alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Looking at the price of compact cameras, I came across the new Panasonic Lumix TZ40/ZS30.

Out of interest I compared prices in the UK/USA

UK price: £379.

USA Price $399 which is £297.

So they are still at it?

john banks

Does the US price include taxes? Shipping between Japan and USA is less?

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

It does, and not appreciably.

It works on the same principle that shipping from Japan to the UK gains in price, while shipping the other way LOSES in price......

greenonedave

The price is based on there are 6 times as many potential buyers in USA.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

As there are in Europe?

RA Dunk

You sure it's not 'us' ripping us off then?

The iphones are the same, iphones are pretty much half the price across the pond as they are here.

mickywrx

iTrader: (29)

Where were you comparing the prices, Jeff?

Exchange rate is what's mainly affecting the higher price, not the "japs" ripping us off.

boomer

http://www.ukdigital.co.uk/panasonic...era-black.html ?

I have bought lots from them (from many years ago when they had a retail shop in Clitheroe), so well worth a visit.

mb

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Nope, it's even worse when the £ is stronger.

The Japs seem to always want to charge us £ for $.

Everything: Cameras, hi-fi, CDs, cars etc etc.

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

Hate to state the obvious , but VAT in this country is 20%, compared with sales tax in most of the US of only around 6% (zero in some states), so that's £40 of the difference right there.

nyscooby

iTrader: (12)

just buy the feppin camera....

what would Jesus do?

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

OK..and the other £50?

See, the prices I quoted were UK discounted and USA Panasonic price, so in reality, likely to be MUCH further apart.

But I now get how they get away with it...to many apologists in the UK.

Get 'em down and bend over lads.....

Ant

not this camera @ £309 then??

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...id:23701208325

Ant

another site at @ £309.

http://www.ukdigitalcameras.co.uk/di...FUfMtAodMRIALg


all done through the wonders of google

Ant

or a little bit more through amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&k...l_5fxbyzvnpj_b

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

You need to take a chill-pill, and do some more shopping around. Just 2 of the UK online resellers I found offering this for £279 (inc. VAT), with free postage:
http://www.rgbdirect.co.uk/Products/...nic/DMCTZ40EBK
http://www.hpreston.co.uk/Panasonic-.../dp/B00BET11MM

Taking away the 20% tax, that's actually $50 cheaper than the RRP on Panasonic US's website.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Sorry, but while the OP may not have chosen a good example prices in the US are genrally a good bit lower than the UK.

I recently bought some Mercedes parts from the US dealer network and even with VAT, duty and shipping they were still less than buying them here..... and some of them didn't incur any duty or VAT on import anyway.... don't know why, I guess customs chose to not look at them for some reason. Not going to ask LOL!

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

I've still got that Lumix you suggested about 3 years ago. Was a good price then but god knows the difference at full price to other places!

Got some crackers today for his birthday

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

Right, but his complaint seemed to be that the Japs specifically were singling out UK consumers specifically for adverse treatment, whereas from what you're saying it's pretty much all manufacturers who see UK (or EU?) customers as an easy mark. My theory there would be that they know EU consumers will rarely shop across the border from other EU countries outside their own, even though it's supposedly a single market, while US customers will happily (and very easily) shop across state lines online. In practice then, our supposedly quite large single EU market is really a collection of much smaller, and therefore less competitive, separate markets, which we pay the price for in the form of more expensive goods.

Luan Pra bang

If you think we get robbed here go to Eastern Europe and go shopping, kids toys 2-3 times the price of the UK, clothes over double the price of the UK.

Leslie

If people are prepared to pay such prices you can't expect much else!

Les