Why are we being ripped off in Europe?

[Pabletto]

Pabletto,
Can you recommend any on-line shops with particularly good prices?
I missed the Dixons deal on the E10 and the Argos deal on the D7i,
and now try to monitor a few sites every morning,

Thanks,
--
Chris R

I was making some searches the other day and noted some of the cheapest website, for the particular item I was looking for that is.

Just from the top of my head, I can remember:

• http://www.fotosense.co.uk
• http://www.digitalfirst.co.uk
• http://www.speedgraphic.co.uk whose whole PDF catalog you can download and browse off-line (pretty neat I think)
• http://www.dalephotographic.co.uk
• http://www.bobrigby.com
• http://www.warnersimaging.co.uk
• http://www.digitaldepot.co.uk (but you have to watch what you are buying, as some of their products are not top-of-the-line).

• http://www.warehouseexpress.com sure has some low prices, but as I said, after that award not all of them are as good as they used to. Before that, they used to be my first option. Now, I just use them for reference as they seem to have a quite extensive stock.

In general I have found the internet prices to have gone up over the last years (at least in the UK) with some of them matching high-street prices. I think this is something like a double rip-off, as they have neither rent neither as much staff to pay.

As for me, I just walk into a couple of my favourite high-street shops (London Camera Exchange being one of them) and just negotiate the price, usually after I have made my research on the net and determined what a 'good' price is.

LCE sells RRP, but has most of the time matched my suggested price and after all those negotiations I have come to know the manager which really helps I think. If you live in London, let me know.


--
Pabletto
http://www.pbase.com/pabletto
(samples taken with the MINOLTA DiMAGE 7)
Last update 22 October 2002 (Flower shots)

 

[Georg Herbet]

I lived and worked in Germany for about eight years, and I left penniless, despite a decent salary. The topic of your post sheds light on why.

However, having said that, I loved living in Europe and would live there penniless any day rather than remain rich in the United States.

It's a quality of life issue.

I am in the market for a new printer and after many weeks of
reading reviews and user comments (mostly on this forum) I got down
to two printers:
Canon S900
Epson 950/960

So I started looking around for the best price (I live in Greece,
that's in
Europe), and was I amazed!!!

Prices in Europe (locally, in Germany or the UK where I looked) are
nearlly DOUBLE the US prices!!!!

(amazon.com and amazon.de prices)
Canon S900 $230 in US 480 Euro in Germany!!!!!!!!!
Epson 950/960 $365 in US 575 Euro in Germany!!!!!!!!

What's the story here? Anyone have a clue, or is it the usual stick
it to the
overcharged overtaxed euroguy?

racer.

 

[Georg Herbet]

Let's also be fair and point out that prices in Europe are higher because part of the price of every product sold goes in part to supporting a social support system that Americans have refused.

I guess Americans just don't want universal health coverage, job retraining when they're out of work, retirement benefits that are meaningful, etc.

I am in the market for a new printer and after many weeks of
reading reviews and user comments (mostly on this forum) I got down
to two printers:
Canon S900
Epson 950/960

So I started looking around for the best price (I live in Greece,
that's in
Europe), and was I amazed!!!

Prices in Europe (locally, in Germany or the UK where I looked) are
nearlly DOUBLE the US prices!!!!

(amazon.com and amazon.de prices)
Canon S900 $230 in US 480 Euro in Germany!!!!!!!!!
Epson 950/960 $365 in US 575 Euro in Germany!!!!!!!!

What's the story here? Anyone have a clue, or is it the usual stick
it to the
overcharged overtaxed euroguy?

racer.

Yes, we are being ripped, but there are some other factors.

Taxes - US prices are before sales tax which is relatively low
anyway (5-10%) and only payable (I think - corrections please) on
sales within the state. European prices always include VAT which
at about 20% is much higher than US sales taxes.

Discounting - the Canon S900 is being heavily discounted in the US
because it is about to be replaced. This doesn't appear to have
reached the UK yet on the S900, but S820 is starting to be
discounted.

However, even taking these into account, European prices are
definitely higher than US for hardware, although they appear to be
more competitive on consumables - the best Canon ink prices in the
UK appear to be quite close to the best in the US.
--
Chris R

 

[Georg Herbet]

You are not being fleeced. Read my other posts.

You can have lower prices by living in the U.S., but you'd give up a lot that you now take for granted.

Believe me. I've lived in both places. I'd pick Europe any day (and probably will as soon as I can get my wife to go with me).

Almost 50 million Americans can't afford health insurance, and the govt has no system in place to help them. For retirement, it's every man for himself. Crime is very high, fear is running high. Unemployment benefits are a joke. Illiteracy and infant mortality are high. The list goes on.

Diplomatically put Chris, but whichever way you look at it, we are
still being fleeced, ripped off and bled dry. We just pay, we dont
squeal loud enough. In the USA, it's a dollar for our pound
sterling and then they have a system called 'rebates'!!!, ouch!!!.
Lucky blighters...........LOL...

--
DenisG.
Uzi shooter (UK)
http://www.pbase.com/denisg/uzi_pics

 

[acmeron]

I lived and worked in Germany for about eight years, and I left
penniless, despite a decent salary. The topic of your post sheds
light on why.

However, having said that, I loved living in Europe and would live
there penniless any day rather than remain rich in the United
States.

It's a quality of life issue.

Get rich here and fly to Germany for a long vacation twice a year. Think of your retirement.

 

[Georg Herbet]

Get rich here and fly to Germany for a long vacation twice a year.
Think of your retirement.

In U.S., one must be rich before taking a long vacation, right? Average worker gets 2 weeks in U.S., 5 or 6 in Europe.

 

[Drestin Black]

NOt sure, but I got 5 weeks and one day vacation before I retired.

Get rich here and fly to Germany for a long vacation twice a year.
Think of your retirement.

In U.S., one must be rich before taking a long vacation, right?
Average worker gets 2 weeks in U.S., 5 or 6 in Europe.

 

[macco]

You can have lower prices by living in the U.S., but you'd give up
a lot that you now take for granted.

Believe me. I've lived in both places. I'd pick Europe any day (and
probably will as soon as I can get my wife to go with me).

Almost 50 million Americans can't afford health insurance, and the
govt has no system in place to help them. For retirement, it's
every man for himself. Crime is very high, fear is running high.
Unemployment benefits are a joke. Illiteracy and infant mortality
are high. The list goes on.

Diplomatically put Chris, but whichever way you look at it, we are
still being fleeced, ripped off and bled dry. We just pay, we dont
squeal loud enough. In the USA, it's a dollar for our pound
sterling and then they have a system called 'rebates'!!!, ouch!!!.
Lucky blighters...........LOL...

--
DenisG.
Uzi shooter (UK)
http://www.pbase.com/denisg/uzi_pics

and the price is included with the @$#! printer ? for what i would ask because i work im not illiterate dont have infants and i worry about crime

so what is making the difference?

 

[macco]

well my free dentristry is really an edge on those yankees

Believe me. I've lived in both places. I'd pick Europe any day (and
probably will as soon as I can get my wife to go with me).

Almost 50 million Americans can't afford health insurance, and the
govt has no system in place to help them. For retirement, it's
every man for himself. Crime is very high, fear is running high.
Unemployment benefits are a joke. Illiteracy and infant mortality
are high. The list goes on.

--

 

[macco]

politics as usual , countrys just competing with each other it doesn't matter where you live your government decides for you on best prices

also, jessops is nowhere near the size of many of the US retailers,
so probably commands less of a discount. they told me their cost
(to the shop) for a minolta 5600 flash was more than what I bought
it for from a uk online retailer. (took this statement with a
grain of salt mind you)

in theory, the higher cost of jessops comes with the benefit of
touching/feeling the equipment in advnace and asking advice of the
shop staff. whether or not this is important to people i don't
know.

in my opinion its the governments in Europe who are ripping us off.
Look at VAT, which as somebody else pointed out you pay based on
the country of purchase, not the destination. This is why some
companies on the Channel Islands are making a killing with cheaper
DVD's and CD's because they don't have to charge any VAT.

I agree with these comments. There are no European retailers with
the buying power of the major US groups.
--
Chris R

Jessops and Jacobs, for example are not smallfry in the uk, yet
they are the most expensive. Warehouse express on the other hand
is, by comparison, a single outlet yet slaughters Jessop's prices.
Weird....
--
DenisG.
Uzi shooter (UK)
http://www.pbase.com/denisg/uzi_pics

--
Minolta D7i
http://www.pbase.com/ukbuckeye
http://www.nickyandjeff.dsl.pipex.com/weather/weather.htm

 

[macco]

Well the governement doesn't dictate the prices on most products for your info

High labour costs?.......that's a joke , right?
When our company tried running a retail outlet in Virginia it was
found that the staff were paid almost twice than that in the UK.
Cost of living was much less for fuel and general shoppng and you
didn't get a little 2 bedroom terrace house for $100,000. So, paid
more - live for less, greater disposable income. Shouldn't that
mean higher prices?
--
DenisG.
Uzi shooter (UK)
http://www.pbase.com/denisg/uzi_pics

 

[macco]

you live your life as you want and it doesn't matter where you choose to do so or you are dependent on your stupid government to provide you with things that you don't even need and you have to pay for them "just in case"

However, having said that, I loved living in Europe and would live
there penniless any day rather than remain rich in the United
States.

It's a quality of life issue.

I am in the market for a new printer and after many weeks of
reading reviews and user comments (mostly on this forum) I got down
to two printers:
Canon S900
Epson 950/960

So I started looking around for the best price (I live in Greece,
that's in
Europe), and was I amazed!!!

Prices in Europe (locally, in Germany or the UK where I looked) are
nearlly DOUBLE the US prices!!!!

(amazon.com and amazon.de prices)
Canon S900 $230 in US 480 Euro in Germany!!!!!!!!!
Epson 950/960 $365 in US 575 Euro in Germany!!!!!!!!

What's the story here? Anyone have a clue, or is it the usual stick
it to the
overcharged overtaxed euroguy?

racer.

 

[macco]

whats the unemployment rate in your country?

 

[macco]

to germany ? i have millions of more interesting places than Germany

I lived and worked in Germany for about eight years, and I left
penniless, despite a decent salary. The topic of your post sheds
light on why.

However, having said that, I loved living in Europe and would live
there penniless any day rather than remain rich in the United
States.

It's a quality of life issue.

Get rich here and fly to Germany for a long vacation twice a year.
Think of your retirement.

 

[bweaver]

To put things in perspective, most western European countries are quite well-functioning democracies, so the government do reflect the will of the people to a pretty high degree. Surprisingly as it might seem to outsiders, a majority of europeans want to keep the welfare state intact, although many details of it are of course hot political topics.

As for VAT, it is a powerful indirect consumer sales tax that is "fair" in the sense that nobody can escape it and the more you buy, the more you pay. Also, companies DO NOT pay VAT in Europe. While income and corporate tax are hotly debated in most countries, VAT is not really a political topic.

bweaver

you live your life as you want and it doesn't matter where you
choose to do so or you are dependent on your stupid government to
provide you with things that you don't even need and you have to
pay for them "just in case"

 

[Drestin Black]

The rate for November was 5.9%. It looks higher, 8% for europe.

http://www.euireland.ie/news/eurostat/0103/unemployment.htm

I'm not sure what that has to do with vacation days though.

 

[Drestin Black]

Oh, I'm in the US. I just remembered I had mexico checked for fun (visit there alot, realatives live there). I guess that's what you were getting at.

http://www.euireland.ie/news/eurostat/0103/unemployment.htm

I'm not sure what that has to do with vacation days though.

 

[Georg Herbet]

Exactly. The words "welfare state" have a negative connotation in the U.S. - bordering on communism - but that connotation is borne of ignorance and propoganda.

Most people who crow that the U.S. is "the best country in the world" have never been anywhere else. Enough said.

As for VAT, it is a powerful indirect consumer sales tax that is
"fair" in the sense that nobody can escape it and the more you buy,
the more you pay. Also, companies DO NOT pay VAT in Europe. While
income and corporate tax are hotly debated in most countries, VAT
is not really a political topic.

bweaver

you live your life as you want and it doesn't matter where you
choose to do so or you are dependent on your stupid government to
provide you with things that you don't even need and you have to
pay for them "just in case"

 

[Frank C.]

because you guys lost the war.......theheheheeeee!

later

I am in the market for a new printer and after many weeks of
reading reviews and user comments (mostly on this forum) I got down
to two printers:
Canon S900
Epson 950/960

So I started looking around for the best price (I live in Greece,
that's in
Europe), and was I amazed!!!

Prices in Europe (locally, in Germany or the UK where I looked) are
nearlly DOUBLE the US prices!!!!

(amazon.com and amazon.de prices)
Canon S900 $230 in US 480 Euro in Germany!!!!!!!!!
Epson 950/960 $365 in US 575 Euro in Germany!!!!!!!!

What's the story here? Anyone have a clue, or is it the usual stick
it to the
overcharged overtaxed euroguy?

racer.

 

[Drestin Black]

Don't let the door hit you in the butt. I spent many years in the military all over the world and the US is still the best country in the world. I enjoyed visiting all of them, but did not find one I wanted to spend the rest of my life at. Just because someone wants to live here doesn't make them ignorant, just as anyone that wants to leave should not be called ignorant either.

Since you hate the US so much I suggest you leave as soon as possible to make room for all the people trying to get in.

Most people who crow that the U.S. is "the best country in the
world" have never been anywhere else. Enough said.

As for VAT, it is a powerful indirect consumer sales tax that is
"fair" in the sense that nobody can escape it and the more you buy,
the more you pay. Also, companies DO NOT pay VAT in Europe. While
income and corporate tax are hotly debated in most countries, VAT
is not really a political topic.

bweaver

you live your life as you want and it doesn't matter where you
choose to do so or you are dependent on your stupid government to
provide you with things that you don't even need and you have to
pay for them "just in case"