[MattTheCat]

Why the huge price difference in this new Pioneer DVD player??

http://www.ebargainwizard.com/DVD_Pl...ER_DV656A.html

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/p...roduct_ID/1193

I'm baffled

[buns]

you said it yourself! We are ripped off! I have the same situation with a panasonic player costing dramatically more over here for what is a lower spec machine than the US model!

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Is this for ****ing real ????
I know there aint any VAT but ***, the price difference is staggering !!!

Was talking to a friend today who works in the local HIFI shop, when he calmly blurted out that he can get a staff purchase discount from the manufacturers of summut up to 70 %, I know how they do it now !!!!! and thats from most makers.

70% sounds a bit over the top. Most manufacturers are VERY happy if they can get a 30% margin on the product. When I worked for a manufacturer, the best discounts I EVER got were no more than 50%, and that was where the product had major scratching or damage or was missing components.

US get stuff cheaper because there's more of them, they don't need to manufacture seperate versions for different regions (eg, Maryland uses NTSC, so does California), and even the worst VAT's / Sales Taxes are no more than 8%.

On the other hand, they miss out on the fun that is SCART! ;-)

Americans dont have scart cables ?

What do they use ?

[michaelab]

Originally posted by Tejpal
Americans dont have scart cables ?

What do they use ?

Component (YCbCr) in the form of 3 RCA connections or 3 BNC connectors (audio has to be carried separately and there are obviously none of 'signalling' features found in SCART).

See the 'sticky' component vs. RGB (scart) thread at the top of this forum for more info. I don't want to start another Component vs. SCART thread going here

And, on the subject of the thread (Rip Off Britain) you should count yourselves lucky. Britain may be expensive compared to the US for AV gear but in the rest of Europe you'll nearly always pay even more (here in Portugal 1.5x to 2x the UK price is normal). As I make regular trips to the UK I try to buy all my AV gear there because it's so much cheaper!. The main reason is the same as the UK / US difference. Size of the market.

Michael.

[Jase]

Quite a few things are more expensive over here in Spain as well. Most of my AV kit is sourced from the UK.

[MattTheCat]

on the subject of the thread (Rip Off Britain) you should count yourselves lucky

I wasn't moaning in general, just on this specific player!! (£350 vs around £100 across the water)

Is it not extracting the urine??

Anyway, back to work

[buns]

Originally posted by Jase
Quite a few things are more expensive over here in Spain as well. Most of my AV kit is sourced from the UK.

so there are no spanish manufacturers making quality gear?

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The reason it is cheaper here than in Europe is that our currency (the pound ) is doing much better against the ****ty euro !!!!

[John Dawson]

be very careful when comparing such products in different countries, especially Pioneer, as I believe they sometimes use the same model numbers with very different specifications for different parts of the world.

Also allow for up to 14% duty and 17.5% VAT for products in Europe and check you are comparing like with like for the type of retailer used. US quoted prices always local exclude sales tax, typically 6 - 8%.

As a rule margins are not high in consumer electronics compared with other industries. A 70% discount will usually be at or below the cost of the BOM (Bill Of Materials) and is thus represents a loss to everyone except the final purchaser.

HTH.

John Dawson (Arcam)

[benji_m]

Second that,
70% markup is just not realistic in this industry! Certainly many people think I am lying or making up some sales rubbish when I say that we (and other internet/mail order) sell Plasma at trade + VAT most of the time!! Although I think I will ask my Boss about a 70% staff discount scheme anyway!

[Ian J]

Originally posted by Big_AL007
Was talking to a friend today who works in the local HIFI shop, when he calmly blurted out that he can get a staff purchase discount from the manufacturers of summut up to 70 %,

I went fishing last week and caught a 10lb trout

[groundy]

Following on from John's comments above, the spec of the US 656A is different to the UK/Euro one. Firstly, the US 656A does not do SACD, only DVD-A. Secondly, it does not have RGB Scart out, which is not a problem for those of us with Component Inputs but this is a minority.

The US 656A does have a plus point in that it is Progressive Scan compatible . It's still very cheap though.

[buns]

Originally posted by benji_m
Second that,
70% markup is just not realistic in this industry!

In general maybe, but not always. I know of a number of products which have doubled nearly tripled in price upon entering the UK market, the karan ka180 amp being my best example. There is easily a 70% margin in there!

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Margins will also depend upon how mature a product is (eg VCR's have low margins as everbody makes on and can do it on the cheap). Portable music devices are sold on very low margins as you can't differentiate between the brands (IE goodmans do a CD Walkman almost as good as Sony's, so Son;y can't justify selling for 3 times the price).

New technology can either be very high margin at first (eg DVD recorders were first sold with almost 50% markup). Others like Plasma's are sold with very little margin, just to get the market started.

PS, buns, what model Pana DVD player were you looking at?

I never said there was a70% margin although judging by the pioneer prices there clearly is. I said he got sometimes up to 70% discount from the manufacturers, not the retailer, this he called manufacturer staff purchase and was far more generous than the shop staff discount.
Fact is they are do this at cost to themselves to get their product used by the sales staff so inducing recommendations. This is his theory and I believe it, its an old marketing ploy.

Sometimes a manufacturer will slash the prices to get rid of old stock. They will even take a loss, sometimes substantial just to be rid of a model.

I worked for one of the big 3 up until fairly recently and I know how much it was costing them to bring a unit into the country and what it was selling for. In almost every case margins for the manufacturer were between 10 and 30 percent. HOWEVER, slap on the margin that the retailer puts on and there you may have your 70% saving. NB Staff price for me was pretty much the same as what retailers got unless it was damaged stock.

[buns]

kiwiranger,

the models are rp and ra 82. Of course, im considering the players once modified. But the US could get the modified player for $400 and we pay 800euros pre tax.

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[Tomas L]

Hmm, wait a minute...check Brandsmall.com again:

Pioneer DV656A

Specifications

54MHz / 10-bit video DAC
DVD-A, DVD-Video, Multi-channel SACD, MP3, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R & DVD-RW ready
Hi-bit and Legato PRO audio processing
MP3 playback with on-screen navigator
2x Scart (RGB Compatible)
Component out
CD-R/RW compatible
Optical & Coaxial Digital outputs
Plays NTSC discs as PAL60/NTSC
Modified with our Sprinter Software multi-region upgrade:
Auto region playback
RCE Compatible (Plays RCE Discs)
No Chip, soldering, or case removal - GUARANTEED!
420 x 70 x 278mm (WxHxD)
Silver finish
1 Year RTB Guarantee


Brandsmall Price: $169.88

Pretty much the same specifications as the European 656.
The specifications even say that it has "2x scart"....? Is this really correct? If so, are they actually selling the European version of the 656? (sadly "Brandsmall.com only ships within the contiguous U.S.")

...and I do believe that we are being ripped-off here in Europe! Check the prices of DVD recorders i Japan and the US! 60-70% lower prices, I don't think that the difference can be explained only by "different components"!

You might wanna check out the text on this page.. seems awfully familiar!

http://www.homecinemaheaven.com/prod_info/dvd/dv656a.htm

70% Mark up wouldnt surpise me at all - my brother in law used to work for a similar company to Halfords (car pats etc) i used to get parts for my car at 1/4 of the price from garages and Halfords - Example 4 new disk brakes plus pads for Astra GTE £65

I also remeber buying a light bulb for the headlight for around 15p - once the trade price had been put in - he used to laugh at the amount of mark up that was put onto stuff.

It would also answer why when i go into the local Sevenoaks hifi they sales assitant always has the best gear going (no offence to shops sales assistance but they are on alot less money than me) that i dream of having.

Of course to the manufacturers Britain isnt known as Rip off Britain, but The Golden Island <--- that is a true fact.


Spike

[petrolhead]

My family used to our a retail outlet and a 100% markup was common.

The problem we have in the UK is that we are too flippin polite campared to the Yanks. They stand no **** and companies know it!

[Desticado]

Its also not uncommon for Manufacturers of any product to give or sell (at a loss) their newest promotional items to select sales staff etc...

After all can you think of a better reccomendation to joe public than a salesman that says 'Its great, I have this one at home'