Re: [APML] IDAS LPS filter

[Emmanuele Sordini <vega@ulisse.it>]

Hi!
Yep, this is a dab off-topic but nevertheless worthwhile of some 
discussion. I second *everything* written in this thread by my fellow 
European APML'ers.

At 01.16 06/02/2002 +0000, you wrote:
>Maurice,
>
>This is a wee bit off topic, but I'm afraid this is a "what the market 
>will bear" scenario.  Mainly to do with the type of government and the 
>taxes they impose.  There is a similar story across much of Europe where 
>socialist governments prevail.  I was in Denmark recently and was told 
>that the rate of income tax is 80%.  This seems crippling to me.  Of 
>course what happens is that salaries rise to compensate, which means that 
>market prices rise also, and you end up with a country where the cost of 
>living is very high.  Very little of the prices you witness has to do with 
>freighting the goods - the vast majority is to do with government taxes 
>and local retailers hiking the prices to the level that the local market 
>will bear.  Importing from US won't help either because your customs 
>people will ensure that you don't get it any cheaper (the government will 
>pocket the difference).

Philip's analysis is correct: Europe as a market is a very young and 
heterogeneous, especially if compared to the US, where the same currency 
and habits have been around for more than two hundred years: I hope the 
Euro will change this situation a bit.

>The only way round it is if you take plenty of spare cash on your next 
>trip to the US and you feel especially lucky as you walk through customs 
>on your way home :)

That's exactly what I did on my trip to the US of three years ago. I came 
back home with around $1000 worth of astro and electronic gear :-)))
As for importing directly, I would take a risk only with small objects like 
eyepieces or filters, software, i.e. things that are quite small and can 
stand an overseas shipment as well as a not always proper handling. I would 
never import such fragile items as mounts or OTAs. If anything goes wrong, 
service for something I didn't purchase in my home country (or at least in 
Europe) and that is not covered by any warranty, will most certainly blow 
away any saving whatsoever.

Emmanuele


>--Philip
>
>
>At 23:15 05/02/02 +0100, you wrote:
>>Hi,
>>
>>Because I live in a very light polluted environment, I'm interested in
>>buying an IDAS LPS filter (58mm). The price in Germany (Vehrenberg) is
>>459 euros, though at Hutech Astronomical Products this filter is listed
>>for 239 US dollars. You pay almost twice as much in Europe. Why is this
>>difference so big? The same story goes for Meade and Celestron
>>telescopes. A Meade LX90 is listed in the US for 1695 dollars. In the
>>Netherlands you pay 3154 euro! Then I haven't even talked about the fuel
>>price for my car to drive to my observing site. I believe a liter of gas
>>cost somewhere between 30 and 70 (dollar)cents in the US. Currently the
>>gas price in the Netherlands is 110 (euro)cents/liter (Shell). Big
>>differences for such a tiny planet.
>>
>>
>>Kind regards,
>>
>>--
>>Maurice Toet
>>http://www.amateur-sterrenkunde.nl
>
>
>Philip Perkins - philip@astrocruise.com
>Wiltshire UK & Luberon France
>Astrocruise - http://www.astrocruise.com
>
>
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