As an industry veteran with 8 years experience working at a major trading company for these high-end tech products in Japan, I just want to inform US consumers as to why the prices are so inflated and the huge price discrepancy amongst e-retailers. Its not Sony, Toshiba or Panasonic that is overpricing products, itfs the e-retailers and companies that export these items into the US or around the world that are guilty of overpricing these high-tech gadgets. The reason why?One reason is many of the e-retailers for these Japan-only products donft actually have physical office locations in Japan and depend on local Japanese third-party buyers/couriers to purchase these items at either a retail store or an outlet mall. Once purchased at RETAIL PRCIES, these 3rd party buyers or couriers markup the prices to include there commissions/service charges and offer an already inflated wholesale price to these e-retailers online. To add to the 3rd party markup calculated on a base retail store price instead of a wholesale trading company price quote, most US based e-retailers must first ship the purchased units to the US for reconfigurations by English speaking technicians instead of utilizing drop shipping cost advantages. This means doing reconfigurations in Japan and shipping them directly to US customers. After these 3rd party markups and shipping charges are calculated, these e-retailers then tack on their own sales commission calculated on overhead/operational expenses and profits.
If you do a search on Google for any Japan-only product such as the new Sony Vaio U50 notebook, you will soon realize there are only a handful of e-retailers offering this notebook with retail prices ranging from $1,835 (Sonibee.com) to $2700 (Dynamism.com). I know what the wholesale prices are here in Japan and know what retailers in Japan pay. In your review you mention that the price range for the U50 is $2,200 to $2,700 but in actuality its more like $1,835 to $2700. This is almost a price discrepancy of $865.00!! As you go through each site and do a price comparison you will begin to see a huge discrepancy between various websites. One reason I have already mentioned above and the other is strictly because there are so very few retailers or International suppliers who sell these notebooks. For all countries excluding Asia, there are only a handful of e-retailers or suppliers of these Japan-only gadgets and notebook computers that handle sales outside of Asia. Itfs no wonder these e-commerce websites can get away with charging such exorbitant premiums since there is such high demand but very few suppliers.
Why are there so very few retailers or suppliers for notebooks that are sure to sell well in other countries? There only a few ways in which a person or company can attain a notebook computer or high-end gadget here in Japan. Either they go to a regular store and purchase an item at retail, through a 3rd party supplier who has connections to trading company or through a trading company directly. The key point to acknowledge here is that you must be in Japan in order to purchase the high-tech item. Why? The marked up product in question, which in almost all cases is a Japan-only product, cannot be purchased by someone outside the Japan due to the warranty. Clearly stated on the packaging, selling a notebook that was only intended for the Japanese market is a clear violation of the warranty and as a result, it will no longer be valid. Japanese trading companies or retailers DO NOT want to be held responsible in case servicing is needed for International purchasers. That means as a retailer who has sold to someone outside Japan, they have to pay for the repairs if needed. Calling-in for an order or inquiring from overseas is absolutely pointless because they will refuse to sell. This and other difficulties finding connections in Japan has resulted in only a few e-retailers who sell Japan-only gadgets and notebook computers. Again, with only a few suppliers and very high demand, these e-retailers can get away with extremely high premiums and overp
As an industry veteran with 8 years experience working at a major trading company for these high-end tech products in Japan, I just want to inform US consumers as to why the prices are so inflated and the huge price discrepancy amongst e-retailers. Its not Sony, Toshiba or Panasonic that is overpricing products, itfs the e-retailers and companies that export these items into the US or around the world that are guilty of overpricing these high-tech gadgets. The reason why?@One reason is many of the e-retailers for these Japan-only products donft actually have physical office locations in Japan and depend on local Japanese third-party buyers/couriers to purchase these items at either a retail store or an outlet mall. Once purchased at RETAIL PRCIES, these 3rd party buyers or couriers markup the prices to include there commissions/service charges and offer an already inflated wholesale price to these e-retailers online. To add to the 3rd party markup calculated on a base retail store price instead of a wholesale trading company price quote, most US based e-retailers must first ship the purchased units to the US for reconfigurations by English speaking technicians instead of utilizing gdrop shippingh cost advantages. This means doing reconfigurations in Japan and shipping them directly to US customers. After these 3rd party markups and shipping charges are calculated, these e-retailers then tack on their own sales commission calculated on overhead/operational expenses and profits.
If you do a search on Google for any Japan-only product such as the new Sony Vaio U50 notebook, you will soon realize there are only a handful of e-retailers offering this notebook with retail prices ranging from $1,835 (Sonibee.com) to $2700 (Dynamism.com). I know what the wholesale prices are here in Japan and know what retailers in Japan pay. In your review you mention that the price range for the U50 is $2,200 to $2,700 but in actuality its more like $1,835 to $2700. This is almost a price discrepancy of $865.00!! As you go through each site and do a price comparison you will begin to see a huge discrepancy between various websites. One reason I have already mentioned above and the other is strictly because there are so very few retailers or International suppliers who sell these notebooks. For all countries excluding Asia, there are only a handful of e-retailers or suppliers of these Japan-only gadgets and notebook computers that handle sales outside of Asia. Itfs no wonder these e-commerce websites can get away with charging such exorbitant premiums since there is such high demand but very few suppliers.
Why are there so very few retailers or suppliers for notebooks that are sure to sell well in other countries? There only a few ways in which a person or company can attain a notebook computer or high-end gadget here in Japan. Either they go to a regular store and purchase an item at retail, through a 3rd party supplier who has connections to trading company or through a trading company directly. The key point to acknowledge here is that you must be in Japan in order to purchase the high-tech item. Why? The marked up product in question, which in almost all cases is a Japan-only product, cannot be purchased by someone outside the Japan due to the warranty. Clearly stated on the packaging, selling a notebook that was only intended for the Japanese market is a clear violation of the warranty and as a result, it will no longer be valid. Japanese trading companies or retailers DO NOT want to be held responsible in case servicing is needed for International purchasers. That means as a retailer who has sold to someone outside Japan, they have to pay for the repairs if needed. Calling-in for an order or inquiring from overseas is absolutely pointless because they will refuse to sell. This and other difficulties finding connections in Japan has resulted in only a few e-retailers who sell Japan-only gadgets and notebook computers. Again, with only a few suppliers and very high demand, these e-retailers can get away with extremely high premiums and ov
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As an industry veteran with 8 years experience working at a major trading company for these high-end tech products in Japan, I just want to inform US consumers as to why the prices are so inflated and the huge price discrepancy amongst e-retailers. Its not Sony, Toshiba or Panasonic that is overpricing products, itfs the e-retailers and companies that export these items into the US or around the world that are guilty of overpricing these high-tech gadgets. The reason why?One reason is many of the e-retailers for these Japan-only products donft actually have physical office locations in Japan and depend on local Japanese third-party buyers/couriers to purchase these items at either a retail store or an outlet mall. Once purchased at RETAIL PRCIES, these 3rd party buyers or couriers markup the prices to include there commissions/service charges and offer an already inflated wholesale price to these e-retailers online. To add to the 3rd party markup calculated on a base retail store price instead of a wholesale trading company price quote, most US based e-retailers must first ship the purchased units to the US for reconfigurations by English speaking technicians instead of utilizing drop shipping cost advantages. This means doing reconfigurations in Japan and shipping them directly to US customers. After these 3rd party markups and shipping charges are calculated, these e-retailers then tack on their own sales commission calculated on overhead/operational expenses and profits. If you do a search on Google for any Japan-only product such as the new Sony Vaio U50 notebook, you will soon realize there are only a handful of e-retailers offering this notebook with retail prices ranging from $1,835 (Sonibee.com) to $2700 (Dynamism.com). I know what the wholesale prices are here in Japan and know what retailers in Japan pay. In your review you mention that the price range for the U50 is $2,200 to $2,700 but in actuality its more like $1,835 to $2700. This is almost a price discrepancy of $865.00!! As you go through each site and do a price comparison you will begin to see a huge discrepancy between various websites. One reason I have already mentioned above and the other is strictly because there are so very few retailers or International suppliers who sell these notebooks. For all countries excluding Asia, there are only a handful of e-retailers or suppliers of these Japan-only gadgets and notebook computers that handle sales outside of Asia. Itfs no wonder these e-commerce websites can get away with charging such exorbitant premiums since there is such high demand but very few suppliers. Why are there so very few retailers or suppliers for notebooks that are sure to sell well in other countries? There only a few ways in which a person or company can attain a notebook computer or high-end gadget here in Japan. Either they go to a regular store and purchase an item at retail, through a 3rd party supplier who has connections to trading company or through a trading company directly. The key point to acknowledge here is that you must be in Japan in order to purchase the high-tech item. Why? The marked up product in question, which in almost all cases is a Japan-only product, cannot be purchased by someone outside the Japan due to the warranty. Clearly stated on the packaging, selling a notebook that was only intended for the Japanese market is a clear violation of the warranty and as a result, it will no longer be valid. Japanese trading companies or retailers DO NOT want to be held responsible in case servicing is needed for International purchasers. That means as a retailer who has sold to someone outside Japan, they have to pay for the repairs if needed. Calling-in for an order or inquiring from overseas is absolutely pointless because they will refuse to sell. This and other difficulties finding connections in Japan has resulted in only a few e-retailers who sell Japan-only gadgets and notebook computers. Again, with only a few suppliers and very high demand, these e-retailers can get away with extremely high premiums and overp
As an industry veteran with 8 years experience working at a major trading company for these high-end tech products in Japan, I just want to inform US consumers as to why the prices are so inflated and the huge price discrepancy amongst e-retailers. Its not Sony, Toshiba or Panasonic that is overpricing products, itfs the e-retailers and companies that export these items into the US or around the world that are guilty of overpricing these high-tech gadgets. The reason why?@One reason is many of the e-retailers for these Japan-only products donft actually have physical office locations in Japan and depend on local Japanese third-party buyers/couriers to purchase these items at either a retail store or an outlet mall. Once purchased at RETAIL PRCIES, these 3rd party buyers or couriers markup the prices to include there commissions/service charges and offer an already inflated wholesale price to these e-retailers online. To add to the 3rd party markup calculated on a base retail store price instead of a wholesale trading company price quote, most US based e-retailers must first ship the purchased units to the US for reconfigurations by English speaking technicians instead of utilizing gdrop shippingh cost advantages. This means doing reconfigurations in Japan and shipping them directly to US customers. After these 3rd party markups and shipping charges are calculated, these e-retailers then tack on their own sales commission calculated on overhead/operational expenses and profits. If you do a search on Google for any Japan-only product such as the new Sony Vaio U50 notebook, you will soon realize there are only a handful of e-retailers offering this notebook with retail prices ranging from $1,835 (Sonibee.com) to $2700 (Dynamism.com). I know what the wholesale prices are here in Japan and know what retailers in Japan pay. In your review you mention that the price range for the U50 is $2,200 to $2,700 but in actuality its more like $1,835 to $2700. This is almost a price discrepancy of $865.00!! As you go through each site and do a price comparison you will begin to see a huge discrepancy between various websites. One reason I have already mentioned above and the other is strictly because there are so very few retailers or International suppliers who sell these notebooks. For all countries excluding Asia, there are only a handful of e-retailers or suppliers of these Japan-only gadgets and notebook computers that handle sales outside of Asia. Itfs no wonder these e-commerce websites can get away with charging such exorbitant premiums since there is such high demand but very few suppliers. Why are there so very few retailers or suppliers for notebooks that are sure to sell well in other countries? There only a few ways in which a person or company can attain a notebook computer or high-end gadget here in Japan. Either they go to a regular store and purchase an item at retail, through a 3rd party supplier who has connections to trading company or through a trading company directly. The key point to acknowledge here is that you must be in Japan in order to purchase the high-tech item. Why? The marked up product in question, which in almost all cases is a Japan-only product, cannot be purchased by someone outside the Japan due to the warranty. Clearly stated on the packaging, selling a notebook that was only intended for the Japanese market is a clear violation of the warranty and as a result, it will no longer be valid. Japanese trading companies or retailers DO NOT want to be held responsible in case servicing is needed for International purchasers. That means as a retailer who has sold to someone outside Japan, they have to pay for the repairs if needed. Calling-in for an order or inquiring from overseas is absolutely pointless because they will refuse to sell. This and other difficulties finding connections in Japan has resulted in only a few e-retailers who sell Japan-only gadgets and notebook computers. Again, with only a few suppliers and very high demand, these e-retailers can get away with extremely high premiums and ov