I want to buy some SX28 and some SX48 proto boards.
However the shipping costs from USA is huge. About $100 for a small order.

So I have started to look for Parallax products in Europe and have found mostly the Basic Stamps and some robotics items, but nothing about the SX series, not counting the SX protoboards.

Anyone in Europe knows where there is a place to order SX products on-line ?

Did you try http://www.antratek.be, or http://www.elektronikladen.de?

The problem is the price on some distributors for most items is much higher than the cost in USA. :-(

For example, in Milford Instruments(UK) the SX52 proto board costs 10 UKP that is about 17,6 USD.

While the cost of this board on Parallax is 9,95 USD !!!

This is a 76% more ! Nice commercial margin. :smhair:  

If this is the case with every Parallax vendor in Europe I think it is still better to purchase directly in USA although the order must be substantial to justify the shipping costs.

Inaki,
guess what - distributors also have to pay for shipping. They finance their own marketing activities, need to pay their employees, have other costs, and - in the end - want to make some profit. As Parallax is selling the SX48/52 proto boards at almost their own costs, I don't assume that they can give their distributors a large discount on these.

I was just curious, and checked the Milford prize for an SX TechTool Kit: 80 UKP which is about 141 USD where Parallax sells it for 229 USD. The Milford prize does not include VAT which UK customers will have to pay on top. I don't know the VAT rate in the UK but I assume it is more than the 16% here in Germany which will set the price tag of an SX Tech Tool Kit bought in the UK close to the US price. So I don't think, there is a need to complain about distributors in general.

I guess we are all waiting for WTO to figure this one out.

It is all more expensive in Taiwan too.
But, in Europe you can easily get Gunther's SX-28 board.

Everytime I see VAT, I cringe.  George Bush wants to have that in America too.

[Quoting: "Kramer"]
Everytime I see VAT, I cringe. George Bush wants to have that in America too.

I like VAT from my company's point of view. If I buy something from a distrubuter for say EUR 100.00 I have to pay an additional 16% VAT, i.e. EUR 16.00 but I can deduct this amount from my taxes payable. Later, when I sell that stuff, say for EUR 200.00, I charge my customer an additional 16% = EUR 32.00. In the end, with the tax deduction I have to pay a total of EUR 16.00 taxes, i.e. I pay the 16% for the Value I have Added (this is what VAT stands for).

When I have a loss, say I bought something for EUR 200.00 but can only sell it for EUR 100.00 its the same calculation, i.e. I can deduct EUR 32.00 from my taxes and have to pay EUR 16.00, i.e. in the end I get a refund of EUR 16.00.

Before VAT, companies had to pay 4 or 5% on all revenues they made, i.e. even when I making a loss, they had to pay the 4 or 5%.

As you can see, VAT is not simply be a replacement for income taxes (which we have to pay in addition to the VAT). The poor guys are the end-users - they pay the full amount of 16% VAT (or 7% on food, books, and some other stuff) as they can't deduct it from anything.

Amazing as is, the new German government has announed to raise VAT to 17% or even more in 2007. This announcement seems to really have an impact on the domestic economy because people already have started buying things now, and consumption will definitely increase even more in 2006 before the VAT is raised in 2007. Maybe, the government will tell us in 2007: "Sorry, we were only kidding, VAT will not be changed" but to be honest, I don't believe that :-) .

Sorry shouldn't have described the proposed American restructuring as a VAT, as far as I understand the current American proposal is a straight up sales tax (no federal income tax, means there wouldn't be anything to deduct a VAT from). Though its hard to get politicians pinned down enough to get a clear understanding of what they envision (though seems alot of conseratives distrust all things european, so I dont see them adopting a VAT-like scheme), the plan is frequently seen as a rich-guy pipe dream on this side of the pond, I personally worry about the issue because I know Congress is too risk adverse to tackle such a huge issue. Anyways, this subject is bordering too much on the politcal side, so Ive said all Ill say.

I would like credit for NOT having weighed in on this VAT subject. I have lots of opinions, as does every other.... and I'm going to be strong and not bother everyone with them.

Your Welcome.