Price Differences

last year

I can sort of understand some suppliers have different cost structures , even different marketing strategies . I can understand some builders cutting corners with either labour , product quantity or product quality . This post ISN'T about that .

I found a jug and toaster pair I liked --

Smeg isn't a cheap brand , but within reason I am prepared to pay what they are asking . So I looked on-line , and here in New Zealand it appears there were 2 retailers that 'stocked' these . I called 3 smaller retailers too , but none could supply , and it turned out the 2 larger retailers didn't actually have this particular model here in New Zealand , but both can get them , as long as I paid a $200 deposit at one shop , or in full at the other .

Here's where it gets interesting though . One ( ironically , the one that wanted the $200 deposit ) wanted $660 ; the other wanted $1095 in full . I can fully understand a $100 , maybe even a $200 difference , but over $400 is a bit much surely ?

Not the end of the world , and maybe they source these from different suppliers ( maybe one has direct access to Smeg , the other gets them from an Aus or German or US or wherever retailer ? ) but definitely something I can't understand . I'm sure neither retailer would be too upset at losing my sale , but it certainly shows it pays to double check , and it makes me reluctant to buy anything off the more expensive retailer , and no doubt I'm not the only person that checks prices , so I wonder how many other items they do this to ?

Featured Answer

C P

last year

Ugh link didn't work

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (33)

C P
last year
I think in Australia you'd get them most places for $500 max.

Do love that rose gold colour
User thanked C P
Julie Herbert
last year
Yes beautiful colour, I bought my kettle in white $200 and I love it, one disappointment is that it has discoloured at top of handle where steam condenses, just a little thing otherwise it’s gorgeous.
User thanked Julie Herbert
Related Discussions
Need colour scheme for fibro cottage
Q
Comments (5)
Are you thinking of painting because of maintenance or just aesthetics? Have you talked to your real estate agent about whether changing the colour palette would improve curb appeal. Your home's facade is a bit dated but not so offensive that it would put buyers off and if they wanted to change the colours to suit their tastes then they will anyway at some point. Unless the paint is peeling, leave it as it is and put your energy into a really nice garden as that will be more attractive to buyers. From the photo your letterbox looks like it is lost and should be moved closer to the path to the front door. Better planting and some pots on the verandah would make it look more welcoming. Ask for some landscaping advice as this will be a more effective approach to improving your curb appeal. All the best with selling your house.
...See More
Brickpointing or Cement Rendering a Period Home
Q
Comments (6)
Not sure on costings. Render would probably be cheaper in comparison, by how much I don't know. If its a traditional styled dwelling then face brick with pointing would be fantastic against the many thousands of rendered blandness! More so if you used traditional brickwork styles, corbel's to veranda piers, etc..
...See More
Kitchen Cabinets
Q
Comments (1)
check out the on line DIY kitchen cabinets by Ikea or Kaboodle for door prices and that will give you a basic idea of the difference in price but a proper quote from a reputable kitchen cabinet maker is the only real way to find out and remember you may need 20 or 30 doors and drawers etc etc..expect to start from $20,000 for a custom made kitchen although it is possible to build a basic DIY flatpac kitchen for around $5000 and, assembling flatpac cabinets (and organising all the new appliances, choosing colours and textures and hiring a plumber and electrician and choosing a sink and taps and light fittings etc etc is a good way to find out if you'll really enjoy renovating
...See More
Opinions on Freestanding wood fired heaters
Q
Comments (0)
There seems to be few reviews on small freestanding wood fired heaters. In our research their is a significant price difference between brands $1100 - $6000 for similar sizes and simply looking at efficiencies doesn’t always correlate to price. Any thoughts on what Brand might be best value ?
...See More
bigreader
last year
Homewares can be a rip off. It pays to shop around.
User thanked bigreader
siriuskey
last year
Smeg is a good brand and they are very PRETTY Pottsy, I usually buy mine from Kmart or Aldi and then even check out the local recycle center for a bargain, great brands included.
User thanked siriuskey
User
Original Author
last year
@C P -- on Amazon , the toaster is $AU499 , the jug $AU239 . With freight that would be around $800 here in NZ . Does anyone know if retailers are cheaper than Amazon ? I'm not going to buy another one haha , just general interest -- Amazon have a reputation for only buying if they can get items at very attractive prices .

Just to expand on that , I have a very good friend in the States ( we chat at least once every couple of weeks ) who has quite a large manufacturing business around 500 staff -- he submitted a unique product to Amazon , they had several meetings over maybe 6 months , they came back and said could he supply some vast quantity per month , he said yeah , they could easily scale up , then they came back and said they'd only pay about 60% of what he was asking , they wanted something like $10million worth for stock alone , they'd only pay him when they sold .

Got a bit sidetracked there sorry , but yeah , thats why I thought Amazon would be amongst the cheapest .
0
siriuskey
last year
We find Kogan is the cheapest, prices are always subject to what the NZ dollar is worth at the time of purchase
User thanked siriuskey
C P
last year
I'm surprised you didn't go for the Dolce & Gabbana options Pottsy
User thanked C P
jen876
last year
last modified: last year
I wouldn't buy the Smeg kettle. The lid on my beautiful teal Smeg kettle broke after about 6 months, around the same time I had problems with a Smeg dishwasher. The technician who came to fix the dishwasher pointed at the kettle and asked "has the lid broken yet" the toaster was fine, but no better than a standard Breville toaster
User thanked jen876
User
Original Author
last year
Normally I buy the $30 jug and $50 toaster , but I did splash out on these . In fact , I bought the Russell Hobbs jug 6 weeks ago

which is in copper , even that was a treat at $109 , but then I saw the Smeg ones @C P .

Probably 50% of my kitchen stuff is from K Mart , I don't buy the $10 plasticy stuff , and I must confess I have gone to the occassional designer store , but I would class myself normally as a mid-range buyer . About 15 years ago I discovered Eygptian Cotton towels , and bought around 30 of them over 2 or 3 years ( all from the same store , all in red ) and I still have around 26 of them ! Nice towels , 5 times the price of the cheapies , but lasted really well and still as soft as .
0
Lisa
last year
I wouldn’t buy another Smeg kettle. The lid broke on mine as well.
User thanked Lisa
C P
last year
I was admiring the Alessi black kettle and toaster but wonder if they will be another example of form triumphing over function
User thanked C P
User
Original Author
last year
I just googled the Alessi ones -- @C P , is yours the more conventional shape ( in black ) , or the trapezedal one ? My current jug is a trapezedal one in Candy Apple Red that isn't a $300 Alessi -- it was $45 at K Mart -- but it looks similar , it is full metal , still going strong after 8-10 years . I'm trying to wean myself off red appliances though haha -- it suits my current kitchen , but not the new place as much , so I thought I'd splash out a bit and go copper/rose gold .

Reading some of the comments , it may be $660 not well spent -- I've paid the $200 deposit ( plus bought the Russell Hobbs a few weeks back too , but it isn't quite what I'm looking for ) . Without sounding too moralistic , no matter what , I'll pay the other $460 when they get here , because its the right thing to do -- on an absolute legal basis , I never signed anything , but I like to think I honour anything I promise , and conversely get annoyed when others try to back out or deny agreeing etc -- I don't want to be that person !
Julie Herbert
last year
I just love the Bugatti kettle, very pricey but oh so stylish for your new lovely home.
0
User
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
The sloping one looks cool , but I see its 349 Pounds in England so it would be getting close on $1000 here , just for the jug .

One bonus though is that I don't have a Bugatti in my collection , and the Porsche wants a new friend . . . . . . . . .

The only small problem is that this green 1934 Bugatti sold for $US35 million .
Julie Herbert
last year
Just found a companion for your Porsche, the Bugatti Mistral, just a car you can drive on the days you are doing the shopping at Woolies.
User thanked Julie Herbert
User
Original Author
last year
The Mistral will be around $10 mil , I'm not sure if I actually want one , but it would be nice to know you could buy one I guess . My bank officially doesn't want me spending any silly money , I think $10mil might come into that category haha .

The bank doesn't know yet , but when my existing house sells , I have to refinance a few things , but I will have some play money , and it is quite likely I will buy a new McLaren -- there's no logical reason to buy one , but I'm a car guy and also Bruce McLaren was a New Zealander -- if I can get the money , why not buy one ?

And even though officially I'm not spending silly money , last week I bought a genuine 1986 AMG Mercedes 560SEC -- the iconic black widebody 'uber-yuppy' big 2 door Merc coupe .

And just as a bit of a tease , you saw my red 356 Porsche @Julie Herbert -- that was the model that James Dean died in . Porsche only ever made 3200 of them , and only 280 were Right Hand Drive -- my red one is RHD , but if you look at what we call our Number 2 shed , you will see my silver race one -- its LHD , so I have the set haha !
Julie Herbert
last year
And E type jags, beautiful.
User thanked Julie Herbert
afjp
last year
I drive a Camry and corolla so not quite in your league Pottsy. I just like to get from A to B without breaking down. But I can comment on the smeg kettle and toaster. After a few months the paint started bubbling at the top where the spout is. It works fine but not the statement piece I was looking for. The toaster works but no better than any other. Wouldnt buy again. Perhaps buy them but dont use them!
User thanked afjp
kiwimills
last year
Black 560sec was my dream car back in the day. Loved the shape!
User thanked kiwimills
C P
last year
It was this Alessi set for me
User thanked C P
C P
last year
Oh sorry, we've moved on from small electrical I see
0
Jan Dobson
last year
Interesting discussion. Wouldn’t life be so much easier if, form taken into account, you got what you paid for? Have lived with all our gear in storage for several months, on several occasions. During one of those times we bought an ultra cheap, plastic, Kmart kettle. Damn thing wouldn’t die! Supposedly ‘decent’ brand kettles that we’ve had since…..every damn problem one can imagine 🤦🏻‍♀️
Kate
last year
Hired an e type jag for my wedding car
kiwimills
last year
Balling -Kate!!!

Classy.
siriuskey
last year
Had a very old canvas top Mini Moke for our wedding, not nearly as flash as the E type
User
Original Author
last year
I wouldn't care whether I had an E Type or a Moke at my wedding -- I'd marry either hahahaha . . . . . . . .
PRO
Aus Joinery Kitchens Pty Ltd
last year
Some retailers get a bigger discount by the volume they order from that company and also who is the bigger hustler, the rep or the retailer.
macyjean
last year
I keep looking at the Bugatti kettle. The first one. I like the second one though not the price, not for a kettle. The first one reminded me, the ability to pour easily is an important function. I once had a very cool looking sculptural measuring jug and it was an awkward mess to use.
User
Original Author
last year
At one stage , this almost morphed into a car thread -- I just thought I'd put up some pics of quite a nice car

With the sloping grille , that windscreen , etc , you'd wonder if it is a custom , but believe it or not , it is a 1925 Rolls Royce Phantom 1 coupe ! I just googled , and between 1925 and 1931 , 3512 sedans were sold , and 18 -- yes 18 -- of the coupes ! I'd say that 97 years ago , this would have been extremely radical .

The sedan wasn't too bad

and I'd be interested in the prices of the 2 at the time ( I can only assume the coupe was SOOOO expensive that not many people could afford them ? ) . Or maybe the coupe was considered ugly ? Who knows .

As far as current values go , with only 18 coupes they are worth what someone will pay , but the last publicly reported sale was The Peterson Musuem in the US paid $1.5million for one . In 1991 . 31 years ago . No idea of its condition at the time , and it is on display now . At a guess though , I'd be surprised if you could get one now for under $40 million , and if someone sold one for $100 million it wouldn't even surprise me .

Certainly one of my dream cars .
0
Jan Dobson
last year
Wow Pottsy. Now that’s a car! We have a (under restoration) 1927 Bean 18/50, much more in the style of the sedan version, so I can appreciate how avant garde the coupe was for its time. I’d have easily believed it was a forties, even fifties vehicle 🤯
User thanked Jan Dobson
User
Original Author
last year
Hows this for a door -- its completely round ! It would even look great on a house !

And the interior probably puts most houses to shame too . . . . .
Kelly Quinn
last year
I bought the Fellows Stagg EKG pour over kettle, pricey but very very quiet which is great for an open plan kitchen. Love it!
0