Why is everything western (electric) sooo expensive?

Just got a folder of the new Megacity Mall in Banqiao … a Delonghi espresso machine for example is priced at 35,800NT$ with Citibank Visa discount it’s still 28,888NT$ … the exact same machine in the Netherlands cost 499Euro, discounted only 349Euro … :ponder: :loco:

A Jura C9 espresso machine priced at 75,000NT$ ( Citibank Visa discounted 63,900NT$) … online it’s priced at 1,614 US$ … :doh:

Because they are not made in China and will therefore work for more than 1 week past warranty.

A couple of possible reasons: There is virtually no competition so they can price them as they want. Or Taiwan imposes a stiff tariff as a protectionist measure.

I remember when shopping for a camera last year. I found several priced at 15,800 online but in Taipei. I found the same model in a Kaohsiung store for exactly 15,800. And I looked online and continued to find the same price (never more and never less) regardless of how many different vendors I looked at. So I’m convinced that on some products there is some price fixing going on.

[quote=“Abacus”]

I remember when shopping for a camera last year. I found several priced at 15,800 online but in Taipei. I found the same model in a Kaohsiung store for exactly 15,800. And I looked online and continued to find the same price (never more and never less) regardless of how many different vendors I looked at. So I’m convinced that on some products there is some price fixing going on.[/quote]

This really isn’t proof of price-fixing, at least not by the retailers. In a former life, I worked at a department store and had access to their wholesale price information. Basically, for name-brand electronics, the overwhelming majority of the price goes to the brand company. Margins on brand-name electronics are razor thin. This is why exact brand and model comparisons most often yield very similar prices. Retailers don’t have room in their margins to discount. If you were to shop own-brand equivalents offered by some retailers, you’d notice a bigger variety in pricing.

retailers are fucktards in this country. oh its from overseas so im gonna charge people an arm and an leg for it.

goods are either VERY expensive or dirt cheap here. might as well order online or get family to ship stuff over.

The rights to distribution can be held by a few select agents or by the company’s registered office in Taiwan, it is they who set the pricing. It’s different than the US or Uk where you have more competition due to size or for instance in the EU where you can import tariff free from other nations.
The other reason is simply people are willing to pay more for products made in Europe or Japan in particular, they pay the premium for quality and brand. Brand loyalty is huge in Asia and imported brands give lots of face for people with no real hobbies or interests. Imported = expensive = more face.

Wan a hobby and instant status? Buy the expensive brand associated with that first.

Sometimes things are cheaper. The last camera I bought was NT$79900 for the body only which was approx US$2500 at the time. The same model elsewhere was US$2699 / € 2499 / £ 2299.

[quote=“80sStar”][quote=“Abacus”]

I remember when shopping for a camera last year. I found several priced at 15,800 online but in Taipei. I found the same model in a Kaohsiung store for exactly 15,800. And I looked online and continued to find the same price (never more and never less) regardless of how many different vendors I looked at. So I’m convinced that on some products there is some price fixing going on.[/quote]

This really isn’t proof of price-fixing, at least not by the retailers. In a former life, I worked at a department store and had access to their wholesale price information. Basically, for name-brand electronics, the overwhelming majority of the price goes to the brand company. Margins on brand-name electronics are razor thin. This is why exact brand and model comparisons most often yield very similar prices. Retailers don’t have room in their margins to discount. If you were to shop own-brand equivalents offered by some retailers, you’d notice a bigger variety in pricing.[/quote]

Similar prices but not exactly the same prices. I think headhoncho is right about distributors setting prices. In the US there is a lot of competition and it’s not difficult to find different prices. the other big box stores will usually end up matching the price out of necessity but it’s not instantaneous. And I can usually go on the internet and find an even better price.

[quote=“Belgian Pie”]Just got a folder of the new Megacity Mall in Banqiao … a Delonghi espresso machine for example is priced at 35,800NT$ with Citibank Visa discount it’s still 28,888NT$ … the exact same machine in the Netherlands cost 499Euro, discounted only 349Euro … :ponder: :loco:

A Jura C9 espresso machine priced at 75,000NT$ ( Citibank Visa discounted 63,900NT$) … online it’s priced at 1,614 US$ … :doh:[/quote]

Maybe a little off-topic, but since you seem interested in coffee machines, know that Ti Amo Cafe (a Korean chain afaik) sells Saeco espresso machines in Taiwan for reasonable prices.