Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/06/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>> My comment above was made regarding Austin's assertion that Leica gear >> costed more in the U.S. than anywhere else, which is simply not true. > >Unless you know all the costs involved (price from Leica to importer in >country X, price it costs for importer X to bring the camera into the >country, and then price importer X charges to the dealer), you can't begin >to know that it is true or not. Nor can you. Do *you* know all the costs involved? If so, why not reveal them? If not, why not acknowledge that instead of maintaining that you are right without offering any data to back up your claims? >> When that was pointed out to him, he responded that he wasn't talking about >> government taxes but manufacturer/importer pricing policies, hence my >> question, which went unanswered. > >EXACTLY! And you don't know what the importers fees/taxes etc. are. Nor do you, apparently (and the question is still unanswered). But that doesn't stop you from making blanket statements like: "we pay more for camera gear in the US than anywhere else in the world," that you are unable to justify because *you* do not have the facts. >> In France, a new M6 body costs 18,890FF (as advertised in Leica Magazine), >> which comes to about $2068USD, and this is before taxes (with taxes it >> costs the equivalent of $2474.USD). Last time I checked, $2068. was more >> than $1995., which is what the same M6 body will cost you in the US, where >> you can take $200 off that price thanks to the current rebate, you get a 3 >> year warranty, and - if you buy out of state - you don't pay any >> sales tax. >> >> Enough said? > >Er, no. The tax you are adding in your above paragraph are only sales taxes >(VAT or whatever), not importing duties and taxes. If I added the %55 I pay >for taxes here in the US, instead of paying VAT, then I'd pay a LOT more for >the same gear here in the US. So I ask again: what are the importing duties and taxes that you are referring to here and, supposedly, in your original post? Or were these claims made without any factual data to back them up? >You might be right that some other countries importers are marking up Leica >gear more than the US is... If you mean that Leica gear costs more in certain other countries than in the US - before and after taxes - I am right, and I think I have demonstrated that. >...but you haven't shown legitimate data to substantiate that. I have given more data than you, and you're the one who started this whole thread. In fact, you've offered *no* data whatsoever to substantiate your claims. You bluntly stated that we pay more in the US for camera gear than anywhere else in the world, which is wrong. >The fact is, the camera can be purchased much cheaper >elsewhere, and that alone should indicate that the Leica US importer is >taking on a hefty sum for themselves, certainly heftier than a lot of other >countries are! And Leica gear can also be purchased elsewhere for more than what we pay here in the US, as I and other Luggers have pointed out. That Leica USA is taking on a hefty sum for themselves I do not doubt, but this doesn't change the fact that others elsewhere are paying more for the same stuff. About that you were wrong, and that was my point in responding to your original statement: >How come no other country gets "abused", price wise, like the US does for >camera goods? And just for the record, I fail to see in which part of that statement you are referring importing duties and taxes, as opposed to list prices and sales taxes. My guess is that it is basically a way to argue away the simple fact that the above statement is wrong. Should you have factual proof to the contrary, please provide it and I will admit that I am mistaken, something that you are apparently unable to do. If you don't have such information, why not look into it and back up what you write with some sorely needed facts, instead of just arguing down anyone who takes issue with your unsubstantiated claims? Guy