the great rip off (1 Viewer)

[superfozzy]

Yet again managed to avoid "the great rip off".
Needed new microswitch for pressure water pump.
Sureflow original part £12.00 on flea bay.
Ordered 2 from RS components @ £1.10 each plus free postage.
As with most (specialist)? parts, often the equivalent or same part can be found at a more realistic price.
I know businesses have to make a profit but this kind of taking the pee drives me mad.
From motorhome to washing machine parts. Does it annoy you, or is just me being negative?

 

[Lenny HB]

Nope it's not just you, anything expensive I always look on German websites first, fed up with being fleeced over here.

May not be relevant in your case, but I always fit a relay in line with the pump to protect the tap micro switches.

 

[Teuchter]

If you think caravan/motorhome retail outlets are a rip off (and by the way they are!) then try visiting a yacht chandlers - they are worse!!

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[DavidG58]

2 things here

1. RS were always known as the rip off kings 30 years ago, good to see they are now price sensitive

2. Without knowing what price the ebay seller paid for his stock it might be premature to presume he was ripping anybody off, he might only be making 50p and buying from an expensive option himself

I hope the RS ones are right, my fear always is that manufacturers stick something on somewhere to make theirs unique to justify the price and it is only £12 this time, save the real anger for a £100 component you could have got for £2 maybe

 

[Anthony496]

If you think caravan/motorhome retail outlets are a rip off (and by the way they are!) then try visiting a yacht chandlers - they are worse!!

BOAT

Break
Out
Another
Thousand pounds

 

[superfozzy]

2 things here

1. RS were always known as the rip off kings 30 years ago, good to see they are now price sensitiveHoneywell.out knowing what price the ebay seller paid for his stock it might be premature to presume he was ripping anybody off, he might only be making 50p and buying from an expensive option himself

I hope the RS ones are right, my fear always is that manufacturers stick something on somewhere to make theirs unique to justify the price and it is only £12 this time, save the real anger for a £100 component you could have got for £2 maybe

Know what you mean about manufacturers making things unique, although you can usually make alternatives work.
In this case it is exactly the same switch, made by honeywell

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[Deleted member 29692]

Does it annoy you, or is just me being negative?

It's you being negative I'm afraid. Anyone who sells anything will tell you that they will sell it for as much as they can get away with. It isn't wrong to make a big profit if you can. One basic marketing technique is the one you've highlighted: take a generic part, put your branding on the packaging and charge a huge mark up.

If you can find your product at a better price, maybe by doing some more research, then good for you. There's nothing wrong with that either.

 

[superfozzy]

It's you being negative I'm afraid. Anyone who sells anything will tell you that they will sell it for as much as they can get away with. It isn't wrong to make a big profit if you can. One basic marketing technique is the one you've highlighted: take a generic part, put your branding on the packaging and charge a huge mark up.

If you can find your product at a better price, maybe by doing some more research, then good for you. There's nothing wrong with that either.

Agree with every word but (always a but), sometimes i just think it's a bit low down on the morality scale.
Of course I'd never make a Business man.

 

[Langtoftlad]

HDMI cable - retail store £15, £20, £25+
Online, Amazon even, 1p, yes one single penny ( ok, there was £1.99 p&p) but as digital cables either work or they don't - a 1p cable will be just as good (in the real world) as a £25 one.
[you can still get one for £1.05 inc free delivery!]

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[Speve]

IT seems that if when searching for parts etc online if it has Motorhome in the wording the price is high.
I have learned that if you can find the original manufacturers name on the part somewhere and then search for that rather than use the Motorhome word you can usually find it at a more reasonable price.
I realise people need to make a profit but it often looks like we as Motorhome owners are seen as prime pickings by retailers to make as much profit as they can.
Perhaps they think we are all loaded? And money is no object.
Not true in my case I'm afraid I need to make every penny count to be able to enjoy this great persuit.

 

[tonyidle]

Agree with every word but (always a but), sometimes i just think it's a bit low down on the morality scale.
Of course I'd never make a Business man.

It's very low down on the morality scale. It sounds like a good business principle but it hits the least able members of society hardest (not particularly referring to MH owners here!) and they're usually the ones who can least afford it.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Just been to the pub featured in the SKY TV Series Mount Pleasant. It is in Bowden Cheshire

Glass of wine
Bottle of Ginger beer 0% ABV
Packet of Crisps (£1.65 for a small bag!)

£9.69

My Local, about £6.50, I could get a bottle of wine, 1l ginger beer and 6 packs of crisps for less than £10 at Tesco.

Back to your microwsitch......

The RS ones will be an alternative from what you suggest?

But lets say the fleabay seller sells a small number of items, a drop in the ocean compared to RS who are known to sell extortionately overpriced goods (used by many big corporate account holders where the buyers don't have to worry about costs).

So the small ebay seller has to use is her time or employ someone to :

1, Source the products to sell
2, List the items on ebay

3, then pay ebay listing fees
4, Item sells, someone has to pick the item
5, pack the item,
6, Type/transfer the item sale to their database
7 , print an invoice, the printing costs money too!
8, Take the item to the post office to ship

Here is the hard part.

Lets say the ebay seller paid £2 per item, add the costs of business above and on top of any other overheads, heat, light, employee costs like, Employers NI, Business lease, insurance, accounting costs etc etc. Stocking, shelving fees and costs Massive, even for a small business. *

£12 would mean £2 to the HMRC for VAT Content.

Out of the £12 Gross sale, ebay take 10%, and PayPal will take 60p so that is £1.80 gone already.

£12 is now

£8.20


£1.50 for 1st class post on Small packets?
30p for the invoice/label printing and packaging
£6.40 remaining

-£2 for the Microswitch

We are now at....

£4.40

I do not know how we can split/cost of the overheads above, but lets say at least £1 per item.

£3.40

Then, should the seller of made a profit, assuming there is no shrinkage, wastage and warranty costs (faulty returns).

The HMRC will then want 20% of that (bear in mind that RS will only pay the same rate of CT in 2015/2016 as any small business with less than £300,000 ).

That leaves a net profit of £2.72 and that is at very best. In reality, it is probably less than £1.

Maybe we should not assume it is a rip off!.

I find that many people who complain about these kind of "rip offs" and this is by no means a dig at the OP. But they are often people who have been overpaid or rip off merchants themselves. Some Lawyers and bankers spring to mind.

What do others think?

TM

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[Alby and Lin]

I was interested in Lenny hb's comment as I have had a failure on the microswitch on a none too old Reich tap at £160. Could you please advise me on a relay type and how it is fitted. I guess it needs a permanent 12v supply. Any help would be much appreciated.
Alby

 

[Neckender]

The water fill solenoid on whale filling systems £54.

Ebay £2-54 pence & free postage.

John.

 

[Anthony496]

Just been to the pub featured in the SKY TV Series Mount Pleasant. It is in Bowden Cheshire

Glass of wine
Bottle of Ginger beer 0% ABV
Packet of Crisps (£1.65 for a small bag!)

£9.69

My Local, about £6.50, I could get a bottle of wine, 1l ginger beer and 6 packs of crisps for less than £10 at Tesco.

Back to your microwsitch......

The RS ones will be an alternative from what you suggest?

But lets say the fleabay seller sells a small number of items, a drop in the ocean compared to RS who are known to sell extortionately overpriced goods (used by many big corporate account holders where the buyers don't have to worry about costs).

So the small ebay seller has to use is her time or employ someone to :

1, Source the products to sell
2, List the items on ebay

3, then pay ebay listing fees
4, Item sells, someone has to pick the item
5, pack the item,
6, Type/transfer the item sale to their database
7 , print an invoice, the printing costs money too!
8, Take the item to the post office to ship

Here is the hard part.

Lets say the ebay seller paid £2 per item, add the costs of business above and on top of any other overheads, heat, light, employee costs like, Employers NI, Business lease, insurance, accounting costs etc etc. Stocking, shelving fees and costs Massive, even for a small business. *

£12 would mean £2 to the HMRC for VAT Content.

Out of the £12 Gross sale, ebay take 10%, and PayPal will take 60p so that is £1.80 gone already.

£12 is now

£8.20


£1.50 for 1st class post on Small packets?
30p for the invoice/label printing and packaging
£6.40 remaining

-£2 for the Microswitch

We are now at....

£4.40

I do not know how we can split/cost of the overheads above, but lets say at least £1 per item.

£3.40

Then, should the seller of made a profit, assuming there is no shrinkage, wastage and warranty costs (faulty returns).

The HMRC will then want 20% of that (bear in mind that RS will only pay the same rate of CT in 2015/2016 as any small business with less than £300,000 ).

That leaves a net profit of £2.72 and that is at very best. In reality, it is probably less than £1.

Maybe we should not assume it is a rip off!.

I find that many people who complain about these kind of "rip offs" and this is by no means a dig at the OP. But they are often people who have been overpaid or rip off merchants themselves. Some Lawyers and bankers spring to mind.

What do others think?

TM

Being and rs supplied component I doubt very much if it's any different.

If the eBay seller was smart he wouldn't buy the switch till someone used the buy it now function on eBay.

Then he would buy the rs one and ship it out making £10 in the process.

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[BobtheBass]

At the Malvern show there was a stall selling foot orthotics that they said could cure pretty much every foot complaint from fallen arches to bunions, back pains and probably everything else from piles to bad breath. They were little bits of nylon that probably cost 50p to make, but they wanted (special offer for the show) £230 a pair. Words faiil me.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

The thing with all of these examples is that nobody has to buy any of them

If you think the price asked for anything is too high you are completely free not to buy it.

Prices are dictated by the market. If someone is charging £xxx for their product and staying in business then obviously enough people are prepared to pay for it.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Being and rs supplied component I doubt very much if it's any different.

If the eBay seller was smart he wouldn't buy the switch till someone used the buy it now function on eBay.

Then he would buy the rs one and ship it out making £10 in the process.

£10 gross less all the associated costs would bring the amounts to similar what I quoted

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[superfozzy]

The thing with all of these examples is that nobody has to buy any of them

If you think the price asked for anything is too high you are completely free not to buy it.

Prices are dictated by the market. If someone is charging £xxx for their product and staying in business then obviously enough people are prepared to pay for it.

Agree but just me being me, if someone offered to buy my van at well above its value(presuming I wanted to sell) I would let them have it at its value rather than take advantage.

 

[Chris]

Agree but just me being me, if someone offered to buy my van at well above its value(presuming I wanted to sell) I would let them have it at its value rather than take advantage.

But isn't its " value" determined by how much someone is prepared to pay ?

I admire your principles by the way.

 

[mitzimad]

I was interested in Lenny hb's comment as I have had a failure on the microswitch on a none too old Reich tap at £160. Could you please advise me on a relay type and how it is fitted. I guess it needs a permanent 12v supply. Any help would be much appreciated.
Alby

you can use any normal thirty amp relay use the microswitches to supply power to the relay coil terminal 85 earth 86 and use the switched side to feed power to the pump supply on 35 pump connected to 87

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[Alby and Lin]

I'll give it a try. Seems like a great idea and thanks for your help.