Buying headsets from US
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: au
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However I cannot resist, do you not think if it was even remotely possible for Australian Dealers to match USA prices they would ?
And trust me I really do know what I am talking about. I am telling you now that David Clark headsets are almost not worth bothering with for an Australian based dealer at $400 inc GST, you might as well be giving the stupid things away for free.
And trust me I really do know what I am talking about. I am telling you now that David Clark headsets are almost not worth bothering with for an Australian based dealer at $400 inc GST, you might as well be giving the stupid things away for free.
If companies can benefit from globalization by buying things from overseas, I don't see why customers shouldn't as well.
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Australia
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I never said anything about the consumer not being able to benefit, I just have issues with people who know nothing about the situation claiming that the Australian pilot shops are ripping people off when actually everybody is doing their absolute best to be competetive in what is actually an extremely competetive market.
We all know the USA shops look nice and cheap, and on the odd product they are, however the reality is that by the time all is said and done, most of the time once the product is in your hand you will have paid almost the same price if not more , usually have no official warranty support in Australia and shipped all your dollars to the states instead of supporting the Australian economy. Pretty silly tactic if you ask me, but hey what do I know.
We all know the USA shops look nice and cheap, and on the odd product they are, however the reality is that by the time all is said and done, most of the time once the product is in your hand you will have paid almost the same price if not more , usually have no official warranty support in Australia and shipped all your dollars to the states instead of supporting the Australian economy. Pretty silly tactic if you ask me, but hey what do I know.
Use USPS, I won't buy if I have to use anyone else, it's just too much hassle at this end, and its more expensive for a slower service.
Fedex, DHl, etc. will automatically charge you GST and around $60.00 "processing fee" for entering the goods through Customs which takes forever even if the value is less than $1000.00
Fedex and DHL are Slower than USPS Airmail and Parcel Post. If you order something on Thursday Australian time, you will often receive it Monday because you gain a day and your goods are flying over the weekend.
This is better than Fedex, and DHL etc., because your goods can languish for several days at their intermediate depots in the U.S. while they build volume for an Australian cargo flight. The U.S. Postal service does not appear to do this, or they have the mail volume that makes it unnecessary.
Fedex, DHl, etc. will automatically charge you GST and around $60.00 "processing fee" for entering the goods through Customs which takes forever even if the value is less than $1000.00
Fedex and DHL are Slower than USPS Airmail and Parcel Post. If you order something on Thursday Australian time, you will often receive it Monday because you gain a day and your goods are flying over the weekend.
This is better than Fedex, and DHL etc., because your goods can languish for several days at their intermediate depots in the U.S. while they build volume for an Australian cargo flight. The U.S. Postal service does not appear to do this, or they have the mail volume that makes it unnecessary.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Mel-burn
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Quote:
FTDK, Clearly you have such a lack of understanding regarding this subject that it is almost not worth mentioning.
FTDK, Clearly you have such a lack of understanding regarding this subject that it is almost not worth mentioning.
+1 for American customer service. Had a guy personally walk down the street to the US post office recently to post my custom cowl plugs. THAT is customer service, just to save me a few $$ on freight.
Folks,
I use USPS almost exclusively for small shipment, quite apart from the cost (shipping plus import charges) versus UPS, Fedex, Burlington etc., I have found ( based on about 500 shipments per year) that USPS is faster and certainly more convenient.
Typically, from the west coast, 72 hours, door to door, sometimes faster, the best being 57 hours from lodgement to my front door, from the eastern states, usually withing five days ----- as long as it is not within a month of Christmas.
I always pay for the tracked and insured service, and have never had a loss or any damage. I have had one Fedex shipment damaged, the insurance was reasonably prompt, but still a bit of a hassle.
Tootle pip!!
I use USPS almost exclusively for small shipment, quite apart from the cost (shipping plus import charges) versus UPS, Fedex, Burlington etc., I have found ( based on about 500 shipments per year) that USPS is faster and certainly more convenient.
Typically, from the west coast, 72 hours, door to door, sometimes faster, the best being 57 hours from lodgement to my front door, from the eastern states, usually withing five days ----- as long as it is not within a month of Christmas.
I always pay for the tracked and insured service, and have never had a loss or any damage. I have had one Fedex shipment damaged, the insurance was reasonably prompt, but still a bit of a hassle.
Tootle pip!!
Join Date: Aug 2009
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Yeah great idea this globalisation, get everything overseas to save a buck. This could be something for the aviation industry, headsets, maintenance, pilots etc as no one here seems to give s*#t if we spend money overseas.
Great idea until it hits home.
Great idea until it hits home.
Join Date: Oct 2005
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I have purchased tens of thousands of dollars worth of radio gear from the US. ALWAYS use USPS (United States Postal Service) Global priority, quick and efficient. I have never had a problem with warranty, had a vac pump fail early and was instructed by the manufacturer to swap it at the Oz distributor with which they made prior contact. If you buy used radio gear make sure it has an 8130 certificate. Those DC 13.4's are excellent, i purchased 6 on ebay, all for a fraction of the cost of local prices. Yep under $1k, GST free UNLESS it is for resale, then it is taxable.
Big ticket items (engines/props/screens etc) were all bought in by my customs agent. Never a problem.
'39
Big ticket items (engines/props/screens etc) were all bought in by my customs agent. Never a problem.
'39
Join Date: Oct 2007
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So if I buy headsets from the US it's bad, but if I give my money to Mr X, who then goes and buys the headsets from the US anyway, it's perfectly OK?
I'm guessing you're saying it's a bad thing because Mr X now has less money to feed his children. In a Capitalist country Mr X has to compete with others - if his role (importing Headsets then reselling at a higher price) is becoming obsolete, he needs new ideas. Pehaps he could do a bulk buy with other resellers to get a cheaper price, offer a local repair service, or just decide it's no longer feasible and find a new income stream.
On the surface this is a bad thing for him. But because _everyone else_ also has to work efficiently to earn a buck, he benefits from cheap clothes, electronics, and other consumer goods.
If we changed the laws to say "you must only buy through authorized resellers" then we'd remove a lot of incentive for resellers to have decent prices. Mr X might have more sales, but then the price of many other things would go up as well, and he may be no better off.
I'm guessing you're saying it's a bad thing because Mr X now has less money to feed his children. In a Capitalist country Mr X has to compete with others - if his role (importing Headsets then reselling at a higher price) is becoming obsolete, he needs new ideas. Pehaps he could do a bulk buy with other resellers to get a cheaper price, offer a local repair service, or just decide it's no longer feasible and find a new income stream.
On the surface this is a bad thing for him. But because _everyone else_ also has to work efficiently to earn a buck, he benefits from cheap clothes, electronics, and other consumer goods.
If we changed the laws to say "you must only buy through authorized resellers" then we'd remove a lot of incentive for resellers to have decent prices. Mr X might have more sales, but then the price of many other things would go up as well, and he may be no better off.
It's not only price that counts, It's service that is important. Most Australian suppliers dont seem to understand that. The fact is that most American suppliers will bend over backwards to help, most Australian suppliers would not get out of their own way to help. So guess where I am gong to go? And who's fault is that.
Join Date: Nov 2007
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The exchange rate comes from an average of five Australian sources and applied at the date the goods are shipped.
When we do get hit with GST and the goods are handled by FEDEX etc, the overall cost is nothing short of extortion and there's nothing anyone can do about it.
If those retailers do get away with cancelling the $1000 GST limit, it will just be a licence for even bigger rip-offs in Aussie shops. Let's hope they don't get away with it.
Aviator1982
Aviator. Sit down quietly and read your own post, read it carefully, several times if necessary and you may get some idea why I buy from the US. Like I said, its not only about price. Read your post again and see how you are addressing your customers and then come back and talk to me.
Join Date: Feb 2006
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I'm guessing you're saying it's a bad thing because Mr X now has less money to feed his children. In a Capitalist country Mr X has to compete with others - if his role (importing Headsets then reselling at a higher price) is becoming obsolete, he needs new ideas. Pehaps he could do a bulk buy with other resellers to get a cheaper price, offer a local repair service, or just decide it's no longer feasible and find a new income stream.
For a jobless individual running an online Aviation shop and forum to plead for donations to give christmas presents to his children is un-Australian and that in should cease and desist such practices, it is a joke and he should know better.
I know a number of friends who have had nothing but problems with the new DC headsets (noise cancelling carbon fibre ones) but they may have fixed that by now. If you ship with UPS they can charge you a processing fee of a few hundred dollars and basically have you by the balls because you either have to pay it or go through a long process of paperwork bringing the item through customs. (happened to me) 
Like everyone says use USPS or Fed-Ex NEVER use UPS. Good luck. 
Like everyone says use USPS or Fed-Ex NEVER use UPS. Good luck.
I'm not sure about the lower range of products, but Pilot shops aside, Bose Australia has the new A20 for $1595, Bose USA has same for $1095US, which at the current Aussie dollar ($1.0236) is $1069 - $526 cheaper than in Aus.
This is also why the Sydney Morning Herald has run numerous articles regarding US based companies (ie. Apple) overcharging Australian shops.
RC
This is also why the Sydney Morning Herald has run numerous articles regarding US based companies (ie. Apple) overcharging Australian shops.
RC
