Henson Regional Price Gouging

[Tomo]

I was looking at a Henson Titanium and it looks like they charge vastly different amounts depending on your region. The listed price on the website is $249 USD. Ok $376 AUD that seems reasonable given the current exchange rate.

The trouble is there is no option to pay in USD. If you want to pay for one from Australia you have to pay $600 AUD! Plus shipping of course. That’s the local RRP which is vastly different to the RRP in the USA. I have not encountered this type of price gouging from any other company. Everyone else is quite happy to accept payments in their local currency plus actual shipping costs. Just not Henson.

What a rip off!

 

[Lil Cooties]

It's $600 AUD from third party sellers in Australia too, so my guess is that they don't want to undercut local sellers who have to take their cut of the profit. I noticed that when I was looking at their aluminium models. They must control the prices of international sellers to not sell below a certain price, and would prefer people to buy from local sellers as opposed to buy from overseas to save a few dollars. For examples, they seem to have set the price for the AL-13 to $150 AUD, whether you buy from Henson directly from Canada or an Australian seller, no one sells below that price (Henson also seem to never do sales).

 

[Omega48]

Maybe it happens for Australia only?
I used an address in Europe, just to try and it gave me the price in US$

 

[silverlifter]

They obviously have deals with their Australasian distributors not to undercut them.

Their AL line is listed on the US site at 160 NZD, and sells locally for 150 NZD. The Ti is not available here, but is listed at 550 NZD (340 USD).

I'd use a VPN and a freight forwarder, or just buy from another company.

 

[Omega48]

Mayvbe you can try Maggardrazors or Pasteurpharmacy?

 

[WhiskerLess]

I was looking at a Henson Titanium and it looks like they charge vastly different amounts depending on your region. The listed price on the website is $249 USD.

Yup same here, outside CONUS.
Ti22 Price is at 335.59 USD - excluding shipping fee and tax !!!

 

[Tomo]

Mayvbe you can try Maggardrazors or Pasteurpharmacy?

That loop hole is still available but I don’t want to advertise it. Normally when companies do this kind of thing they will also stop their stockists from sending overseas.

I can understand a few bucks to cover fluctuations in exchange rates (like Apple) but this is ridiculous.

 

[silverlifter]

This is the equivalent of the stupid "this video is not available in your region"...

 

[Lil Cooties]

I ended up ordering Yates Precision Stainless Winning, because it worked out to be only $15 AUD more than a Henson locally ($164 vs $150, and stainless VS aluminium), and that's even including the usual $35 AUD shipping from the US. A Titanium Winning (if/when they decide to make more) would work out to be cheaper at $150 USD/ about $230 AUD (edit: and with no conversion shennanigans).

 

[ErkRusselReserve]

Don't you guys get hit with massive import taxes on all kinds of things? If so, if you must have a Henson, buy it from the local agent I suppose. He/She already paid the tax, while you would have to pay double tax basically.

And don't get me started on how your tobacco taxes only encourage and enrich criminality. Lol.

 

[Tomo]

Don't you guys get hit with massive import taxes on all kinds of things? If so, if you must have a Henson, buy it from the local agent I suppose. He/She already paid the tax, while you would have to pay double tax basically.

And don't get me started on how your tobacco taxes only encourage and enrich criminality. Lol.

You are correct that local vendors would have to add 10% goods and services tax to the price. You are not generally charged this on low value goods bought from overseas. I guess the cost of collection is not worth it. Shipping costs generally negate any benefit to the buyer anyways.

That still does not account for the 60% price difference. I would love to know what the wholesale price is. The US vendors are getting their cut at $249 USD. They must be buying them even cheaper.

If you ask me Blackland has the right idea. Set the price, ship it anywhere and cut out the middleman.

 

[ErkRusselReserve]

You are correct that local vendors would have to add 10% goods and services tax to the price. You are not generally charged this on low value goods bought from overseas. I guess the cost of collection is not worth it. Shipping costs generally negate any benefit to the buyer anyways.

That still does not account for the 60% price difference. I would love to know what the wholesale price is. The US vendors are getting their cut at $249 USD. They must be buying them even cheaper.

If you ask me Blackland has the right idea. Set the price, ship it anywhere and cut out the middleman.

I sold some things to a guy in NZ (stuff for tabletop gaming) and he got hit with a 40% tax. It was nuts. Before it was sent, I asked him for any special instructions regarding the price and such, but he said he had no special instructions, so I listed the actual price as the insured price. I felt bad quite bad for him, as that 40% was brutal. (That is NZ not OZ though).

 

[Goblin]

I used an address in Europe, just to try and it gave me the price in US$

I just find it insane that shipping from the US to Europe costs $85. Since we get taxed on the total cost of the package, rather than than just the contents, after adding VAT and import duty we would end up paying around $410 for a razor with a MRSP of $250.

The impact of the tax / shipping is why I have basically stopped buying anything from the USA. However, it never used to be like this. I vaguely recall that back when I bought my Gamechanger, the shipping on the razor and spare plates cost about $18. Obviously inflation happens, and I think shippers in the USA have started making more use of consignment services, which levy additional fees. Nevertheless, the increases seem exhorbitant.

My question is, has the same thing happened in reverse? Are the taxes and shipping on stuff from Europe now prohibitively expensive for folks in the USA?

 

[ZeelandsRoem]

I just find it insane that shipping from the US to Europe costs $85. Since we get taxed on the total cost of the package, rather than than just the contents, after adding VAT and import duty we would end up paying around $410 for a razor with a MRSP of $250.

That shipping fee is insane, although I've seen even higher. I have some items on my list which I would like to order from USA (and are available only in USA), for which I have to pay... $480 shipping. That's absolutely insane, especially since I would have to pay VAT for the product + shipping.

 

[u56rh]

You’re almost better off going on holiday to the US and stocking up on all the shaving stuff you want, while you’re there.

 

[ErkRusselReserve]

I just find it insane that shipping from the US to Europe costs $85. Since we get taxed on the total cost of the package, rather than than just the contents, after adding VAT and import duty we would end up paying around $410 for a razor with a MRSP of $250.

The impact of the tax / shipping is why I have basically stopped buying anything from the USA. However, it never used to be like this. I vaguely recall that back when I bought my Gamechanger, the shipping on the razor and spare plates cost about $18. Obviously inflation happens, and I think shippers in the USA have started making more use of consignment services, which levy additional fees. Nevertheless, the increases seem exhorbitant.

My question is, has the same thing happened in reverse? Are the taxes and shipping on stuff from Europe now prohibitively expensive for folks in the USA?

Is it shipping from the USA or Canada? The Royal Post does not do anyone any favors. It is usually usury priced IME.

 

[silverlifter]

I sold some things to a guy in NZ (stuff for tabletop gaming) and he got hit with a 40% tax.

GST here is 12.5%. Anything above that is not a tax, it is a rort.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Shipping from the States to other countries has gotten out of control too... I've had to send some paperwork our oldest son and his wife needed for residency in Croatia... A year ago, the DHL cost was $113... This time around, just a couple months ago for a package about 1/3 of the weight was $182.

 

[sarimento1]

I was looking at a Henson Titanium and it looks like they charge vastly different amounts depending on your region. The listed price on the website is $249 USD. Ok $376 AUD that seems reasonable given the current exchange rate.

The trouble is there is no option to pay in USD. If you want to pay for one from Australia you have to pay $600 AUD! Plus shipping of course. That’s the local RRP which is vastly different to the RRP in the USA. I have not encountered this type of price gouging from any other company. Everyone else is quite happy to accept payments in their local currency plus actual shipping costs. Just not Henson.

What a rip off!

Did you try to contact Henson for explanation?
And, what is RRP?

 

[Tomo]

Shipping from the States to other countries has gotten out of control too... I've had to send some paperwork our oldest son and his wife needed for residency in Croatia... A year ago, the DHL cost was $113... This time around, just a couple months ago for a package about 1/3 of the weight was $182.

Shipping is out of control but there’s not much the seller can do about that. Unfortunately it does impact their competitiveness and bottom line. Lucky Henson is based in Canada where international shipping is much more reasonable.