Question Why are EBMM guitars so expensive in Europe?

[Smellybum]

Please lock this,
the people who struggle to grasp this concept of things costing more than in the countries they are produced is so simple my children have mastered it.

 

[Jimmyb]

Yes, the importers pay less than retail, but there's not going to be a 'dramatic' difference between the price that US dealers can buy them for and what the importers can buy them for.

US dealers (with the exception of Guitar Centre) may probably not buy in the same quantity as European (or Japanese, Australian etc) wholesalers, so there may be a volume discount, maybe 30% if I'm being really generous. By the time you've figured in shipping, insurance and import taxes, this is pretty much wiped out, maybe it's even been exceeded, so the figures and calcs in the thread do pretty much add up.

As for why European goods cost less in the US, look at the comparative market sizes. I know if I had a business, I'd want to sell things in the world's biggest consumer market...

 

[Jimmyb]

Please lock this,
the people who struggle to grasp this concept of things costing more than in the countries they are produced is so simple my children have mastered it.

+1

It's going nowhere fast.

Yes, it's a real pain in the whatever, but until I reach the post of ruler of the world, it's not going to change.

 

[bkrumme]

Please lock this,
the people who struggle to grasp this concept of things costing more than in the countries they are produced is so simple my children have mastered it.

+1

It's going nowhere fast.

Yes, it's a real pain in the whatever, but until I reach the post of ruler of the world, it's not going to change.

+1 It's getting old. Enough whining.

 

[MrMusashi]

you fender comparators.. the equation is like this:

fender europe - store - customer

ernie ball - european distributor - store - customer

if eb sold as many guitars as fender they could do it too but until we start buying........

MrM

 

[Trev]

Framus's prices are for years pretty much on par with the american high quality stuff.

I am in no way adding fuel to the fire, but you are wrong there mate - Framus prices, especially with the weakening pound have almost gone up by 50% in the past couple of years.

Example - a Diablo Custom was £999 UK GBP, now more like £1750 GBP! And they aren't even an established brand! Yes their quality is good but there are so many factors at play in trying to understand why certain items cost us more in the EU.

It's about so many things - currency fluctuations, fuel costs, import duty, advertising - it goes on and on.

Just my 2C!

Trev

 

[DrBob]

+1
Ask US residents how much they have to pay for ENGL or Diezel amps?

See you say that but I remember seeing an article a few years back where it worked out cheaper to buy a Triumph motorcycle (made about 70-80 miles from where I live) from a dealer in the U.S. and have it re imported into the U.K. than to buy it from my local Triumph dealer.

Not strictly comparable I agree as cars/bikes is a whole other game to guitars and amps but I think the point to be made is that it's certainly not EBMM that are trying to rip us off but our own governing bodies with their draconian taxations.

And I still think that a new EBMM is a steal, even here in the UK when you compare the quality of the product to what the big Two give you.

 

[Dante]

hey, what do if i wanted to set up a european mail order company exclusively for selling EBMM stuff?

or more specifically, how can one conquer that exclusive importer's contract?

oh, and by the way, the dutch importer for music man is still ****, worst company ever.

 

[MrMusashi]

i thought my 30 foot stick was long enough..

MrM

 

[bovinehost]

Please lock this,
the people who struggle to grasp this concept of things costing more than in the countries they are produced is so simple my children have mastered it.

Thy will be done.

Listen, kids, BP gave you a lot of rope. If I were more active over here, this would have been locked long ago - not because of any particular comment, but because we've done this so many freakin' times already. Do a search. PLEASE.

But read the above quote and give it some thought, too.

Jack

 

[Big Poppa]

final final

THe poster that said I wasnt figuring the numbers was right but the numbers werent the us retail either they are about 15% off the actual cost...

I wasnt trying to offend anyone with their understanding of business but had to explain that if the numbers given were all that were involved than he had a good point. But undfortunatley they were on ly half