UK versus USA

[john5748]

I was quite flush last month and bought loads of stuff for my topical friends, I have just been checking out the Petsmart and Walmart websites.

I know a lot of people have complained about the expertise of some staff members and even the conditions the fish are housed in, but it is the price difference I find quite amazing.

Are the UK lfs taking us for mugs or is this Gordon Brown with more taxes that just get passed onto us by the shops?

Does anyone from the UK buy equipment from abroad, if so, does it work, have you came across any problems?

 

[LoachLover]

Prices in the United States are lower than in the UK on almost everything it seems.

 

[Fiori]

I've seen some US members talking about the prices they pay for their fish - the difference is obscene in some cases, e.g. my lfs sells tiger barbs at £4.50 each and someone here from US was getting them for 99 cents each. WTF ! Its scandalous.

 

[LoachLover]

Prices for stuff in the UK is totally rediculous, like I know I paid $75 for a soccer jersey, in the United States I eventually found the same one for $20.

 

[WILDER]

They don't call us rip off britain for nothing.

 

[john5748]

Just out of interest I bought a Dwarf Gourami last month and that cost £5.00, how much would I have paid in the US?

 

[LoachLover]

I pay $2 -$3

 

[Annastasia]

Yeah...they are usually about $3-$4 around here.

 

[john5748]

No wonder all you lot over the water have beautiful tanks

Anyone ever had any experiences of ordering anything from the US good or bad?

 

[NinjaSmurf]

I can get guppies anywhere from ten for a buck (feeders) at Petco (they sell pairs of fancies for like almost 6 bucks!) to 2.66$ at wal-mart. Cories are 3 at my lfs (cept for pandas, which are like 5), guppies are 2, blue rams and bristlenose are like 6.79, I think rummies are 2 or 3.....

It all depends where you shop I guess.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I think part of the problem is due to places like america being much closer to asia than england is and due to the fact that alot of fish are imported from asia. It costs more to import neons from china to england but alot less to america due to less travel time getting there- mortality rates in fish from longer periods of transportation must also increase prices too.

 

[john5748]

I think part of the problem is due to places like america being much closer to asia than england is and due to the fact that alot of fish are imported from asia. It costs more to import neons from china to england but alot less to america due to less travel time getting there- mortality rates in fish from longer periods of transportation must also increase prices too.

So nothing to do with rip off britain as wilder said??

 

[LoachLover]

I think part of the problem is due to places like america being much closer to asia than england is and due to the fact that alot of fish are imported from asia. It costs more to import neons from china to england but alot less to america due to less travel time getting there- mortality rates in fish from longer periods of transportation must also increase prices too.

I wouldn't say Asia is closer to the United States, I mean Russia is close to Alaska but that's about it. The Pacific is much larger than most people think.

 

[LoachLover]

I think part of the problem is due to places like america being much closer to asia than england is and due to the fact that alot of fish are imported from asia. It costs more to import neons from china to england but alot less to america due to less travel time getting there- mortality rates in fish from longer periods of transportation must also increase prices too.

So nothing to do with rip off britain as wilder said??

Europe for the most part rips you off. I've had friends go to England, Germany, and Fracne. The prices all rediculously high in all those places. From Gas to Fish to Clothes. It's just just importing fish, it's everything.

 

[Jen]

I'm sure some of it does come down to the individual store. I have noticed huge differences in fish in 2 different stores...2.99 for a rosey barb at my lfs, and then 5.99 for it at Petsmart. Same size, same sex.