[hpsdr] Apache no longer ship direct to the UK

[William H. Fite]

I agree completely, Neal.  The prices at ML&S can only be called obscene.
 As I understand it (someone correct me if I am wrong) amateur equipment is
just a small part of ML&S's business so it is hard to argue that they price
gouge because it is the only way they can keep the doors open.

A clear case of What The Market Will Bear.


On Sun, Mar 2, 2014 at 9:10 AM, Neal Campbell <nealk3nc at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> HPSDR Discussion List
>>> To post msg: hpsdr at openhpsdr.org
>>> Subscription help:
>>> http://lists.openhpsdr.org/listinfo.cgi/hpsdr-openhpsdr.org
>>> HPSDR web page: http://openhpsdr.org
>>> Archives: http://lists.openhpsdr.org/pipermail/hpsdr-openhpsdr.org/
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> I can explain it for you, but I can't comprehend it for you.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> HPSDR Discussion List
>> To post msg: hpsdr at openhpsdr.org
>> Subscription help:
>> http://lists.openhpsdr.org/listinfo.cgi/hpsdr-openhpsdr.org
>> HPSDR web page: http://openhpsdr.org
>> Archives: http://lists.openhpsdr.org/pipermail/hpsdr-openhpsdr.org/
>>
>
>


-- 
I can explain it for you, but I can't comprehend it for you.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openhpsdr.org/pipermail/hpsdr-openhpsdr.org/attachments/20140302/bef3b594/attachment-0004.htm>