Buying Australian

[Guest]

With the latest ATX coming out and the price difference I am interested on people thought's on "buying Australian". As we all know prospecting equipment has a huge mark up in price and is often cheaper just to import it yourself. What does everyone take into account when deciding? As someone that doesn't have a "Favorite shop" or a bloke that "helps me out" I am interested in what you feel the service the local bloke gives you is worth in the monetary sense. Mainly because it's the service that we are paying for and not so much the product when buying something made overseas in Australia. Do you feel the knowledge the local bloke might give you about the area or hints and tips is worth the extra cost. Maybe you could have a go at putting a % on it. Say old mate has a 20% mark up but you feel he gives you a 30% better gold take with his service. Is the day of the local bloke dead with the global economy or is it a big advantage to have one? Cheers Balx. PS even a site sponsors opinion of what they offer us compared to us going solo would be great as I know by the lack of shops no one is getting rich selling prospecting supplies.

 

[Newbie]

I worked in retail and my family runs an unrelated retail shop. As with gold prospecting the advice we deal out comes free and can save people a lot of time and money. I know they scrape by and provide a service that many people couldn't do without. However all to often the consumer comes in gets the sales speel and then goes home to buy over the internet and make a saving we might be talking about $50 on a $450 item as it is has to be frighted from wherever. My feeling is that is the manufacturers responsibility to effectively tax the online shops that sell the product with lower discounts to allow the shop keepers to make great margins when they do sell. However a lot of shops have moved to online stores just to become competitive. I cant remember the last time i sold an item at recommended retail let alone brought one.

I am 30 years old and come from the start of the online generation, whilst i am not the norm i would say in my buy habits,I am happy to pay a little extra when i seek advice on products, I buy online if i do all the research and can make significant savings. I hate lack of service and paying more for less I flat out refuse to use self check outs... i dont care if i have to wait they really erk! me.

I do see a point that if you can save 40% on something knock yourself out but if your good enough to the guy or girl running the shop and you do all you research and they just going to give you the machine then i reckon they generally going to look after you if you ask. There is a need for retail but its hard to see whatshape it will take in the future. retail spaces is expensive and someone needs to pay for it generally you need to making a minimumof 33% margin just to open the door before you make any money. I'd say those prices I have seen OS for things such as the garret would be almost cost here for the shops so they effectively 33% behind before they start. Tough thing to justify from a consumer and retail position on the exact same item.

 

[Teemore]

As a matter of interest it would be interesting to what people have actually paid for their, lets say ML5000. The retail/online prices are easy enough to find, either as a stand alone unit or as a 'bundle'. No need to say where you bought it (hate to spoil a good thing if you're one) just what the final price paid actually was, I don't believe there is too much, if any discount given., then again I could be wrong.

What really irks me is the online downloaded stuff you buy, like books, one price for USA one (much more expensive) for Australian purchases, go figure you're downloading from the same source and doesn't take anymore work!!!!

Cheers Tom