Propeller Chips - UK Supply Issues
Mike_GTN
Posts: 106
Hi UK Propeller Users,
Seems to me that we are still not seeing the real price reduction introduced by Parallax on the propeller chip.
Is so little wonder all of America is getting excited about this product. For me at least is still a kind of niche product. I know have called it this before and was rebucked.
Is Digikey UK Via USA still the best source to make an order if in the UK?
Certainly have found the $7.99 price a draw, but even with conversions and adding on a hefty margin for shipping is not stacking up. Would appreciate hearing from other·UK based users. To my mind is an issue that seems not to be on the agenda of Parallax.
Understand have a large catalogue of products, that have UK suppliers for. Maybe they are stayed and only want the milk and cookies, and my business is not worth their business? For me just need to purchase chips and not the life support system. That is
what Parallax do so well. My problem appears to being able to find the Propeller for a certain price within the UK.
Any viewpoints UK, or European ?
Regards
Mike.
** I know the text formatting is out, Is not me is them·
Seems to me that we are still not seeing the real price reduction introduced by Parallax on the propeller chip.
Is so little wonder all of America is getting excited about this product. For me at least is still a kind of niche product. I know have called it this before and was rebucked.
Is Digikey UK Via USA still the best source to make an order if in the UK?
Certainly have found the $7.99 price a draw, but even with conversions and adding on a hefty margin for shipping is not stacking up. Would appreciate hearing from other·UK based users. To my mind is an issue that seems not to be on the agenda of Parallax.
Understand have a large catalogue of products, that have UK suppliers for. Maybe they are stayed and only want the milk and cookies, and my business is not worth their business? For me just need to purchase chips and not the life support system. That is
what Parallax do so well. My problem appears to being able to find the Propeller for a certain price within the UK.
Any viewpoints UK, or European ?
Regards
Mike.
** I know the text formatting is out, Is not me is them·
Comments
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle
Milford's chips are a staggering $18.72 against $7.99 in the US.
On the plus side, the ProtoBoards are cheaper at $28.80 against $29.99.
Ken did say there would be some good news coming for the UK ... I haven't heard how that's progressing, or the forthcoming Parallax World Tour.
For small volume purchases that's the way to go I'm afraid.
All I do is purchase as much as I can when making an order with Digikey to take advantage of their free shipping.
I think their service is excellent!
I can hold a very small stock if people wanted to buy them from me but I would only be doing it to help people not make money as if I wanted to make money out of it I'd have to charge the same prices as Milford for example.......
Coley
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PropGFX - The home of the Hybrid Development System and PropGFX Lite
Post Edited (Coley) : 5/23/2009 9:58:36 AM GMT
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle
Good weekend all [noparse]:)[/noparse]
Tony
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle
Tony
Their freight calculator seems a bit wonky, depending how you come at it it's 5.00 or 10.00 Euro "Letter Export" to the UK.
Me I just pick Props up from overnight delivery at ELFA in Helsinki a few blocks away [noparse]:)[/noparse]
www.elfa.se
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For me, the past is not over yet.
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle
Generally availability of Parallax parts in the UK is very disappointing, I'd be interested in playing with the Hydra 512k card for example, but haven't found anywhere in the UK supplying it.
Apparently not
I went to www.milinst.com/main.htm
That's the top site Google returned for "Milford Instruments", the new site doesn't appear until page four. I don't know what the new site's HTML is doing but it's thrashing my network connection.
I've bought all my Propeller kit from Milford and found them excellent to deal with, next day delivery and no problems with order, but they do come over as a cowboy operation. I get the impression it's basically a one-man-in-a-shed-on-t'pennines operation. Nothing wrong with that, but it's not perfect. How many sales have been lost because prices are stated as 50% higher than they are if you go to the wrong site ? Ho hum.
Also when comparing dealers, delivery method is an important factor for me. That's one area where Spinvent gets my thumbs up; using Royal Mail. A 60+ mile round trip when an incompetant courier cannot arrange delivery at a convenient time pushes the price up.
Is there a message contained in these threads? I see still that the UK is not supported very well, OK if you wish to pay high prices from a very limited supply chain.
I do understand as in any other business that someone has to take the risk and import these chips, and then hope to be able to sell them whilst making a meager profit margin. I think the margins will always be small on such a Niche product, easy to die of hunger waiting for sales to ramp up. Lower prices will mean more or better food.
Really is all down to Parallax to sort out with suppliers what the deal actually is. For sure they will be doing so. Love to see this chip in mainstream usage in education for example. Everything is right, apart from the UK pricing.
Regards
Mike.
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle
<I just chcked and they are £9 today
If you have designed the latest and greatest whizz bang gadget that you are going to produce hundreds or thousands of then you'd deal direct with Parallax, I'm sure they'd do some sort of deal for you...
One offs or small volumes will always carry a price premium, it's a fact of life unfortunately
Coley
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PropGFX - The home of the Hybrid Development System and PropGFX Lite
We're looking for a solution in the UK. If we don't see lower prices between Spinvent and Milford shortly I'll consider opening our own distribution in the UK where we will hold inventory and sell directly. That's the preferred solution at this point if our distributors continue to have higher prices. None of them have bothered to contact us about price balancing, so I'm not sure why the prices remain so high. I'm hoping that with the addition of another distributor we see some serious price reductions. If it doesn't happen by the end of summer then we'll take the next step.
Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.
What are the headaches involved with you (Parallax) setting up a direct line this way? I am assuming that you considered this method in the beginning and did not implement it for good reasons.
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JMH
That is excellent news, that shows that you are a company that listens to your users. I never cease to be amazed by the level of support and help offered here from both Parallax and forum members. This is a great example of how other companies should or might like to operate.
That has to be some great news for us in the UK, and also in Europe. I know has been mentioned before about having Rapid Electronics as a supplier. From my personal viewpoint will purchase from the cheapest supplier, whilst an obvious statement tend to also require other parts at the time to either complete or start work on a new project
If Parallax and any distributors (either current, or new) hit the correct pricing point will go like a rocket. I believe that people will start to get more excited about the applications this can be put to. Fever pitch is even possible now.
Regards
Mike.
Taxation, VAT, staffing, and everything involved with running another business. The UK is a tax-heavy location to operate a subsidiary so we'd really prefer to have a partnership that we can develop into one that our customers appreciate. Setting up our own business is the last resort. One tremendous benefit it brings is that we could consolidate container shipments to serve our other distributors more effectively throughout Europe. We try to do a lot around here with few people, and setting up a Parallax-operated business is a significant undertaking.
Mike, we're listening and we know it's a problem. Rapid is an option, as you pointed out, but I'm concerned we'll see the same high pricing that exists from other UK distributors. Adding more to the mix isn't going to provide the best long-term solution. When we started doing manufacturing in China, we took a similar approach. We have all business licenses, our own staff and facility, and it's there for the long haul at this point. Feel free to share any ideas we may not have considered.
Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.
Dealers have to make a profit in the chain, but it seems they are all adding large mark-ups, Spinvent (~50%, was ~60%) and Milford (~65%) included, more if taking advantage of Parallax quantity or dealer discounts.
Maybe that's what the dealers have to surcharge to stay in business and I'm not criticising per se - I couldn't see how to make a Propeller re-sale business work when I considered it - but therein lies the root problem.
Ken : As to the onerous nature of running a business within the UK; how about considering Play.com ? They're a DVD, CD dealer in Jersey ( Channel Isles ) and they can 'pass on' goods VAT exempt. May be worth a phone call, or considering a Jersey-based business.
A loophole sure to be closed, it's only a matter of time.
The price you pay for living in a civilised society is taxes, it's a fact of life, the reason why taxes are high (but not the highest) in the UK are because it's a great place to live and for the most part the infrastructure we have is admired and revered by many.
As for running a business in the UK, it's easy, I know, I've run one sucessfully for 10 years now, getting new business and getting paid is the hardest part
Making a Propeller re-sale business pay would be a challenge, it would surely have to be augmented with the full range of products from Parallax (and maybe even others) to be considered feasible.
Coley
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PropGFX - The home of the Hybrid Development System and PropGFX Lite
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle
Regards,
John
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'Necessity is the mother of invention'
Those who can, do.Those who can’t, teach.
Earlier in the year I contacted Rapid Electronics and asked them to consider taking the Propeller and other Parallax product, whilst I got a reply from one of their buyers saying they would contact Parallax about the possibility, the trail went cold and I've never heard anything more. Perhaps Ken and Parallax could contact them direct.
In addition, I agree with the other forum members comments about Spinvent, I found the service provided by Tony to be first rate.
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- Tony
http://zuzebox.wordpress.com/
Ken Gracey
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle