Isn't the big difference in retail here to the US is that people that work in Australian retail can make a living out of it? US retail does have cheaper toys and such but their wages are so minimal I've heard.
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Isn't the big difference in retail here to the US is that people that work in Australian retail can make a living out of it? US retail does have cheaper toys and such but their wages are so minimal I've heard.
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+++1000Originally Posted by gdmetro
As many have said- Aussie retail is a joke really. And the prices are just.. ludicrous- not only for tfs.. but I'm no expert.
I hardly buy from retail these days, but both online and retail do have their own merits, although price and service level are just typically better online than domestically. I've never bought electronic goods or clothing from online- I've just heard too many horror stories of that just not working out. That's where being able to inspect the item and trying it on is a must. However, while sometimes the service in domestic retail can be okay, more often than not, service sucks or is non-existent- asking for service in a store is taboo and frowned upon, like I'm wasting their time.
Another factor that someone else talked about is the stock availability. Choice. Online is so much better for that and coupled with the pricing and not having to deal with dirty glances, crap registers, crap parking- i'd go online anyday.
Reading this article and the mention of retailers wanting to scrap the 1k threshold for buying online just pissed me off- insulting. Pandering to govt to change regulations to limit the choice of consumers thus strong-arming into buying from them?....
Thinking of these greedy retailers inevitably my mind wonders back to the $250 TRU Ghost Starscream fiasco. Do they really think Aussies are that stupid? The retailers in this article are whinging like spoilt children- The online system shouldn't change for retailers, they should get off their asses and work at a solution if they want my money.
It's not like online buyers are actively trying to exploit by overseas buying and not wanting to support domestic- I'm sure a reasonable person could see the merits of keeping the money flowing via domestic retailers.. but for all the problems especially pricing, unless there are major changes, the market will go for the better option- ONLINE.
Like the music industry which played the whining game about people pirating music, the retail industry should have been prepared for the impact of technology on consumers.
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on behalf of Dirge
This is what the retailers are missing.
My own example:
I bought a pair of Air Max 90 sneakers on eBay from the $USA - $144 shipped. That's _with_ the reseller's markup & eBay fees along with postage.
Hype has them for $190. Last year (lower AUD), Air Max 90s were $180.
A 10% GST would take my purchase to ~$155 - Hype are still well out of the running.
Nike Australia somehow decided to increase local price as the AUD rises. Why the ***** aren't Hype (and others) pressing Nike? Sure, many multinationals (Hasbro included) don't need the Australian market, but their local employees need their jobs and if consumers here bypass them, they lose out. The retailers should be pointing this out & putting pressure on those working for the local arms of these companies.
Burn is correct that the revenue raised by a GST change would be paying wages at customs (or Australia Post - wherever it's levied) - there's a reason why this threshold exists. And raising it would do absolutely nothing for the retail sector, except maybe forcing Australia Post to hire more staff as the Post Offices get busier from parcel collections requiring GST payments.
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
Well, this is getting interesting isn't it?
Harvey "Stormin'" Norman's latest weigh-in - buying on-line overseas is 'unAustralian'.
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I have nothing but contempt for these big retailers. Why should we be paying a large portion more than what the rest of the world is paying for the same goods? In regards to Transformers, I point out Ghost Starscream. No way in hell would I buy it from Toys R Us for the price they are asking, when I could buy it for half the price online. CD's, DVD's, all cheaper to buy from Amazon and Ebay, even though JB Hifi are not that expensive, (except in one instance I got them to order a CD for me which cost me $45, when I could have paid half that online) there is a better selection online. The only good store I buy CD's from is Utopia Records, because they have what I want (even though their prices are more than online, I still support them)
/rant
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
unAustralian what a joke... same could be said about retailers being unAustralain by not providing a competitive price. by trying to suck as much money as they can out of us
we should expect to pay more to keep it in australaia??? i dont understand one day you have all this stock then another day it is 70% off.... and the 70% off price is probably what it should be retailing for because i will bet you they still turn a profit off it..
i can order a single item from the us, have it posted out here for smaller costs compared to the shops locally, now surley these big retail giants have bulk buying power and reduced postage costs per unit so why are the prices still so high??
Answer, they dont really care about the consumer of the benefits of the future retail marketts and jobs.... it is the hip pocket that hurts.. now i am sure if prices were competitive and resonable they would sell more which would inturn equal more money.....
what ever happened to us shopping around for an item and giving our money to the store we thought had the best deal... not the store that wanted you to pay more just because....
what should really happen is the taxes imposed on retailers be reduced.....
we are currently in a good finacial state for once.. and all that seems to happen is the government and the banks and property markets and all that other stuff just keep taking more and more of our money with very little in the way of pay increases. it hardley seems fair at all. its the opportunity to prosper yet we seem to be punished.
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
That hilarious... Harvey Norman is the first to get his face on ACA and promote savings to the public. At least now we know what he really meant was as long as it's in his storesScrew the retailers!
New Acquisitions:
TR Astrotrain, Skullsmasher, & Hardhead
Scouting For:
G1 Boxes & Cardbacks
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Of course thats what he meant, why would he care about other retailers? i read that HN outsources all their stuff anyway, so whats so australian about him?That hilarious... Harvey Norman is the first to get his face on ACA and promote savings to the public. At least now we know what he really meant was as long as it's in his stores
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
Sorry, I should have emphasized the sarcasm in my post more clearly
New Acquisitions:
TR Astrotrain, Skullsmasher, & Hardhead
Scouting For:
G1 Boxes & Cardbacks
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[COLLECTION] [CREATIVE] [MK COLLECTION]
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
Not long ago I had this visitor at work from the US office. He wanted to buy some Australian made sheep skin boots as he figured that they would be cheaper here...Well he was shocked when he realized that the local prices are more than what he would pay for Australian Imports in the US
People living in Australia pay like 2 to 3x more what most of the developed world pay for retail goods overseas so it shouldn't be a surprise that as more people discover Internet shopping, they are realizing that it's much cheaper to buy from overseas as they are being ripped off by local retail prices.
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