Doing Any Good Things With The High $AUD?

[cove]

I think we could get a Moderator a cashmere jacket to go with the Dockers trousers for about 500 to 600 rather than about 2,100 at DJs.That was the biggest difference in clothing prices I have ever found on an identical product.

 

[JayGreenstein]

I would normally expect pre-holiday trading to be thin and after such a good run higher I would have expected a counter-trend move as traders and investors took money off the table.

JayGreenstein

 

[Favfern]

Not sure how to put this but, where the AU dollar sits makes little difference to its buying power.

Certain items are cheap but this has been consistent over the last 8 years. I can't buy a camera in the US from BHPhoto as its cheaper buying in Australia so are many other photographic items. Joggers are certainly cheaper but not the lower quality models in the range. Big items are cheap ie TV's but you can't bring them back in your luggage. I don't think clothes are all that cheap, Levi jeans what save $20. Computers are cheaper here.

Sales are the only thing that make things cheap, fun to explore buying something unusual, expect the unexpected. Don't go expecting to save a motza you will not.

Perhaps HK or China are the bargain places, not so much the US as the US Dollar does not have the same purchacing power. Then you can't carry it all home

How much can you save? and add your shopping airfare into that equation.


r

Just stumbled on to this thread and couldn't believe this quote! Forget all about the shopping airfare --- I can save a motza just sitting in my lounge room tapping on my laptop. My favourite male cologne is Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa. If you can find it in Australia (and that is sometimes a big "if") you will pay over AUD200 for 100ml. I can presently buy a 180ml bottle from StrawberryNet for AUD 130 and get free gifts thrown in at a postage cost of AUD10.00 delivered to my door. I am flying to London in September for six weeks and am watching the daily fluctuations in the UK currency waiting for a good time to buy a sterling cash card. It will be nice to count all those pounds I am going to get in exchange for each AUD1000!

 

[travelislife]

Only $20 difference between Levi's, try 50% difference, $100+ in Aus, less than $50 in the states. Last time I was there I bought 2 Macbook Pro's saving about $2000 (the crazy bit is the extended worldwide warranty product, 30% cheaper than Aus, for a 'virtual' product, but this comes back to the itunes and amazon books argument). Asics Kayanos $250+ here, $110 there, just crazy, I refuse to shop for products like electronics, books, clothing, etc. in Australia.

 

[froggerADL]

I am flying to London in September for six weeks and am watching the daily fluctuations in the UK currency waiting for a good time to buy a sterling cash card.

67p seems pretty good. What rate are you looking for?

 

[Flashback]

67p seems pretty good. What rate are you looking for?

Agreed. Has been around 65p for some time now, so I'd probably be happy if I was in their shoes to just go out and do it now. I don't think much will be gained by waiting.

 

[cove]

Not my daughters jeans were 80 on sale versus 300 in Perth.Cosmetics are a huge difference in the US.

 

[Favfern]

67p seems pretty good. What rate are you looking for?

Agreed that 67p is getting pretty good. The real game involves not so much the rate they quote at the end of the 6 o'clock news --- it is the REAL rate you can convert at down at the bank or the local money-changer --- and there are some mighty rip-offs available there! The vendors of foreign currencies have to make a profit of course, but the spread between "buy" amd "sell" rates are sometimes astonishing. Don't even mention airport currency booths, unless you REALLY want to get me started! Not only are the spreads normally outrageous, they want to charge you "commission" on top!

 

[froggerADL]

Agreed that 67p is getting pretty good. The real game involves not so much the rate they quote at the end of the 6 o'clock news --- it is the REAL rate you can convert at down at the bank or the local money-changer --- and there are some mighty rip-offs available there! The vendors of foreign currencies have to make a profit of course, but the spread between "buy" amd "sell" rates are sometimes astonishing. Don't even mention airport currency booths, unless you REALLY want to get me started! Not only are the spreads normally outrageous, they want to charge you "commission" on top!

Just use a 28Degrees card.

I was in the US mid-June and every transaction came out at between $1.05 and $1.06, including cash wthdrawls. There are no transaction or conversion fees, just US ATM fees.

 

[Cynicor]

Just use a 28Degrees card.

I was in the US mid-June and every transaction came out at between $1.05 and $1.06, including cash wthdrawls. There are no transaction or conversion fees, just US ATM fees.

The only problem with this is that you need to be in country to use the 28 degrees card. I think we're talking about locking in a good rate.

Favfern- We had a thread on local exchange rates recently and Medhead (IIRC, apologies if it was someone else) went around to a heap of shops/banks to see who gave the best rate, if you need help starting. I use Lucky Plaza mostly, but others don't have this luxury. In Perth I normally scout the UAE exchange as they seem to be decent.

 

[awilcockson]

Camarillo Premium Outlets

I was just there 3 weeks ago during the memorial day sale. Bought 6 van Heusen business shirts, 5 polos and a $800 suit for just over $250 Heading back to the US for a family holiday on Tuesday, will once again be taking a suitcase inside my suitcase to fill up with stuff from the outlet malls

 

[awilcockson]

Only $20 difference between Levi's, try 50% difference, $100+ in Aus, less than $50 in the states. Last time I was there I bought 2 Macbook Pro's saving about $2000 (the crazy bit is the extended worldwide warranty product, 30% cheaper than Aus, for a 'virtual' product, but this comes back to the itunes and amazon books argument). Asics Kayanos $250+ here, $110 there, just crazy, I refuse to shop for products like electronics, books, clothing, etc. in Australia.

I bought 3 pairs of levis foe us$90, less than the price of a single pair at an outlet store in Australia. On my last trip I bought 100ml of my wife's favourite perfume for US$40, it retails for $120 in australia. On my upcoming trip I am buying a canon lens from best buy for just over $500. Cheapest I can get it imported for is $660 from ddp, and retail is over $1000!

 

[Princess Fiona]

For all the fashionistas out there the best, most reliable US e-tailers are Shopbop and Revolve, both ship free to AU.
eg. True Religion Misty jeans $186 AUD Revolve, $305 DJ's
I could list several even better deals than that but they might become too popular

 

[cove]

When we do the comparisons I ask myself why haven't the retail prices for clothing in Australia fallen sharply so far?Someone in the supply chain is trousering a real chunk of the money and it appears to be the retailers.

 

[Mr_Gimlet]

When we do the comparisons I ask myself why haven't the retail prices for clothing in Australia fallen sharply so far?Someone in the supply chain is trousering a real chunk of the money and it appears to be the retailers.

I would say it is the distributors (there was a really whining article a few weeks ago in the Age from a jeans distributor), the rental on commercial property and higher staff wages. I suspect the retailers make the same as a US B&M store.

 

[cove]

Have had to go to Home Depot last night to get packaging tape to box up some shopping to ship home. At after 10 pm the Inn N Out Burger was humming as was Home Depot.My guests went and bought more than would fit in 2 big bags and the scales are handy in keeping the bags under the limit.

 

[maureeng]

The Australian dollar is up or other currencies are down so what should we be doing to take advantage of this when we are travelling overseas?

Having travelled with the value of the $AUD at sub 50 cents to the US dollar and the English pound where 3 Australian dollars could get you one I have wondered whether we are changing our behaviour.I was looking at Dom Perignon champagne at a bit over 100 and thinking what a great price. Then I was thinking about a nicer hotel in New York and London.Is there something I am missing?

Paid for our 2012 holiday to US and Mexico and got the resorts at this years prices and with the dollar being so good we are winning .

 

[Favfern]

The only problem with this is that you need to be in country to use the 28 degrees card. I think we're talking about locking in a good rate.

Favfern- We had a thread on local exchange rates recently and Medhead (IIRC, apologies if it was someone else) went around to a heap of shops/banks to see who gave the best rate, if you need help starting. I use Lucky Plaza mostly, but others don't have this luxury. In Perth I normally scout the UAE exchange as they seem to be decent.

Thanks for the advice. I will check out the recent thread. I am indeed talking about locking in a good rate by buying a sterling card at the most appropriate time. Of course, with the latest cash cards you can add more funds to them on separate occasions. Fortunately the sterling and euro fluctuations are not as jumpy as the USD is on a daily basis. Also fortunately, I have a daughter who is working as an emergency medicine specialist in London so we have free board and lodging for six weeks while we are there. I just knew all that money I paid for her education would be worthwhile one day!!!

 

[blackcat20]

I would say it is the distributors (there was a really whining article a few weeks ago in the Age from a jeans distributor), the rental on commercial property and higher staff wages. I suspect the retailers make the same as a US B&M store.

Yes, it is mostly the distributors. I have an online store, and what I pay wholesale is approx the same as US retail, but they are the only ones allowed to import the product. Admittedly the price went down slightly when the AUD went up, but now there has been a US wholesale price increase so my wholesale price goes up again...

 

[JayGreenstein]

You have fantastic Idea. But now I have decided to launch a company that will helpful for me to improve my financial condition as well as providing services to my customers. I have decided to open a furniture removal company in Brisbane.
Is this a great Idea?