Why is Australia ripped off so much, and we accept it?

[GQPorkroll]

Oh yeah, I've done similar with joggers. Until I had my accident and needed comfortable shoes, KT26 was the only brand name I had. I looked at those Nike Shox things, the cheapest I found was about $299 for basic black ones. Went onto eBay, and from US they were $129 plus about $40 shipping from the states, arrived in 3 days. Again. Retailers greed. But I guess when you look at the overheads, wages, rent, bills, insurances, freight that actual shops pay, versus an online shop, or eBay advert, it's easy to see why online can sell so much cheaper.

How about this. The new apple and windows operating systems are both half the price in the US compared to Australia. You can buy these products online. If you go to the US website, you get a different price to the Australian site. Same deal with all apple products. A iphone 5 64 gig is half the price it is in Aus, in the US.

[NP99]

I think retail want to introduce a fitting fee because of eBay purchasing. Try in shop.......buy on ebay!

[Drewboyaus]

Last year, my wife went to Rebel to buy a pair of runners. $270.00 Came home, on line, from USA $130.00 Delivered to the door. Same brand and colour. Placed order Tuesday Delivered Friday.
Steve

Don't start me on this one......the bloody manufacturers (Asics I'm talking about you) have now shut down any way of importing sports shoes via online retailers by blocking online retailers from selling to Australia. If you go to order Asics on line from Footlocker in the USA, there is a disclaimer they can't be shipped to Australia. What does our government do about such anti competitive behaviour? Nothing. You can still get some via eBay but I'm a bit dubious of their origin.
Part of the problem lies with real estate trusts and landlords who have such over the top expectations for rent which forces inflated prices to cover the retailers' largest fixed cost. That said, we all have superannuation and if rents and yields went down in the property market, our super would suffer just as it would if the banks weren't making killer profits......
Sorry, ended up sliding a bit off topic there



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[GQPorkroll]

I don't understand that, either. We have a trade agreement with most of the world. I wanted to purchase an accessory for my iPod but the company was forbidden by apple to send to Australia, but could send to UK, As I saw a UK review on YouTube.

Yes, again, we're being ripped off with rent, power, bills etc compared to the rest of the world. How are we meant to be competitive with the rest of the world? Look at wages, a junior in a US shoe shop would be paid $4-8p/h. In Australia you're looking at double that and more during penalty/weekend time, so shops can only employ one person, not 2 or 3, and then people complain about service and buy online. Vicious circle. If cost of living was lower, and wages were lower, products could be lower and we could compete and encourage growth.

[GQPorkroll]

My biggest complaint however, is jails. If they're in use, they're a breeding ground for criminology and of they're empty they're a waste of space.

How about this: all empty jails are turned into shelters for the homeless. Ok, not the most comfortable or hospitable place, but there is a room with a bed, a room for chow, plus they could use it as a physical address to claim benefits, they could learn repair skills fixing parts of the jail that are worn, plus cooking skills, cleaning skills, painting, lawn mowing, etc. they could also grow vegetable and keep chickens etc to help towards sustaining the center with produce, with any excess given to salvos or Vinnies, etc.

Jails in use should be growing fresh produce or raising cattle. If 3 jails grew tomatoes, 3 grew potatoes, 3 grew pumpkin, 3 kept chooks for eggs, 3 raised chickens for food, sheep, beef, etc, there would be a lot of produce made that could be put into hampers and delivered to low income families on a monthly basis. Nothing fancy, no profits, just all given back to the community. Isn't jail about paying for your crime?

Prisoners could learn how to grow vegetables, how to interact with people, even tractor driving, spraying, etc skills, plus I'm sure there could be a handshake done with producers in the area to give them some paid work upon release. It would also show prisoners that they can be a benefit to society, they can contribute in a meaningful way and if they saw who some of the produce went to, as in families living in poverty and barely able to put food on the table, it might set them straight.

Maybe I'm living in a perfect world.

[NP99]

My biggest complaint however, is jails. If they're in use, they're a breeding ground for criminology and of they're empty they're a waste of space.

How about this: all empty jails are turned into shelters for the homeless. Ok, not the most comfortable or hospitable place, but there is a room with a bed, a room for chow, plus they could use it as a physical address to claim benefits, they could learn repair skills fixing parts of the jail that are worn, plus cooking skills, cleaning skills, painting, lawn mowing, etc. they could also grow vegetable and keep chickens etc to help towards sustaining the center with produce, with any excess given to salvos or Vinnies, etc.

Jails in use should be growing fresh produce or raising cattle. If 3 jails grew tomatoes, 3 grew potatoes, 3 grew pumpkin, 3 kept chooks for eggs, 3 raised chickens for food, sheep, beef, etc, there would be a lot of produce made that could be put into hampers and delivered to low income families on a monthly basis. Nothing fancy, no profits, just all given back to the community. Isn't jail about paying for your crime?

Prisoners could learn how to grow vegetables, how to interact with people, even tractor driving, spraying, etc skills, plus I'm sure there could be a handshake done with producers in the area to give them some paid work upon release. It would also show prisoners that they can be a benefit to society, they can contribute in a meaningful way and if they saw who some of the produce went to, as in families living in poverty and barely able to put food on the table, it might set them straight.

Maybe I'm living in a perfect world.

Its a good idea, but take it a step from here! What is of concern is the privatisation of our jails. We all know big business and pollies are in bed with each other for $$$$ What if business applies pressure to pollies to apply pressure to judges to start handing out jail sentences to fill jails. You can bet the private companies would be paid on how many cells are full on top of their normal rate of $$$..........just a thought!!!

[Drewboyaus]

How are we meant to be competitive with the rest of the world? Look at wages, a junior in a US shoe shop would be paid $4-8p/h. In Australia you're looking at double that and more during penalty/weekend time, so shops can only employ one person, not 2 or 3, and then people complain about service and buy online.

I've spent a bit of time "Stateside" and what's really interesting is the customer service you get from many clothing stores. In general, it's outstanding. Even in the face of lower wages and lower prices. 'Know why?
Because the sales assistant gets a cut of your purchase to supplement the shitty hourly rate they earn. Certainly focusses the mind on delivering good service and up-selling. If I were a retailer here, that's how I would try to structure my business.
Not that it would be allowed to happen here, no matter how generous the commission that was on offer. It's all about grinding out the hourly rate in Australia.


Tip tip tip......tap tap tap....

[rusty_nail]

There was a real interesting story on triple js hack this arvo about how electronic sales are significantly marked up here in oz, if anyone missed it u can download Te podcast,


Tappin

[Drewboyaus]

'Might go have a listen to that, cheers Rusty!


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[mudnut]

Its a good idea, but take it a step from here! What is of concern is the privatisation of our jails. We all know big business and pollies are in bed with each other for $$$$ What if business applies pressure to pollies to apply pressure to judges to start handing out jail sentences to fill jails. You can bet the private companies would be paid on how many cells are full on top of their normal rate of $$$..........just a thought!!!

Wasn't there a state in America that had a privately owned juvie facility being supplied kids by an "over-zealous " judge?