The Tanking Dollar
03-12-2015, 04:57 PM
#16
Here in Sydney local hobby stores DO NOT deserve your business, twice in the last month two different large and established stores have had stock in their system and both have said to me "that part is probably stored in a box and they couldn't be bothered to check for it". Really some aussies run such unsophisticated business models ..... it's a real joke. I mostly buy from asia and have learned to be patient.
I'm waiting for an aussies run business that has stock, that shows correct stock levels on the web and is prepared to offer customer service and doesn't charge twice as much!
We shouldn't accept poor service and be charged over the odds ..... it just breeds complacency.
I'm waiting for an aussies run business that has stock, that shows correct stock levels on the web and is prepared to offer customer service and doesn't charge twice as much!
We shouldn't accept poor service and be charged over the odds ..... it just breeds complacency.
03-12-2015, 05:40 PM
#17
Tech Apprentice
While I certainly understand and somewhat agree with your sentiment, I'm trying to keep this more focused on the price point with the exchange rate. A lot of these LHS vs overseas stores threads turn into flame wars between hobbyists, store backed sponsored drivers and store owners / workers themselves. I've even had cases where store owners have noted everything I have said on these threads, then confronted me about it when I was in the store.
While price and low AUD is certainly a driving force behind purchasing decision making, stock levels, lead times and just someone that cares about having your business are hugely important.
I doubt many serious hobbists buy on price only!
03-12-2015, 06:54 PM
#18
Agree on that, availability is a big thing, as I said before, I am happy to pay a premium and buy locally if a part I require is available locally off the shelf. But as soon as a store says "We'd have to order it in" Well, I can do that by buying online and cheaper, so case closed really. A LHS can't complain that racers don't buy stuff there when all they sell are Rovan and Tamiya TT-01 parts.
03-13-2015, 04:30 AM
#19
Oh, and don’t get me wrong, wherever possible I support local business (certainly over the large corporate chains!), however, I also see the irony when a business owner complains to me that his customers are sourcing their product directly from overseas – then hops in his Mercedes Benz, and drives to his holiday home on the coast to spend the weekend on his yacht. (I'm not making that up - that is a literal example)
03-15-2015, 06:35 PM
#20
If you think that it's bad now (today it's 76c in the dollar), try 49-55c in the dollar in the early ninties. Before the proliferation and ease of online shopping, you would open up a copy of RC car action, look at the prices, double it and then some. No 'budget' brands to speak of either where you could make savings.
03-16-2015, 04:16 PM
#22
I can't Really comment on this without getting belted by moderators but not every retailer in OZ is a rip off, I know we try to keep our prices as low as possible with very small margins and higher turnover, problem is with that is we sometimes run low on stock as it moves so quickly and because we don't make huge profit it's hard to gauge and make huge orders.
Now I'm sure I'll get a notice from my friendly moderator saying I've over stepped the line but I've tried to not promote myself just explain that we are not all bad, I'm a RC racer myself and setup my site because I was sick of being ripped off, the worst thing about rctech is we get Roasted by the public for being to expensive but then can't stand up for ourselves without promoting ourselves and then get thrown off rctech for doing so.
As far as prices go I'll give an example that will at least make some people on here see that were not all bad.
We sell a popular kit that has just underwent and upgrade which we retail at $500 plus $15 postage, whilste this kit is at preorder at the moment and it is world wide I believe this to be a great price, for example this same kit on Amain is $399.99 USD, which converts to $544 AUD, now this kit has a postage range of $35-$80 USD or $47-108 AUD depending on speed (quickest being around 4-5days) now that makes the kit around $591-$652 minus Amains coupon code etc which can get you $50 off, so for those saying that there paying double what the USA has is incorrect or at least we do what we can.
Cheers Justin.
Now I'm sure I'll get a notice from my friendly moderator saying I've over stepped the line but I've tried to not promote myself just explain that we are not all bad, I'm a RC racer myself and setup my site because I was sick of being ripped off, the worst thing about rctech is we get Roasted by the public for being to expensive but then can't stand up for ourselves without promoting ourselves and then get thrown off rctech for doing so.
As far as prices go I'll give an example that will at least make some people on here see that were not all bad.
We sell a popular kit that has just underwent and upgrade which we retail at $500 plus $15 postage, whilste this kit is at preorder at the moment and it is world wide I believe this to be a great price, for example this same kit on Amain is $399.99 USD, which converts to $544 AUD, now this kit has a postage range of $35-$80 USD or $47-108 AUD depending on speed (quickest being around 4-5days) now that makes the kit around $591-$652 minus Amains coupon code etc which can get you $50 off, so for those saying that there paying double what the USA has is incorrect or at least we do what we can.
Cheers Justin.
03-16-2015, 06:25 PM
#23
I can't Really comment on this without getting belted by moderators but not every retailer in OZ is a rip off, I know we try to keep our prices as low as possible with very small margins and higher turnover, problem is with that is we sometimes run low on stock as it moves so quickly and because we don't make huge profit it's hard to gauge and make huge orders.
Now I'm sure I'll get a notice from my friendly moderator saying I've over stepped the line but I've tried to not promote myself just explain that we are not all bad, I'm a RC racer myself and setup my site because I was sick of being ripped off, the worst thing about rctech is we get Roasted by the public for being to expensive but then can't stand up for ourselves without promoting ourselves and then get thrown off rctech for doing so.
As far as prices go I'll give an example that will at least make some people on here see that were not all bad.
We sell a popular kit that has just underwent and upgrade which we retail at $500 plus $15 postage, whilste this kit is at preorder at the moment and it is world wide I believe this to be a great price, for example this same kit on Amain is $399.99 USD, which converts to $544 AUD, now this kit has a postage range of $35-$80 USD or $47-108 AUD depending on speed (quickest being around 4-5days) now that makes the kit around $591-$652 minus Amains coupon code etc which can get you $50 off, so for those saying that there paying double what the USA has is incorrect or at least we do what we can.
Cheers Justin.
Now I'm sure I'll get a notice from my friendly moderator saying I've over stepped the line but I've tried to not promote myself just explain that we are not all bad, I'm a RC racer myself and setup my site because I was sick of being ripped off, the worst thing about rctech is we get Roasted by the public for being to expensive but then can't stand up for ourselves without promoting ourselves and then get thrown off rctech for doing so.
As far as prices go I'll give an example that will at least make some people on here see that were not all bad.
We sell a popular kit that has just underwent and upgrade which we retail at $500 plus $15 postage, whilste this kit is at preorder at the moment and it is world wide I believe this to be a great price, for example this same kit on Amain is $399.99 USD, which converts to $544 AUD, now this kit has a postage range of $35-$80 USD or $47-108 AUD depending on speed (quickest being around 4-5days) now that makes the kit around $591-$652 minus Amains coupon code etc which can get you $50 off, so for those saying that there paying double what the USA has is incorrect or at least we do what we can.
Cheers Justin.
Not going to step on you on this one mate, just be aware that moderators are under a lot of pressure from site admin to not allow store holders etc to have 'free advertising' or any posts that promote their store unless it's a paid thread. So we have to tow the line. I've bought from you guys a few times, I would however ask you find a courier faster than "Fastway", an asthmatic donkey is quicker!
03-16-2015, 06:50 PM
#24
Not going to step on you on this one mate, just be aware that moderators are under a lot of pressure from site admin to not allow store holders etc to have 'free advertising' or any posts that promote their store unless it's a paid thread. So we have to tow the line. I've bought from you guys a few times, I would however ask you find a courier faster than "Fastway", an asthmatic donkey is quicker!
We only use Fastway for batteries as they only travel via ground so we don't have to have a lipo declaration for each package, all of our other stuff that isn't dangerous travels via Fastway if it's local or less then 3 days, other small items go via express satchel, also kits now go via toll airfreight which is over night or 2 days depending on area etc, we do however offer a snail mail satchels for small items for people that are on a budget and not in a rush.
It is difficult to get decent post at a decent rate and not cost a crap load lol.
Cheers Justin.
04-08-2015, 04:10 PM
#25
Oh, and don’t get me wrong, wherever possible I support local business (certainly over the large corporate chains!), however, I also see the irony when a business owner complains to me that his customers are sourcing their product directly from overseas – then hops in his AMG Mercedes Benz, and drives to his holiday home on the coast to spend the weekend on his yacht. (I'm not making that up - that is a literal example)
04-08-2015, 05:02 PM
#26
I was in the states 7 months ago and visited a largish hobby shop in LA, the prices made me cry
Problem was we had pretty much loaded up our luggage and I could only buy a few small items.
The dollar shows no sign of making a comeback in the next 5-10 years with the mining slump, China's economy slowing, America's economy recovering and Aussie commodities dropping
When the US dollar drops they don't seem to care as so many Asian companies sell their products at fixed US prices. The same kit at Rcmart cost the same when the US dollar was at its lowest 4 years ago as it does today.
Problem was we had pretty much loaded up our luggage and I could only buy a few small items. The dollar shows no sign of making a comeback in the next 5-10 years with the mining slump, China's economy slowing, America's economy recovering and Aussie commodities dropping
When the US dollar drops they don't seem to care as so many Asian companies sell their products at fixed US prices. The same kit at Rcmart cost the same when the US dollar was at its lowest 4 years ago as it does today.
04-08-2015, 07:14 PM
#27
The financial expert on the news this morning was saying that for the Reserve Bank the Aussie Dollar was still too high. And that they'll want to see it fall to 70c.
For the last year or two I've been talking about reducing costs in Stock with controlled motor and ESC combos, and with tyre limits at large events. Perhaps the cost blow out with the state of the dollar will induce some who opposed these ideas to reconsider their opposition. As, I think we're certainly seeing reduced numbers as a result of the economic climate.
For the last year or two I've been talking about reducing costs in Stock with controlled motor and ESC combos, and with tyre limits at large events. Perhaps the cost blow out with the state of the dollar will induce some who opposed these ideas to reconsider their opposition. As, I think we're certainly seeing reduced numbers as a result of the economic climate.
04-08-2015, 07:34 PM
#28
Yep for a top of the line trinity/R1 motor you are looking at about $230 by the time you add shipping. I know a good driver will always out drive an average driver with a good motor, but when there are only a second or 2 between most of the drivers in the top 10 these days in 13.5/21.5 onroad every little advantage counts. We have to look and ask is this what we want to be doing for the lower classes ??
04-08-2015, 08:02 PM
#29
For the last year or two I've been talking about reducing costs in Stock with controlled motor and ESC combos, and with tyre limits at large events. Perhaps the cost blow out with the state of the dollar will induce some who opposed these ideas to reconsider their opposition. As, I think we're certainly seeing reduced numbers as a result of the economic climate.
04-08-2015, 08:37 PM
#30
The problem is someone will always pay the extra for a fast motor, even if it is $230, and it drives those of us with a more restricted budget away. I ran 21.5 last fortnight, only motor I had was a Speed Passion 21.5 and I didn't have the $ to grab another motor that week, and I was being belted by a good 2 or so seconds a lap. Fortunately I have managed to spread my meagre $40 a fortnight out well (albeit through a lot of buying and selling) but it's still discouraging.