Explore Scientific eyepieces - get them while you can in the UK

[Coco]

A shame indeed, as I would far rather put money in your pockets, than those of US suppliers.

However, I'm not sure why anybody ever thought it would be possible to get close to US prices.

Russell

They would if they broke up the distributors into 'optical accessory' importers and 'telescope importers'..

FLO would get a toe hold... and you lot would all be very happy...

The ES brand would be more popular than ever....

[crazyjedi]

It very sad that the global market appears so skewed from this country

[Coco]

Last night I tried purchasing the ES 8,8 & 14mm from telescope.net , but... suprise surprise

> Guy,

>

> These are currently on back order. We have received your order and you

> should have been notified. We are expecting to see these eyepieces late this

> month early next month.

>

> Kevin LeGore

Mmn I should have known better

Ive asked if they have the Meade 5000 UWA but I doubt they will as they play close second fiddle to the ES range..

I wont hold my breath...

[twintin]

tis a shame as i really like my es eyepieces and wouldnt of minded a few more

[ExploreScientificEurope]

Hello all,

I don´t understand your comments - maybe my english is not good enough. We have very low prices. So there is a small margin, because production costs are high for high end products. So the dealer has the choice to do this - or not. What does it have to do with not supporting the UK market?

Clear skies

Tassilo

[Dunkster]

OK, I'll bite... and I'm sure I won't be alone

Let's use a popular example: Explore Scientific 100 degree series, 14mm

Price (before tax) in USA = US$299.99

Price (incl. 19% tax) in DE = 399euro, or 335euro after deducting the tax

At today's exchange rate, the US$ equivalent price is US$447.82. That's a difference of US$147.83! Let's assume resellers in the USA also make only a small margin also. How is it shipping the eyepieces to Europe for sale costs almost 50% more than shipping to the USA? Surely the production costs are the same regardless of whether the product is sent to Europe or the USA?

I ask genuinely, and do not know the answer. I suspect it is import taxes the EU imposes, or higher warehousing costs or something else.

I don't doubt the quality of the product, however, if the price of ES eyepieces wasn't so drastically different in the USA compared to Europe, this thread probably wouldn't exist

[Spec-Chum]

What he said ^ ^

I can understand the converting the $ to £ conversion rates some companies use, but this does seem excessive I must say...

[JamesF]

I was going to post a similar example, but as Dunkster has done so I shan't bother.

I don't know why it should be either, but there does appear to be a massive price differential between the USA and Europe and no immediately obvious reason for it.

James

[alan potts]

Dear FLO,

I take my hat off to your efforts, as I said it is not a level playing field. I wish your shop was here in Bulgaria only problem is you would only have about 5 customers.

Keep up the good work.

Alan.

[Coco]

Hello all,

I don´t understand your comments - maybe my english is not good enough. We have very low prices. So there is a small margin, because production costs are high for high end products. So the dealer has the choice to do this - or not. What does it have to do with not supporting the UK market?

Clear skies

Tassilo

Telescope House UK have the 14mm ES 100 @ £386.03 that’s US$ 598.00

Agena Astro $299

OPT $299

ETC ETC,,,

Nearly a $300 mark up?????

The EU distributor needs to hang their head in shame...

[E621Keith]

Telescope House UK have the 14mm ES 100 @ £386.03 that’s US$ 598.00

Agena Astro $299

OPT $299

ETC ETC,,,

Nearly a $300 mark up?????

The EU distributor needs to hang their head in shame...

You need to add 25% tax on those US prices including shipping. i.e. $373+Shipping.

OPT shipping quote is $80, after tax it's $100, so the total cost of buying from the US is $473.

The EU price is €399 EUR which is roughly $534 USD. The mark up is only $60 and not as significant as you think.

Furthermore, ES in US made a marketing mistake. Their original special offer went on for too long and people stop buying them when the price returned to normal. After that they were forced into selling their eyepiece at the discounted price ever since.

[John]

Telescope House UK have the 14mm ES 100 @ £386.03 that’s US$ 598.00

Agena Astro $299

OPT $299

ETC ETC,,,

Nearly a $300 mark up?????

The EU distributor needs to hang their head in shame...

I think the blame lies with ES - they dictate the pricing policies for their products as far as I'm aware.

[Spec-Chum]

You need to add 25% tax on those US prices including shipping. i.e. $373+Shipping.

OPT shipping quote is $80, after tax it's $100, so the total cost of buying from the US is $473.

The EU price is €399 EUR which is roughly $534 USD. The mark up is only $60 and not as significant as you think.

Hi Keith, I fear you may be missing the point.

I'm guessing the $100 delivery charge is to ship from USA to UK but the point of this discussion is that if the prices were more competative here in the UK the shipping costs wouldn't be part of the equation; or at the very least drastically reduced.

So the difference in obtaining this ES product, as I see it, is $160 not $60 as you suggest.

[Coco]

I'm sorry if anyone thinks I'm having a dig at the seller... Its not my intention..

[Naemeth]

You need to add 25% tax on those US prices including shipping. i.e. $373+Shipping.

OPT shipping quote is $80, after tax it's $100, so the total cost of buying from the US is $473.

The EU price is €399 EUR which is roughly $534 USD. The mark up is only $60 and not as significant as you think.

Furthermore, ES in US made a marketing mistake. Their original special offer went on for too long and people stop buying them when the price returned to normal. After that they were forced into selling their eyepiece at the discounted price ever since.

As you are including shipping from US to UK, you don't need to even consider the EU price. Therefore, the total cost of buying from the US into the UK is $473 as ~£304.89 assuming all fees paid. Which is a 21% markup. From the EU to UK (assuming no shipping cost), it's a 10.7% markup.

HTH

[i'm not having a go at anyone, just want to clarify things really. Sorry if my maths is off ]

[Dunkster]

I'm sorry if anyone thinks I'm having a dig at the seller... Its not my intention..

Me neither... the price tags speak for themselves, however. The internet is obviously to blame, since we can openly see what the prices are in the US

There may be very good reason why the pricing is higher in Europe, ES are not alone, and few companies fess up as to why. Until there is more rational parity, my money, should I invest in another ES EP, will go to the lowest bidder, give or take

Free market isn't so free when the elevated pricing is dictated by a single distributor (**cough** C*l*stron **cough**). Unfortunately, when it comes to scopes we have to suck it up because importing one is so impractical. Just as well we have a supplier with great service such as FLO to ease the pain

[Astro_Baby]

Shipping costs would be reduced massively if the items were consignment shipped in bulk rather than single units. I used to ship electronic components in from the far east and the cost was massively reduced in consignmen shipping.

[E621Keith]

Shipping costs would be reduced massively if the items were consignment shipped in bulk rather than single units. I used to ship electronic components in from the far east and the cost was massively reduced in consignmen shipping.

but isn't that's the case for any bulk purchase, including price of an item. May be because ES USA sells so many, they are able to get a significant discount from the manufacturer.

While we don't do it in the UK, I have seem some Far East forums organising group purchases, buying in bulk directly from the manufacturer at a significant reduced price.

[Coco]

You need to add 25% tax on those US prices including shipping. i.e. $373+Shipping.

OPT shipping quote is $80, after tax it's $100, so the total cost of buying from the US is $473.

The EU price is €399 EUR which is roughly $534 USD. The mark up is only $60 and not as significant as you think.

Furthermore, ES in US made a marketing mistake. Their original special offer went on for too long and people stop buying them when the price returned to normal. After that they were forced into selling their eyepiece at the discounted price ever since.

Lets put aside the 'special offer', they must still be within their profit margin comfort zone..

The way I see it is this.. in currency £/$ conversion (taken tonight from XE) .. 'Not Shipped'

(UK) Joe brown pays £321.67 + TAX

(USA) Joe Brown pays £192.71 + TAX

£128.96 difference or $200.08 take your pick

Irrespective of how you ship it or get there, If you exchanged £192.71 into US dollars and walked into OPT/Agena etc you could buy an ES14 100 degree eyepiece and pay local tax and save yourself $200/£128

So I believe and forgive me its only an opinion but.. its like someone is calculating the - inconvenience - shipping from offshore - no warranty worries? etc into the cost? Which isnt actually a real cost at all... Am sure we all have a nick name for it

[Doug]

I agree with Guy

but the prices in the U.S are lower because there wages are lower ,my friend lives in Ohio and gets under half the wage doing the same job in London

and the same with cars BMW 3 start at £30,000 in USA same car with larger engine $32.000 and as long as we in Britian are willing to pay for over price goods they will keep

charging high prices

[E621Keith]

I agree with Guy

but the prices in the U.S are lower because there wages are lower ,my friend lives in Ohio and gets under half the wage doing the same job in London

and the same with cars BMW 3 start at £30,000 in USA same car with larger engine $32.000 and as long as we in Britian are willing to pay for over price goods they will keep

charging high prices

Since you are talking about cars, it's good to remember we pay £1.40/litre of petrol while the American pays £0.60/litre of petrol. That differences is far higher than ES eyepieces. Unfortunately, while eyepiece is optional, petrol is not, and I have to spend far more on petrol than I do on eyepiece .

I agree with the comments about the pricing being unfair and how everything is cheaper in America, but we have to live with the higher cost for everything in Europe or choose to emigrate.

[Spec-Chum]

You can't compare fuel to goods. Fuel has a duty of 58p per litre then VAT is added to that.

[JamesF]

Since you are talking about cars, it's good to remember we pay £1.40/litre of petrol while the American pays £0.60/litre of petrol. That differences is far higher than ES eyepieces. Unfortunately, while eyepiece is optional, petrol is not, and I have to spend far more on petrol than I do on eyepiece .

I don't think petrol is a good example. Yes, we do pay considerably more per litre in the UK and the US, but we know that's because a massive proportion (almost half, I think?) the pump price here is tax.

The impression I get with the ES eyepieces is that the differential in price between the US and UK isn't accounted for by tax and duty and that people would like to understand why that extra cost exists.

Personally, I might consider buying ES eyepieces, but I would like to buy them in the UK. Whilst there is such a large difference in price between the UK and the US however, I won't. And for various reasons including that I would prefer to support UK suppliers (even if, unfortunately, the products I'm buying are sourced outside the UK) than put even more cash into the US economy I will not buy them from the US. So ES won't get my money. I'll spend it elsewhere. I'm sure this bothers ES not a jot.

James

[alan potts]

What I don't understand is one of the main reasons the European Distributor put forward was the high production cost of high end products. The production costs of items sold in the USA are surely the same, you could argue that transport costs are not the same but that is not going to amount to the sums 200-300 USD. This is no answer and is not the reason for the difference in the prices.

If anyone ever finds out why please put it into simple English and let me know, I would love to know how a German chainsaw can be sold in the US at a third of what it is in Bulgaria or England.

James, if enough people took the same stance they would be silly to turn a deaf ear. I tend to agree with all you say, I try to support the UK but I am in a stightly different position being 1800 miles away.

Alan

[John]

I think the answer is quite simple. ES won't supply UK dealers with their products at a comparable cost to it's US dealers.

We are all trying to guess why this is - perhaps the best thing would be to ask ES directly ?.