Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: shadowblade on February 20, 2014, 11:02:08 am
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Given that an Epson 9900 costs $14k in Australia and only around $5k in the US, and that second-hand is a good option given that Epson service in Australia (especially on printers running custom inksets) is poor to non-existent anyway, I'm looking at buying in the US and having it shipped to Australia.
I'm getting the seller to install a cleaning cartridge set and run a fill operation to fill the lines/head with cleaning fluid, so clogging in transit shouldn't be a problem.
The more difficult issue is how to get it to Melbourne, Australia, at the lowest possible price. DHL air freight (over $10k) and UPS air freight ($2k) are obviously out. But other sellers (and not just large-scale sellers) on eBay and Amazon are able to ship the same printer, or other equally-large printers, for only a few hundred dollars. I'm not familiar with US shipping companies - does anyone have any idea where I could get the best deal for door-to-door delivery for such a large package?
I'm in no hurry and the printer will be filled with cleaning fluid, so surface transport by ship is an option.
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Does it have to be a 9900?
The 9890 is now $3195 in the states and you get a brand new virgin printer. No fooling around with cleaning fluids.
You also get about $400 worth of ink in the startup carts that you could sell to someone else if you are not planning to use this printer with K3 inks
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Does it have to be a 9900?
The 9890 is now $3195 in the states and you get a virgin printer. No fooling around with cleaning fluids.
You also get about $400 worth of ink in the startup carts that you could sell to someone else if you are not planning to use this printer with K3 inks
I need the extra two inks the 9900 provides. In any case, most vendors won't sell you a new printer and ship it to Australia - they'd rather you pay the super-inflated, price-gouging local price.
I'd have to run cleaning fluid through a new printer to change the inkset anyway, since all print heads are tested with OEM inks or fluid before they leave the factory.
Either way, the shipping issues are the same.
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By the way, would $3.5k be a fair price for a used 9900 in good condition, with non-clogged printhead?
Don't have much to go on, given ridiculous prices here...
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I was looking at shipping used Canon 44'' model from Florida to Pennsylvania and the absolute lowest I was able to find was $325 via UPS with my day job corporate shipping discount.
I doubt that it'll be possible to find freight to Australia for few hundred dollars.
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I was looking at shipping used Canon 44'' model from Florida to Pennsylvania and the absolute lowest I was able to find was $325 via UPS with my day job corporate shipping discount.
I doubt that it'll be possible to find freight to Australia for few hundred dollars.
Seems like most sellers on eBay who ship to Australia are giving rates under $1000...
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I've been getting stuff out of China recently (eBay) and no shipping fees for some reason. Pretty quick too. I think the Chinese gov. must subsidize the Cosco shipping lines. Even shipping in the USA gets expensive at times. Out of the USA is pretty much what you find, unless you have a business account with a large amount of goods moved and get a break from UPS or DHL.
Individuals not much luck. We were going to go on a motorcycle tour of England once and a 25 pound box (helmets and jackets) was $900 and then another $900 to get them back home. Might as well bought them an airplane seat. Didn't go either.
SG
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Get an independent broker involved at your end. He'll cost you some money, but he's done it all before and won't make the ignorant types of mistakes brokers at the shipping end might make.
I used to ship expensive equipment US to Australia on a regular basis. The difference between letting Fedex do it from this end versus letting Bob do it from Brisbane were as night and day. Bob knew all the ins and outs including the latest fashions in customs enforcement and the current state of port politics. Having a voice at the receiving port is very important especially with partial container shipments. Bob knew all the right guys by their first names. Sorry, he's no longer available.
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By the way, would $3.5k be a fair price for a used 9900 in good condition, with non-clogged printhead?
Don't have much to go on, given ridiculous prices here...
Just another thought, buying new would make shipping a lot easier and increase your chances of it arriving in one piece unbroken.
The problem you will have shipping secondhand is that unless the seller has the original packing and is willing to repack the machine (if they can remember how) then the risk of damage in loading and transit increase.
Another issue is making sure all pieces for a secondhand machine are shipped and attached to it.
You may need a 110vac to 240vac adapter, not sure if the U.S. models allow a plug-in voltage range without having a voltage adapter.
I think BillT is correct in that you'll need a shipping agent to navigate the costs and custom barriers.
Brian.
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I'd have to run cleaning fluid through a new printer to change the inkset anyway, since all print heads are tested with OEM inks or fluid before they leave the factory.
Wait, what? Is this something new?
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By the way, would $3.5k be a fair price for a used 9900 in good condition, with non-clogged printhead?
Don't have much to go on, given ridiculous prices here...
No!
50 cents on the dollar is a good price.
60 cents on the dollar is a fair price and the max I would pay.
60% of $4200 =$2520
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No!
50 cents on the dollar is a good price.
60 cents on the dollar is a fair price and the max I would pay.
60% of $4200 =$2520
Where are they selling a new one for $4200? Because there's also a $1000 instant cash back going at the moment...
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just find a middle man who is willing to make some money and willing to take care the logistic for you from US to AU.
aaron
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Wait, what? Is this something new?
Nope - every printer is tested before it leaves the factory.
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Where are they selling a new one for $4200? Because there's also a $1000 instant cash back going at the moment...
Actually it is now lower. Lexjet has it for $3995 (After rebate)others as well.
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Actually it is now lower. Lexjet has it for $3995 (After rebate)others as well.
I've noticed quite a few have it for $3900-$4900 - I was just wondering if a $4200 price meant a $3200 printer with the rebate somewhere!
Which brings up another question. If I buy a new printer, it will not be filled with cleaning fluid. Given that transit time via sea freight is 6-8 weeks, what are the chances I'll end up with a clogged printer when it arrives?
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I've noticed quite a few have it for $3900-$4900 - I was just wondering if a $4200 price meant a $3200 printer with the rebate somewhere!
Which brings up another question. If I buy a new printer, it will not be filled with cleaning fluid. Given that transit time via sea freight is 6-8 weeks, what are the chances I'll end up with a clogged printer when it arrives?
It could just as easily be sitting around a warehouse for 6-8 weeks before being sold, and you don't often hear of printers arriving clogged. Maybe the flush after testing, or maybe they don't have to use ink to test.
Have you thought of trying to get one from Japan or China? My 9890 was made in China. And if you are shipping from the US, I would make sure whoever you deal with has west coast warehousing.
Brian A
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It could just as easily be sitting around a warehouse for 6-8 weeks before being sold, and you don't often hear of printers arriving clogged. Maybe the flush after testing, or maybe they don't have to use ink to test.
Have you thought of trying to get one from Japan or China? My 9890 was made in China. And if you are shipping from the US, I would make sure whoever you deal with has west coast warehousing.
Brian A
Not sure where I would get one in Japan or China - the huge Hong Kong market for cheap cameras and lenses (DigitalRev, for example) seems to be strangely absent for printers. Do you have any ideas?
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Not sure where I would get one in Japan or China - .... Do you have any ideas?
No, it was just a thought. I remember someone on another forum buying one, local to him, from Surabaya, Indonesia. But I am not sure that shipping distances matter that much, most of the costs are probably in handling. It would, however, mean less time at sea.
He couldn't get a Canon, but had a choice of Epson dealers.
Brian A
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Thanks for the Indonesia suggestion - I found a proofing edition model for around USD3000 at http://www.graphicpoints.com/ (http://www.graphicpoints.com/).
Clearly, these printers aren't very expensive to produce - Australia is just getting badly ripped off, paying 3-4 times the average global price (even Europe only pays half as much).
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Thanks for the Indonesia suggestion - I found a proofing edition model for around USD3000 at http://www.graphicpoints.com/ (http://www.graphicpoints.com/).
I hope that works out, it sounds like a much better deal.
Clearly, these printers aren't very expensive to produce - Australia is just getting badly ripped off, paying 3-4 times the average global price (even Europe only pays half as much).
Yes, but, if you every have to look for accomadation in Europe, or even worse, think about buying a house, a large format Epson printer is still a steal, if you have a couple of million to buy a space large enough to move it into.
Brian A
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I hope that works out, it sounds like a much better deal.
Yes, but, if you every have to look for accomadation in Europe, or even worse, think about buying a house, a large format Epson printer is still a steal, if you have a couple of million to buy a space large enough to move it into.
Brian A
Europe's pretty cheap, really.
Try finding accommodation in Australia, or buying a house in a capital city. There's a reason we all take holidays overseas rather than locally!
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Try the "Shipito" people in the US. (http://www.shipito.com/) You sign up to join and place a nominal sum($50) in your account. They then give you a unique US address to get your stuff sent to from the merchant you buy from.
For example, the brand of jeans I buy won't be sold to me by US sellers because I am in Australia. But they sell to me and happily send to my US "shipito" address. Shipito then send it on to me and they arrange all freight.
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The Epson 990 is $10,945.00 from Kayell and you currently get $1500 cash back. That is with a 1 year warranty. You will have no warranty from overseas I expect.
If you bring the printer in from overseas you will have to pay 10% GST also. As much as we are getting ripped off in Australia it's not as bad as it was.
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The Epson 990 is $10,945.00 from Kayell and you currently get $1500 cash back. That is with a 1 year warranty. You will have no warranty from overseas I expect.
If you bring the printer in from overseas you will have to pay 10% GST also. As much as we are getting ripped off in Australia it's not as bad as it was.
No GST, since it's a business expense. And the warranty doesn't mean much when I can buy three printers over there for the same price as buying one here.
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GST is still payable on capital equipment - you don't get to avoid it due to something being "a business expense". You do get to offset that cost against revenue when calculating taxable income.
It may be cheaper to import a replacement printer, but how long will you have to wait? How much will it cost you to have it fixed locally?
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GST is still payable on capital equipment - you don't get to avoid it due to something being "a business expense". You do get to offset that cost against revenue when calculating taxable income.
It may be cheaper to import a replacement printer, but how long will you have to wait? How much will it cost you to have it fixed locally?
3-4 days for a replacement. But I don't print large volumes and it's not my main source of income (more a means for me to deduct photo equipment and photographic trips as tax expenses, as well as make some money on the side). So I'm not worried by wait times. And any repair costs are going to be much less than the 3x premium for buying here.
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So long as you can generate $10k p.a. in revenue, the ATO should let you do that and there's no way you're getting a replacement in 3-4 days. Airfreighting one isn't going to see it here cheaper than a local machine and no sea freight will make it that quick. It's also not a 3x cost difference, certainly not by the time you factor in shipping and GST.
Your decision, of course, but be aware that it's not really as simple an equation as you might think.
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The Indonesia one turned out to be a very convincing scam.
Looking at US and Canada sellers now - $4k plus another $1k in shipping is still much cheaper than here.
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Hi All,
Sorry for hijacking this thread but it's the most similar and recent to my question.
we are moving premises in a few months, but only across the road and up to the 3rd floor.
we have an Epson 9900 and it won't fit in the lift/elevator.
we have hired a moving company to transport everything. But I'm just wondering what prep and instructions I should give them?
tape down the print head and any moving parts, keep it as level as possible when moving? anything else? I can physically walk over with them when moving it to keep an eye on it.
Thanks for any tips.
James
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Hi James,
I would put the foamy shipping mat material (not styrofoam or anything that leaves particles) next to the print head, roll it into a ball. Apply tape on the back platen, over the foam, and onto the door frame to secure it. Can use a (clean!) pillow also. I wouldn't directly tape the print head, but shouldn't be a problem if you prefer.
Just be aware of the encoder strip and not to damage it. And not apply pressure on the print head with the pillow, let is rest securely next to it.
Remove cartridges and maintenance tanks, tape all the doors securely. Remove printer from frame and put is on a few thick blankets in the truck for some suspension.
GooGome works well to remove the tape adhesive. I like to use electrical tape as long as temperature doesn't get too hot in shipping.
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Maybe consider Piano movers, Pianos are moved in very caution and methodical ways. There are a lot of internal parts that are fragile if thumped or handled roughly.