Are we getting ripped off on some gear prices in the UK?

Voxman

When I look at the prices of some gear in the US as compared to the UK, I can't help feeling a bit hard-done by. I realise there's import duty and VAT and the cost to get stuff over here, but even so some of the pricing differentials seem huge on everything ranging from guitars, amps, effects - and even on modest accessories.

As an example, I've been looking for a good quality padded gig bag to hold my Vox Tonelab TLSE (I have the Vox bag, but it's thin and I want something better).  The Temple Trio 28 bag has 20mm padding and looks good.  Although 6" too wide it will give me extra storage space for cables etc. It sells on Amazon in the US for $34.50.  Even with the current lousy exchange rate, that's £28.23.  However, to buy this in the UK, its £80 - nearly three times as much!!

It pisses me off that on certain gear/goods we seem to be getting unfairly screwed at the end of the chain with such huge and unfair cost hikes.  When I look at prices of UK gear in the US as compared to the cost of US gear in the UK, it just seems to me that the US seems to get a better deal. 

Sorry for the mini rant but just felt I needed to vent a little! 

Garthy

It has been like that since Jesus was a boy, and not just guitars. While car buying for my sister in Connecticut i saw a 2003 Corvette for $19000. At the time that was £12,000 if I recall correctly. To get that car on a UK road would cost a shade under £20,000 all in.

Alnico

I'm happy to pay more and not be American.
I've met some that i quite like but there's no way i would live there so they can keep their cheap stuff.

(They'll never know the Joy of coming home from school and having beans on toast, *then* looking under the beans and thinking "Hello,........What's this then?" and finding little sausages ! - Lee Mack)

Teetonetal

It does work the other way too. UK / EU made stuff is often quite a bit more in the US.

Thorpy gunshot 185 gbp in andertons. Ca 220 gbp in proguitarshop.

Shipping costs are huge and profit margins need to be maintained. Often there is also a 3rd party involved. Then these are pretty niche things so not being shipped in cost effective qty.

Jez6345789

As someone who imports from US and distributes in UK in a few cases yes but in general if you dig in to the numbers usually not. 

A few reason as I have these debates on endless forums about what we import.

A lot of US companies act as there own sales and distribution network in the home market. Use a distributor for foreign sales.

US stores have lower overheads and lower margins.

US prices are all less sales tax 

VAT 20%

Duty 1-5% on average

Shipping Costs

Many smaller US companies do not even think about the export market as theirs is so large. So when you come to add the cost in of all the import and distribution costs it becomes unviable.

At the moment my biggest nightmare currency fluctuations. 

Sheer scale and volume of US market. 


Etc etc etc 

ICBM

Teetonetal said:

Shipping costs are huge and profit margins need to be maintained. Often there is also a 3rd party involved. Then these are pretty niche things so not being shipped in cost effective qty.

Shipping costs are not huge. For reference I work for a company which ships things worldwide... shipping is so cheap now that it's economical to send small accessories all over the world, including North America. And that's individual items at retail - bulk is even cheaper if you don't mind it being a bit slower.

'Maintaining profits' is the reason. ie charging as much as you can get away with and hope the product is desirable enough that people will still pay it, or can't be bothered with the cost and hassle of importing directly themselves.

Some mark-up to cover genuine shipping cost, import duties and distribution costs is fine - that might add up to around 50% of the value. If you compare the rates on some different brands you will find most are similar and around that, but some are drastically more - those are the rip-offs.

HAL9000

If shipping/transport costs were so huge then items produced in, say, Chicago should cost more in Hawaii than in the UK.

richardhomer

Certain distributors (Westside, UK distributors of MESA being a prime example) have been raking it in out of U.K. customers for years - the current exchange rate issues will only drive our prices higher.

Other brands (notably Fender, Gibson, PRS and Taylor) have their own European distribution facilities - which you would think would reduce the need for added margin between manufacturer and retailer. In practice, it doesn't seem to. There is also a marked consistency in advertised prices (especially with Fender) - so there does appear to be some kind of price maintaining at work. 

Mooster

This might sound like absolute madness but before Sterling tanked, I would look at guitar gear in the US like in Chicago Music Exchange, and just swap the $ for a £ sign. That would be pretty much the £ price to buy it, and place 24% on top (20% VAT, 4% duties). Now that Sterling has tanked? It's all too expensive.

thomasross20

Mesa.

Sassafras

It's a small price to pay for not living there.
It's a shit-hole.
I wouldn't live there for all the money in the world.

ESBlonde

It's similar in reverse, we get the likes of Marshall at relatively reasonable prices and the USA pays the premium rates.
I agree with @Sassafras, not sure I'd want to live there unless I could hide out in the mountains.

BintyTwanger77

Teetonetal said:

It does work the other way too. UK / EU made stuff is often quite a bit more in the US.

Thorpy gunshot 185 gbp in andertons. Ca 220 gbp in proguitarshop.

Shipping costs are huge and profit margins need to be maintained. Often there is also a 3rd party involved. Then these are pretty niche things so not being shipped in cost effective qty.

I'm pretty sure Orange amps cost a fortune in the US.

Voxman

Sassafras said:

It's a small price to pay for not living there.
It's a shit-hole.
I wouldn't live there for all the money in the world.

Alnico said:

I'm happy to pay more and not be American.
I've met some that i quite like but there's no way i would live there so they can keep their cheap stuff.

C'mon guys, steady - just a thread on pricing differentials only - as this is a guitar forum section probably best to steer clear of the politics...I think there's a 'speakers corner' section that's probably a better home for such views/discussions.  Also, I appreciate this is a UK site but we might just have some friends from across the pond looking in too...after all, a lot of the great gear we love does come from the US. We don't want to upset them ......don't forget they have more missiles than we have!    

PS - I've only been to US a few times (NY, Florida), but really liked it.  I'd love to go again to other parts eg Boston, see LA, Nashville etc 

Teetonetal

BintyTwanger77 said:

Teetonetal said:

It does work the other way too. UK / EU made stuff is often quite a bit more in the US.

Thorpy gunshot 185 gbp in andertons. Ca 220 gbp in proguitarshop.

Shipping costs are huge and profit margins need to be maintained. Often there is also a 3rd party involved. Then these are pretty niche things so not being shipped in cost effective qty.

I'm pretty sure Orange amps cost a fortune in the US.

Marshall AST1C Astoria 1x12 combo green. 2999 USD (ca 2450 GBP). in Sweetwater. Same combo is 1499 GBP in Andertons.

Rip off UK indeed.

Modellista

Sassafras said:

It's a small price to pay for not living there.
It's a shit-hole.
I wouldn't live there for all the money in the world.

I find statements like this really bizarre.  Even if you've seen some dodgy American places, surely you're aware that the USA is bigger than the entirety of mainland Europe, and as such will have some nice bits as well as not so nice bits?  Unless you're claiming to have visited every single town in every single state and found nothing to recommend in any? 

Teetonetal

modellista said:

Sassafras said:

It's a small price to pay for not living there.
It's a shit-hole.
I wouldn't live there for all the money in the world.

I find statements like this really bizarre.  Even if you've seen some dodgy American places, surely you're aware that the USA is bigger than the entirety of mainland Europe, and as such will have some nice bits as well as not so nice bits?  Unless you're claiming to have visited every single town in every single state and found nothing to recommend in any? 

It's a bit of a shit hole in terms of workers rights... even if parts of the countryside are breathtaking. 

ICBM

Teetonetal said:

Marshall AST1C Astoria 1x12 combo green. 2999 USD (ca 2450 GBP). in Sweetwater. Same combo is 1499 GBP in Andertons.

Rip off UK indeed.

The difference is that in the UK, Mesas are massively overpriced but almost justify it on the quality and features they have.

I have no idea why modern Marshalls sell in the US at all.

Winny_Pooh

There's always Carvin

Sassafras

modellista said:

Sassafras said:

It's a small price to pay for not living there.
It's a shit-hole.
I wouldn't live there for all the money in the world.

I find statements like this really bizarre.  Even if you've seen some dodgy American places, surely you're aware that the USA is bigger than the entirety of mainland Europe, and as such will have some nice bits as well as not so nice bits?  Unless you're claiming to have visited every single town in every single state and found nothing to recommend in any? 

I'm sure there are delightful spots in Iraq, Syria and North Korea but I wouldn't want to live there.

The States is OK for visits but I wouldn't ever consider moving there.

Teetonetal

ICBM said:

Teetonetal said:

Marshall AST1C Astoria 1x12 combo green. 2999 USD (ca 2450 GBP). in Sweetwater. Same combo is 1499 GBP in Andertons.

Rip off UK indeed.

The difference is that in the UK, Mesas are massively overpriced but almost justify it on the quality and features they have.

I have no idea why modern Marshalls sell in the US at all.

For the same reasons people buy any famous brand. Past history. The name still carries weight, even if the products are not what they were. It really is amazing that a company can live on it's name for soooooo long. 

What was the last really good, top quality Marshall amp?