Quarq Distributer

[Axel Brawn]

Does anyone know a good quarq distributer in Australia with comparable prices to the rest of the world?
With our strong dollar and increasing market for high end cycling products I'm hoping our prices will be the same as USA/Euro.

Thanks

[JV911]

got mine from http://www.pro-liteoz.com/store/index.p ... oductId=47

Deon there is very helpful

[Axel Brawn]

Still an extra $400 compared to:

http://www.quarq.com/store#sram_130_/_110_bcd

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Still an extra $400 compared to:

http://www.quarq.com/store#sram_130_/_110_bcd

Are you including import tax (GST) and shipping?

BTW - they don't ship outside of USA/Canada.

[Axel Brawn]

I'm not trying to buy from that site - I'm just saying that why is quarq $1800 there and $2300 here?

Even if you add gst (10%) import tarrif (5%) its still a lot less than you can get it here....

Surely there is a distributer here who isn't trying to make a killing from each customer

[Alex Simmons/RST]

I'm not trying to buy from that site - I'm just saying that why is quarq $1800 there and $2300 here?

Even if you add gst (10%) import tarrif (5%) its still a lot less than you can get it here....

Surely there is a distributer here who isn't trying to make a killing from each customer

The price listed on that site is $US1,895.

AUD is 0.98 USD, so that's A$1,933

Add 10% GST and that's A$2,127.

Add shipping for, I dunno, $50-100 and that's ~A $2,200

Apart from the tax man, I don't see who's making the killing?

[trailgumby]

@OP: US prices don't include taxes - you have to remembre to add them yourself.

Took me awhile to get used to that when I as over there a few years ago - cashier staff never counted out your change when they gave it to you, and I was always going "Say What? you've just short-changed me " and then a few seconds later I'd realise "oh, taxes... "

So I'd be inclined to buy locally - the saving is just about zero buying offshore, and you'll get local warranty support.

[Axel Brawn]

Apart from the tax man, I don't see who's making the killing?

I think you are missing the point here buddy. Business 101 - wholesale price does not equal retail price...

I'm sure you could ship 100+ quarqs out here for a lot cheaper than the retail price in USA - you would combine shipping so you wouldn't pay $100 each as you stated and the GST is passed onto the end customer anyway.

I guess its like any high end cycling product you buy here, it always comes with a premium - and thats on top of the duties and logistics overheads.

[bomber]

I think you are missing the point here buddy. Business 101 - wholesale price does not equal retail price...

Does business 101 mention demand when working out retail? While powermeter's are becoming more prevalent but I doubt they are shipping by the hundred. As a product they are still the domain of the well funded/ sponsored/ poser/ elite. Delete as applicable.

[MichaelB]

And don't forget when you have a problem, the cost to ship (and time) back there is another factor.

Another Business 101 fact.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Apart from the tax man, I don't see who's making the killing?

I think you are missing the point here buddy. Business 101 - wholesale price does not equal retail price...

I'm sure you could ship 100+ quarqs out here for a lot cheaper than the retail price in USA - you would combine shipping so you wouldn't pay $100 each as you stated and the GST is passed onto the end customer anyway.

I guess its like any high end cycling product you buy here, it always comes with a premium - and thats on top of the duties and logistics overheads.

So you expect as a retail customer to pay a wholesale price for a low volume piece of specialist technical equipment?

Well since you are so clever, how about importing 100 units and sell them locally for a lot less than current providers can/do. Just out of curiosity, of that 100 units you are going to bring in, how many of each model, crank type and crank length are you proposing to stock?

I've checked the prices people pay for SRM in the USA, UK and Europe. Mine are not that much different, in some case better than off shore prices.

[Axel Brawn]

Obviously its in your best interest to argue the point as your are selling/advertising similar products.

As a consumer I'm always going to want a better price and I feel that the prices here are inflated.

I don't expect a customer to pay wholesale- but a Quarq at $1845 CAD already has a profit margin built into the price.

See the below link -

http://cgi.ebay.com/SRAM-Quarq-GXP-Wire ... 2a0bcdbe52

If I knew someone in USA, they could buy this, post it to me for $50 and I would have a new Quarq for around $1900 AUS. Where as here I'm up for atleast another $300-$400.

As soon as Garmin/Metrigear or Polar can get a sub $1000 pedal based power meter here they will make a killing.

[craigg]

I got mine last September from Fascat coaching in the states. They ship to Australia - www.fascatcoaching.com

Battery life was about a year (training and riding 5-6 days per week). Very impressed with the unit, very robust and the power readings are consistent ride to ride.

Craig

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Obviously its in your best interest to argue the point as your are selling/advertising similar products.

As a consumer I'm always going to want a better price and I feel that the prices here are inflated.

I don't expect a customer to pay wholesale- but a Quarq at $1845 CAD already has a profit margin built into the price.

See the below link -

http://cgi.ebay.com/SRAM-Quarq-GXP-Wire ... 2a0bcdbe52

If I knew someone in USA, they could buy this, post it to me for $50 and I would have a new Quarq for around $1900 AUS. Where as here I'm up for atleast another $300-$400.

As soon as Garmin/Metrigear or Polar can get a sub $1000 pedal based power meter here they will make a killing.

Then what's stopping you?
Does it come with a 2-year warranty?

Have Garmin/Polar announced their pricing and availability? News to me.

There is already a sub-$1k power meter available, has been for many years. It's called a Powertap.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

I don't expect a customer to pay wholesale- but a Quarq at $1845 CAD already has a profit margin built into the price.

See the below link -

http://cgi.ebay.com/SRAM-Quarq-GXP-Wire ... 2a0bcdbe52

If I knew someone in USA, they could buy this, post it to me for $50 and I would have a new Quarq for around $1900 AUS. Where as here I'm up for atleast another $300-$400.

The price listed on that item is US$1799.

If you are lucky you'll get 0.98 to the dollar but mostly it's a couple of percent worse than that when actually buying USD, and for most transactions via transfer/paypal/credit card, expect to add a few percent. Let's be generous and say 0.95 is the real effective rate.

That's A$1893.
Then add GST of 10%, unless you are planning on breaking the law and not declaring the true paid cost of an imported item?

A$2083 + your 50 for shipping and assume there's no handling charge either for customs clearance
A$2133

I think you are over estimating your real savings.

[rogan]

Alex Simmons said:

Then add GST of 10%, unless you are planning on breaking the law and not declaring the true paid cost of an imported item?

This bit caught my eye. Do we strictly speaking have to pay GST on stuff purchased from Wiggle, PBK, etc?

The broader issue is not just a problem for Australian bike'n'bits importers/distributors/retailers. This combination of the high dollar, cheap transport and postage, and high volume/lower margin trade, from presumably lower wholesale prices than you get here, combined with the ease of access of the internet and the ability to avoid GST, has created shock waves well beyond one's LBS.

It's an issue across all equipment intensive sport/recreational activities, and worsened where there is a participant skew towards those comfortable purchasing OS off the internet. Think golf, scuba, etc. I couldn't give a stuff about golf, but some of my colleagues do, and I am told that golf clubs at the moment are ridiculously cheap.

It's presumably spread to other fields as well.

It's obvious where it ends. There will be fewer local importers/distributors/retailers in the future.

[MichaelB]

Alex Simmons said:

Then add GST of 10%, unless you are planning on breaking the law and not declaring the true paid cost of an imported item?

This bit caught my eye. Do we strictly speaking have to pay GST on stuff purchased from Wiggle, PBK, etc?

......

If it's over $1,000 in value and customs snaffle it, then yes.


Oh and to Axel, if you can get it cheaper OS, then get it. Don't keep arguing and postualating, do it. Prove it and brag.

[Axel Brawn]

I can't get it overseas - I don't know anyone in CAN or USA otherwise I would. Hence the first post of the thread.

[Axel Brawn]

Then add GST of 10%, unless you are planning on breaking the law and not declaring the true paid cost of an imported item?

Of course not - why would I get one back on the government? I love paying taxes.

[Axel Brawn]

The broader issue is not just a problem for Australian bike'n'bits importers/distributors/retailers. This combination of the high dollar, cheap transport and postage, and high volume/lower margin trade, from presumably lower wholesale prices than you get here, combined with the ease of access of the internet and the ability to avoid GST, has created shock waves well beyond one's LBS.

I think this sums it up, I'm probably being a bit bullish stating this issue is only on powermeters. And i don't know the margin AUS distributers are making on Quarq & SRM, so the "making a killing" statement is an overstatement.

Obviously training with power is the best way to train and for o/s riders is more accessible due the location/demand/logistics and other factors.

I'm sure within the coming years with new competitors coming into the power market the prices will reduce significantly - i might just sit tight till then.

[bomber]

i might just sit tight till then.

You can try but I wouldn't expect a significant price drop. Competitors arent getting into the market to make it cheaper for the consumer but because they stand to make a profit. The polar/ look pm already has a suggested retail of around $2800 USD from what I've read which puts it right at the premium side of things. Plus I believe its using bluetooth which means your locked into a specific pedal type and head unit.

Garmin's acquisition of metrigear is more interesting I think but again IF they can bring it to market I wouldn't expect a massive saving over the competition. Your best bet is to look second hand if you can handle the stigma of 'used goods'

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Obviously training with power is the best way to train and for o/s riders is more accessible due the location/demand/logistics and other factors.

Power meters cost less here than in the UK and many European countries.

[jacks1071]

Still an extra $400 compared to:

http://www.quarq.com/store#sram_130_/_110_bcd

Can tell you that I make almost nothing on them, we offer local warranty backed by SRAM Australia and our delivery time is a lot quicker than you'll get from Quarq in the US. We normally deliver in 2-3 weeks on average at the moment whereas Quarq want 2-6 weeks before they send them, then probably another 2 weeks for delivery and you've sent your deposit to an overseas company in the meantime. I also don't know if they will ship them out of the US?

I don't know what margin SRAM put on them, but if you can buy them locally for only a couple of hundred more factoring gst, duty and freight then that does seem like a reasonable deal to me anyway. I wouldn't bother selling them if I didn't think we had a competitive price.

Shipping to and from the US is VERY expensive. I sent a pair of shoes home in November when I was in LA as my bag was full and the shoe box cost me $100 and that was shopping around for the best courier deal - I'd imagine a crank box would have been at least $150 each way without insurance..

[JV911]

SRAM Acquires Quarq

Quarq is pleased to announce that we have been acquired by SRAM. The acquisition by SRAM marks a milestone for both the SRAM and Quarq organisations.

[jacks1071]

SRAM Acquires Quarq

Quarq is pleased to announce that we have been acquired by SRAM. The acquisition by SRAM marks a milestone for both the SRAM and Quarq organisations.

Gees - I don't know if that is good news. I wonder if they will still keep offering units with other manufacturer's cranks?