How are Aussies buying test equipment from Amazon? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ShortCqt
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 09, 2010, 06:19:04 am
content: Hi All,I've tried ordering a Fluke DMM from Amazon, only to be told they can't ship to Australia. I've tried affiliate companies too, and same result. There are so many recommendations about buying from Amazon, there must be some loophole. Any pointers?Ta.ShortCqt

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 09, 2010, 07:34:16 am
content: I haven't found a way.Sucks.Dave.

author: RayJones
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2010, 08:42:50 am
content: Has anybody tried this method?http://www.myus.com

author: flano
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2010, 10:35:54 am
content: ShortCqt,I've been looking into usinghttp://www.priceusa.com.au/index.htmlThe business is based in Bendigo VIC. There is a large whirlpool forum thread that has plenty of good feedback.Fluke 87v delivered for $445.22 AUDMike.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2010, 12:57:00 pm
content: Amazon sucks... they are too American centric and won't ship much of anything besides books to Aussies. Forget 'em.I bought a new Fluke 179 (a brilliant hand held DMM) from eBay from a US bloke for A$220 delivered to my door. They are selling new for twice that price here. I took a risk, but the seller said it had hardly been used. It was like it was straight out of the box. Like new and in cal. The best general purpose hand-held meter around in my opinion. I would never drop it from a bridge or take it abseiling to prove how robust it is!The Chinese are selling "For Sale in China Only" Flukes at around $80 on eBay. Not as good as the Fluke 179, but reportedly very good for general purpose use.Also got a 100MHz HP54600B DSO in cal and in as new condition for $320 delivered.Also in my arsenal is a KADA 852D+ hot air rework station and soldering from eBay. $147 delivered with 10 tips. Its a Hakko knock-off and it works so well. Amazed at its price. Great for SMD work.I suggest just keep an eye out on eBay and look for the most recently posted "But It Now" bargain pops up.Another suggestion is to go towww.dealsextreme.comin Hong Kong and check out their soldering station tools and supplies. Excellent flux and tools at a fraction of what you pay for here. All postage free.There is a major electronics company in Melbourne that bought a LOT of high end test equipment from the US after the dot com bust from eBay. Most of it was at 10% to 25% of new cost. They did not get their fingers burnt once. Everything worked - High-end LeCroy CRO's, wire line simulators, Agilent Spectrum analyser with S-parameter test set, LISNs, etc. Why buy new?Hope this helps,Dave

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 09, 2010, 03:00:24 pm
content: You should blame companies like Fluke, not Amazon. Many companies don't allow their dealers to circumvent their local distributors, i.e. they want Australian customers to buy meters imported by Fluke Australia, otherwise their Australian resellers would complain. So if they want to to remain authorized reseller, they have to play by the rules. They obviously can't enforce this for used meters, and people who don't get the products directly from Fluke can ignore it, too. Tequipment has the same limitation for brand-name products I think.By the way, there are services that will receive a package in the US and ship it to you, at least to the EU, but this obviously adds fees and risk.

author: Rhythmtech
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2010, 05:21:34 pm
content: We should also blame governments for crappy laws, subsidies, and trade restrictions. I still can't figure out how it is more cost effective to send iron ore from Aus to China where it is turned into steel then shipped to the US and Mexico cheaper than it is for a US steel mill to make the steel and ship it down the street, but a multimeter is way more expensive in Aus than here. I am sure Amazon would ship and sell to anyone anywhere they could get paid by if there were not some legal restrictions. The eBay "loophole" will soon be closed by money hungry governments I am sure sometime in the future.

author: RayJones
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2010, 11:21:42 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on July 09, 2010, 12:57:00 pmLOL, I've always usedwww.dealextreme.comwhich I believe was the original "exporter of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong".I actually ordered a Fluke 17B from them yesterday, so hopefully that arrives and puts the Vichy VC-99 PoS to shame (won't be hard).Got plenty of nice meters at work, but I need a decent meter for home now.