Quote:
Originally Posted by TDPRI
Is it possible that Fender and other US makers use a distributor to sell product in the UK (and Europe and Australia). In other words, they don't sell their products directly to music stores in those countries. They sell them to a distributor who in return sells them to the dealers?
|
I do believe, as I said earlier in the thread, that it's worse than that (Jim). If I'm right, Fender in the USA ship their products to Fender Europe, in Antwerp, Belgium or some similar place, who in turn sell the goods to Fender UK and other national distributors, who supply the individual retailers. So the retail purchaser is four stages removed from the manufacturer and has to finance the costs and profit for each link in this chain in addition to import duties and national taxes. Hence the relatively higher prices in Europe. Q.E.D.