Importing espresso machines

[mcm991]

I'm a relative newcomer to Australia... and it is clear that a lot of 'stuff' does cost a lot more here.

I'm also new to this forum - and I'm not out to ruffle feathers.

I see a lot of reasons for higher prices here -but not all seem convincing to me. ( I'm in the business of Global merchandising. Not coffee related)
Coffee machines... for the sake of argument... as this is a forum for it.

For example:

Electrical certification. Yes, it is slightly different from EU spec. But EU spec is very safe (Germans are fussy that way. More so than even Australians. And No. Your house will not burn down with EU CE certified electrics.)
Cost implication - None. Manufacturers will build to foreign Certification.

Coffee machines run hot in Europe due to different beans.
Yes. If the experts say this is true, I have no reason to doubt it. (I have no idea.... I'm not an expert although I love coffee and am here to learn about it)
Cost implication - None. Manufacturers will build/tune for foreign spec. (If the Aussie importers have to tune every machine out of the box to ideal domestic spec... they need to go back to business school)

Australia is very far away.
Yes... I know it. I fly to the EU and NA more than a dozen times a year and I'm growing old on planes.
But shipping costs are lower now than ever before. It costs roughly $3000 to ship a container from Europe to Australia and less from China.

Local vendors provide a complete service and experience compared to 'box movers'.
Yes. I'm sure they do. And I am sure they are also very nice people.
Yet there are many foreign suppliers who also provide similar services to their domestic markets - and even after equalizing the costs (taxes, transportation etc) they are able to provide the same product landed here for a lot less money.

So, it appears that local vendors are essentially victims of higher fixed costs (rent, salaries) and lower sales volumes.

And so we pay more. But in a global marketplace where an arbitrage exists... it will be filled. And if the difference is large enough it will be filled faster and more effeciently than some people would like. (unless you have a monopoly - in which case you are very wealthy. And you are a luxury car dealer in Australia.)

Domestic research indicates that Australians will pay more to source locally. However, that premium is shrinking at an alarming rate.

How much of a premium are you willing to pay ? 10%? 30%? 50%? 100%? more?

How often have you required warranty service for any appliance / household goods that you bought in the last 10 years? Personally, I can't remember ever needing any. Now, if a salesman offers to sell me an extended warranty when I buy something, I ask instead how much of a discount I can get if I get no warranty at all.

MCM.

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

I'm no ridgy-didge patriot or anything, but the issue is very simple for me. When I buy durable goods for which I'm likely to need a reasonable amount of pre and post sale advice and service I'm more than happy to pay a premium to a well-regarded local business. Obviously, the size of that premium is relevant (and more or less important to different customers), but it aint as if there are huge barriers to entry protecting Australia's coffee specialists, so I can only assume that their ultimate net margin fairly reflects risk and return. And you often get more than you bargained for if you don't make a goose of yourself as a customer. On the other hand, if I'm looking at a one-touch digital camera etc, I'm happy ordering from o/s if noticeably cheaper....I don't expect anything of the retailer other than to supply the goods as described.

[TC]

My sentiments exactly and I commend them.

However wrt the references to "...its simple DIY..." and "...they're not jet engines..." I am afraid the bottom line is this is simply wrong and in 99% of cases, clients who buy a machine expect it to be fit for purpose straight up, and they never intend to work on it at all.....

Agreed- I too am doing my best to support local business lest they disappear and we all end up on the dole- per favour of the country which buys us in the Aussie garage sale.

I really don't let the machine experts worry me these days Attilio.... There will always be noobs who know a whole lot more than the collective experience of we sponsors.

We often see them after a couple of years of plane crashes- when they request flying lessons!

[Fresh_Coffee]

...For me, the deciding factor was that I live in Australia, and, of course, my well being depends on my neighbours. We can contemplate buying high end coffee machines because Australia is doing pretty well right now. Good on the Europeans who take a chance and start their own reputable internet businesses, but what are the odds of them spending their profits in Australia? I figured, buy local and the good times here might last a little longer.

My sentiments exactly and I commend them.

However wrt the references to "...its simple DIY..." and "...they're not jet engines..." I am afraid the bottom line is this is simply wrong and in 99% of cases, clients who buy a machine expect it to be fit for purpose straight up, and they never intend to work on it at all.....

[svs]

i bought an ECM Technika from a Sydney site sponsor about a month ago and, at the time, I considered buying a comparable machine from Europe for a lot less. Ironically, some of the acerbic comments in this forum by a retailer opposed to importing machines swayed me toward importing. I didn't care at all about retailers tuning to so-called Aussie specs because it's simple DIY. Same with repairs--they're not jet engines. I'm not so sure about the insurance argument, but what are the odds of a coffee machine burning your house down, an insurance company figuring that out, and then not paying out the claim and getting away with it?

For me, the deciding factor was that I live in Australia, and, of course, my well being depends on my neighbours. We can contemplate buying high end coffee machines because Australia is doing pretty well right now. Good on the Europeans who take a chance and start their own reputable internet businesses, but what are the odds of them spending their profits in Australia? I figured, buy local and the good times here might last a little longer.