11-12-2014, 08:51 AM
Two for the price of one !
Hows this for irony?
I live in Singapore and wanted to buy the Resmed Airsense 10 Auto, but its not available here yet, but the S9 is at the low price of US$1,800 !!!
I purchased an AS10 Auto from an online retailer in the US at US$915 with climate hose, shipping was another 70 odd bucks.
Ive just looked at the back of the machine and guess what? Its made in Singapore!
So its cheaper for me to buy a unit thats made here, sent to the US and then sent back here, its a bloody disgrace, as contrary to opinion there are a lot of Singaporeans who are not wealthy and need CPAP but can't afford it, and the healthcare insurance doesn't cover it.
My secretary needs a machine as her loan one is due back after a month, she can't afford it, and as a decent human being, I have bought her one, so that she can be fit enough to work properly and have a life.
Wish I'd known earlier as could have saved on the shipping cost of two units.
Companies too busy squeezing profit to care about those in need.
Rant over !!! 
Failure is NOT an option.
RE: Two for the price of one !
Some days you're the bug; Some days you're the windshield (windscreen).
RE: Two for the price of one !
ResMed was making machines in Australia -- where the company is based.
Even so, folks in Oz found the price there was twice what they could get them for from US internet retailers.
RE: Two for the price of one !
It is like that here, too. A huge amount of drugs made in Switzerland, even patent meds and vitamins, are half as expensive across the border in Germany, and even cheaper in Canada or the US. Same for watches, chocolate and other Swiss made things. Can't say about cheese - I prefer French and UK cheeses  .
So, I want to take Swiss chocolates to the US when I am there on conference as gifts - why bother? Lindt chocolates are cheaper in the US and plentiful. I am stuck bringing them brands that we make only for our own consumption, even when the Lindt may be better. I finally gave up and now when I go down to Italy, I stock up on my sister's olive oil (she has an olive farm there and produces one of the best oils in that region and some amazing honey, too) and then bring those as gifts. The problem - the bottles weigh a ton, and fill up my suitcase. And people like chocolate. The killer is when they ask me if I could bring Godiva - no, I don't buy Belgian chocolate. There are things that are even to me sacrilegious.
BTW, Philips gear is from Holland, at least in theory, but still cheaper to buy in the US and have it shipped than buy it anywhere in Europe, and especially in Switzerland where it is 20% more expensive than anywhere in the EU. So I feel for you, mate. It is all daft.
And when I want to stock up on over the counter meds? I go over to Germany and buy them there. All of them are Made In Switzerland. Go fig....
RE: Two for the price of one !
Hi Eurika,
Yes, it's all very confusing and maddening out there with the way things are done in business.
On the other hand, your secretary is a very fortunate person to have such a kind and careing boss such as yourself. That was such a nice life-giving thing you did by getting her a machine so her life would be much improved.
trish6hundred
RE: Two for the price of one !
DocWils, you should go to the US, buy Lindt chocolate in the US and then give that out as gifts, failing to mention that it was bought in the US.
It's enough to make me want to get into the smuggling business.
Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
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If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
RE: Two for the price of one !
(11-12-2014, 08:51 AM)Eurika Wrote: Hows this for irony?
I live in Singapore and wanted to buy the Resmed Airsense 10 Auto, but its not available here yet, but the S9 is at the low price of US$1,800 !!!
I purchased an AS10 Auto from an online retailer in the US at US$915 with climate hose, shipping was another 70 odd bucks.
Ive just looked at the back of the machine and guess what? Its made in Singapore!
ResMed machines are made in Australia or Singapore
Australian serial numbers begins with 22 and Singaporeans serial numbers begins with 23
The next two numbers of the serial number is the year of manufacture
Aussies face the same problems and you can find few thread of Aussies vents their frustration
You cannot compare CPAP sales in Australia or Singapore to US CPAP sales, both are tiny in comparison. For every CPAP sold in US, another CPAP sold globally, give and take CPAP or two ... size does matter
Plus insurance in US is the main buyer of CPAP, they're huge and bigger than CPAP manufacturers and manufacturers cannot set prices more than what insurance prepared to pay for them ... again size does matter
3rd reason is something to do with the way businesses do business in US (American way), they've to play with rules. In Australia they set the rules, the consumer always pay and no questions asked
RE: Two for the price of one !
(11-12-2014, 01:51 PM)archangle Wrote: DocWils, you should go to the US, buy Lindt chocolate in the US and then give that out as gifts, failing to mention that it was bought in the US.
It's enough to make me want to get into the smuggling business.
I'd thought of that, but US Lindt has stamps and marks to indicate the import and a UPC code missing on the Swiss version, plus of course, the covers are in English, and not German, French and Italian (for some reason, not in Rumantsch as well). So I would get caught out. And if I brought them back to Switzerland as gifts in Schweiz, well, they would think I was absolutely crazy. Some do anyway... I buy PAM and Dockers in the US (not for gifts, but to stock up - they don't have them here). The one thing no one asks me to bring back is chocolate or cheese. I don't think Hersheys goes down well here. Nor does American cheese (or beer). I had thought to do a roaring trade smuggling Ruffles chips to home, but recently our local potato crisp maker came out with a similar one, and Ruffles opened a factory in Turkey as well, so you can buy it in Germany.
I can only say, if you try to smuggle into Switzerland, good luck. Our Customs can be right b*st*rds, and it is not pretty. I actually had to provide full documentation for my CPAP last time through, when they spot checked me and claimed it was an American device (the property of the LungenLiga Schweiz sign on the side and back of the machine did not seem to convince him, nor my letter issued by the LL). It took a while, but they finally backed down when I managed to get to a supervisor. Luckily they got stuck on the machine, which was a carry on, and did not go into my suitcase, where they would have found a LOT of stuff.... 
Back to the subject - Eurika, I don't know anyone in any country outside the US that can't find their native made stuff cheaper in the US. don't know why, but there you go. My sympathies, mate. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt (imported).
RE: Two for the price of one !
All to do with price fixing in US as illustrated in this thread: Philips-Respironics Pricing Policy
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...ing-Policy
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