Would just like an explanation from K&C (1 Viewer)

[Isandlwana]

As a citizen of the UK I am a little bewildered by K&C's pricing. I really like the look of The Real West range but having looked at Treefrog's own shop I see that the mounted figures are on sale for $79.00. Using today's exchange rate this is the equivilent of £49.43. So, imagine, if you will, my chargrin when visiting K&C's website I observe that I must part with £79.95 (or in US dollars $127.78) to purchase one of these figures.

Please tell me K&C why US citizen's get their products so much cheaper than your UK bretheren?

I simply won't collect your figures if this continues.

 

[thebritfarmer]

It all has to with a tiny little thing called tax I would hazard a guess that you do realise that the UK is one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in? Everything is more expensive there not just toy soldiers.

 

[jazzeum]

Probably Tony Neville should answer this but I believe it has to do with the higher cost of living in the UK. I know that's fairly simplistic but I think that may be the answer in a nutshell. I also believe that other manufacturers are priced similarly such as Figarti.

 

[Isandlwana]

Well considering I have something to do with the UK's tax system I am well aware of the differences between the two countries and they do not account for the large discrepancies I currently see.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

In Canada, we pay the US price and often a 13% tax when it crosses the border, but still no where near as much as what it costs in Britain due to their taxes. If I lived in England, I would have a much smaller collection. I do sympathize.

Terry

 

[jazzeum]

It may be worth your while to send Tony or Mike an email or give them a ring. I'm sure they could give you a full explanation.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Probably Tony Neville should answer this but I believe it has to do with the higher cost of living in the UK. I know that's fairly simplistic but I think that may be the answer in a nutshell. I also believe that other manufacturers are priced similarly such as Figarti.

Yes, all of the manufacturers are more expensive in the UK. There was a discussion thread on this very topic 6 months ago somewhere on a K&C thread - anyone remember which one?

Terry

 

[Isandlwana]

I'm sorry. I've been very moany today. I began collecting the Charge of the Light Brigade figures and basically I bought all the 17th lancers and Cardigan and then had to give up (I also collect the Britains Zulu range so something had to give).

I love K&C figures but the're going beyond my means unfortuantely, which is a shame because I WANT to buy their Real West range so much.

 

[jazzeum]

I'm sorry. I've been very moany today. I began collecting the Charge of the Light Brigade figures and basically I bought all the 17th lancers and Cardigan and then had to give up (I also collect the Britains Zulu range so something had to give).

I love K&C figures but the're going beyond my means unfortuantely, which is a shame because I WANT to buy their Real West range so much.

I sympathize with you. I also love this range and bought all of the first two series but only bought the limited edition since. They are not cheap. By the way, on the Charge, the pricing is not set by K & C but by K & C UK as K & C UK own all rights to the figures and only commission K & C to make the figures for them.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

I'm sorry. I've been very moany today. I began collecting the Charge of the Light Brigade figures and basically I bought all the 17th lancers and Cardigan and then had to give up (I also collect the Britains Zulu range so something had to give).

I love K&C figures but the're going beyond my means unfortuantely, which is a shame because I WANT to buy their Real West range so much.

Tough choices. Welcome to the real world. I would love to collect Napoleon and American Civil War and don't know how I'm going to resist Sons of the Empire, but I can't even get all of the WW2 armour I would like.

Terry

 

[Tony Neville]

guys

K&C UK Special

yes the prices are set by us on here but we hav eto take into account unlike all other K&C product:-

COST OF DESIGN
COST OF BOX DESIGN AND MANAFACTURE
SHIPPING
UK VAT
DELIVERY
IMPORT TAX

Oh and then god forbid that little thing called in business making a profit!! all be it after that a couple of quid per figure

K&C UK are one of the only few dealers of K&C that have been bold enough to put the cash where our mouth is and develop the toy soldier industry.

With regards the general product pricing in the UK...........although explained many many times on here.

If you are a dealer you buy direct from HK if you buy from them in USD now if your buying from a USD based country (not just USA) then there is no exchange rate. We in the UK buy from HK in HKD so there is a pound to HKD exchange rate.

Then there are a few other factors i will show like this:-

FIGURE COST FROM HK
+ EXCHANGE RATE COSTS
+ IMPORT DUTY
+SHIPPING
+VAT (AT CURRENT RATE) IS CHARGED ON THE CONSIGMENT AND ALSO ON THE SHIPIPNG!!

Then on top of this again that nasty thing called profit!!

If you buy K&C from HK into the States you have the following:-

NO VAT
NO EXCHANGE RATE
Import Duty is lower by a massive %
SHIPPING is a lot lower (most global shippers are USA based)
state taxes are a lot lowere dependant where your shop is.

However we then use that profit to pay for the warehouse and staff etc Not for the ten sports cars that we all have and the big houses. Infact my dad is still working at 67 yes he enjoys it but also cannot afford to retire!!

we spend over £20k a year on advertising and promotion which all comes out of the product cost.

There is a reason that K&C UK is one of the longest lasting dealers / one of the largest as we return back into the business and develop as we go.

Again i compare Clothing, trainers toys etc.

I collect Star Wars mighty muggs UK Price £20+ for the latest ones i just picked up one in Miami for $15!!! reason being exactly the same the stores in the USA DO NOT have the same reatil taxation as us

Please also remember that a figure out of HK has gone up and as such our banding that we use for the tax addition is on top of that. A figure that cost retail £21.95 a few years ago is now £30 we however have not increased our GP% at all as we appreciate that if we tried to increas any of the profit % we make then it would make a UK figure daft price.

Clive at Figarti has the same issue and the likes of NMA who came and went found out to the detriment of their business.

Now just off to get the maid to make my bed and then put the horses to bed and maybe a quick drive in my bently before i have my goose dinner 5th meal of the day!!

Tony Neville

 

[Peiper007]

The pricing of K & C [and Britains] compared to the USA is a constant cause of confusion to us all, as are the considerable increases in the prices of the figures over the last 4 - 6 years.

I am not completely convinced about the tax being the reason because working in that sector for a number of year, not any more, it does not make sense as the prices are different across a number of countries, even in Scandianvia which have much higher taxation than the UK.

I think it is a marketing issue together with the size of market, regarding marketing, companies tend to charge what the market will stand. what
is also a factor is the amount in terms of volumes purchased in the US against the UK. I have worked for companies in the medical sector which priced accordingly to gain market share.

UK expensive place to live - I think this is a myth, we have high taxes, but many are on consumption, direct taxation is quite low in comparason with other EU countries. So in a world of choice we choose to pay taxes by buying more. Another thing to think about is your UK council tax on your house, is your house really worth the value that is bhighlighted on the council grading!! Think not.

Too little here about Toy soldiers. Thinking about it, we are all collectors and I know on a number of occasions I have sworn off buying K & C as each price increase kicks in. The new D-Day US paratroopers are roughly the same price as the previous D-Day US paratroopers, but in the new sets there is 2, whereas in the old set there was 3.

 

[thebritfarmer]

The pricing of K & C [and Britains] compared to the USA is a constant cause of confusion to us all, as are the considerable increases in the prices of the figures over the last 4 - 6 years.

I am not completely convinced about the tax being the reason because working in that sector for a number of year, not any more, it does not make sense as the prices are different across a number of countries, even in Scandianvia which have much higher taxation than the UK.

I think it is a marketing issue together with the size of market, regarding marketing, companies tend to charge what the market will stand. what
is also a factor is the amount in terms of volumes purchased in the US against the UK. I have worked for companies in the medical sector which priced accordingly to gain market share.

UK expensive place to live - I think this is a myth, we have high taxes, but many are on consumption, direct taxation is quite low in comparason with other EU countries. So in a world of choice we choose to pay taxes by buying more. Another thing to think about is your UK council tax on your house, is your house really worth the value that is bhighlighted on the council grading!! Think not.

Too little here about Toy soldiers. Thinking about it, we are all collectors and I know on a number of occasions I have sworn off buying K & C as each price increase kicks in. The new D-Day US paratroopers are roughly the same price as the previous D-Day US paratroopers, but in the new sets there is 2, whereas in the old set there was 3.

Having lived in the UK and then moving to Canada I can say that the UK is an expensive place to live

houses, cars, petrol all double what they are here and minimum wage is less in the UK.

 

[Spanish soldier]

It is cheaper to buy in the U.S., continental Europe and the UK is more expensive by the change of the euro and the pound sterling

 

[Tony Neville]

The pricing of K & C [and Britains] compared to the USA is a constant cause of confusion to us all, as are the considerable increases in the prices of the figures over the last 4 - 6 years.

I am not completely convinced about the tax being the reason because working in that sector for a number of year, not any more, it does not make sense as the prices are different across a number of countries, even in Scandianvia which have much higher taxation than the UK.

I think it is a marketing issue together with the size of market, regarding marketing, companies tend to charge what the market will stand. what
is also a factor is the amount in terms of volumes purchased in the US against the UK. I have worked for companies in the medical sector which priced accordingly to gain market share.

UK expensive place to live - I think this is a myth, we have high taxes, but many are on consumption, direct taxation is quite low in comparason with other EU countries. So in a world of choice we choose to pay taxes by buying more. Another thing to think about is your UK council tax on your house, is your house really worth the value that is bhighlighted on the council grading!! Think not.

Too little here about Toy soldiers. Thinking about it, we are all collectors and I know on a number of occasions I have sworn off buying K & C as each price increase kicks in. The new D-Day US paratroopers are roughly the same price as the previous D-Day US paratroopers, but in the new sets there is 2, whereas in the old set there was 3.

the COST price of TWO soldiers now from K&C is higher now than the THREE soldiers prior. This then comes back to another many times explained isuue the cost of raw materials the increase in labour etc in China.

and it is a tax issue for a fact as if i buy the item in HK for the same cost price as the USA dealers i have more taxation on that item coming into the UK!! Sorry fact as i right the cheques for all the different taxs!!

Also please remember not ALL dealers around the world are not FULLTIME as well and therefore dont pay all their taxs!! we are a FULL TIME REGISTERED company so we DO pay our import duty, VAT etc.........and as much as yes there is VAT to claim we always pay each quarter a VAT bill........so no we dont get it back!

 

[Tony Neville]

Also another point i am of course repyling to the question why is K&C dearer in UK than for example used USA.

On the subjects of general tax's having many discussions with friends family and business associates around the world i would say in fact there is no major differentials with the end amount of money paid by all of us for country tax's they are just called other things.

i dont pay for my bins to be collected by a private firm (USA style) yet i pay council tax for all my local ammenties. I buy a coffee from a shop and the price i pay is what i see no added tax. If i stay in a hotel in UK i dont pay room / bed tax etc.

If i live in Hong Kong (like my brother) my income tax is low but my rent is higher than that in UK!!

My opinion is it is six and two threes the goverments just package them differntly.

However the fact still remains if you buy an item from outside the UK (trade) and that item is in US$ then you have to add all mentioned on before you even look at making a profit. Buy as a trader in USA and buy outside in US$ it is not the same fact! Give or take as i mentined a couple of quid.

Also however i dont want to turn this thread into a world text thread as it was a direct punt at K&C UK pricing i have answered that. Also not had the courtesy of a reply from the thread generator to say thanks or continue the subject!

regards

Tony Neville

 

[Rob]

I must say by the time I've paid postage,tax and another charge (which appears to be a handling charge)its more expensive to buy from abroad than it is from the UK.I get stung by customs every time,its a killer.I also think the exchange rate on a credit card is lower than the normal exchnage rate right now.

Rob

 

[Peter Reuss]

We should also point out (as Tony has done many times before) that K&C UK and K&C are two completely distinct companies. Sometimes people get the idea that K&C UK is just the UK version of the company, as if buying from Tony means you actually buy directly from Andy. That's not the case. K&C UK purchases their K&C just like the rest of us dealers, so they have all our costs plus VAT.

IMHO, they do amazing work in promoting the hobby and promoting K&C.

 

[MarkeytMaker]

I'm sorry. I've been very moany today. I began collecting the Charge of the Light Brigade figures and basically I bought all the 17th lancers and Cardigan and then had to give up (I also collect the Britains Zulu range so something had to give).

I love K&C figures but the're going beyond my means unfortuantely, which is a shame because I WANT to buy their Real West range so much.

I suppose (and bringing some humor in this) if enough of your neighbors could place orders I could rent a jetliner and fly the stuff over to you for a discount...might even save a little if I push the order off the back of the plane by parachute when I get close to your house...LOL! Can you imagine you and your friends chasing the drop?

Actually what you said sucks and that would be disappointing.

 

[Tony Neville]

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,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' just cost me £30