UK Align distributors

[Biggles]

New policy says we won't go to prison for non serious offences...So if we all stopped paying council tax, car tax etc.....I feel a movement coming on here!!!!!!!! VIVA La Revolution!!!!

[Ashley Davis]

understand the views here BUT ....

Flying-Hobby don't have to ship the product half way round the world, pay import duty on it, post office handling fees, then VAT on top of that lot. After all that they have to mark it up and make a profit out of distributing it to the UK shops who then mark it up to make their profit.

The thing is businesses DO NOT get away with not paying import duty, VAT etc etc like us private individuals (who shouldn't really get away with it either)

[Steve]

its the distributors who are getting rich

I don't think so.

This has been covered before in other threads, but the truth of it is that the distributors are in a very competitive market, and are just trying to make the same sort of margins as every other shop down the High Street of wherever you live.

The reason that UK distributors appear to be more expensive is solely down to HM Government, and the taxes it imposes on imports, exports, VAT etc, as well as the strength of the pound in the international money markets and our cost of living in the UK, and certainly not because they are in any way money-grabbing.

Now, I'm well voiced on here for recommending certain non-UK suppliers, who can be good at supplying certain (but definately not all) items at good prices, but I use them to save a few quid from my own pocket as and when it suits me, not just because I feel 'hard-done-by' UK retailers.

UK RC retailers run retail businesses just like your local butchers or bakers, and I bet you all use them when it suits you, just as I do.

You woul dsoon change your mind if it all changed over night when all-of-a-sudden the pound dropped in strength significantly against say the Japanese Yen and made the price of your heli well over £1000.

[Biggles]

The thing is businesses DO NOT get away with not paying import duty, VAT etc etc like us private individuals (who shouldn't really get away with it either)

with the vat my business has to pay I tend to take a philisophical view on it.....I charge my customers vat and hand that vat to the government so it was never my money in the first place.
This is while I am looking at midlands site while paying a £12000 vat bill....Life is so fair!

[Stuart]

Depends on your industry, for my industry we hardly ever pay VAT to HM Customs. We generally are always paying for VAT on the items coming in, but the majority of the materials that we print are zero rated so we get our VAT back every qtr. Just had a VAT inspection last week, the inspector went through just about everything and passed with flying colours.

[ChrisB]

understand the views here BUT ....

Flying-Hobby don't have to ship the product half way round the world, pay import duty on it, post office handling fees, then VAT on top of that lot. After all that they have to mark it up and make a profit out of distributing it to the UK shops who then mark it up to make their profit.

The thing is businesses DO NOT get away with not paying import duty, VAT etc etc like us private individuals (who shouldn't really get away with it either)

No but i am paying Flying Hobby to ship it half way round the world in my 60usd postage costs

If the pound was not so strong i would not bother buying from overseas,i am merely capitalising on the fact that it is

What i really dont understand about the poor ole distributors is how come they are not also benefitting from the strong pound,after all i was led to believe a strong pound was BAD for exports and GOOD for imports

Are you seriously telling me that a company in Hong Kong who orders a big shipment from Align and gets a discount accordingly pays less than say Robbe putting in an equally big order

If Flying Hobby can sell a T Rex 600 for £220 and make money on it,why are we paying £350 for the privelidge..

Why does my local model shop pay more to Ripmax for a 401 than i can get it for inc postage from abroad

Remember i am buying from abroad for myself which is totally legit,certain people do it and sell on for profit,that is not

If i dont get taxed then thats a bonus,which i rarely do

Its a global market now with this internet thingamyjig,you dont need to go to the shop round the corner like in those olden days

[Janek]

I bet KeithW (Robbe UK) is spitting feathers , great news for Skyline though

You don't make much money in the UK modelling industry, unless you happen to be named RIP(off)MAX (aka Irvine's), they have ripping off the Customers down to an art form, but the manufacturers are starting to realise, and some are opening up the market place to FAIR competition.

Take a look round at the current price of OS engines, and what is underlying the price reductions

I love a good gripe at ripoffmax first thing in the morning, gets the bile flowing nicely.

[ChrisB]

I cant stand Ripmax,,as i said earlier certain stuff is very competitive in price and some stuff is cheaper here,,

If some importers can price fairly,why cant they all

I know the underlying problem is our complete and utter nobheads called a government,they are not fit to run a bath let alone a country...

[Smoothound]

I think often that many people don't have the guts or the knowledge to buy this stuff from abroad and worry too much about what if it goes wrong or is damaged not how fat it leaves their wallet.

I have to say I've yet to get charged anything but postage for stuff that comes from the East, coming from USA is a bit different because they don't trust us nor do we trust them and nearly all packages are tampered with...

[Ashley Davis]

If Flying Hobby can sell a T Rex 600 for £220 and make money on it,why are we paying £350 for the privelidge

I never said the costs added up, just that there are more of them.