Why are electronics too expensive in the UK comparing with the US?

JethroUK

eloy7 wrote: »

Why are electronics too expensive in the UK comparing with the US?

Same reason steak is more expensive
The ol supply and demand nut shell

19lottie82

US Internet services are also poor and expensive compared to the UK

alykatz

19lottie82 wrote: »

US Internet services are also poor and expensive compared to the UK

Now i have a friend who lives in New York that would totally disagree with you.

HappyMJ

alykatz wrote: »

Now i have a friend who lives in New York that would totally disagree with you.

Time Warner Cable's 50/5 internet service with an inclusive Wi-Fi router is $64.99/month. £44.82... How is that cheap? We pay a lot less for FTTC internet in the UK.

Even TWC's standard 15/1 internet service without a router is $34.99/month. £24.13. That's quite expensive just for a basic ADSL equivalent internet service.

Neither pack includes phone calls or TV which are additional.

RFW

HappyMJ wrote: »

Time Warner Cable's 50/5 internet service with an inclusive Wi-Fi router is $64.99/month. £44.82... How is that cheap? We pay a lot less for FTTC internet in the UK.

Even TWC's standard 15/1 internet service without a router is $34.99/month. £24.13. That's quite expensive just for a basic ADSL equivalent internet service.

Neither pack includes phone calls or TV which are additional.

My knowledge of it isn't great but I think we have Europe to thank for our lower prices. It's certainly the case on mobile charges.
There will be a disparity between states on price, New York and California are likely to have the lowest charges.
I've got quite a lot of Facebook friends in the US (and some real ones!) and they do spend a lot of time complaining about cable/internet providers.

absolutereturn

deanos wrote: »

Can often be cheaper buying from Amazon abroad, i bought a philips sound system for my TV , cost £230 delivered from Amazon germany, selling for £450 over here

https://www.curiua.com/

A year ago I bought a second hand kiln from Germany, for £200, from a private eBay seller. Surprisingly delivery was just £20 and I think it weighs 18kg. It would cost more than that for a private seller to send it within the UK so those items are usually sold collection only.

It's different for business sellers, I bought a new 40" smart TV with free delivery.

You can often buy stuff from China with free delivery because the Chinese government seem to be subsidizing postage to promote exports, I've often received envelopes franked with 0.00 postage from China. However, I have bought only small items from China (battery cases, bluetooth keyboards, etc.) not computers or TVs.

nomoneytoday wrote: »

That's because the customers pay the staff wages in tips

Yes, in some states (not sure how many of them), employers were allowed to pay well below minimum wage (I think it was a low as just 60%) to workers who got tips, and that includes bar staff. Every time someone poured you a pint at the bar, you were expected to tip them a dollar, and this was 20 years ago.

paddyrg

The other day I ordered some litmus papers (pH testers) from China for ...18p, posted. Postage in the UK would be 50p or so. The playing field is clearly not level! That aside...

In the UK we have strong consumer protections (some of the strongest in the world). In the US, far less so. These protections have a cost. Then with dearer transport and higher minimum wages, plus sales tax being included in UK prices and excluded from US headline prices, the gap isn't nearly as great as it first appears

jon81uk

Tax is one of the big differences.

In the US they add around 6% (depending on state/county) sales tax on top of prices. In the UK (and most of Europe) prices are listed including VAT at around 20%.

So if it is the equilvilant of £80 in the US and £100 in the UK, its actually not far off the same once tax is worked out.

pogofish

eloy7 wrote: »

Is it a common thing in the UK? Or, I missed the places in which you guys find bargains for electronics?

Very common - its been going-on as long as I can remember, plus higher tax and overloaded delivery charges.