I hate you talkbass!

Simo98 · #1 09-17-2009, 02:43 AM

Its horrible, you people have made me realise how much of a ripoff guitars are in Australia.

was in the music shop the other day,

MIA standard Jazz: $3200 = $2804 USD
Rick 4003: $5000 = $4382 USD
MIM Jazz: $1200 = $1051 USD

spose thats what you get for living in the middle of nowhere

I think if i was ever going to go to the states id have to save up and bring back a couple of new basses with me

Does anyone else want to share there experience with stupidly high local prices in there country

Jimmy Bones · #2 09-17-2009, 02:58 AM

It's much the same here in Hawaii, though they aren't inflated *that* bad. There is a huge degree in variance of pricing from store to store though.

MattimusPrime · #3 09-17-2009, 03:18 AM

Ha ha, our basses are also quite expensive in South Africa, but I guess our Awesome Countries make up for the expensive prices right?!

Simo98 · #4 09-17-2009, 03:24 AM

I think thats how it works :P

MattimusPrime · #5 09-17-2009, 03:54 AM

Schja, I think we're about to get a bunch of angry American's replies soon...

So to keep this on topic, I was quoted around R25000 for a Ernie Ball MM Stringray, which equates to $3571 USD. An bout R20000 for a MIA Fender Jazz, making it $2739 USD.

And for those of you that are now thinking I live in some rural town in a hut surrounded by lions, no - this is one of the larger cities in SA.

Tomass · #6 09-17-2009, 03:59 AM

Yerp know all about the stupidly high price hikes in australia, the import middle men have us by the non literal balls with prices, shipping really isnt that expensive for music equipment

Simo98 · #7 09-17-2009, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomass

Yerp know all about the stupidly high price hikes in australia, the import middle men have us by the non literal balls with prices, shipping really isnt that expensive for music equipment

yea, i mean the prices nearly made sense when the exchange rate was 1 USD = nearly 2 AUD, but now, its really excessive.

It really cant be blamed on the postage, especially for MIJ models, and Squiers which come out of Indonesia! posting from Bali is not much more expensive than sending something interstate.

Sometimes make you want to get into the guitar importing business

Hawaii Islander · #8 09-17-2009, 04:25 AM

How much of the price difference is due to import duties and/or Value Added Tax (VAT)? Can you order gear online from countries outside of your home country?

Simo98 · #9 09-17-2009, 04:35 AM

eh, ive looked into it a bit.

its a difficult process it seems, for starters basses aren't exactly small, which means shipping tends to range in the 100's (Been quoted up to $480!?!) then there is problems with insurance and things. if the price of the imported item comes to over $1000 AUD you have to pay import duties, which comes to 5% i believe, then there is another fee for insurance or something, which is about $100.

then you add that all together, put 10% ontop of that for GST and you have your cost.

If musicians friend or someone similar would ship to australia, and could organise the shipping themselves for a fee, id be happy to buy from overseas. but it seems like they all are not allowed to due to restrictions placed on them by the companies or something similar. (im assuming this is so that fender ect. can control where guitars go and what they do, make sure there product isn't devalued by undercutting)

i prefer to buy local anyway.. its just that when you get hit with a 100% surcharge, its a bit of a turn off :/

ratdog73 · #10 09-17-2009, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simo98

Sometimes make you want to get into the guitar importing business

Firstly, I'm not involved in the music industry in any way, but I am involved in both wholesale and retail in another similar industry.

An "ebay store" is not a music shop.
Importing a couple of sub$1000 guitars and flogging them on Ebay for a couple of extra $$ to some clueless Mum or dad for their kids' birthday is not going to be a long term business model. (or helping a child get a good start playing a bass)

You can only avoid the ATO for TAX for so long.
When they find out they are missing a peice of the action it's all over.

If all goes well though, most guys find that when they go "legit" and become a proper importer, the business model they have been using is not viable in the real world.

BTW, something that a lot of ebay sellers neglect to remember is that as the "importer" of the product, you are legally liable for the product. (even if you are just backdooring someone elses product)
If you bring an amp in and it doesn't have an Aus. standards "tick", and it catches fire and burns the customers house down, guess who picks up the bill...............

K

tom once dead · #11 09-17-2009, 05:37 AM

Its a real rip. Get used to it though.

Simo98 · #12 09-17-2009, 05:40 AM

Dont worry, i know all about importing, i am good friends with a couple of people who import and wholesale aquatic accessories and watersports gear.

and my mother works in public liability :P

If you think the public liability on an amp is bad, you should see what its like on Kitesurfing Equiptment

If i were to ever import guitars it would be large scale, selling direct to the public doesn't work out too well when you have to buy in bulk, too much money tied up in stock, you much better off wholesailing. Also that way the retailers don't get pissed off with you.

ratdog73 · #13 09-17-2009, 05:51 AM

Glad you can see that It's a pretty tough gig...........

If you have some time to spare, ask your importing freinds about some of their ebay horror stories.
I'm sure they will have a least a few of people trying to claim warranty from them on items that they purchased overseas.

Tomass · #14 09-17-2009, 05:52 AM

Yer thankfully we have the Bass Centre, which is run by some real sweet guys, awesome prices. We have import tax as far as im aware, it mainly applies for any items that are over a threshold in terms of value, which I think may be around the $1000 mark (give or take a hundred). Even then the import tax is about %10 roughly. For starters I buy pedals from US stores as it ends up being half price with shipping! My Hematoma pedal from guitareffectpedals.com was $180 shipped, here they are around $250-$350 each.
Gives you an idea of what we have to deal with.

Bocete · #15 09-17-2009, 06:06 AM

I will not give a link to the specific guitar shop, but for an ordinary MM StringRay5 they want 1899 EUR, which is $2798 USD. And that specific shop is not any worse than any other in Serbia, where the average monthly wage is $511 USD. Now beat THAT!

Simo98 · #16 09-17-2009, 06:18 AM

MM Stingray 5 here is $4699 RRP i believe, thats 4100 USD or so :P

but our average wage is higher than yours, so i guess it balances it out in the long run.

Bocete · #17 09-17-2009, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simo98

MM Stingray 5 here is $4699 RRP i believe, thats 4100 USD or so :P

but our average wage is higher than yours, so i guess it balances it out in the long run.

FYI, just google "4699 aud to usd". Much easier than to estimate. Close enough, though.

Simo98 · #18 09-17-2009, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bocete

FYI, just google "4699 aud to usd". Much easier than to estimate. Close enough, though.

lol

i actually did do that, however i closed the tab without remembering the number first and just remembered the 41, not the rest :P

Bocete · #19 09-17-2009, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simo98

lol

i actually did do that, however i closed the tab without remembering the number first and just remembered the 41, not the rest :P

Lurker79 · #20 09-17-2009, 10:13 AM

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA! I got a new 2k9 jazz from Corona two months ago for $750 on ebay. Time to move to the states, but you know you gotta fill out some paperwork and take a test before you can be a citizen here.