Thsi is how much we get ripped off!

[stevecochrane]

Ben online to states (natchezss.com) and ordered Tasco Target scope from them 10 - 40 * 50, all the usual etc and the price in their sale $119.00 and with the exchange rate at 1.92 dollars to the pound. Even sticking on vat and thirty dollars postage that is peanuts. They are paying approximately half in dollars what we are paying in pounds on Simmons Aetec.

Why do we get ripped off like this. Incidentally though Leupold etc were not a lot cheaper, guess quality costs everywhere.

[magicdog]

Hmmmmm - I'd be interested to know what the grand total is after you have paid for the UK end of the delivery and all import taxes...

[hareng]

Incidentally though Leupold etc were not a lot cheaper, guess quality costs everywhere.

Lets just say you canget a PR boosted Leup with ret change for 3/4 the price of a legitimate bog standard one.

[Terry D]

Homonym - I'd be interested to know what the grand total is after you have paid for the UK end of the delivery and all import taxes...

Now add the cost of transport, warehousing, staff, advertising, servicing, finance and everything else required to market scopes in the UK, and the oft-quoted 'rip-off' is far from it.

There's a world of difference in illegally sneaking a couple of scopes through UK Customs, and setting up a legitimate marketing outlet, believe me.

[Meerkat]

But since the most of these scopes are made in Japan/China isn't the "cost of transport, warehousing, staff, advertising, servicing, finance and everything else required to market scopes in the UK" basically the same as the cost of transport, warehousing, staff, advertising, servicing, finance and everything else required to market scopes in the US?

Steve

[Martin]

There's a world of difference in illegally sneaking a couple of scopes through UK Customs, and setting up a legitimate marketing outlet, believe me.

Sorry, whats illegal about importing scopes ? Genuine question, ive imported a few, paid my taxes etc have i been breaking the law ?

Martin.

[Terry D]

Please read what I wrote, Martin. I was highlighting the difference in the quoted US price and setting up a proper outlet in the UK.

As for the Steve's point, in a word 'no', mate. The US and UK situations are not directly comparable at all.There's no gigantic rip-off going on. There are far more overheads than most have considered, that's all.

I know we all love a good conspiracy theory but this isn't one - fact. Find out EVERYTHING involved in setting up a credible scope outlet in the UK, then, you'll either do it yourself or, more likely, you'll realise that there's way more to it than you could possibly imagine.

[custarddog]

i have been looking at bringing over some centerfire rifle reloading gear over to the UK
in the USA / UK comparison

item uk price USA price
Press kit £299 $210
Electronic scales £159 $65
powder handler £220 $105

there is a masive diffrence in the prices - i understand that everyone wants a cut - but there are too many middle men in the chain

i guess the route is manafacturer-transport-wholesaler-export handler-shipping company-bonded warehouse VAT/import tax-transport company- UK wholesaler- transport- your local retailer!

the simple issue is that there are too many people taking a cut !!!

[BOFH]

I agree, we are ripped off all the time in the UK. I've heard many examples of customers pricing up vehicles abroad, sometimes it's cheaper to buy in the US or Hong Kong, import to the UK, pay the TAX and the rest of it, and save a few grand in the process. Now this is even more disgusting when you find out that the vehicle was made in the UK in the first place, then shipped abroad!!! I shant mention any names ...... Triu*ph ..... Rov*r

Same goes for just about everything else you care to mention, you should also realise the mark up that the UK retailers slap on top of it all, it's just greed, plain and simple. If you price most items from the UK wholesailers you will see just how much the mark up is. I do understand the over heads that shop owners have, that's just another example of a damn rip off that they suffer from, that's then passed on to the consumer.

Question: If the UK is "part of the EU" why do we have to pay to import anything from Europe? After all the TAX has already been paid in the EU.

Confused, fed up, sick of being a "white middle class single male" and paying for everything I never use or benifit from.

[Chris St. MH]

The scopes (unless made there) already have to be imported into the USA where there (usually) has to be a separate importer/distributor who sells them on to retailers. These retailers have pretty much the same overheads or add-ons as those in the UK except for EU import duty and VAT (some states have their own sales tax but it usually only applies to resident's of that state). People over here buy these scopes privately from those retailers so they should be more expensive as there are two lots of international shipping - once to the US and then on to Europe. Instead they can be 50% less.

BTW it's only illegal to bring those scopes in if you don't declare them.

[Scarecrow]

Please read what I wrote, Martin. I was highlighting the difference in the quoted US price and setting up a proper outlet in the UK.

As for the Steve's point, in a word 'no', mate. The US and UK situations are not directly comparable at all.There's no gigantic rip-off going on. There are far more overheads than most have considered, that's all.

I know we all love a good conspiracy theory but this isn't one - fact. Find out EVERYTHING involved in setting up a credible scope outlet in the UK, then, you'll either do it yourself or, more likely, you'll realise that there's way more to it than you could possibly imagine.

I'm sorry Terry, but your argument doesn't wash. Why should the costs of setting up a retail outlet in the UK be vastly different from those in the USA or anywhere else in the civilised world. We get ripped off in this country for all manner of goods, prime example being cars, because for most people it is too much hassle to shop outside of the UK. The retailers know this and charge as much as they feel they can get away with because, for the most part, we are willing to pay what they ask.

My Mrs has wanted an ice cream maker for ages. The model she has been looking at cost £300. Before committing herself, she had a quick look on the net and found the exact same model for £225 from Italy, and that includes all postage and taxes!

[fudstoneboy]

[QUOTE=gavin whitby]

Same goes for just about everything else you care to mention, you should also realise the mark up that the UK retailers slap on top of it all, it's just greed, plain and simple. If you price most items from the UK wholesailers you will see just how much the mark up is. I do understand the over heads that shop owners have, that's just another example of a damn rip off that they suffer from, that's then passed on to the consumer.

Question: If the UK is "part of the EU" why do we have to pay to import anything from Europe? After all the TAX has already been paid in the EU.



Hey Gavin,
and all the rest of the people who think they are being ripped off,you are spouting utter nonsense about stuff that you obviously know nothing about,yes stuff is cheaper overseas,but then the local taxes,forms of sales tax/vat are totally different to the way britains taxes etc are structured,
you have to pay import duty from Europe because regardlesss of being part of Europe you still have to pay the relevant duties to the country you are buying stuff from,thus benefiting that countries economy.
Also it is not pure greed when retailers put there mark ups on goods I import goods from all over the world,but the minute it comes into this country I have to put import duty,plus wages,plus warehousing,plus transport,plus vat,plus packing,plus heating,plus each and every one of the 34 separate costs I incur by bringing that item to this country for resale,BEFORE I can put on my profit mark up which is usually about 5% of wholesale price so on most items I am making between 50 pence to £3 per item and most of my stock is high end stuff,Jewellery that is,that sells for around £300 to £1,000 per item.
Try being a wholesaler or retailer in this country and making high mark up's on your stock,yes this country is expensive but it aint our fault,blame the mad squad at parliament.

[Morayman]

Could it be that our currency is overvalued, and that's why things seem cheaper abroad? The dollar is currently very weak, due to their massive deficit and lower interest rates. The euro too is fairly weak, but strengthening, and if we ever get dragged into the euro I suspect that it will be at a euro/pound exchange rate much closer to parity than the present level. Then we will find out how poor we really are.

[Terry D]

The model she has been looking at cost £300. Before committing herself, she had a quick look on the net and found the exact same model for £225 from Italy, and that includes all postage and taxes!

Did it also include advertising, shop rental, fittings and maintenance and , staff wages (plus everything else required to employ them) and after sales service?

I think you'll find that the costs of the above may eat into the £75 'saving', somewhat, even after the bulk-buying factor is taken into account.

Look, I'm not saying over-pricing doesn't exist and I know very little of the car or kitchen appliance market, but I do know a bit about retailing scopes - and the profits are NOT huge I assure you.

That's all I'm saying, here, OK?

[stevecochrane]

Sorry guys I seem to have raised a bit of heated debate. All i was trying to say is that with the pound being so strong just now we can get exactly the same kit you buy here for about half the price albeit you have to wait a fortnight.

I aint a rich man so if i can save myself a few quid perfectly legally by ordering from the states I will. Shop proprietors have to realise that the world seems a much smaller place due to the internet. I reently bought a new rifle scope and case of my local gunshop and paid £70 more for it than I could have got it mail order. I pointed it out to the manager of the shop and he took five quid off the bag, i could have walked away but on this ocasion wanted to support the local man, but due to his genorous five pound discount gesture i will take my business elsewhere in the future.

I was just trying to point out that if anybody was after a nice scope cheap they could get it.

Keep Smiling