[hpsdr] Apache no longer ship direct to the UK

[Neal Campbell]

The thing I don't understand is why are the prices so high. When I lived in
Belgium, we had a 20% VAT and you could see that, plus the exchange rate,
playing into the cost of stuff.

In the UK is the cost of ham gear is purely merchant greed (which is the
usual explanation I have gotten from UK hams). If its greed, the market is
ripe for competition to come it and clean up.

I wonder if the ham business overall is so small that the only way they see
it worthwhile to be in the market is to do these drastic mark-ups.
Especially for those vendors that don't sell to other markets. My nearest
ham merchant in Belgium was a company selling radios to pilots, etc. Like
it or not, if the business is so uninteresting, the premium that the hams
are paying is a legitimate cost. Why would you tie up investment money in
ham business when you could get better and easier return on financial
instruments?

Its a real shame, I am sure Abhi feels this stress as badly as the EU hams
do.
73

Neal Campbell
Abroham Neal LLC




On Sun, Mar 2, 2014 at 8:50 AM, William H. Fite <omniryx at gmail.com> wrote:

> ***** High Performance Software Defined Radio Discussion List *****
>
>
> Abhi's explanations make perfect sense.  EU hams are frustrated and that
> certainly is understandable but they are blaming the wrong people.
>
> How many of you Brits who continue to excoriate Apache have written
> equally angry letters to Whitehall or Brussels?
>
> Don't misunderstand me; my sympathies are all with you.  During trips to
> England, I've been appalled at the prices of gear.  I think, however, that
> you have the wrong target in your sights.
>
>
>
>
> On Sun, Mar 2, 2014 at 5:37 AM, Abhi A <abhiarunoday at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> ***** High Performance Software Defined Radio Discussion List *****
>>
>>
>> Hi Helmut,
>>
>> The problem with customs was not the documentation, especially with all
>> radios shipping along with an Invoice (including the harmonised code), a
>> copy of the CE certificate etc, we did not even receive a notice or request
>> for further information from the relevant customs authority in most cases
>> where the consignment was confiscated,
>>
>> There are also those who complained lack of local support, you may look
>> this discussion up on the list, except for the UK language is a major issue
>> in the rest of the EU and having a local distributor who can provide local
>> support makes a lot of sense,
>>
>> Please keep in mind that Hermes/Angelia ship direct as we have not have a
>> problem with shipping "kits",
>>
>> We took a decision which was logical based on the accepted business
>> practice adopted by most manufacturers, I guess you are damned if you do
>> damned if you don't,
>>
>> 73s,
>> Abhi
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> I can explain it for you, but I can't comprehend it for you.
>
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