Re: relative pricing (Was: pentax-discuss-d Digest V04 #116)

[Stan Halpin]

My experience in the U.K., several trips over the last 22 
years, has convinced me that the currency is irrelevant. 
Only the unit matters. Which is to say, anything that costs 
$10 retail in the U.S. will cost about 10 pounds (can't find 
the pound symbol mutter mutter). It doesn't surprise me to 
hear that auction prices track along the same way.

Actually, my theory extends beyond the U.S. and the U.K. A 
couple of years ago I was in Australia, happened to find 
myself in a wine shop. Saw a Yellow Tail Merlot for 
$AUS5.99. A few months later I saw Yellow Tail Merlot in my 
local shop for $US5.98. And then a few weeks later I was in 
London and noted Yellow Tail Merlot in the front window of a 
wine shop, on special for 5.95 pounds. I imagine you can buy 
the same wine for 5.97 Euros...

Stan

Steve Jolly wrote:

Cotty wrote:

UK: �550
US: $600


That seems too close in exchange rate.  Or, are you expecting the
dollar to gain on the pound that much over the next year, Cotty?
 >

Fred, follow a few UK eBay auctions - you'll get my drift


Indeed, curiously, UK auction prices seem to be generally the same as US 
ones plus VAT, Import Duty and trans-Atlantic shipping costs.  I suspect 
economics at work rather than material for a conspiracy theory though. 
Older and grumpier men than I call it "rip-off Britain" :-)

S