What's the biggest mark up you've ever paid

[scotinmass 588]

Scotland is the only country in the world where Coca-cola is not the biggest selling soft drink. Ours is Barr's Irn Bru. It is also a good hangover cure. It's only made in Scotland and tastes like nectar from the Gods! Being so popular it is kinda cheap and a 500ml bottle costs about the equivalent of 75c. It's not available in normal stores in New England but I was in the British goods store in Freeport Maine today and decided to buy a bottle. It was $3.50! I usually wouldn't pay such a silly price but I've not had any for at least a year so I decided to treat myself.

Is there anything that you guys buy from your own country that is hugely marked up but you buy it anyway and how much more does it cost here?

[david'sgirl 134]

Scotland is the only country in the world where Coca-cola is not the biggest selling soft drink. Ours is Barr's Irn Bru. It is also a good hangover cure. It's only made in Scotland and tastes like nectar from the Gods! Being so popular it is kinda cheap and a 500ml bottle costs about the equivalent of 75c. It's not available in normal stores in New England but I was in the British goods store in Freeport Maine today and decided to buy a bottle. It was $3.50! I usually wouldn't pay such a silly price but I've not had any for at least a year so I decided to treat myself.

Is there anything that you guys buy from your own country that is hugely marked up but you buy it anyway and how much more does it cost here?

Nectar from the gods? Yuk! It must be an acquired taste!

You've also paid silly amounts for OXO cubes but I agree with that one.

[scotinmass 588]

Nectar from the gods? Yuk! It must be an acquired taste!

You've also paid silly amounts for OXO cubes but I agree with that one.

It tastes better than Moxie!

[Lou29 5]

I would pay that for some Irn Bru, I miss it! Robinsons diluting juice costs almost $6 here as opposed to £1 at home needless to say I would only buy it as a special treat!

[scotinmass 588]

I would pay that for some Irn Bru, I miss it! Robinsons diluting juice costs almost $6 here as opposed to £1 at home needless to say I would only buy it as a special treat!

Do you have a Christmas Tree Shop near you? They had Robinson's juice there for $1. I've never been that keen on it.

They sell Irn Bru in Walmart in Orlando Florida for $1.89. I'll be there next month. I'll maybe take an empty suitcase with me!

[Pitaya 2,577]

What isn't cheaper in China???? Read on…...

My Chinese wife's now-trite refrain when shopping here is "It is cheaper in China!" The initial response that almost jumped out of my mouth (after hearing that a hundred or so times) was, "Dorothy, this isn't China." However, I quickly realized that she had never seen the Wizard of Oz, so that response would have meant nothing to her. Instead, I have started asking her if she would like to go and bring some back after her next trip home.

I have found that often quality electronics seem to be cheaper in America, even if they are produced in China….. I know, go figure. On one of my trips to visit her, I wanted to purchase an iPad. After I got to the Apple store in Beijing and carefully compared features, considering the currency exchange rates, I put my money back in my pocket and bought one from Apple.com. It was about USD$200 less in the States.

YMMV

[david'sgirl 134]

What isn't cheaper in China???? Read on…...

My Chinese wife's now-trite refrain when shopping here is "It is cheaper in China!" The initial response that almost jumped out of my mouth (after hearing that a hundred or so times) was, "Dorothy, this isn't China." However, I quickly realized that she had never seen the Wizard of Oz, so that response would have meant nothing to her. Instead, I have started asking her if she would like to go and bring some back after her next trip home.

I have found that often quality electronics seem to be cheaper in America, even if they are produced in China….. I know, go figure. On one of my trips to visit her, I wanted to purchase an iPad. After I got to the Apple store in Beijing and carefully compared features, considering the currency exchange rates, I put my money back in my pocket and bought one from Apple.com. It was about USD$200 less in the States.

YMMV

What my hubby was trying to find out was do other people pay ridiculous amounts of money to have a treat from home which is not readily available in the USA.

[Mr. Borkström 63]

I have found that often quality electronics seem to be cheaper in America, even if they are produced in China….. I know, go figure.

It's the same with IKEA. Cheaper in the US than in Sweden.

[Pitaya 2,577]

What my hubby was trying to find out was do other people pay ridiculous amounts of money to have a treat from home which is not readily available in the USA.

Sorry if I misinterpreted or misconstrued your hubby's thread intent, titled:

"What's the biggest mark up you've ever paid for an every day product from your own country?"

With most everything now being produced in China these days, and it is usually cheaper there than in the good ol' USA, even when considering shipping costs and profit-taking, with some notable exceptions. My wife reports some specialty food items are either unavailable or the prices are exorbitant.

YMMV

[aluk 4]

Scotland is the only country in the world where Coca-cola is not the biggest selling soft drink. Ours is Barr's Irn Bru. It is also a good hangover cure. It's only made in Scotland and tastes like nectar from the Gods! Being so popular it is kinda cheap and a 500ml bottle costs about the equivalent of 75c. It's not available in normal stores in New England but I was in the British goods store in Freeport Maine today and decided to buy a bottle. It was $3.50! I usually wouldn't pay such a silly price but I've not had any for at least a year so I decided to treat myself.

Is there anything that you guys buy from your own country that is hugely marked up but you buy it anyway and how much more does it cost here?

Now I'm curious. I must try this!

[bigdog 376]

What isn't cheaper in China???? Read on…...

My Chinese wife's now-trite refrain when shopping here is "It is cheaper in China!" The initial response that almost jumped out of my mouth (after hearing that a hundred or so times) was, "Dorothy, this isn't China." However, I quickly realized that she had never seen the Wizard of Oz, so that response would have meant nothing to her. Instead, I have started asking her if she would like to go and bring some back after her next trip home.

I have found that often quality electronics seem to be cheaper in America, even if they are produced in China….. I know, go figure. On one of my trips to visit her, I wanted to purchase an iPad. After I got to the Apple store in Beijing and carefully compared features, considering the currency exchange rates, I put my money back in my pocket and bought one from Apple.com. It was about USD$200 less in the States.

YMMV

You're not the only one who has heard it. I tried the 6/1 exchange rate etc. no Bueno either. Her sister got an i pad here on her visit. Maybe it costs more because you cannot drink tap water in China? What I do is if I get a complaint and it is not for me I don't get it. Later you a question which is answered - i guess you didn't want it from your comment so I didn't get it.

Edited October 8, 2012 by bigdog

[bigdog 376]

Sorry if I misinterpreted or misconstrued your hubby's thread intent, titled:

"What's the biggest mark up you've ever paid for an every day product from your own country?"

With most everything now being produced in China these days, and it is usually cheaper there than in the good ol' USA, even when considering shipping costs and profit-taking, with some notable exceptions. My wife reports some specialty food items are either unavailable or the prices are exorbitant.

YMMV

I guess i have gotten more indulgent, if it is not too bad I get it. I did draw the straw fora $ 8.5 beer in a China park.

Scotland is the only country in the world where Coca-cola is not the biggest selling soft drink. Ours is Barr's Irn Bru. It is also a good hangover cure. It's only made in Scotland and tastes like nectar from the Gods! Being so popular it is kinda cheap and a 500ml bottle costs about the equivalent of 75c. It's not available in normal stores in New England but I was in the British goods store in Freeport Maine today and decided to buy a bottle. It was $3.50! I usually wouldn't pay such a silly price but I've not had any for at least a year so I decided to treat myself.

Is there anything that you guys buy from your own country that is hugely marked up but you buy it anyway and how much more does it cost here?

I will have to try some.

[hkl 9]

By far the biggest markup I have seen anywhere in the world is what AT&T charges for data roaming. I can get 1GB on local SIM for roughly $10 in most countries and I bet AT&T can get it even much cheaper from that foreign telecom, but instead they charge their customers $20,000 per 1GB. That's 2,000 times more expensive or in other words 200,000% markup.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Nectar from the gods? Yuk! It must be an acquired taste!

You've also paid silly amounts for OXO cubes but I agree with that one.

Now I'm curious. Looked it up and our British market sells it for $2.30. Must try some.

[scotinmass 588]

Now I'm curious. Looked it up and our British market sells it for $2.30. Must try some.

I just finished my bottle. I'll need to go back to boring old coke again.