New ARB Fridge Why can't we get US pricing?????

[Muddles Member Find all posts View Profile Close Muddles]

So i am looking to get a new ARB 60L fridge and i have been looking online to try and find a good deal. When i look around i find that the pricing is around $1350 Aus where sites in the US have it at $950 USD. Taking into account the Aus dollar this would come in at around $900.

So why with a company that has it's home market being Australia, charge us so much more. I know that there are some overheads by all means but seriously you can't tell me that the additional shipping to get something to Australia can be that much more or am i missing something like the cost of a 240v Vs 120v power pack is $400

Please explain?

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Similar discussion here http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=19548

[smakb Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close smakb]

I got the ironman fridge as it is almost identical and the price was much better.


Steve

[Muddles Member Find all posts View Profile Close Muddles]

Hmm some interesting reading but the response from the ARB rep smells like cow supplied fertilizer to me. I also understand that it isnt just ARB. If you look at so many other brands it is the same sort of margin between here and the US.

That being said i know that i do want Australian 240v power supply and local warranty so i am held to ransom like the rest of the market.

I hope that the ACCC take a good long look at how the local maket is being price gouged by all sorts of companies but better yet Australian based companies that can sell cheaper OS when the product is made or owned here and the exchange rate is higher thus meaning that the price OS should be higher (ex-tax). You want buy Australian then price in the local market fairly. I have no issue paying a premium for local product just not seeing it OS for less when the dollar is so strong.

[Sozjot Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sozjot]

It ain't just fridges!! I was looking for a more upmarket guitar. The prices in Oz were around the $2500 mark and I couldn't justify the cost. On a subsequent trip to Toronto, I found the same bass at half the price. By the time I bought a hard case (and said a few prayers to the airline bag tossing Gods), paid the import duty I was still about $700 in front. There is an enquiry happening now re the cost of software, computer bits etc. the thing that blows me away is buying music online - how the hell do they justify that cost difference? Do ones and zeros cost more in Oz?
There you go. I feel better now.
Cheers,
Soz

[croozza Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close croozza]

The price difference is from all the middle men taking their cut from import duties, ie, customs, port authorities, and there are others in there too.

[PLAYDOH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PLAYDOH]

My question is why do you want an ARB fridge buy a quality fridge like an Engel and be done with it...

[rags Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close rags]

My question is why do you want an ARB fridge buy a quality fridge like an Engel and be done with it...

I have only just gone thru this delema the last couple of weeks. I have had the same engel fridge since 1984 ,that has never missed a beat ,but due to its power draw and rattles was assigned to the shed as a beer fridge only and still continues to rattle n run .In 2000 we purchased a newer fancier engel to use in the then newish prado. Unfortunately this engel recently stopped working ,that requires a new cooling system at quote $700 to repair. So speaking with the service agent who services both engel and dometic [waeco] fridges for advice on a potential new replacement fridge, he couldn't recommend one over the other,as they both fail with the same problems and his workshop was testiment to that with both waecos and engels lined up for repair.. When quizz on the new ARB fridge he told me that they are made by dometic and share many components that are found in the waecos and could not see any issue with them except for the need to deal thru ARB for any service work rather than some authorised service agent.
Armed with this info,and inspecting the ARB fridge with the extra but different storage configuration and great pricing on ARB fridges at a recent ARB open day, i picked up a 47lt fridge for approx $200 cheaper than the Engel 40l. I do feel a bit like i have just sold out on engel ownership , similar to when one might sell a prado and get a patrol but hopefully over time i will be happy. Also looking at ebay i realise that i might pick up a few extra $ on the sale of a two zone top and fridge bag that suited the now deceased engel.
I can say that the beers are still cold in the new fridge that lives in the laundry but i do prefer the beers from the old green fridge out in the mens shed.
Russ

[alternative Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close alternative]

Its everything, Bikes, Electronics, 4WD gear, Tyres, Cars, Cameras, Clothes, Shoes, Food..... absolutely everything. The UK is way cheaper too.

We get shafted on 99% of things here, then they squeal about us going online buying stuff.

I can say from experience that in many cases its not the shop owner who is beefing the prices up but the greedy importer/distributor.

Also in a lot of instances things are priced for the market, IKEA is a 1st rate example, the prices of the same item worldwide can vary by 400%.

IMO the best thing that can happen this country is the opening of worldwide competition but as said above, its only the shop owner who suffers in many cases and looses everything.

[shamozzle Find all posts View Profile Close shamozzle]

Yep experienced the same thing when I was living in Roxby a few years back. Priced som Lightforce lights that were manufactured less the 600kms down the road, but ended up getting them from Colorado as the price difference was a no brainer.

It is disappointing that this happens and the fact that we as consumers get stung really sh!ts me. Buying online solves quite a lot of this robbery and I couldn't give a sh!t I'm not paying a premium for something made in my own backyard when folks overseas get to enjoy the same product at a lower price, that is wrong on so many levels.




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[Dusty74 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dusty74]

I feel no guilt buying online/ overseas, if it's Aus made the money still comes back. The only problem is Ma & Pa shop keeper being bypassed.

[LiveFreeAndRoam Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LiveFreeAndRoam]

About the only way to mitigate the higher cost is to buy at a 4x4 Show. They usually throw in a free chair and bag, so YMMV. You save a little, not a lot.

LFaR.

[PLAYDOH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PLAYDOH]

About the only way to mitigate the higher cost is to buy at a 4x4 Show.

Or wait on a deal going. I wanted an ENGEL and just waited until one of the shops offered a good deal. Ended up buying a 35L fridge from our Murrey Oakley whoa are an ENGEL dealer which was discounted $100 cheaper than BCF, and then the sales guy chucked in the insulation bag, cooler Esky bag, engel food storage containers+ drink bottle, umbrella, fold out chairs, stubby cooler, torch and an ENGEL cigeratte lighter style socket that you could wire into your car.

[Leethal Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Leethal]

Just playing devils adcovate here...

Yes online purchases from the US and the UK are cheaper however as has been mentioned there are a variety of reasons not least amongst them is the cost of doing business locally here in Australia. Apart from different taxes and duties the average annual US income is approx USD $40,000 and in the UK GBP 26,600 pounds which are both approx $40,000 AUD, compare that with the Aust average of approx $52,000.
The cost of being in business in Aust is higher and as such a business has to charge more for what it sells whether it is goods (fridges) or services (labour). Yes I prefer to pay as little as possible for things I buy, the better quality for less the better
BUT if I/we all buy offshore eventually local businesses will suffer, worst case/extreme scenario we have no local businesses.

In effect we are all to blame, we all expect to be paid well for our work etc, yet we all want to pay a minimum for what we buy.
We all want to pay as little tax as possible but want the best govt services possible. And yes the local ARB, TJM or Fourby shop owner wants to make money and earn a good return on his investment just like everyone else so he/she can enjoy life as well.

Whats the answer I don't know but I do know if we all don't support ALL local businesses, that is accept that sometimes we need to pay a little more eventually we all may suffer.

Just my simple thoughts on a very complex subject. For what its worth I work for a international company who sells engines and parts so I hear the "I can buy it cheaper overseas matra" regularly.

Lee

[Richoson Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Richoson]

HEAR HEAR!! Well said Lee.