NZ Retailers need a reality check

Here is yet another example of typical pricing in NZ compared to an online retailer. I’m getting bored with this topic as I have made my point. Time to actually blog about some gaming I think 🙂

From the www.bookdepository.com

If any NZ retailer can match this then email me and I will order today and support your LGS. Currently the closest price to this is $NZD21.95*2 + $5 postage = $48.90 , thats a difference of $15.61.

They forecast the NZD to USD exchange rate to reach 0.90 sometime this year. I guess we will see a reduction in pricing to match 😉

 

NZ retailers are very expensive – part 2

I got a comment from a NZ Retailer re my blog post  nz-retailers-are-very-expensive

One last example ,the Fantasy flight living card game Netrunner expansion are $29.99(on sale $24.99)  retail in NZ compared to USD $14.95 (on sale USD$9.99 ) from CoolStuff..com so if you got 3  plus postage would come to about NZD $50 compared to $90 + $4 postage is $94.

These are real numbers from an actual order I placed but I will use another example from a NZ Retailer http://pukekogames.co.nz which appears to have adjusted his prices since my last visit, which is an encouraging sign.

Android Netrunner: Trace Amount Data Pack $21.95 NZD

So 3 would cost $66 + postage of $5 would come to $71. Thats still a diference of $21. If its not the NZ Retailer applying hefty mark ups it must be the Fantasy Flight Distributor pricing. Remember that I have purchase from a Retailer in the USA so he is applying his mark up as well.

How can this be encouraging and supporting the gaming community in NZ? My son will not play this game  as “the cards cost too much”.

Oh well. Time will tell to see if the local retailers can compete but all I ask is to see some signs of fair pricing and to give the NZ gaming community a fair go.

Feeling ripped off

I recently ordered some Reaper MS paints and I am getting them at a good price by importing directly into New Zealand. Even with the international postage they are considerably cheaper than buying them locally, about 25% cheaper. So this is a good situation 🙂

But buying Citadel washes if a different story. Washes ( I think they call them shades, I cant keep up with name changes) are $7 NZD from a NZ store. But from a US store they $3.70 USD that is $4.40 NZD but of course you have to add in postage BUT due to GW global sales rules you cannot actually purchase them ‘directly’ from NZ. So to cut a long story short, If I could order the Citadel paints from a US store and pay for postage and get them into NZ for about $5.20 a bottle. That is a saving of 25%. We are getting ripped off , this is a bad situation 😦

Another example is the Chaos Codex , can be purchased for about USD 40 plus theoretical postage of 18 to NZ comes to about NZD $68 after converting. It costs NZD $98 so thats a whopping NZD $30 more . We are getting ripped off, this is a very bad situation 😦 😦

My rant is almost over, Fortress America a FF board game sells for #149.99 NZD and can be imported directy into NZ for $96.13. Just another example of feeling ripped off.

That it for today….My painting organizer just got delivered , now thats a good situation 😉