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U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #1 Posted by hpnut on 15 June 2008, 7:42 a.m.

Hi,

August 2008

says the article here http://www.officeroutlook.com/news/Infrastructure/2846.htm

anyone can confirm?

hpnut in Malaysia

Edited: 15 June 2008, 9:53 a.m.

      
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #2 Posted by Eric Smith on 15 June 2008, 3:52 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by hpnut

Quote:
anyone can confirm?

Unless HP makes an official announcement, no, no one can confirm.

            
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #3 Posted by hpnut on 16 June 2008, 12:56 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Eric Smith

Official hp reseller in Malaysia gave me this email reply:

Dear Mr. Arjunaidi,

Thank you for your interest of HP20B financial calculator.

The arrival of stock in Malaysia will be on July’08 (Estimated end of July). Will keep you inform Once the stock available.

Thanks & Regards,

Jacelyn

============================================== G2 SYSTEMS SDN BHD (Country Distributor of HP Calculators) 99-2, Jalan Puteri 5/7, Bandar Puteri, 47100 Puchong, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. Tel: 603-8062 8449 Fax : 603-8062 8439

                  
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #4 Posted by Frank Balzer on 16 June 2008, 7:22 a.m.,
in response to message #3 by hpnut

Dynatech (www.dynatech.de) states June 2008 on their website. Price: 54.95 Euro.

                        
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #5 Posted by hpnut on 16 June 2008, 12:05 p.m.,
in response to message #4 by Frank Balzer

Let's compare prices of the yet-to-be-launched HP 20B calculator:

Country Price

USA US$40

Germany US$85 (Euro54.95)

Malaysia US$ ?? (at US$40, the local price ought to be RM130)

Looks like European hp fans are hit by Euro pricing scheme :-(

                              
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #6 Posted by Massimo Gnerucci (Italy) on 16 June 2008, 12:20 p.m.,
in response to message #5 by hpnut

Quote:
Looks like European hp fans are hit by Euro pricing scheme :-(

We were, are, and will be always hit: it really doesn't matter if EUR/USD > 1 or < 1...

                              
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #7 Posted by Hubert Weikert on 16 June 2008, 12:36 p.m.,
in response to message #5 by hpnut

The German HP page states in the press note:

Preise und Verfügbarkeit Der HP 20b Business Consultant-Taschenrechner ist ab August verfügbar und kostet 59,90 Euro. Der Taschenrechner HP QuickCalc ist ab Juli für 9,90 Euro erhältlich. Die HP OfficeCalc-Modelle und der HP PrintCalc Taschenrechner kommen voraussichtlich im September in den Fachhandel. Der Startpreis der HP Office-Calc-Modelle liegt bei 19,90 Euro und der HP PrintCalc kostet 29,90 Euro (alle Preise sind unverbindliche Preisempfehlungen, inklusive Mehrwertsteuer).

In short: HP 20b available in August, for 59,90 Euro recommended retail price, incl. VAT. That is about 92 US Dollars.

Hubert

                              
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #8 Posted by Allen on 16 June 2008, 10:12 p.m.,
in response to message #5 by hpnut

This is not a fair comparison, because while the EURO price reflects VAT tax and import duty, the US price you quote does NOT include taxes, so with taxes around 5-8% or so, depending on the state, the parity is not as bad as you claim.

Edited: 16 June 2008, 10:12 p.m.

                                    
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #9 Posted by Patrick Rendulic on 17 June 2008, 1:12 a.m.,
in response to message #8 by Allen

Quote:
This is not a fair comparison, because while the EURO price reflects VAT tax and import duty, the US price you quote does NOT include taxes, so with taxes around 5-8% or so, depending on the state, the parity is not as bad as you claim.

Could you please explain to me how 5-8% of taxes can rise the prise from US$40 to US$92? The usual price policy for Europe is "idiotic".

If I decide to buy this new calculator, I will not buy it in Europe (where I live), but I will order it in the United States (as I did with the HP35s).

So I have US$40 for the calulator, US$20 for shipping and the chance is high, that I don't have to pay import taxes because of the low value of the calculator. So I have US$60 which equals to EUR 39. If taxes are raised, it will be around EUR 45. That's still a nice price in comparision to what European sellers are asking.

Edited: 17 June 2008, 1:14 a.m.

                              
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #10 Posted by DaveJ on 16 June 2008, 10:40 p.m.,
in response to message #5 by hpnut

Quote:
Let's compare prices of the yet-to-be-launched HP 20B calculator:

Country Price

USA US$40

Germany US$85 (Euro54.95)

Malaysia US$ ?? (at US$40, the local price ought to be RM130)

Looks like European hp fans are hit by Euro pricing scheme :-(

In Australia, given the 12C platinium is US$70 in the US, yet around AU$179 here, I'd expect the 20B to be around the AU$100 (US$94) mark.

Dave.

                                    
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #11 Posted by reth on 17 June 2008, 5:28 a.m.,
in response to message #10 by DaveJ

I will never buy HP calc in Australia; Last one was the HP49G+ a few years back; When everybody in the USA could have their calcs replaced because of the crappy keyboard, HP Australia told me they didn't know about such problem. I paid over AU$300 back then for that piece of shit while it was half that in the states just because I hoped I had some warranty...

                              
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #12 Posted by Walter B on 17 June 2008, 3:13 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by hpnut

Quote:
Looks like European hp fans are hit by Euro pricing scheme :-(
This pricing scheme for Europe has a very long tradition. I remember horrible margins for the HP35 and its siblings already. Since taxes were a bit lower then, it seems this part of the world had (and still has) to support another one :-/

Elementary math problem ;) How many HP calcs do you need to import to pay for a transatlatic flight, a visit to the West Coast, all inevitable taxes, and still make some profit?

                                    
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #13 Posted by Patrick Rendulic on 17 June 2008, 4:10 a.m.,
in response to message #12 by Walter B

Aren't these calculators produced in China?

It doesn't make any difference whether they are exported from China to Europe or from China to the United States. The calculator sold in Europe was never in the United States so there is no need for that special price.

Sure decades ago, this was different. But nowadays, it is pure nonsense to argue this way.

Yet, Americans like this approach, because by these means, they get a cheap product and the rest of the world has to pay the difference. Isn't that nice?

Edited: 17 June 2008, 5:34 a.m. after one or more responses were posted

                                          
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #14 Posted by DaveJ on 17 June 2008, 5:33 a.m.,
in response to message #13 by Patrick Rendulic

Quote:
Aren't these calculators produced in China?

It doesn't make any difference whether they are exported from China to Europe or to the United States. The calculator sold in Europe was never in the United States so there is no need for that special price.

Sure decades ago, this was different. But nowadays, it is pure nonsense to argue this way.

Yet, Americans like this approach, because by these means, they get a cheap product and the rest of the world has to pay the difference.

They do indeed like it.

Many "US designed" consumer products are the same. One classic example is Garmin and Magellan GPS receivers. It has always been one (low) price for the US, and another (much higher) price for the "rest of the world".

I used to work for the company that owned Magellan which meant we got the "staff discount". But because the unit was shipped from the Australian supplier, the (very substantial) staff discount price to us Aussies was still 30% higher than the RRP in the US!

Dave.

                                                
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #15 Posted by Seth Morabito on 17 June 2008, 4:18 p.m.,
in response to message #14 by DaveJ

Quote:
They do indeed like it.

Well, I don't like it, and I don't understand why it has to be this way.

California state and Santa Clara county and city sales tax add up to 8.25%, so my final price will be only US$43.30 if purchased locally. Looking at the European price, even adding a maximum 25% EU VAT and another 25% duty fee (a guess, I do not know how much duty really is), the European price should only be US$60.00! Yet, the price is US$90, a 125% mark-up.

It makes no sense to me at all!

                                                      
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #16 Posted by Egan Ford on 17 June 2008, 4:24 p.m.,
in response to message #15 by Seth Morabito

Quote:
It makes no sense to me at all!
If you and others are willing to pay that price, then it makes perfect sense to me.
                                                            
Re: U.S. availability of HP 20B calculator
Message #17 Posted by Walter B on 17 June 2008, 6:38 p.m.,
in response to message #16 by Egan Ford

Quote:
If you and others are willing to pay that price, then it makes perfect sense to me.
Looks like a classical circulus vitiosus: refraining to buy HP calcs in Europe => dropping sales figures in this area => increasing weight of US sales => more useless features like Imperial units conversions => less attractive calcs => dropping sales ...

IMHO HP is exploiting its brand image.

How about the other way round? Reducing markup => increasing sales figures ...

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