Furuno Waranty

[John Martin]

Marco, the assistant manager from Furuno japan explained it quite clearly in his reply to Kristine.

We recognize the different price points for the products in
different market but it always happens due to the different market size,
situation and distribution mechanism.

It's all got to do with supply and demand. Why is labour cheaper in China....there's an over supply. Why is every consumer item in the world cheaper in the USA.....300 million people create a greater demand than 21 million Aussies!

The reply from the Furuno Japan man clearly hints that the Yanks buy cheaper (quote..."price points") and they have a different quote "distribution mechanism" in other words Furuno is distributing directly in USA but tsince our market is too small for the major suppliers to work with directly they choose to appoint a distributor to distribute (through dealers), support, advertise etc etc

[John Martin]

no scare mongering here marco! There's nothing to gain from it and I'm keen on a bargain just like the next bloke, hence my keen interest to buy a good 2nd hand boat from OS. However every few months the same question gets asked about why cheaper in the USA and then the whole warranty issue is dragged in. It's quite simple why there is a price diffs and really stupid to think that someone can expect service from someone that they did not buy it from in the first place! I know what I'd say but then again I'm not some billion dollar corporation.

[marco]

Marco, the assistant manager from Furuno japan explained it quite clearly in his reply to Kristine.



It's all got to do with supply and demand. Why is labour cheaper in China....there's an over supply. Why is every consumer item in the world cheaper in the USA.....300 million people create a greater demand than 21 million Aussies!

The reply from the Furuno Japan man clearly hints that the Yanks buy cheaper (quote..."price points") and they have a different quote "distribution mechanism" in other words Furuno is distributing directly in USA but tsince our market is too small for the major suppliers to work with directly they choose to appoint a distributor to distribute (through dealers), support, advertise etc etc

with all due respect i really dont buy that even though you are right in that a furuno rep wrote it , i do believe the attitude is that they set prices to a level that they think we will pay and that they will get away with . it really defies logic that a customer can buy something internationally potentially cheaper than what the local importer / distributer can buy it from the manufacturer .

[marco]

no scare mongering here marco! There's nothing to gain from it and I'm keen on a bargain just like the next bloke, hence my keen interest to buy a good 2nd hand boat from OS. However every few months the same question gets asked about why cheaper in the USA and then the whole warranty issue is dragged in. It's quite simple why there is a price diffs and really stupid to think that someone can expect service from someone that they did not buy it from in the first place! I know what I'd say but then again I'm not some billion dollar corporation.

where do you get that someone wants to get a service from someone they did not buy the item from ?

it has been made clear the go is that the local distributer gets paid from the overseas distributer for any repairs needed as per the international policy and is the same in reverse for items brought here and used overseas .

[John Martin]

Marco, I'd be guessing but logic and common business sense dictates that a market 15 times greater than another would surely be doing everything from buying their products, to freight, logistics, borrowing money etc far more efficently and cheaper than the smaller market. These saving will get passed down the line and the benefit is in the cheaper selling price which in turn drives the market even harder. I lived in the sates for two years in the '80's and I can remember buying a good 2nd hand car for so cheap that at one stage the gasoline in the tank was worth more than the car and we all know how much cheaper petrol is in the states!! I had just about every toy I wished for and was the envy of my mates back home. It's a fact of life, everything is cheaper in the USA

[John Martin]

where do you get that someone wants to get a service from someone they did not buy the item from ?

it has been made clear the go is that the local distributer gets paid from the overseas distributer for any repairs needed as per the international policy and is the same in reverse for items brought here and used overseas .

Marco, with all due respect, that's an assumption that's been made on this website by contributors and even a sponsor. I'd like to see in writing from one of the authorised distributors that this is in fact the case. I understand that if it is purchased from an AUTHORISED DEALER then the warranty will be taken care of under their distributor agreement. But once again I am yet to see any proof that the special deals being offered are in fact from authorised Furuno dealers. I know that J&H has supplied equipment to Australia as a very good friend of mine bought gear from them just recently but when I asked Furuno USA if J&H were Furuno dealers they said.........I quote "Sorry to say " J & H " Products is not an authorized Furuno USA or Canada dealer".

Like you say, the issue or risk is not that great with good qaulity gear but as I have pointed out in earlier posts the saving is not that great either. So my good friends and fellow fisho's remember............Caveat emptor, let the buyer beware or fore warned is fore armed or due whatever the hell you want, it's a free world and if the distributors really cared they'd make a plan but whilst they hold the joker the risk is all ours

[disorderly]

Yes marco it defies logic indeed.
However we are entering a brave new world...a global marketplace where we are all potential guinea pigs ....nobody is quite sure how many people will buy on brand vs pure price point....
Furuno used to be a top quality supplier....however now they have seen the light...to compete in this extremely competitive global marketplace they can still offer their top end commercial range but they are also trying to gain market share from all of us rec fishers as well...smart move...however the quality will more than likely deteriorate as price becomes the motive to buy and sell and they are forced to find even cheaper means of production...

Some interesting times ahead and I personally think think that quality will continue to decline,at least in the short term,until we either get used to very cheap disposable electronic goods or we get sick of that and demand a return to longer lasting factory backed brand named products...or maybe both...

However the older I get, the more I dislike this trend towards buying cheap electronics and just chucking it away after a year or so and buying an even cheaper, bigger, faster, better version.
I think it breeds a real lack of respect in the younger generation in looking after your possessions and being happy with what you have got.

scott

[marco]

Marco, with all due respect, that's an assumption that's been made on this website by contributors and even a sponsor. I'd like to see in writing from one of the authorised distributors

fair call john as you dont know me from a bar of soap , but as i said i know first hand that both furuno and raymarine stand by the product that i brought from non authorized dealers and have been willing to setup repairs in australia at there exspense and having a furuno tech ringing me from the states to help out was very impressive to me .

[John Martin]

Scotty, you've got it all in one mate! You have summed it up brilliantly and I feel exactly the same. I offered a perfectly good girls bicycle to one of my work colleagues as my daughter has out grown it and is on the next size up. It's in perfect condition, just not brand new and do you know what.......I cannot give it away in muy local neighbourhood!! Last weekend I drove 20kms and took it to the recycling tip and hopefully it will find a good home. My sons mates are all into riding MX bikes and they were horrified when I suggested we buy a second hand "oldie" and fix it up. Pull the carby off, drop the engine, spray the frame etc. One kids said, "but they got new ones at the Honda shop for only $3,699 or even better there's those Extreme machines for $2,999". they are MX look-alike bikes made in China and are utter rubbish!!

If we keep buying the cheap Chinese look alikes and the equivalent of the cheap consumer electronics based on price then I'm affraid you're right and the local skills for repairing anything that can be repaired will be lost. The unfortunate thing is that it is us, the consumer that will be the looser. Don't get me started on the corner grocer / butcher vs the big super markets!!! But if we all rush off and buy on price alone ignoring the local bloke who at this moment in time has the expertise to fix, service and advise then it is only a matter of time before he packs it in and finds something else to do. It's like Wallmart story when the American consumers blamed Wal-Mart for creating this superficial cheap and nasty brand that put many thousands of businesses out of business when they went from city to city. Sam walton said "I did not create this business. You the Amercian public demanded cheap prices so I gave it to you". it's the same here with the "big 2" gobbeling up everything from grocery stores, bottle shops, gaming, hotels and nor retirement villages!! What next....schools!!

[marco]

just one point john , " price alone " compared to justifiable / reasonable price difference is my angle on all this . i dont expect the same as the usa prices but i dont expect some of what we are seeing now with the pricing

[John Martin]

fair call john as you dont know me from a bar of soap , but as i said i know first hand that both furuno and raymarine stand by the product that i brought from non authorized dealers and have been willing to setup repairs in australia at there exspense and having a furuno tech ringing me from the states to help out was very impressive to me .

Marco, it sounds like you had an exceptionally good experience but I do not believe that your experience is the norm for products purchased from non authorised OS vendors. Judging by feedback from this particular discussion I think it would be misleading for others who are considering OS purchases that they can expect the same level of service from the overseas distributor as your experience. Let's just say you're lucky

[disorderly]

Marco....pricing in Australia will continue to adjust as globalisation takes over and retailers demand of the manufacturers a price parity that enables them to at least compete enough of a degree to be viable...My missus and I operate a small internet based sales business and things are changing very rapidly at the moment....the smaller retail stores(and personalized customer service) as we know them will be a thing of the past before to long.

Scott

[disorderly]

Marco, it sounds like you had an exceptionally good experience but I do not believe that your experience is the norm for products purchased from non authorised OS vendors. Judging by feedback from this particular discussion I think it would be misleading for others who are considering OS purchases that they can expect the same level of service from the overseas distributor as your experience. Let's just say you're lucky

John,I think at the moment we are still in a bit of a grey area regarding this Issue...I also was fortunate enough to get local warranty (actually a brand new combo unit) on an O/S bought Garmin unit from the garmin distributors (GME)but I think it's inevitable that more stringent policies will be put in place sooner or later.

Nice chatting to you guys but I'm off to bed now ...fishing the reef tomorrow

[John Martin]

just one point john , " price alone " compared to justifiable / reasonable price difference is my angle on all this . i dont expect the same as the usa prices but i dont expect some of what we are seeing now with the pricing

..........and a very good point Marco. Once again referring to this particular discussion where we have discussed Furuno price and warranty, I do not believe that the current pricing from local Aussie dealers (when you shop around) is that far off the landed price from a no authorised US vendor. For other brands yes I know there is a significant price diffs and therefore saving but as Scotty said, we're in for some interesting times.

I'm genuinely concerned for the future of our kids. If everyone buys and supports offshsore and it becomes even more of a "throw-away" society then where does that leave us? Already the Australian manufacturing businesses are moving offshore to survive and take advantage of the cheaper manufacturing costs so it's only a matter of time until the skills are lost to Australia forever. With all the migrant skilled workers coming into Australia to fill mining jobs during the current boom (WA needs 10,000 workers in the next 4 years) what happens when the mines start slowing down? The migrants will not want to go back home so there will be a huge over supply of skills and we all now what that means. Let's hope rudd is clever enough to steer the ship around this nav hazard!!

[John Martin]

John,I think at the moment we are still in a bit of a grey area regarding this Issue...I also was fortunate enough to get local warranty (actually a brand new combo unit) on an O/S bought Garmin unit from the garmin distributors (GME)but I think it's inevitable that more stringent policies will be put in place sooner or later.

Nice chatting to you guys but I'm off to bed now ...fishing the reef tomorrow

Scotty, I fully agree mate. Good chatting and tight lines for tomorrow.

be safe
johno