I called up a woodworking tools supplier today regarding a couple of items total value @ £335 in UK any chance of knocking a few quid off as I can get from USA fo @ £175 no thats the price they said so order went to USA ok there is postage and duty but still a saving £25 would have swung the deal but they would rather make no profit as against rip off Britain profit very shortsighted in my view.
Buying in UK
- Thread starter themackay
- Start date
Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:
Wizard9999
Established Member
Don't know what you were buying and even if I did would not know the UK seller's profit margin, but it could be that it is the supplier that is ripping off UK customers rather than the retailer. Not saying that is the case, just saying it may be.themackay":1efpaanq said:
Terry.
Good points made by both.
I support the OPs decision to buy from abroad, much as it grates, and would go further. When the goods arrive and final cost is known drop the proposed UK retailer a line to let them know - in a constructive manner. It may help the retailer negotiate a better deal from their supplier. Of course, any savings need to be balanced against potential costs incurred if the goods are faulty etc and need to be returned.
Terry/Wizard's point may be well founded. A friend manages a white goods store where their supplier 'requires' that a certain price is displayed - which is complied with. However, any customer requesting a discount will instantly get one! In short, the manufacturers, through their wholesalers, require retailers to ask a fixed (non-competitive) price or else supplies are cut-off. Perhaps some tool companies do the same - didn't Festool do this for a while until the 'powers that be' told them to cease (in line with competition laws).
I support the OPs decision to buy from abroad, much as it grates, and would go further. When the goods arrive and final cost is known drop the proposed UK retailer a line to let them know - in a constructive manner. It may help the retailer negotiate a better deal from their supplier. Of course, any savings need to be balanced against potential costs incurred if the goods are faulty etc and need to be returned.
Terry/Wizard's point may be well founded. A friend manages a white goods store where their supplier 'requires' that a certain price is displayed - which is complied with. However, any customer requesting a discount will instantly get one! In short, the manufacturers, through their wholesalers, require retailers to ask a fixed (non-competitive) price or else supplies are cut-off. Perhaps some tool companies do the same - didn't Festool do this for a while until the 'powers that be' told them to cease (in line with competition laws).
Aden30mm
Established Member
Also got to consider if you using them for trade they possibly will not be CE certified. For home use that may be OK, but any claim for damage involving a non CE certified tool will give insurers wriggle room to not pay out.
lurker
Le dullard de la commune
Has the stuff arrived and was it hassle free?
andersonec
Established Member
Rip off Britain may just surprise you again with the import tax and,,,,,, wait for it,,,,, handling charge !!!
woodfarmer
Established Member
About 4 or five years ago I wanted a pressure canner. best price I could get in UK was about £270.
From amazon USA it was £85 plus.... £65 air freight. I ordered it the Wednesday evening and it arrived here (France) Friday morning. Quicker than getting it from UK, besides which I can't order anything from Amazon.co uk as they can't deliver here. It nearly always goes astray when it reaches their French depot. Oddly I have no problem ordering from Amazon France or USA..
From amazon USA it was £85 plus.... £65 air freight. I ordered it the Wednesday evening and it arrived here (France) Friday morning. Quicker than getting it from UK, besides which I can't order anything from Amazon.co uk as they can't deliver here. It nearly always goes astray when it reaches their French depot. Oddly I have no problem ordering from Amazon France or USA..
I am aware of that should still be up on the deal if my calculations are correct.They say prices charged in UK are what people are willing to pay more of us should vote with our wallets and buy elsewhere.Ihave bought quite a few items this year from Europe substantially cheaper than here.
Retailers in the UK need to make a larger margin than someone in the same country as the manufacturer. If you think of dealing with complaints, returns, warranty as well as changing exchange rates and the need to carry stock to both compensate for the shipping times as well as the need to maximise shipment quantities.
You can make savings ordering direct from the USA, you also need to consider import duty as well as freight, however, if there is a problem and you want to return the item etc. the savings rapidly become a lot higher cost.
I'm not a retailer of wood working products. I think we should support the UK retailers and manufacturers, where else would you go to try out or test a new tool. The display has to be paid for somehow!
You can make savings ordering direct from the USA, you also need to consider import duty as well as freight, however, if there is a problem and you want to return the item etc. the savings rapidly become a lot higher cost.
I'm not a retailer of wood working products. I think we should support the UK retailers and manufacturers, where else would you go to try out or test a new tool. The display has to be paid for somehow!
Cheshirechappie
Established Member
andersonec":1hz0q7gx said:
....plus 20% VAT.
orchard
Established Member
Support good manufacturers/artisans yes, imo,, those that take the Mick because they have a distributorship, less so imo mate.
You also forgot to mention that the distributors won't be buying at retail price, so there's another C30pc.
I think EU duty for goods originally made in China is 50pc iirc, so beware of that one chaps, fwiw
You also forgot to mention that the distributors won't be buying at retail price, so there's another C30pc.
I think EU duty for goods originally made in China is 50pc iirc, so beware of that one chaps, fwiw
deema":2hjmjfqq said:
Biliphuster
Established Member
deema":22qiyzjz said:
I can well see ordering LN or LV tools from the USA being cheaper, but PAX saws, Ashley Iles chisels, and Clifton planes are cheaper over there as well. If it's cheaper to send stuff half way round the world, buy it remotely and fly it all the way back, paying taxes and fees all the while,in my opinion the market is obviously not functioning correctly .
(This is comparing websites to websites by the way)
Some 16yrs ago I went to an expensive hardware shop in NZ and found I could buy Marples chisels for a third of price they were in this country. :?
beech1948
Established Member
One of the things which sticks in my craw is the way so many "brand" names promote product they don't make they merely distribute. As the ex-MD of a mid size company I understand the costs of warehousing, forward purchase costs of goods plus rent rates and taxes.
I have just finished building my latest house. 2 bathrooms, 2 toilets, 3 showers, 2 kitchen sinks, outside BBQ area with taps.
By chance I found myself on a Chinese wholesale plumbing site which showed the exact, the exact, the exact same taps and fittings as I was going to buy in the UK from local businesses for the sum of £3250 ish. Bought from manufacturer in China for £1189 plus 8% import duty, plus VAT plus Parcel Farce rip off fees. Taps were in the exact same cardboard boxes as seen at local businesses.
A UK rip off most certainly. I don't object to a business making a profit but I bitterly resent the posturing promotions of highly branded marketing for things they don't even make. Tosh!!
I have just finished building my latest house. 2 bathrooms, 2 toilets, 3 showers, 2 kitchen sinks, outside BBQ area with taps.
By chance I found myself on a Chinese wholesale plumbing site which showed the exact, the exact, the exact same taps and fittings as I was going to buy in the UK from local businesses for the sum of £3250 ish. Bought from manufacturer in China for £1189 plus 8% import duty, plus VAT plus Parcel Farce rip off fees. Taps were in the exact same cardboard boxes as seen at local businesses.
A UK rip off most certainly. I don't object to a business making a profit but I bitterly resent the posturing promotions of highly branded marketing for things they don't even make. Tosh!!
Its also the quality of goods so much stuff these days is barely fit for purpose due to the desire to maximise profit making the item 10% thicker negligable cost,often you can buy a "heavy duty" version which is 10/20% thicker but often at double the cost of the standard version so to buy something made how it should have been in the first place is a reason to be ripped off.
whiskywill
Established Member
Slightly off topic but just this morning I received 10 sets of acoustic guitar strings which I had ordered from Hong Kong. At £6.72 including delivery for all ten, they cost less than a single set in the U.K.
