Why do we have to pay more in the UK?

[Dave Tris]

When you see a good price in Germany for a quality bit of kit, make contact with that supplier, and are then told that you must deal with the official UK supplier, it makes you very suspicious. Not least because, according to European law, you can buy from wherever you wish in the EU.

 

When you then find out what the UK supplier's prices are compared to those in Germany, you know there is more to these prices than exchange rates, warranty, and suchlike.

 

In my example, a new logsplitter (not made in Germany), was for sale in Germany for 2100 euros (about £1700). The UK price was more like £3000+. That's a 60% increase.

 

Somebody, somewhere, along the line had radically inflated the UK price far beyond any extra costs due to trading in another country across the sea.

 

The yanks know this. They routinely sell goods such as trainers at much higher prices in the UK. The reason they give is 'because we will pay it'. Cynical but true.

 

I think we should take every opportunity to compare prices and get the best deal we can, from wherever we need to.

[Green man]

I'm seriously looking for an 8 tonne forestry winch. Liked the spec on paper ,and the build weight and rope capacity of Kdg winches. The discounted price from the Uk distibuter of a ful spec 8T with remote control,unwinder etc is £5975 +vat

Searching on google, same spec, in Germany is advertised for 7300Eur including VAT at 20%

which equates to £4500 + vat

now that is a big difference, if it cost another £500 to transport it to the uk? Is this another case of RIP off Britain? or the importer being greedy? What would other people do? TIA John

 

This is usually due to the exchange rate. Although the exchange rate is flexible, export/import prices are set in advance in most cases with either the buyer or supplier absorbing the changing rate, depending on which way the change flows. On top of this, the cost of shipping has to be added.