Why is the US soooo much cheaper than the UK

Gassy · 11-05-2011, 10:38 AM

After owning an Interceptor,Remains and a 2010 Independence I was really thinking hard about buying an Invasion or maybe 2 (one for the wife).

So after looking on the Alien website and seeing them at $599 I then found the UK supplier wanting £636 (over $1000) per marker.

Now we have import duty at 2.5% and VAT at 20% if i buy one direct from Alien but no way does that even come close to what the UK supplier wants.

Hell the Invasion in the UK is more than an OLED 2011 Independence from Alien direct.

A sad United Kingdom resident

everblade · 11-05-2011, 01:31 PM

It is shocking, I found it cheaper to pay the import fees than buy it from the uk stockist. If I ever decide to get get another independence, I think a holiday to America would work out cheaper.

Didn't you own a 2009 independence?

Gassy · 11-05-2011, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by everblade

It is shocking, I found it cheaper to pay the import fees than buy it from the uk stockist. If I ever decide to get get another independence, I think a holiday to America would work out cheaper.

Didn't you own a 2009 independence?

May have been as I had 2 couldn't remember if it was an 08 and 09 or 09 and 10

If you have the storm trooper one I think it was me that sold it to you.

MstrKey · 11-06-2011, 12:37 AM

It's always a challenge for companies to sell something produced in another country for cheap. Remember, they pay those taxes, shipping AND their company overhead. Simply put, they have to make a decent profit on it to keep it on the shelves. Same goes with UK made guns sold here. $736ish dollars US after taxes plus shipping. So let's say $760.00 US as their cost per gun. That leaves them a $240.00 US profit. I agree it's a little high but if you're in a large city, that's what happens.

Jack Rice · 11-07-2011, 09:26 AM

The complete reason that it will cost more is that I don't have a wholesale price.
Things are tight for many right now, so to make this gun and sell it for cheap - I'm selling the gun to dealers at what would be wholesale price. That means that the "real" price of the gun at Retail should be $699 - to $749, but to get the price down to where dealers are saying the majority of the buyers are, I'm doing more work for less $. this also means you won't be finding the guns for less on the discount web sites as the guns have already been discounted.
That translates into buyers from other countries can't get the guns at the same discount - have to add the difference between wholesale and dealer - plus they have to add the other costs -VAT and Shipping and...

Dentpusher · 11-18-2011, 09:20 AM

That's what happens with a Liberal ideology. You are rich cause you can play paintball so we can slap a VAT on you. At 20% on this marker, that adds $140 right there to the cost to end users. END USERS ALWAYS PAY THE TAXES!!! or the company goes out of business! That is the fallacy of the "tax the corporations" they pay no taxes, it ALL gets passed to the end consumer!!! Sorry UK the US is about to make the SAME mistakes.............

Jack Rice · 11-18-2011, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dentpusher

That's what happens with a Liberal ideology. You are rich cause you can play paintball so we can slap a VAT on you. At 20% on this marker, that adds $140 right there to the cost to end users. END USERS ALWAYS PAY THE TAXES!!! or the company goes out of business! That is the fallacy of the "tax the corporations" they pay no taxes, it ALL gets passed to the end consumer!!! Sorry UK the US is about to make the SAME mistakes.............

That is one side of the coin- the other is that Executive pay has increased from 50 times the average worker to almost 500 times the average worker. Some would argue that there are many companies that are nowhere near "going out of business" rather making great profits - this is why many say that taxes should be paid after a benchmark of profits. As in - no increase until after they make a Million Dollars in profits, perhaps it should be a Billion Dollars. Most agree that companies that make over a Billion a year should not be getting government subsidies - which is what the Oil companies get. Maybe that is why the Brits need a Vat, maybe they too give too much to those that already have much. Again two sides to most coins.

_slash_1 · 11-19-2011, 01:50 PM

its nothing to do with liberal ideology. Its called import taxes.
the same thing happens with canada. we get nailed with import fees on every gun, mask, tank, hopper, case etc....

It sucks, but its a way for companies to make local made goods cheaper than imported goods. (the u.s. does it to chinese and japanese goods, as well as canadian lumber, and all sorts of other things)
They are not taxing the companies, they are taxing the purchaser of foreign goods. It's a protectionist measure practice that has been in use since the first days of importing and exporting. (started with spices, tea, and other hot commodity goods that governments wanted a piece of)

If your local retailer is marking up the product too much, buy online! (its what we do) Guns used to be hella expensive up here around 2001. People started buying online, and the stores had to lower their prices to compensate. The prices are still a little higher around $100 on a high end electro, but they are much closer to US prices now a days. As well many people will pay a little more to support a local business, get that warranty etc...

that said $1000 for a gun that retails for $600 is a joke. I would not pay that. use the $400ish you would save to put towards a plane ticket to Huntington Beach in april, and buy one in person from Jack and enjoy the sun, or just buy online.