So expensive in UK

[Praetorias]

As i narrow down my choice, i annoyingly keep seeing aomething i might want to continue saving for. I really like the c9.25 cg5 but have a yearning for the cgem mount. Prices in uk are 1449 and 2400 respectively but in USA a c9.25 on cgem mount is only £1750. Grrrrr. Why is it so much more expensive here?

[Kai]

Cost of transport , Vat , Import duty etc etc im afraid

[Cornelius Varley]

The US prices might not include local sales taxes.

Peter

[JamesM]

It is frustrating but when I listen to other stargazers in India, South Africa etc our prices seem reasonable by comparison. I hope you find the patience (...and the cash!) to save for you really want as the stars aren't going anywhere so there's no need to rush.

Keep in there!

James

[Vali x]

taxes are not included,,,and dont forget the custom's fess, wich can be as high of 20-30%. so, dont get fooled by the low prices here is N America. i called different supplliers in US and the final price, shipping and customs, was around 40-50% more from the one posted on the website !

[reddoss]

I am lucky as I have a good freind who lives in the US and frequently comes to visit the UK with work and to see me. For smaller items such as eyepices etc, I get her to but them over there and bring them to the UK.

[vulcan]

...And, don't forget that in the UK, you are entitled to a 1 year warranty by law. 90 days is more common in the USA.

[pete_l]

The main reason is lack of competition.

Most manufactures only allow one single distributor in a country and "discourage" trading outside their geographical patch. The local distro is able to set the price that the retail outlets they supply (or refuse to, if they sell too cheaply) will charge and since a shop cannot get supplies from any other distro there's effectively a monpoly in place.

In america there is much more competition. Many distributors, little in the way of restrictive sales practices. This leads to larger sales volumes which draws bulk discounts, which reduces the price, which increases sales ...

However, if you think British prices are high, try buying the same stuff in continental europe

[Praetorias]

Is the cgem mount seriously so much better than the cg5? I just think it looks great lol

[shaunster]

Is the cgem mount seriously so much better than the cg5? I just think it looks great lol

Simply put, yes. The CGEM is in another league completely

[Praetorias]

Simply put, yes. The CGEM is in another league completely

Would i be able to get by with the cg5 ok though? What are the pros and cons for each?

Thanks

[shaunster]

Depends what you want to achieve really, visual or imaging etc?

[Praetorias]

Imaging ultimately.

[wrinkly]

Would you be willing to buy astronomical gear from a Del boy, here today gone tomorrow character, down your local market? If so, you can have everything cheaper but if you want advice, support and should something go wrong, the goodwill of the retailer as well as legal responsibility, go to a reputable dealer. More expensive but safer and probably cheaper in the end.

[Mr Spock]

If you want an alternative I can recommend the C9.25 on an EQ-6. It's a perfect combination

[pete_l]

if you want advice, support and should something go wrong, the goodwill of the retailer as well as legal responsibility, go to a reputable dealer.

The problem with every astronomy retailer I've ever been to (in the UK) is that none of them have the means to test-drive your potential purchase. None of them are open when the sky is dark as they all only operate "shop hours". So whatever you buy is untried and untested and therefore a gamble. It might not do what it's supposed to, or it simply might not live up to the hype or your expectations.

So you could easily spend as much on a high-end astronomy rig as you would on a car, but imagine buying a car based only on the TV ads? or (worse) what Clarkson has to say about it

Since you're effectively buying "blind": neither knowing whether the choices you have made are right for you, nor if the actual specimen you buy works properly, there's little advantage that a retailer has over an internet "drop-shipper". In fact, the distance selling regulations confer more rights to people who buy on the internet than if they buy from a shop. Though continually couriering heavy items back if they don't suit you, gets expensive and I'm sure the retailers wouldn't be too happy if you did that more than once.

[todd8137]

i agree what they pay on dollars we pay in pounds i think thats some thing for goverments to sort out not me (but for whats its worth i like to have my two pence worth

[JamesM]

pete_l, I have to politely disagree with you. When I started out, I spent a over a year attending star parties, astro clubs' observation evenings and local observing events to steal a look through many, many different scopes of different apertures from different manufacturers (...and no doubt made a nuisance of myself in the process!) The thing here was that I physically researched these products as far as was possible before I made up my mind what it was I wanted/needed. It doesn't matter whether you buy from a shop or the internet (they can be both) you still need to 'know' what your buying.

Now FLO is the sponsor of this forum and I don't wish to appear as if I'm appealing for a discount here (...I've tried before and it doesn't work ) but like one or two other retailers, (Rother Valley Otics, Telescope House) they themselves are astronomers too and are very up front about the pro's and con's of kit as part of this balance of course is budget and in general you get what you pay for. Steve, James and Martin at Flo in any discussion about kit, have always tried to qualify their evaluations from their own experience. It is this advice which I set against my own experiences (and others on here for example) to make an informed choice - that is all that is possible. Flo, like the others mentioned above, have never tried to stall me from returning goods and in fact have always been the first to suggest returning stuff. I have mentioned to many new people on here that the statistics of a scope are meaningless unless you have something to hang them on, a datum line as it were from which to make comparisons and to attempt to rationalize benefit over cost - eyepiece are probably the best example here. So I have always matched my experience with those of others that I believe are being honest.

I do understand where you are coming from in what you say but for me, that personal link, being able to handle the kit (pictures provide no easy reference to how big some of this kit is) making some kind of judgement on quality, coatings and quality control and paying that little bit extra to keep that shop going enables me to keep returning to 'fondle' the goods!

Price, though important isn't everything especially in astronomy.

Clear skies

James

[Ad Astra]

You obviously need to arrange a vacation with a LARGE suitcase.... The better to bring home a few "souvenirs". .

Southern California is very nice this time of year, especially for observing!

Dan

[pete_l]

pete_l, I have to politely disagree with you.

...

I do understand where you are coming from in what you say but for me, that personal link, being able to handle the kit (pictures provide no easy reference to how big some of this kit is) making some kind of judgement on quality, coatings and quality control and paying that little bit extra to keep that shop going enables me to keep returning to 'fondle' the goods!

Price, though important isn't everything especially in astronomy.

Clear skies

James

James,

All you say is true - and your experience parallels mine (unfortunately). The basic issue still remains that most telescope sales in the UK are just order-takers. Whether they are completely online outlets or even the few that have showrooms. At best you can go in or email them and say something like

"I'm looking for a telescope that will do X, Y and Z I have £x to spend"

and all they can do is reel off a list of models that they stock. There's no opportunity for them to demonstrate the equipment and do the value-add bit of a good shop and say "here's what <such and such> looks like with this eyepiece and this is what it looks like with a Nagler", Or to show you the difference between an 8-inch and a 10-inch 'scope. Sure, they can describe the difference but none of them, that I've seen anyway, are open at night and can actually SHOW you. You never know, once you get to see differences and mix'n'match a good shop's range of stock you could easily decide to adjust your shopping list in their favour.

Personally, I find that a far more satisfactory way of spending £thousands than to go in to a shop with a preconceived list, gained (as you say) from looking through other people's equipment and to walk out with a large receipt and a promise that it'll be delivered "in a few weeks, when we get it from the 'states" sometimes without the shop even having demo units of the stuff you're ordering that you could "kick the tyres" of. If that's all a shop can offer, you may as well just buy from an online retailer - the shop hasn't added any value at all.

Obviously the problem they have is the same issue that electrical retailers have. They have large overheads for stock and time needed to demo kit, then the buyers walk away and buy online because it's cheaper.

[Kit-Fox]

I thought the FLO and some of the other UK retailers usually pop along to one or two the star parties with some of their stock in order to let people have a 'test-drive' as it were & and as most of them have an interest in astronomy are there during the night and 'observing hours'

So that surely cant be levelled against all the UK retailers

*I havent been to any of the star parties but reading the threads about them here indicates a presence by FLO at least normally*

[Earl]

It is expensive in the UK because it is a Government endorsed Cartel.

[Grunthos]

It is frustrating but when I listen to other stargazers in India, South Africa etc our prices seem reasonable by comparison.

I agree.

I've been out to India a fair bit and have spent time "dabbling" with the (very knowledgable and very keen) astronomical community out there.

Nowadays I tend to take out a bunch of Planispheres, star charts and books etc (for schools and local astro goups/societies) because (a) relatively speaking they are more expensive and ( A lot of people don't have too many rupees to rub together.

I usually end up leaving my astro kit out there as well (likes of mid price binos or laser pointers).

My point?

We sometimes forget how damn lucky we are in western society.

<rant mode off>