Ridiculous Markup On Strollers

[dave111223]

I was in Central today looking for a tandem stroller (the kind where there is one seat behind the other).

In the Mothercare section they have one; price: 29,900 ($1,000 USD)

Exact same model in the US sells retail for $239.99... I mean I know there are import taxes and shipping, but $240 marked up to $1000 COME ON!

And that's not even considering that shops like Mothercare don't pay retails for their stock.

http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?SKU=17319604&

Luckily my parents are coming at Xmas from US and i will have them bring one over.

Edited September 4, 2011 by dave111223

[soundman]

Yep, strollers are expensive. Wait 'till you start shopping for a decent car seat for the baby, you'll have a heart attack at the price tag.

[Boo]

Good point about the car seats, if your parents can bring one too you will save a lot of money. We ALWAYS took a car seat from UK on holiday except one year when we had to buy when in Samui, it was a good brand but was very expensive. We ended up leaving it at the MIL's but our son grew out of it by the time of the next trip.

[dave111223]

I've found the car seat prices are not too bad. I think we paid something like 4000THB for a car seat for our first son. Comparable car seats in the US seem to go for about $100-$200, so similar price.

Nothing like the markup on this stroller.

[gregb]

Strollers are ridiculously priced. Twin strollers even more so.

Luckily, most airlines do not consider strollers against your checked baggage allowance, whether or not a child is travelling with you on your itinerary. At least both United and Delta have this policy.

Thus, just have a friend bring one over for you. No reason to pay the extortionate prices here...and they are extortionate.

[dave111223]

Luckily, most airlines do not consider strollers against your checked baggage allowance, whether or not a child is travelling with you on your itinerary. At least both United and Delta have this policy.

Yeah i'm hoping my parents can just nonchalantly roll the stroller up to the check-in counter and the desk staff will just think "Stroller" slap a label on it not think twice.

Worst comes to worst i'll have to pay out the $100 or so for an extra bag, still a lot of savings.

[samran]

yeah, I used the opportunity for a Singapore stop over on a work trip to get the stroller sorted.

re-checked in at Changi in a suit and tie and a new Mclaren with no-baby on board. Went to the gate. A right sight I was!

[thaiclan]

Singapore is not much better, although there is much more choice for lower end brands.

We bought a Quinny Buzz in Singapore Mothercare 2 years ago and the price tag was a heart-stopping $1,800 (my husband bought it without me there). It was the "fully loaded" one with baby pram attachment - but still! Firstly it costs around £400 in the UK (S$800), and secondly $1,800 is the cost of a small motorbike in Thailand!

I can only assume that the import taxes of luxury baby goods is as astronomical as that of cars - maybe its just a luxury vehicle tax :-)

[KunMatt]

Just the thread I was looking for to bitch in!

We've been looking at strollers over the last couple of weeks and the difference in price here to the real RRP in the US or UK is scandalous. There's a Graco "travel system" (stroller, carry cot and car seat with base) I quite liked the look of but it is 18k+ in Central and Paragon - that's almost as much as my first car cost, the same model in the US is the equivalent of 6k. I also read some reviews on it and it's not so great (hence the 6k RRP in the US) and definitely not the top of the line Graco model even though it is the best one that all the shops carry here.

I know they are considered luxuries and aimed at farangs and HiSo Thais but there's no way I am paying more than three times the real price just to be able to buy a stoller here. I might do the same as the OP and get my parents to hand carry a stroller here next time they vist but I'm not really sure that a stroller is ideal for BKK anyways, what do regular Thais do with their toddlers when they take them out?? (put them in the basket of the scooter is the obvious answer, I guess).

Toys are just as overpriced and not worth the money you are paying for them. I wouldn't mind spending 4k on a decent Fisher Price play thing for my son but they all seem to be the Asian equivalent (evident by the string used for packaging) and much poorer quality than we have in the UK for at least twice the money so every present I get him I just feel like I got cheated and he got a crappy toy.

The price to pay for trying to live a farang lifestyle in an Asian country. I'm dreading international school fees in a few years!!

[BasementCat]

Come on people, just order a stroller from Amazon. I ordered a Graco Quattro Tour (160 USD on Amazon) 3 months ago: appr. 8'000 THB including shipment, import tax and the stroller itself. Compare that to 25'000 THB in Central! Took 3 days from the order date to deliver to my doorstep in Samui. The only problem is that not all models are available for sale outside the States. I was amazed that the price of delivery was only 1'000 THB.

[PattayaParent]

Come on people, just order a stroller from Amazon. I ordered a Graco Quattro Tour (160 USD on Amazon) 3 months ago: appr. 8'000 THB including shipment, import tax and the stroller itself. Compare that to 25'000 THB in Central! Took 3 days from the order date to deliver to my doorstep in Samui. The only problem is that not all models are available for sale outside the States. I was amazed that the price of delivery was only 1'000 THB.

I'm wondering how does someone on Amazon pay the import tax or was it purchased from a company in Thailand? Or is that the cost including import tax paid by you?

[BasementCat]

No Thai company should be involved. Amazon's Import team will arrange payment of import tax on behalf of yourself, fast and efficient. Be sure to purchase from Amazon and not from resellers (this information is available on product page). After you chose a product on Amazon.com, you will be able to see estimation of delivery cost as well as import tax, depending on your country and its tax law. Then you proceed and pay this estimated amount. Amazon confirms your order and ships your parcel. They will let you know if the parcel will require payment of any additional fee at the customs, and you'll pay it later on. This is a very rare occasion however. Buyers of child strollers should not be concerned.

In my case I paid 8'000 THB in one installment by credit card, and Amazon paid all of the import tax etc. I paid Monday evening, and Friday morning I had the stroller delivered to my door step. Mind you, it was a huge box weighing appr. 12 kg. No additional costs whatsoever.

[dave111223]

I've added the stroller to the cart on Amazon and came up with Import tax of about $115. Does this mean the tax is limited to this amount; or could I potentially get another tax bill for an additional $400 or something when it arrives?

[PattayaParent]

I've added the stroller to the cart on Amazon and came up with Import tax of about $115. Does this mean the tax is limited to this amount; or could I potentially get another tax bill for an additional $400 or something when it arrives?

And if there is an additional charge levied on arrival can you send the goods back and get a full refund from Amazon?

[PattayaParent]

I found this on Amazon.com regarding shipping rates.

International Customers

When a product is shipped overseas, local authorities of the country to which it is delivered decide if and how much tax to charge their citizens. Unfortunately we don't have control of the way Amazon displays the information nor do we have control of the charges, but they do clearly spell it out in their help text that Customs, Duties and Taxes are the responsibility of the recipient and may be incurred on international shipments.

As a benefit to our customers, we ship the vast majority of our international orders FedEx Express which includes the brokerage fee

Duties and customs fees may apply and are the sole responsibility of the recipient.

International Shipments:

Customers are responsible for all customs , duties and taxes associated with the shipment . Refusal of the shipment for any reason other than Damage will result in a refund less customs and shipping both ways .

Edit: But I've also found something about an Amazon Global Programme which includes import duties which I guess is what BasementCat used?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_468520_intl596184?ie=UTF8&nodeId=596184

and this states that if the actual import duty is more than their estimate then you don't have to pay extra (and get a refund if the import duty is less)

Edited September 30, 2011 by PattayaParent

[BasementCat]

Sorry for taking long to respond. Yes, I used Amazon Global Program. If you check their FAQ, you will see that additional 400 USD or any other amount in customs fees due upon the product's arrival is not an option:

"What if the actual Import Fees are more than the Import Fees Deposit I was charged?

For items sold by Amazon Export Sales, Inc., you will not be charged any additional fees if the actual Import Fees exceed the Import Fees Deposit we estimated. For items sold by Merchants, please check the applicable Merchant's policies."

I was wrong in my previous post regarding possibility of extra charge.