chris and farideh

I spent about 5 weeks in Oz about 8 yrs ago and it seemed OK. Now I'm going to live there in the next few months and all I read on this site is how expensive things are and how little choice there is.

So...as a result of my world experience's
I have come to the conclusion that people all over the world want material opportunities. So there must be a massive market for all the goodies that we enjoy in our free market economies.

This obviously needs some serious investigation as to reasons why there is this short fall and elevated prices but I would appreciate some feed-back from you all to give me a direction to start looking. I.e. import tariffs, etc.

furkew

What you need seriously to think about, is the fact that everybody misses their favourite sauce, chocolate, crisps etc etc. and everybody is prepared initially to spend whatever is required to get them. After a while, the desire wears off, and you forget about them. When you are living in a new counrty in a new enviroment, something that is trusted helps you feel better, and eases the homesickness as well.
eventually you adjust to the style of living in the country where you have moved to, and you get fed up with paying too much, for something you miss.

Eating British in any county in the world, is a lot more expensive than in the UK. I have the advantage of weekly supplies of Cheddar, chipolata's and salt and vinegar crisps from customers in the UK for the last 19 years, but at the end of the day, if I didn't have them, I wouldn't really miss them.

I have also contemplated a business in expat items (Dutch & British) but to be successful, it cannot be (too) expensive, and I think that is the biggest problem in Oz.

If you guys are headed for Melbourne,maybe we could do something together

chris and farideh

I'm not talking about OXO cubes etc. particularly. Having lived outside the UK for a number of years, I agree that its only a matter of time before you get into the local way of life/tastes etc. However, things like furniture, interior fixtures etc. etc. seem to be expensive or limited even non-existent. I cant believe that its just a case of location. The far-east where most of this stuff comes from is closer to OZ than Europe. So is it trade tariffs? lack of market demand or what?

Vash the Stampede

It's not trade tariffs; Australia has some of the lowest tariffs in the world.

IMHO it's mainly the cost of sending goods such a tremendous distance, to a relatively small market which can only take so much of them.

If the distances were shorter and Australia's population much higher, I believe you'd see a big difference in availability and price.

That being said, I suppose it's possible that you could do well by setting up your own import business for items which aren't available in Australia.

furkew

I think its simply market demand. We would all love a taste of England, but look at yourselves, if its too expensive, do as the locals do.

Vash the Stampede

That depends on what you're referring to here. What are you referring to, specifically?

furkew

Rabbits ?

Vash the Stampede

No, I think those are already being imported by British ex-pats!

furkew

suitcases full of the buggers !!!

jad n rich

Most stuff already comes in from china, korea etc, that wouldnt be the problem. Plenty of asian furniture, thai shoes, korean tiles etc I think thats why people complain about the quality, even if you buy in one of the 2 department stores its usually made in asia.

When people say its expensive the threads are often about stuff like airfares, general outrage that we have to pay more for same product type complaint, see the OMG have you seen airfares thread to understand what I am saying.

Or food, yes a lot comes in from asia, but with 2 main supermarket players (under various names) the products are just so marked up.

Or internet, expensive, slow, inneficient again lots of threads, see its not really small stuff its the big things like the whole internet system, that a gov rather than a small importer is going to be able to change.

Or dentists, see what I mean its not really the small stuff that expensive threads are about, its more the big stuff that really impacts on your budget,

chris and farideh

So, leaving out services and large scale infrastructure, your saying that its lack of players which is the problem?

jad n rich

Yes but in major areas, many of which one expat could not help change. eg airlines, gov controlled, like the recent veto of letting us get cheap flights to USA.

I suppose in a way geography plays a part, its not like europe, if it was too expensive in your country you could go off (often by car) and buy it elsewhere.

chris and farideh

I'm going over next month to activate my visa. This is very interesting. Any further tips would be appreciated as this needs to be looked into.

Wol

There is a great deal of "trying it on" with prices here - the real estate market being a prime example. Houses are built, and put on the market at a price bearing no relation to the cost of building them. If no-one comes along and buys the price is dramatically dropped a month later. A case in point is just up the road - they have dropped their price $200000 this week -still overpriced!

Retailers are the same. If you are efficient, good at the job, have the right product and have a good price I reckon you could clean up here.

Another example: Indonesian teak bench at local upmarket shop $2000. Similar, though not as good, from chain retailer $400. Yes, the first IS better but not $1600 better! Were it $1000 I would have bought, but not at $2000.

It's almost like a mafia setup in many respects: an agreement to keep prices very high until the cover is blown.

*Real* competition is sorely needed in many areas.