I need a trustworthy member in AUSTRALIA for Rode Blimp group buy.

MattinSTL

MattinSTL

Sound Modulator
Hey guys... we have an opportunity... probably a limited one, but I think a bunch of us could get a Rode blimp system at a great price if we have a long-standing, trustworthy member in Australia who wants to help and also get one for him/herself... (or even help and not get one).

Bottom line is this... while I think the new Rode Blimp system looks really nice... the USA sellers are totally gouging us on it... planning to sell for $400. Did you know that that blimp system is UNDER $200 USD in AU?

I can get us all a great deal... that would probably have the END SHIPPED cost at about $200 each for all of us.

That would be in doing group buys... small groups... of only 4 at a time... and paying the AU connection something for HIS/HER TIME to do this... and for each of us to get a unit shipped to our door.

$20 of your price is the shipping from whoever is the central USA recipient... who then ships out the remaining 3 units.

Cost to ship from AU is pretty high... but for 4 at a time, it's all divided by each of the 4 members of the group.

Whoever is the USA "trustee" doesn't have to pay the additional $20 ship because they get one of the systems right off... but they have the responsibility to ship out each of the remaining 3 (the shipping of which is paid by the remaining 3 for each of their own systems)... and their trouble to ship these out is why the trustee doesn't pay the extra $20.

STILL... after all of this... the units should be really close to $200 total... to your door.

So... 1) do we have a good guy or gal in AU that would be interested in helping? 2) do we have 3 other people that want to do this with me? and 3) do you want me to be the USA "trustee" or do you want to do it?

Anyone? :)
 
The aussie dollar has just plumeted to .65 of a USD so you might have a good deal. Would have to be a world first for it to be cheaper in Australia than the states. Would love to help you Matty but I'm rarely home.
 
I'd be up to buy in on this Matt. I totally trust you to be the US guy. Afraid I'm no help getting you anyone in Australia though.
 
Matt, Ive sent some emails out looking for best price locally. Will let you know.

Noel
 
The Blimp is now selling in Sydney for $A269. BnH NY adv. it at $US400, both prices include dealer charges. The big difference is the US import taxes.

The Aussie dollar is currently 65 cents, $A269 converts to $US175.84.

Looking good and the Blimp is not heavy. But it's not small, the airfreight could blow the price out, together with the US import taxes you'd have to pay. Check that out.

Your best shot might be someone flying to Cal. with Xmas presents.

Cheers.
 
Have to be careful though when you quote the dollar, depending on payment method, method of conversion, can cost you another 5-8c a dollar.

I did find 1 aussie ebay store that sold them for 239, but then its extra $65 to ship 4 to me, then whatever ship to US cost is. Im waiting on a local price to kill that extra fee. Might be around $260 (????) plus shipping to US, speaking all aussie $ here.

If I were to unpackage them and repack in something else, might work out cheaper on postage due to size? Not sure if you guys want/need original boxes?
 
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I expect the best shipping route would be to ship same package via DHL economy... the first buyer in AU just takes his out... and fills the void with kangaroo pelts. I've already got a price of $225 AU for each at 4 per order... hence the 4 unit group.

The location is Melbourne... Victoria. AU.

DHL Global Mail is 5-7 days to North America. I'll get the specs on the 4 unit box and report back... the 4-unit box minus one unit (replaced with kangaroo pelts) shouldn't weigh any more... and should be less... so the quote will be accurate or in reality, less.

I'll be back when I get the answer.

Also... I should add... that even in Europe the street price of the Rode Blimp is about $200 USD... they are just boinking us on it because they decided they CAN.
 
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Matt, happy to help here, but I dont actually need one. I was just going to act as go between to assist. I have a Rycote which cost me an arm and then some, wish these rodes came out a few years back.

So if you can get four people together etc.
 
Noel... I appreciate your willingness to help out.

So you're nowhere near Melbourne right? If we had a cool member in Melbourne that would be awesome... because then they could just pick up the package on their way someplace... and take it, still sealed up, straight to DHL.

The issue is that Rode doesn't want their AU dealers shipping directly out of AU... because it's way more fun to boink us here in the USA.

Yeah... about the Rycote... we have one also... and it looks like crap... and I'm not paying another $400 for what is basically a disposable plastic cage. For run'n'gun and ENG it's just not worth it. Too much risk... it's like walking around with a faberge egg on the end of a stick... and having to sword fight another crew for position with it.

Some guy has a thread about DIY slates, because a $20 slate is a rip-off (he says)... and I'm staring at this tattered Rycote and wishing Rode hadn't chosen this stupid $400 route. I'm sure they're looking at the supply and demand situation that Rycote has enjoyed the luxury of for so long... and perhaps Rode decided that they'd rather sell fewer units for more money, instead of more units for less money.

I wish they'd take their same attitude towards this new blimp that they have on all the value mics they've released through the years!

>begin letter to Rode.

Dear Rode... if you're reading this... why the hell do it this way instead of pricing it somewhat comparable to the price you're selling for in AU? Why are you doing this? Do you realize that you would not only take away the blimp business of other companies... but you would ALSO take away the SOFTIE business of those companies? You have it in your power to get Softie buyers to spend a little more and get a real blimp... and let Rycote customers spend less!

Look at any news coverage! ANY AND ALL OF IT... see all those softies? Those are there because of all the guys like me, who can't constantly bash up a $600 item... but you bet your ass I'd risk bashing up a $200 item... and so would everybody else! Look at the pages and pages of Softies on B&H! How would you like to turn on the world news and see all the crews using your blimps instead? Think about it.

>end letter to Rode.


As for the rest of you guys... yeah, obviously it would be really easy to get groups of 4. I wonder what it would take to get Rode to ship a dealer quantity directly to me?

No matter what happens... anybody that's in the group buy will have to pay up, including all fees... in advance... and if Noel is our AU liaison then he will get paid for his time and trouble also. If the quasi wholesale/retail cost of these is under $150 USD... (the price I have it down to so far)... then I would think we could get them shipped to the USA for under $100 total... and if we pay our AU guy (hopefully we can find one in Melbourne)... $100 to pick up and ship these... (which I would think quite generous for the task at hand)... that still makes them $200 each LANDED here in the USA... then shipping from here to you is probably only about $15 max. If the blimps must be repackaged I'll do that and ship for a total of $20 each.

So that would have us at $220... and if our AU guy is actually very close to the Melbourne pickup... and doesn't require a full $100 to pick up and ship them... well... we'll refigure it then.

I'm going to see if I can get Rode to send me a shipment directly. If it goes that route then the only people in on the group buy will be those that pay in advance... so hang tight for now. As soon as I get more details I'll let you know.
 
Matt Im pretty sure I can get a local to match the price. Then you wont have to pay anyone - I wont need any payment, happy to help.
 
We will at least pay you reasonable expenses. This would be a very cool thing if we can make this happen.

I wasn't even in the market for a blimp right now... but raster's post caught my eye... and upon inspection (through the net) I saw that the Rode blimp appears to be the best thing since affordable sliced bread.

I'm pretty sure I could actually use TWO of them... hence my point that it should be super easy to do groups of 4+... I think it would be easy to do 10 at a time. Hopefully the blimps are individually boxed (that WOULD make sense wouldn't it?)... and shippable as single units in the original packaging... then I (or somebody else) can just charge realistic shipping costs from the central location.

This whole thing got me to thinking about something much bigger... that we have this huge community... that is so unified (look at PK's bike post... paid in 2 days)... and we don't really exercise our power. I'm sure we could enable lots of members to get lots of things like this.

If nothing else I'm surprised that some of the management (or "elite" if you want to call 'em that) here at DVXuser don't start some kind of a store... not the "store section" but a real store. There is a totally captive audience of tens of thousands of members. Do you realize how expensive a mailing list like that would be in the real world? I'm just saying... if there was a regular store... with limited items... but set up almost like a few pages of the online B&H catalog... and it was a DVXuser sanctioned store... um... how much business do you think they'd do?

There's already a successful and well-maintained site going... some of the same trusted mods could mod the store... and be paid in gear or a cut of sales for their actual trouble to manage it.

OK... well... back to blimps.

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP NOEL!

Yeah I think a local store would do that... because I'm negotiating with a store in Melbourne anyway... so I'm sure any regular purveyor of Rode products would love to sell a box of stuff w/o even trying.

I really appreciate your great attitude. I'm the same way, but there aren't too many of us out there.

OK... the "case quantity" is 10. Inside of that single BIG box are 10 boxes, each measuring about 21" x 10" x 8"... and weighing under 3 lbs. That should have us safely under $15 per package (via FedEx GROUND, which is 3 day) shipped anywhere in the continental USA from the central USA... including a declared value of $250 each (even though we should get this under $200 each).

More details to follow.

I can use 2 of them... so that only leaves 8 to complete the buy.
 
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Matt I found a place local that can do $220 aussie each. When I say local its about 90 minutes there and back by car. So, if everyone could add like $2 USD, to cover my petrol Im gold.

I have no idea on the box size etc to calculate shipping from me to the designated person, Matt you know the specs there? Guess I could ask.
 
UPDATE... the master carton is 22 x 20 x 30 (in INCHES) and 44 lbs... so in metric it's 56cm x 50cm x 74cm and 20 kg... and more importantly that's for EIGHT (8)... not 10.

The best price I have so far is $215 AU. So $220 is totally acceptable. I'm not thrilled about the 90 minute drive however... I think that's a bad deal Noel. I think when the chips are down you're not going to be glad you did this under those conditions.

At the very least... if it does go that route... we would have to pay you something... more then $2 per blimp, because that's simply not worth it.

The other issue at my end... if I'm the USA liaison... is that the most logical way to do this is Paypal... which means everybody has to add 3% to the total required, because just for you to pay me, so I can pay them... that transfer hits my Paypal balance and PP takes 3%... so it's not for me, but for them. My AU supplier will accept PP payment, which I think is best because we have some recourse on the shipment (just in case) and it's less risk then a direct bank deposit... and to handle each member of the group buy I think it's easiest to do PP. I would accept checks or whatever FOP you like... but you'd probably be slowing this process down... and once everything lines up I want to pull the trigger.

One other thing... is so far we're looking at shipping to our individuals in the USA using the original box (which I have not yet seen)... so if this master carton arrives and the individual boxes aren't suitable for shipping... I'll need to make an order from U-Line and get us something strong enough (which is pretty cheap, but if this step is necessary you can expect another $4 or so to each unit.)

Noel... the other issue is I think I can pay from here... and have you pick them up there... and avoid VAT or whatever there may be locally. Would you be happy with $96 round trip to pick them up and drop off at a DHL location? That's $12 per blimp... but one single box. If you have any doubt on this... you need to speak your mind. This way we ALL share the costs for you to pick up, and I think we should compensate you.

Let me see what I can figure out... I'm working on it. As best I can tell... we should still have all this at or under $200 USD each... to your door.

$150 USD for the blimp.
$12 (each blimp x8) for total carton shipping from AU to USA.
$12 to Noel.
$15 shipping from me to you.
$5 POSSIBLE for double box.
3% Paypal fee is about $6

If all that works out we'd be looking at $200 each... to your door. Not bad (if it works out)... and that's been my (hopefully realistic) number all along.

Noel... are you eastern? Sydney, Queensland, or Victoria? If you are anywhere eastern I can get the master carton to your door for $30 AU. At that price it's pointless for you to make a 90 minute round trip... and then we just need to see about DHL global vs. Fedex. We will still pay you for the service... but maybe instead of a 90 minute round trip it will now be a DHL or FedEx pickup? Even if you never leave your house and only re-label the package I'd still say that's worth $50.

So are you east?
 
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Matt , yes I am on East Coast. So if you want to do it that way, its easier for me.

But in all honesty, as long as I have the money to ship them, I am seriously happy to do it - nay - more than happy to help out and dont want anything in return.
 
East Coast? :)

Then it's PM time... give me your address and I'll get some hard numbers going.

We will all pay the shipping out of the buy fund... and give you whatever is left over. You have to get something for this... and while I appreciate your attitude... you HAVE to get something. It's best for everybody if you do... because I want you to be part of the situation rather then outside of it and just helping. It is only fair that you get something... and call me crazy, but I think things tend to go smoother when nobody is being "used" or taken for granted.

As for the group... tentatively we have:

MattinSTL (probably x2)
Jim Brennan
Brad S.
Alan Chang
Steve C
CharlieG

Yeah Jim that equals 7 so far. Only 1 still available!

Once we commit to this... the original posters who said they want one will have a limited time to Paypal... because we won't let anybody slow down the process for the entire group... so non-pay... i.e. non-commitment means that another DVXuser member will be able to take your place. After we allow a reasonable time for each of the group to pay... if anybody doesn't... I will post however many unpaid blimps are left and then it will be first come first served.

I'll take 3 if it's necessary to complete the group, because there's zero risk in this (once they arrive) at that price. If you didn't have a friend that needed one you could sell it in a heartbeat in the marketplace. I'm sure more people are interested in this then will post, because of the perceived risk in trying to get them this way, instead of simply ordering through a USA site when they're available.

Raster... if you have a connection to Rode... please facilitate this instead of killing it. I got this idea after reading your Rode blimp post... which is identical on a bunch of forums. My secret suspicion was that you are connected to Rode in some way... but if the product is good... I don't care, as long as we can all get one at a good price. I notice you only quote MSRP prices in both AU and the USA... no matter how long the threads run in each of these many forums, your reply structure remains the same... sticking to MSRP prices, etc.

So if you're secretly a Rode guy... I can tell you based on the Oktava history... that Rode should consider themselves lucky to possibly get 7 or 8 unpaid salesmen of the new blimp system. If it's good... everybody on this entire forum is going to know about it... and want one.
 
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