Prices - hard to follow.

General conversation and chit chat - The place for non-shooting specific topics. Introduce yourself here.

Prices - hard to follow.

Post by GQshayne » 14 Jun 2022, 7:51 pm

This topic has come up before, but I have another instance of prices just not making sense.

I wanted a new set of ally rings for my BLR. My old ones are quality steel, but a bit higher than ideal, and heavy. They are almost double the weight of the aluminium rings. I already have ally bases. After having a look at what was available to suit what I wanted, I narrowed it down to either Leupold or Vortex. Their products are very similar - same material, sizing almost identical, and design. They are competitors after all, so no surprises.

Looking at their websites, both companies sold what I wanted for $119 USD. So I decided to have a look at what I would have to pay for them here. The Leupold price was $210 - 230 AUD on average. A few places had them for $200. The Vortex price was $129 - 139 AUD on average. Best I saw was $119 with free postage.

Guess which one I bought?? :thumbsup:

It does suggest we are being ripped off for the Leupold stuff.
GQshayne
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 839
Queensland

Re: Prices - hard to follow.

Post by mchughcb » 14 Jun 2022, 7:54 pm

So you made the right choice supporting all those LGS shop assistants that were lying low with job keeper payments or job seeker if they were casual?
User avatar
mchughcb
Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
 
Posts: 1521
Victoria

Re: Prices - hard to follow.

Post by No1Mk3 » 14 Jun 2022, 9:03 pm

Or you don't understand currency exchange rates, postage, GST etc. US$119 is currently A$172, plus post, GST, dealer mark-up for profit so $200 to $230 isn't unreasonable. You say you got them for how much? A$119 (US$82) or $129 (US$89) or $139 (US$96)? So much, much cheaper than Americans can buy Vortex, between US$23 and US$37 cheaper and you think we're being ripped off somehow?
No1Mk3
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
 
Posts: 2090
Victoria

Re: Prices - hard to follow.

Post by GQshayne » 15 Jun 2022, 8:26 pm

No1Mk3 wrote:Or you don't understand currency exchange rates, postage, GST etc. US$119 is currently A$172, plus post, GST, dealer mark-up for profit so $200 to $230 isn't unreasonable. You say you got them for how much? A$119 (US$82) or $129 (US$89) or $139 (US$96)? So much, much cheaper than Americans can buy Vortex, between US$23 and US$37 cheaper and you think we're being ripped off somehow?


Compared t the Vortex product, which is available in lots of places at that price, yes the Leupold is expensive.

No-one is selling this stuff without making a profit. If the Vortex can be sold for $120 then the Leupold mark-up is excessive. Regardless of what currency it is.
GQshayne
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 839
Queensland

Re: Prices - hard to follow.

Post by GQshayne » 15 Jun 2022, 8:27 pm

mchughcb wrote:So you made the right choice supporting all those LGS shop assistants that were lying low with job keeper payments or job seeker if they were casual?


I cannot respond, as I have no idea what you are on about. :unknown:
GQshayne
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 839
Queensland

Re: Prices - hard to follow.

Post by mchughcb » 15 Jun 2022, 9:21 pm

GQshayne wrote:
mchughcb wrote:So you made the right choice supporting all those LGS shop assistants that were lying low with job keeper payments or job seeker if they were casual?


I cannot respond, as I have no idea what you are on about. :unknown:


I was joking about you supporting the local gun stores that in Victoria had to shut down. I guess its just cheaper to mail order from the USA and bypass the markups.
User avatar
mchughcb
Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
 
Posts: 1521
Victoria

Re: Prices - hard to follow.

Post by GQshayne » 15 Jun 2022, 9:42 pm

mchughcb wrote:
GQshayne wrote:
mchughcb wrote:So you made the right choice supporting all those LGS shop assistants that were lying low with job keeper payments or job seeker if they were casual?


I cannot respond, as I have no idea what you are on about. :unknown:


I was joking about you supporting the local gun stores that in Victoria had to shut down. I guess its just cheaper to mail order from the USA and bypass the markups.


You have not read my initial post properly. The Vortex price is AUD. I bought them from a store in Qld. I did buy them on-line though. No choice when the local shops I went to did not have what I wanted. So I went home to find what I needed using Google, and some searching turned up the two options.
GQshayne
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 839
Queensland

Re: Prices - hard to follow.

Post by cz515 » 15 Jun 2022, 10:14 pm

No1Mk3 wrote:Or you don't understand currency exchange rates, postage, GST etc. US$119 is currently A$172, plus post, GST, dealer mark-up for profit so $200 to $230 isn't unreasonable. You say you got them for how much? A$119 (US$82) or $129 (US$89) or $139 (US$96)? So much, much cheaper than Americans can buy Vortex, between US$23 and US$37 cheaper and you think we're being ripped off somehow?


Leopold is imported by noia so that explains a bit of markup but consider at 172 + 10% shop + 10% GST. That's about $209. So i would say good price by noia.

Seems bizarre that you can buy a voltex here for cheaper then in USA, infact unless it's a special on old stock, discontinued or fake i can't explain it
When good men and women can’t speak the truth, when facts are inconvenient, when integrity and character no longer matter, when ego and self-preservation are more important than national security — then there is nothing left to stop the triumph of evil
User avatar
cz515
Warrant Officer C2
Warrant Officer C2
 
Posts: 1032
Victoria

Re: Prices - hard to follow.

Post by mchughcb » 16 Jun 2022, 8:32 am

GQshayne wrote:
mchughcb wrote:
GQshayne wrote:
mchughcb wrote:So you made the right choice supporting all those LGS shop assistants that were lying low with job keeper payments or job seeker if they were casual?


I cannot respond, as I have no idea what you are on about. :unknown:


I was joking about you supporting the local gun stores that in Victoria had to shut down. I guess its just cheaper to mail order from the USA and bypass the markups.


You have not read my initial post properly. The Vortex price is AUD. I bought them from a store in Qld. I did buy them on-line though. No choice when the local shops I went to did not have what I wanted. So I went home to find what I needed using Google, and some searching turned up the two options.


I did but it was ambiguous. Thank you for clearing it up.
User avatar
mchughcb
Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
 
Posts: 1521
Victoria

Re: Prices - hard to follow.

Post by AZZA'S HJ47 » 16 Jun 2022, 9:37 am

cz515 wrote:
No1Mk3 wrote:Or you don't understand currency exchange rates, postage, GST etc. US$119 is currently A$172, plus post, GST, dealer mark-up for profit so $200 to $230 isn't unreasonable. You say you got them for how much? A$119 (US$82) or $129 (US$89) or $139 (US$96)? So much, much cheaper than Americans can buy Vortex, between US$23 and US$37 cheaper and you think we're being ripped off somehow?


Leopold is imported by noia so that explains a bit of markup but consider at 172 + 10% shop + 10% GST. That's about $209. So i would say good price by noia.

Seems bizarre that you can buy a voltex here for cheaper then in USA, infact unless it's a special on old stock, discontinued or fake i can't explain it


If you thing a shop operates on 10% mark up you'd be dreaming. Im not in the gun industry as such and i can tell you now 10% on any product would have you walking out the door and looking for another job. As a rule of thumb 35-45% is what is considered the norm.

Greed is what seems to drive most things in the markets here. Crack pot rent for shop owners lack luster tax conditions. Licensing fees and renewals that just keep getting more expensive. Everyone along the food chain has their hand out. Overheads and expense that just dont add up.
Sako Varmint 243,Marlin 917, Lithgow La101 .22 , 1917 BSA 303 (ted), Finnish Vkt 1944 M39,T3X Super Varmint 223, Marlin 1895 SBL 45-70 Howa 1500 308, BSA CF2 222, 1911 9mm, Adler 12G, Sako 7mm rem Mag,Ruger m77 mk1 22-250AI, Rem 700 17 Rem, BSA No 5 303
User avatar
AZZA'S HJ47
Sergeant
Sergeant
 
Posts: 687
Queensland

Re: Prices - hard to follow.

Post by cz515 » 16 Jun 2022, 7:38 pm

Azza you make a good point. And i did make a mistake.

Gunshops have a margin of 10% on firearms and upto 30% on accessories. Ofcourse the RRP can be higher but no one sells at the RRP, at times some shops will sell fireas at less margin. Or might be able to get better price for bulk lots of the same firearm.

I know this cuz my mate who works at a gun shop let me look at the ordering website while ordering my rifles, that's both OSA and NOIA.
When good men and women can’t speak the truth, when facts are inconvenient, when integrity and character no longer matter, when ego and self-preservation are more important than national security — then there is nothing left to stop the triumph of evil
User avatar
cz515
Warrant Officer C2
Warrant Officer C2
 
Posts: 1032
Victoria

Re: Prices - hard to follow.

Post by GQshayne » 16 Jun 2022, 7:40 pm

Who knows!

May simply be a case of charging what people are prepared to pay. Leupold has a good reputation here, perhaps Vortex not so much in comparison and their price reflects that. Dunno, but I doubt they are losing money on the Vortex product.

Incidentally, the Vortex rings are made in the USA, and arew a nicely made product. As good as anything else I have.
GQshayne
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 839
Queensland


Back to top
 
Return to Off topic - General conversation