipment is more expensive over here, but houses, cars, Bananas, Computers. (Ok, beer is cheaper in Germany :-) We are working together with Elecraft since 10 years, selling all Elecraft products. Several hundreds of European HAMs got their kits (and of course also factory built K3) from us. I can´t count the number of K2, K1, KX1 which have been finished on my workbench due to problems the builders had. Some DXPeditions by Germans could start only because we did a repair 3 days before take off. We proudly feel as a part of the Elecraft Family. Peter, DL2FI and Nik, DL7NIK QRPproject __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Disgruntled Europeans
Doug Turnbull wrote: Many EU hams look at prices in QST and CQ and just dream. It seems that one can purchase Japanese made radios in the States for the same price in dollars as one pays in Euros or Sterling. It's really a dream. There are so many hidden costs that much of the saving gets eaten up by the time the product gets here. I just did a quick example of a Yaesu VX-8R, listed by Universal Radio at $379. Add on say $50 for international shipping. That comes to GBP 268 (£1 = $1.60) You'll be charged 17.5% VAT on arrival here plus a GBP 13 tax collection fee bringing the total to GBP 328. Nevada Radio is selling the EU version (VX-8E) for GBP 338. So ten quid gets you the EU version plus a locally supported warranty. I believe that being able to purchase the kit K3 directly is a great plus to Elecrafter sales in the EU. True one is a bit exposed as to service but if one has built the kit then individual boards can be returned for service. The K3 is small and not that heavy to ship back if needs be for that matter. I wonder if those who have actually had to ship a K3 back to the US from Europe would agree? I know for a fact that whenever I write on my website or blog about something I bought in the US I get emails from hams asking where in the UK they can order. Many in our hobby are a pretty conservative bunch and will not buy from outside the UK. I think Elecraft could actually be losing sales by not selling through local dealers, not least because there are some people with money burning a hole in their pocket who go to Martin Lynch or WS on a Saturday morning looking for a new toy to take home and play with, and if there isn't a K3 there to try out they'll buy something else instead. However I suspect if Elecraft did sell through UK dealers the extra cost to us would be a lot more than in my Yaesu example because there is no dealer mark-up in the price we pay from Elecraft, whereas the Japanese manufacturers have local offices and dealers taking their cut on both sides of the Atlantic. So carry on selling direct, please. :) - Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392 K3 #222. * G4ILO's Shack - http://www.g4ilo.com * KComm - http://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html * KTune - http://www.g4ilo.com/ktune.html -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/Disgrunteled-Japanese-tp4250692p4252787.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Disgruntled Europeans
Hi, It's been an interesting discussion. As a naturalized US citizen I am fully aware how privileged we are in this country buying equipment of any kind, imported or not. I just went through the motions of ordering the VX-8R from Universal Radio except the final step of actually placing the order. My final price shipped UPS ground (5 days typical) to my New York home is $369.90. There is a 9.95$ shipping charge but then there is currently a $20 coupon applied by Universal. No sales tax since Universal does no business in NY. Even in the few cases where sales tax applies, it's a mere 7-9%. I do feel bad for my fellow hams in most other countries who are not as fortunate. AB2TC - Knut Julian, G4ILO wrote: It's really a dream. There are so many hid of all sortsden costs that much of the saving gets eaten up by the time the product gets here. I just did a quick example of a Yaesu VX-8R, listed by Universal Radio at $379. Add on say $50 for international shipping. That comes to GBP 268 (£1 = $1.60) You'll be charged 17.5% VAT on arrival here plus a GBP 13 tax collection fee bringing the total to GBP 328. Nevada Radio is selling the EU version (VX-8E) for GBP 338. So ten quid gets you the EU version plus a locally supported warranty. snip -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/Disgrunteled-Japanese-tp4250692p4252918.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Disgruntled Europeans
--- On Mon, 1/4/10, ab2tc ab...@arrl.net wrote: I do feel bad for my fellow hams in most other countries who are not as fortunate. Yeah but they get all of that free health care. Imagine what it would cost them if the US dollar was still a hard currency instead of Monopoly money. And it works against us going the other direction. For example: I just got back from the post office where I bought sixty International first-class airmail stamps for $58.80 and my credit union where I got 100 $1.00 bills. DX hams want two or three dollars now for a direct QSL reply, so this may cover 60 outgoing QSLs, if I add in the dollar bills in my wallet. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
