BUYING O/S or Local???

[T1]

Hi Guys

Just thought i'd share a very recent experience with my new Sounder!

About 4 months ago, started researching a new Sounder. I finally settled on the Raymarine Digital DS500X following several recomendations. The BIG question was to buy from the US and have it shipped here or buy local and pay more?! I could get a refurb for approx A$600 and a new one for high A$6's from the US. It was $890 here at B/Boating. Got a tip that their website was carrying it on special for $800 and after paying the local store a visit, they agreed to match that price. Now, i as most, don't want to pay more than i have to for anything! So it came down to buy it here and if there are warranty issues, it's local, or buy from the US where it's a whole different ball game (as i'd heard stories about the time taken to get a product back under warranty from O/S)! Eventually, i figured i'd pay the extra $100-$200 and buy it from here!

Fast forward 4 months and i started getting fogging in the screen in sunlight. Didn't think much of it until i spoke with BAYFISHER who said he was without a Sounder as he sent it back (to the US) to get the screen fogging fixed! I mentioned i had the same problem and he said that it appears to be a common problem and they just replace the seals. So given i was going to be away, i decided to take it back and have it sent away. No problem except when i went back 2 weeks later, they hadn't received it back! So they promptly followed it up and within 30mins had a phone call:

'Spoke with Raymarine in Sydney and they have decided to give you another one!' Ok i thought, must have been something more up with it! 'The only problem is they can't get another 500 so they've decided to give you a new DS600X and they're just waiting on it to come in! Should be here next week.' Sh%t, i thought, that's alright! It's another $500 in price! Picked it up last week and plugged straight in to the existing plugs and bracket! Bonus was they didn't want any of the 500's accessories or cables back which means i have a new spare of everything including Transducer!

Now, i'm not saying buy O/S or local, but after this experience, i am certainly glad i paid the extra and bought local! And furthermore, i will buy Raymarine again!

Btw, i was extremely happy and satisfied with the 500X - should be even happier with my 600X...

Take Care T

[Noelm]

been down this road a thousand times, and often get "whipped" because of it, I know you can save X Dollars by buying Overseas, but in the long run is it worth it, some say yes, most say no (me) sure, the saving can at times be large, but overall, it is just a hassle, especially if something goes wrong! I know there is a dozen guys sharpening their knives right now, to tell me how the saved ... and it got here in 2 days and all sorts of other stuff about rip off Aussie dealers and all that stuff, but in the end, IS IT WORTH IT???

[Dirtysanchez]

Good for you T, a nice story with an excellent ending
Sure you can save some bucks going offshore, but there are risks, AND, when one day you think you need a new PFD, or anchor or something simple, and you go to your local chandlery, and they have closed down, then the impact of buying the high dollar stuff offshore will be driven home.
Support your local distributors, thats all I can say. Price is soon forgotten when you get good service..

[noosa_nipper]

Good for you T, a nice story with an excellent ending
Price is soon forgotten when you get good service..

i Think this is where the problem lies......Aussies are losing confidence in the service sector of retaill outlets.

There seems to be no after purchase service either.

Good to see you have found someone who does T!

[T1]

i Think this is where the problem lies......Aussies are losing confidence in the service sector of retaill outlets.

There seems to be no after purchase service either.

Good to see you have found someone who does T!

You are on the money N/N!

Before Xmas, i visited a Hummer & a Toyota dealership and spoke to another Hummer D/ship on the phone to test drive the Hummer & the Prado! All were going to call me for test drives of the right vehicles within a week or 2! I haven't received a single call from any of them - and i'm a serious buyer! One would think they're making sooooo much money that they don't need to follow up prospects! Ultimately, we've decided on a Prado and when i buy one, i'm going to go back to that Toyota d/ship and show him my new car!

Take Care T

[Dirtysanchez]

Guys I don't think it is a matter of making too much money, it's more that good old fashioned service is just not taught anymore, I work in a distribution business, not related to anything here, and the amount of people in back end positions who have no idea on how to help me look after the customer.. it makes me wonder how they got the job in the 1st place!!
The old saying used to be if you aren't looking after the customer, make sure you are looking after the person who is.. Nowdays you have people with no knowledge or experience selling products and services.. it is a joke.
I was talking to a bloke in a phone shop about a bluetooth module.. I know how they are designed and built, and I was telling him how they worked. You would think he would have had some training before being put on the floor to sell, but no..

[Local_Guy]

great to hear about the follow up service on your sounder T.

with your example you were only going to be saving $250ish if you bought from the US compared to Australia and though it's not a lot out of pocket expense the difference isn't really worth going overseas for.

Most of the people here i think that are buying from the US are the ones buying the big bucks.. My sounder i'm getting delivered for approx $800AU... to buy this in australia would cost me about $1300..... thats a $500 difference or 38% cheaper.

But with the American $$ at the moment and the country going into recession, for the majority of purchases you'd be silly not to even look at importing.

[Custaro]

If you're visiting a "hummer" dealership, do you really need worry about saving $200. On principal you should be able to afford to keep your money local. Also you should have put the FCV-585 attached to a shiny new BlackWatch into your shopping equation.

[on-one]

"On principal you should be able to afford to keep your money local”

Why is it important to buy local? If paying a bit more to go through a local dealer means you get better service or warrantee than an internet dealer can provide fair enough, but why pay extra just because someone is nearby?

[Noelm]

pretty simple really, IF you have a drama, need help with installation, need a bracket or just plain old free advice, the guy down the road is where you head don't you?, even if you did dud him out of a few dollars, usually he will help you anyway! not too much help from some Ebay seller, or on the other side of the World "cyber shop"

[croangler]

Here is my 2 cents,

Regarding the sounder, I would rather buy local for the warranty purposes and pay the extra $200.

But for example I recently purchased a loomis Drop Shot from US for $250.00 AU delivered. At the local tackle shops the cheapest one is $510.00 AU. How do the local shops justify these huge mark-ups.

I do find it that especially with tackle there is a huge mark-up in Australia, compared to US and Japan.

If I found a sounder in the US that is 40% + off the retail in Australia I would buy it, no problems. But for 10 – 20% off is not worth it.

[on-one]

I usually go where I get the best value (for price and service) often that means the local dealer and sometimes it's someone overseas. But that was my point, if the local shop offers good value then shop there but paying over the odds just because someone is local doesn't make sense.

[subzero]

I prefer to pay more and buy local but I treat every case on an individual basis. There are occasions when I have brought from overseas but they are rare.
Recently I brought a video camera from China for under $500 AUD but they stuffed up the currency on the customs declaration. Customs assessed I owed them $1,800.00 but the same camera could be brought in Australia for $800.
U.P.S refused to release it until I could satisfy them that their was a problem with the paperwork and before they would consider reviewing their decision I had to pay a fee of about $70 I think it was. This was non refundable.
In the end I got it about 1 month after it arrived in the country and after having to pay extra $. Conclusion, wasn't worth the grief, should have brought it here in the first place.

Cheers Lloyd

[Mark-P]

I'll be buying a GARMIN combo shortly from Fishon, with map very cheap in comparison & warranty is valid in Australia !! Only because after i buy the boat i wont have much cash left .......

Mark

[T1]

If you're visiting a "hummer" dealership, do you really need worry about saving $200. On principal you should be able to afford to keep your money local. Also you should have put the FCV-585 attached to a shiny new BlackWatch into your shopping equation.

CUSTARO, Hummer H3 is actually cheaper than Prado! Hummer/Prado are also FULLY tax deductible for me! Sounder is from my hip pocket (haven't worked out how i need this to do home loans yet )! So to answer your question, $200 buys me a lot of Placcies & Bait!

Ultimately, i spent the extra and bought here anyway so NO, i didn't worry about the $200...

I also did consider the Furuno as it is also digital however the Raymarine represented better value for money!

Take Care T