US Shops that will ship Burton OS

[rider69 18]

Jake burton has done more for Snowboarding and along the way got rich. Im happy he made his money and continues to do so. He does not set the prices in Japan the distrubtors do. The law of supply and demand basically allow Burton to be sold at a higher price here. Burton does a good thing and protects it's partners by not allowing people to undercut the market. We save so much in Japan on other things. Accom at the snow is cheap. Eatting out at night is healthier and cheaper than North America. Cars used ones are bought for almost nothing compared to back home. House prices are nothing so if I have to pay 200 bucks more for my snowboarding pants then so be it.

[KlingKlang 1]

I agree with that.

 

If he had continued running his company as per the very lifestyle it emphasizes, Burton we have today just would not exist.

And someone else probably would become successful in turn.

[ippy 66]

Most people who are not in business simply can't appreciate 'the cost of doing business'.

Understandable, as sometimes even I can't believe it at times and I have to pay it.

Doesn't mean that there might be some companies 'taking advantage' of a situation, but it's often more complicated than people just looking at the price tag will realise.

 

People exploiting loopholes etc simply in the long run adds to the cost of doing business.

 

I really cant. Its one of those things that i cant honestly get my head around. I remember a year or so ago looking at a few countries for the price of the rome agent rocker ENTIRELY so i could see what internationals were paying. It was fascinating if only because Australia and Japan get hit in a HUGE way. Its also fascinating that boards built in austria are priced about $200 more expensive IN AUSTRIA than they are in the US. Stuff like that is bewildering. You have to ship the board to the US, and then ship it back to austria and pay import duty and vat on it to sell it in austria. Its mind boggling stuff I genuinely wish someone would break it down just so i could defend the prices. I really want to defend them, because i really dont believe companies are in the business of screwing over their consumer. Especially in a market like snowboarding where competition is FIERCE and very well established (and has the added bonus of being fashion/hype driven). Another interesting thing is how every US burton retailer will have specific timetables set for reduction (smaller local shops apparently get more leeway on this, but the bigger shops are all locked into the same timetable), but in Japan youll find people discounting up to 30% before the season even starts. And it seems to be universal on all brands. For instance, the rome thing above was done around october or november last year, and i distinctly recall not one single website maintaining its full MSRP. They were all around 30% off as if 30% off was actually the legit MSRP. And theres a suspicion that it is given the extremely high initial MSRP (the 30% discount took it to a price range much more akin to the EU price). If this is the case then you can see how they can offer huge discounts before people in the US can, whilst still not actually discounting the sale.

 

I find this absolutely fascinating to be honest. Im not attacking any of those companies for their policies. I just wonder what that nebulous "cost of business" really is. I wonder how i can personally import a snowboard into korea at full shipping cost and full tax and at full US MSRP and still beat the Korean price (i mention korea because its a straight 20% important duty which is pretty hefty - whereas japan has none and aus requires you to spend over $1000 before it applies). Its a question that likely everyone looking at US prices whilst living in japan is wondering about

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Most people who are not in business simply can't appreciate 'the cost of doing business'.

Understandable, as sometimes even I can't believe it at times and I have to pay it.

Doesn't mean that there might be some companies 'taking advantage' of a situation, but it's often more complicated than people just looking at the price tag will realise.

 

People exploiting loopholes etc simply in the long run adds to the cost of doing business.

 

 

I'm the customer and money talks....if I can do it cheaper I will....I'm the flipside to the businessman who's trying to sell his product for as much as possible.....its a battle, I could care less about the long term of their business.,there are other companies. Just because I'm on this side of the coin doesn't mean I don't understand what the other side is trying to do.

 

 

Jake burton has done more for Snowboarding and along the way got rich. Im happy he made his money and continues to do so. He does not set the prices in Japan the distrubtors do. The law of supply and demand basically allow Burton to be sold at a higher price here. Burton does a good thing and protects it's partners by not allowing people to undercut the market. We save so much in Japan on other things. Accom at the snow is cheap. Eatting out at night is healthier and cheaper than North America. Cars used ones are bought for almost nothing compared to back home. House prices are nothing so if I have to pay 200 bucks more for my snowboarding pants then so be it.

 

for 1....what has the price of tea in China got to do with whether we can buy Burton goods at the cheapest price possible?? You mention the law of supply and demand, all well and good if you apply all free market policies, however they don't. Supply has been artificially restricted which can amp up demand, especially in a fashion conscious market like high end sports goods. Yes its good for the businesses that Burton helps to protect their interests but I'm a consumer.........I want it as cheap as I can get. If it were a true free market (as in fact the US wants with Japan) then you'd be able to browse freely and buy at the best price.....regardless where that price comes from.

[rider69 18]

Burton in fact is not trying to sell to you in Japan though. If you want a bargin then you have that option in Japan of buying last years goods at a good price. The US free market system has pushed profit margins so low there just arent many mom and pop places anymore. I go back home and everything is a chainstore. You dont ever pay retail but you also find that everything is the same everywhere. That is purely what is driving the NA market to be that much cheaper. There are plenty of other products that work as well as Burton or other expensive brands that can be bought for a reasonible price. Burton does not allow Canadians to buy from online stores in the US. Burton basically protects every country it sells in. The Japanese market opening up to the Americans so we can buy things cheaper would still have nothing to do with this situation. Burton would still have the same policy in place. I dont know how things can get cheaper in Japan I really dont. You have a country that has no resourses really. People I know wont pay more than 2000 dollars for a used car here with 60000kms on it. That same car in the states goes for 10000 at least. You can buy enough clothes at uniqlo for 100 bucks it is quite shocking. You can buy the same in the states but do you really want the walmart super centers every 3 kms? The price of a house In Nagano is 200000 to 250000 bucks for something new. If you buy used you can get a house for 60000 to 100000 bucks. How much cheaper are we really going to go in this country?

[sand 17]

Burton in fact is not trying to sell to you in Japan though. If you want a bargin then you have that option in Japan of buying last years goods at a good price. The US free market system has pushed profit margins so low there just arent many mom and pop places anymore. I go back home and everything is a chainstore. You dont ever pay retail but you also find that everything is the same everywhere. That is purely what is driving the NA market to be that much cheaper. There are plenty of other products that work as well as Burton or other expensive brands that can be bought for a reasonible price. Burton does not allow Canadians to buy from online stores in the US. Burton basically protects every country it sells in. The Japanese market opening up to the Americans so we can buy things cheaper would still have nothing to do with this situation. Burton would still have the same policy in place. I dont know how things can get cheaper in Japan I really dont. You have a country that has no resourses really. People I know wont pay more than 2000 dollars for a used car here with 60000kms on it. That same car in the states goes for 10000 at least. You can buy enough clothes at uniqlo for 100 bucks it is quite shocking. You can buy the same in the states but do you really want the walmart super centers every 3 kms? The price of a house In Nagano is 200000 to 250000 bucks for something new. If you buy used you can get a house for 60000 to 100000 bucks. How much cheaper are we really going to go in this country?

 

So what your saying is that while things are cheap in Japan, the Burton distributors wish to make their boards relatively too expensive. QED the distributors of Burton here in Japan must clearly be greedy (insert appropriate curse word)! Yes or no?

[rider69 18]

How is making money being greedy? Retail is a very tough market. I was explaining why I dont want Japan to become North America and its land of walmarts, costco's, Chillis, Dennys. Burton has a brand image in Japan and can sell high good on them. That is not greed that is just bussiness.

[sand 17]

Rightly Justifying why someone can sell something at an inflated price does not make that seller any less greedy.

Would I do the same? That is a subjective question, but based on my current view, then definately no.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Burton in fact is not trying to sell to you in Japan though. If you want a bargin then you have that option in Japan of buying last years goods at a good price. The US free market system has pushed profit margins so low there just arent many mom and pop places anymore. I go back home and everything is a chainstore. You dont ever pay retail but you also find that everything is the same everywhere. That is purely what is driving the NA market to be that much cheaper. There are plenty of other products that work as well as Burton or other expensive brands that can be bought for a reasonible price. Burton does not allow Canadians to buy from online stores in the US. Burton basically protects every country it sells in. The Japanese market opening up to the Americans so we can buy things cheaper would still have nothing to do with this situation. Burton would still have the same policy in place. I dont know how things can get cheaper in Japan I really dont. You have a country that has no resourses really. People I know wont pay more than 2000 dollars for a used car here with 60000kms on it. That same car in the states goes for 10000 at least. You can buy enough clothes at uniqlo for 100 bucks it is quite shocking. You can buy the same in the states but do you really want the walmart super centers every 3 kms? The price of a house In Nagano is 200000 to 250000 bucks for something new. If you buy used you can get a house for 60000 to 100000 bucks. How much cheaper are we really going to go in this country?

 

 

it might be cheap where you live, but for 20 mill you wouldn't get anywhere near a new build and you'd end up with an old mansion/apartment building round where I live. 600 yen (about 5 pounds) for a 350ml beer is not cheap where I come from, a pair of jeans from Gap costs you about 35 quid back home, but here they are more like 100 quid. The price of vegetables is crazy over here....3-400 yen for 4 tomatoes.......2-300 yen for a "bag" of potatoes, must be a bag for midgets cos they only have about 5 potatoes in them. Japan is not cheap

[rider69 18]

I have never once paid 30o yen for potatoes. 100yen to 150 yen. Beer at the bar 500 yen. Nomihodai for 1500 yen. chicken 38yen per 100 grams. A slice of salmon for 100 yen. Where are you shopping? I havent paid more than 2000 yen for jeans ever in Japan.

[sand 17]

I have never once paid 30o yen for potatoes. 100yen to 150 yen. Beer at the bar 500 yen. Nomihodai for 1500 yen. chicken 38yen per 100 grams. A slice of salmon for 100 yen. Where are you shopping? I havent paid more than 2000 yen for jeans ever in Japan.

the quality of chicken at that price is horrific in terms of nutrition, and the salmon is of pretty poor quality. I too can spend little money and live off cup noodle quality food.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

I have never once paid 30o yen for potatoes. 100yen to 150 yen. Beer at the bar 500 yen. Nomihodai for 1500 yen. chicken 38yen per 100 grams. A slice of salmon for 100 yen. Where are you shopping? I havent paid more than 2000 yen for jeans ever in Japan.

 

I didn't say I bought the jeans from Gap......I compared the price, you said that its so cheap in Japan compared to other countries....its not

[Kansaiash 6]

Even uniqlo jeans are becoming more expensive. Where I am they are 3000-4000yen. Of course you can sometimes get them for 2000yen if they are on sale but often they are out of season stock

[SKI 15]

Most people who are not in business simply can't appreciate 'the cost of doing business'.

Understandable, as sometimes even I can't believe it at times and I have to pay it.

Doesn't mean that there might be some companies 'taking advantage' of a situation, but it's often more complicated than people just looking at the price tag will realise.

 

People exploiting loopholes etc simply in the long run adds to the cost of doing business.

 

I really cant. Its one of those things that i cant honestly get my head around. I remember a year or so ago looking at a few countries for the price of the rome agent rocker ENTIRELY so i could see what internationals were paying. It was fascinating if only because Australia and Japan get hit in a HUGE way. Its also fascinating that boards built in austria are priced about $200 more expensive IN AUSTRIA than they are in the US. Stuff like that is bewildering. You have to ship the board to the US, and then ship it back to austria and pay import duty and vat on it to sell it in austria. Its mind boggling stuff I genuinely wish someone would break it down just so i could defend the prices. I really want to defend them, because i really dont believe companies are in the business of screwing over their consumer. Especially in a market like snowboarding where competition is FIERCE and very well established (and has the added bonus of being fashion/hype driven). Another interesting thing is how every US burton retailer will have specific timetables set for reduction (smaller local shops apparently get more leeway on this, but the bigger shops are all locked into the same timetable), but in Japan youll find people discounting up to 30% before the season even starts. And it seems to be universal on all brands. For instance, the rome thing above was done around october or november last year, and i distinctly recall not one single website maintaining its full MSRP. They were all around 30% off as if 30% off was actually the legit MSRP. And theres a suspicion that it is given the extremely high initial MSRP (the 30% discount took it to a price range much more akin to the EU price). If this is the case then you can see how they can offer huge discounts before people in the US can, whilst still not actually discounting the sale.

 

I find this absolutely fascinating to be honest. Im not attacking any of those companies for their policies. I just wonder what that nebulous "cost of business" really is. I wonder how i can personally import a snowboard into korea at full shipping cost and full tax and at full US MSRP and still beat the Korean price (i mention korea because its a straight 20% important duty which is pretty hefty - whereas japan has none and aus requires you to spend over $1000 before it applies). Its a question that likely everyone looking at US prices whilst living in japan is wondering about

 

I'm with you ippy, I find the whole thing really interesting and want to understand.

Would be great to know the real story and how it's all set up.

[panhead_pete 27]

Well to add intrigue I purchased a couple of Burton bags here in Brisbane yesterday for the same price they were available in the US.

 

Bought a jacket from in-house and am having it shipped via HopShopGo so will advise how that goes. Should have that by the end of next week.

[rider69 18]

Burton in Aus has come right down in price.

Uniqlo is becoming quite expensive I prefer GU these days. I have never bought brand jeans in my life. My local Max Value only has chicken priced at 100 yen per 100 grams on Saturday and Sundays. On Mondays the price drops to 58 yen and on tuesdays it drops to 38 yen. The package usually reads Nagano chicken Im no into free range meats too tuff. I dont beef anymore unless Im fed it at someones house or at school lunch. I recently bought a house for 13 million yen for a 120 square foot 8 year old house. The same cost where im from in NA would be double or more. I went back home this year and it wasnt cheap at all. The gas was cheaper but the car I was driving guzzled gas anyways. I parked my car at Narita for 3 weeks and paid less than 5000 yen and that included a full clean of the car.

[klingon 10]

I just think that some basically things are cheap here and some things are expensive.

[panhead_pete 27]

Well in the end I bought my Burton jacket off a site on eBay in the states and they will ship it direct. Still nearly $200 cheaper than here. Just trying NOT to order a new board

[yamabushi 3]

Most people who are not in business simply can't appreciate 'the cost of doing business'.

Understandable, as sometimes even I can't believe it at times and I have to pay it.

Doesn't mean that there might be some companies 'taking advantage' of a situation, but it's often more complicated than people just looking at the price tag will realise.

 

People exploiting loopholes etc simply in the long run adds to the cost of doing business.

 

Really?

 

Microsoft Office Proffesional 2010.

In the good old U.S. o A., $189.

In Japan, around 50,000 yen, or $642.

In China, where they have to compete with the black market, $10.

 

Hardware is not software but the point is; the cost of doing business has little to do with this. They figure out how much people on a given market are willing to pay and that's what they charge.

 

Funny enough, the price gouging happens on clothes and accesories (boots, jackets, gloves). The snowboards are priced a lot more sensibly. My $200 Burton Ruler boots sell here for 47,900 or $615. I have seen Burton Vapor boards at pretty much U.S. prices.

[yamabushi 3]

You guys need to befriend somebody stationed here. We get access to USPS mail.

 

Just saying...

[pie-eater 207]

Microsoft Office Proffesional 2010.

In the good old U.S. o A., $189.

In Japan, around 50,000 yen, or $642.

 

Rubbish!!

 

I have just checked on amazon.com and amazon.co.jp

 

Microsoft Office Professional 2010

 

US

http://www.amazon.co...22791868&sr=8-1

 

List Price: $499.99

Price: $376.47

 

Japan

http://www.amazon.co...22791963&sr=8-1

考価格: ￥ 62,790

価格： ￥ 47,163

 

 

 

An innocent mistake?

Or you just trying to make your point by posting incorrect numbers?

[ippy 66]

Burton in Aus has come right down in price.

Uniqlo is becoming quite expensive I prefer GU these days. I have never bought brand jeans in my life. My local Max Value only has chicken priced at 100 yen per 100 grams on Saturday and Sundays. On Mondays the price drops to 58 yen and on tuesdays it drops to 38 yen. The package usually reads Nagano chicken Im no into free range meats too tuff. I dont beef anymore unless Im fed it at someones house or at school lunch. I recently bought a house for 13 million yen for a 120 square foot 8 year old house. The same cost where im from in NA would be double or more. I went back home this year and it wasnt cheap at all. The gas was cheaper but the car I was driving guzzled gas anyways. I parked my car at Narita for 3 weeks and paid less than 5000 yen and that included a full clean of the car.

 

There are a couple of reasons for that i assume.

 

1. Parity. The aus dollar used to be radically different if i remember, so an $800 Aus board was a lot closer to US prices than recently where the exchange rate is moving much closer to parity. So a couple of seasons ago (i think that was when it happened) Aus gear went quite quite comparatively expensive. Of course it was the same effective price in australia, but suddenly US prices looked a LOT cheaper.

 

The second one was a massive change they brought in to counter (i think) the online retailers.

 

They moved the release dates for gear an ENTIRE year ahead of schedule.

 

So instead of going 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010. The australian market went 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011. I assume this was pressure from places like sierra who were giving heavy discounts at the end of the US season in march and april just as Aus was gearing up for its season. Its pretty big when you think about it, because not only are retailers in australia competing with US prices on teh same gear, tehyre actually competing with US SALE prices on gear that is about to go out of date. Paying full price AUS for a board thats been out in teh US for almost ten months and is now on sale is a big deal for consumers. So the disparity gave them a huge reason to buy from outside AUS.

 

I think what youre maybe seeing is actually Australian post season prices comparing to US pre season prices now. This closes the gap and takes away the cash incentive for people to shop outside Australia.

 

So with these two things prices are stabilising i reckon. The exchange rate isnt spiking like it did two years ago catching people who had already agreed to pricing agreements unaware. The rebound didnt happen the following season so they probably factored that in to current or next season pricing. AND ON TOP OF THAT the season now preceedes the northern hemisphere season meaning that youre not paying top whack in December for import gear, but actually starting to see close-outs in the domestic market for the exact same board people in the US are paying top price for. Its fun fun fun!

[gareth_oau 2]

ippy, perhaps its that retailers (especially in australia) are finally realisiing that they have to stop whingeing and actually compete on a world scale, otherwise their customers will just source it elsewhere, or buy a different brand that is less restrictive.

 

The australian market used to be an island monopoly for retailers, but thanks to the internet, the consumers are forcing some rationisation?

 

If this is the case, then good on Burton for doing the right thing, and hopefully others may follow

[NoFakie 45]

My $200 Burton Ruler boots sell here for 47,900 or $615. I have seen Burton Vapor boards at pretty much U.S. prices.

 

No making accusations or anything, but did the boards at US prices have serial numbers? Because if they don't, they are parallel imports and don't have a guarantee.

 

All these references to other things are irrelevant, but if you want one, the median cost of a house in Detriot fell to $7500 in 2009.

 

Burton's distributor in Japan is err, Burton Japan. If there are any distribution problems or top-down policies controlling the minimum a shop can order, limits on discounts, etc. they are Burton's own creation. The wholesale prices in Japan must also be set by them, seemingly at not far off US retail.

 

11-12 Custom X USA RRP $650, Japan RRP 84000 yen. That's double. For kids making 800 yen an hour for arbeit, that's a big difference.

[yamabushi 3]

 

 

An innocent mistake?

Or you just trying to make your point by posting incorrect numbers?

 

Nah, I'm just better at shopping on the U.S.

 

Google up Microsoft Office 2010 professional. Click on shopping instead of web search. The first two prices listed is for $189. For the Japanese price this is what I saw at the store.

 

And I was also wrong with the price of office in China, it is $29 bucks. This is what makes things hilarious; there is very little software black market in Japan so the price is 47,163. On China, because otherwise it would not sell, they get rewarded with a $29 price tag.

 

How about the Burton boots? $200 on the U.S. retail price, 47000 Japan retail price. Yet the Burton Vapor has a fairly similar price tag here and there.