Conference hydra::amiga_v1

I don't know what pound-sterling is to US dollars, But I have a CMI with 12Mhz
68881 for sale at $170.00 US.

John

    John,
    	Have tou put this in the offical FOR SALE note. (No. 8)?
    		Steve G

    Current rate is $1.62 :: �1.00
    
    What you have to understand about the British market is that we
    tend to get screwed by the H/W manufacturers. At its simplest,
    distributors take the American price and substitute the $ for a
    �. They then may, or may not, add sales tax (its 15 %, its called VAT, 
    and, get this, it stands for Value Added Tax; strangest use of the
    term Valued Added I have ever come across.)
    
    If you happen to be Commodore, and you do not have a large installed
    base, then in addition to changing a $ to a �, you also increase
    the price. As an example, I purchased an A2090A from the Software
    Shop. Mo charged me $325 plus $32 shipping. You's was robbed, I
    hear you cry. Nay, I say. The retail price for the A2090A in the
    UK is �678 (i.e. $1085), and that's if you can find it, as Commodore
    bundle it with a disk (this works out cheaper - A2090A+20Meg =
    �639, A2090A+40Meg = �1052).
    
    So Steve's price for the CMI board is quite reasonable.
    
    Sigh... I have a bank account in the US, but what with my impending
    house move, and new A2000, and new carpet, etc, I don't think I can 
    stretch to the $170. Still, there's always next year, and 1.4!
    
    Angus
                         

    Are you sure that's the RIGHT PRICE ...
    
    Down Tottenham Court Rd the a computer shop call Micro Anvica
    (something like that) and on their price list the 2090A is �399 (which
    I though was expensive anyway...)
    
    But also on the price list If I remember correctly their was the
    2090+ drive for the same money...(i think 20 megs)...
    		Steve G

    Re -.1                        
    
    These guys I've never heard of, but that's hardly surprising seeing
    as I haven't been to London in ages (spent 17 years trying to get
    out of the place); though next time I'm up there I'll have to visit
    the old Tottenham Court Rd.
    
    I suspect that these guys are grey importers. Last time I spoke
    to Commodore, they told me that they did not sell the A2090 or A2090A
    as separate items. Silica Shop bundle the A2090A with a 20 or 40 meg
    drive, and retail (inc of VAT) for �639 and �1052, respectively; 
    incedently, they sell the A2090 + 20 meg drive for �400. I have
    noticed similar prices for these packages elsewhere. However, I was 
    quoted that lunatic price for just the A2090A, from some sort of Amiga 
    user(?) group that was offering a very attractive price for an A2000 + 
    1084S; they have ads in the trade mags.
    
    Though I still rest my case. The list price for an A2090A in the
    US is $399. MO sells it at $325 (+$32 shipping). Even with VAT and
    duty, this comes out at about �270. Thus, at �399 (inc VAT?), Micro 
    Anvica is making alot of money on the card; I make it about a 50% mark
    up. Funnily enough, I think UK/US A500 prices are very similar.
    Ahhh, to be a trail blazer :-)
    
    I guess the nub of it all is that the installed base just ain't
    big enough in the UK. The PC base is certainly large enough such
    that prices, given the currency flucuations, are very competitive
    with the US.
    
    Though, I seem to recall reading somewhere in this conference, that
    US A2000s are manufactured in Germany?
    
    Angus

    Yes I agree about the prices of expansion for the A500 .
    
    Maybe it might be worth setting up importing the bits myself and the
    selling cheaper than anybody else ..I'll havee to check how to do
    this...
    
    
    
    		Steve G
    

    Doing your own importing can be a risky business.  There can be hidden
    costs that are not obvious to someone just entering the market.  For
    example, the established vendors might send somebody around to break
    your arms if you refuse to maintain the price line.
        John Sauter

Re: .5

>    Though, I seem to recall reading somewhere in this conference, that
>    US A2000s are manufactured in Germany?

Originally true, but true no longer.  For at least a year, most US 2000s
have been coming from Asia.

    Re .7
    
>    costs that are not obvious to someone just entering the market.  For
>    example, the established vendors might send somebody around to break
>    your arms if you refuse to maintain the price line.

    Its funny you should say this. Commodore UK were guilty of doing,
    metaphorically speaking, just this.
    
    Recently, like about six months ago, the Office of Fair Trading
    (just think of them as Dept. of Commerce Feds with knuckle dusters,
    and the power to use them) had a word with Commodore UK about its unfair
    business practices i.e. price fixing - telling retailers and dealers
    what to charge. Failure to comply (like actually giving someone
    a discount) would result in said dealers suddenly finding stock very 
    difficult to get hold off or ceasing to be dealers.
    
    Unlike Apple dealers (who charge high prices, but could give up to a 
    33% discount), Commodore UK dealers were very unhappy; hence the
    investigation by the OFT.
    
    I have noticed that recently the price of A2000's has dropped. Its
    hard to tell whether this is due to the Office of Fair Trading,
    or its a promotional discount from Commodore UK, or typo's in the
    Ads.
    
    Angus

    I think I ought to say that I am extremely pleased with my Ami.
    If anybody tried to take it away from me, I think I'll break their
    arms :-)
    
    More importantly, my wife likes the Ami. She took to the UI like
    she had been using it for years.
    
    As soon as I get my hard disk going (I have Kickstart 1.2 ROMs,
    which on my configuration won't work with the A2090A - so I'm upgrading
    to KS 1.3) we'll be flying :-)
    
    Angus

    The price of the A2090A is $300 here in Canada, and you can buy
    it without having to buy a drive.  Rough conversion makes it at
    about �150, quite a lot of difference from your price.
    
    Jean
    

    Well, I phoned up Commodore UK and asked them why prices in the
    UK are so high.
    
    The lam answer I got was: 'That it is the mark up the US parent
    enforce on the UK sub'.
    
    We chewed around the subject for a bit, but that is basically the
    answer.
    
    As I have made an investment in the machine (and refuse to pay �1395
    ($2300) for an A2620 (might be able to afford this next year) when MO
    can sell me one for $1399) I shall persue this higher up. Commodore 
    suggested I contact Barry Thurston, the UK National Sales Manager.
    Feel free to do likewise.
    
    Angus

    
    re .12 
    	  Whats his No...
    
    re .2,.3,.4
    
    	The name of the company I was Talking about was 
    
    		MICRO ANVIKA
    		220A TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD
    		LONDON W1
    		TEL 636-2547
    
    	ALSO AT 251 TOTTENHAM COURT COURT ROAD
    		
    	The price was #399 for A2090a + 20 MEG hard disk..
    
    		Regards
    		Steve G... 
    	  

    CBM (UK) Ltd. - 0628 770088 (Maidenhead)
    
    Re. .13  Are you sure its an A2090a + 20 Meg? If so, its an excellant
    buy at �399.
    
    I suspect its the A2090 + 20 Meg.
    
    Angus