Film price in UK

[ashfaque]

I apologise for what I am about to write

UK film sellers and possibly Ilford are a weird bunch. Usually, German films are cheapest in Germany (see Adox, Rollei price in Maco, Fotoimpex, et al.), American ones are cheaper in NA and same applies for Fuji’s films in Japan. Proportionately, Fuji’s are lot cheaper in Japan than anywhere else. In UK, it's the completely opposite! For example - price of a 30.50 meter bulk roll of Ilford HP5 Plus at

(1) BHP(USA) 59.95 (= 35.24 GBP)
(2) Adorama (USA) $ 54.90 (= 32.27 GBP)
(3) Maco Direct (DE) 64.00 Euro (= 61.16 GBP)
(4) Fotoimpex (DE) 68 Euro (= 54.35 GBP)
(5) Silverprint (UK) 60.20 GBP
(6) First-Call (UK) 70.99 GBP

I know that we have to pay a 20% VAT and that UK Pound has recently been getting stronger against US$. But it still does not make any sense (at least to me) of such a huge price variation. Is there a 'reasonable' rationale? Or they are actively trying to ruin their own business? I really like to know.

Bests,

Ashfaque

 

[Michael I.]

I wondered exactly that.

 

[Ansel]

Film is still cheap as chips. Don't worry about it.

 

[ashfaque]

Film is still cheap as chips. Don't worry about it.

It may be, but I like to know the possible reasons(s).

Bests,

A

 

[Ansel]

It may be, but I like to know the possible reasons(s).

Bests,

A

Free market. Different prices in different shops/countries, etc. based on different costs, profit margins, supply-demand, etc. etc.

 

[Sparrow]

... so you don't know then?

 

[sevo]

The US are a huge market controlled by a few major distributors, and with the local maker on the rocks and selling under value, foreign makers may have to discount substantially to keep in the game - I've seen German film sold there well below German prices as well. Add the peculiarities of the British market (smallish, being neither in the € nor in the $, and with a segment of shoppers sticking to buying British somewhat regardless of quality and price), and you end up with the highest price, at least in a "demand what you can" world of unlimited capitalism.

 

[Sparrow]

... that, and in a small manufacturing company the fixed-cost element of the unit cost is very dependant on volume ... so it often makes sense to export at a reduced price simply to cover fixed-costs, as long as you cover raw-materials and variable-costs anything above that at least contributes to overheads

 

[ashfaque]

In other words, buyers from NA are largely paying less for a different kind of collective bargaining. Thanks for the explanation. I can now use it as a nice example for my undergrad tutees. 🙂

Bests,

Ashfaque

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Prices in shops depend on a lot of factors.

A small shop might sell a few items a year and have to buy more than a year's supply from the makers and pay high delivery charges per item. Buying more than a year's supply might mean some will have to be discounted or binned as they reach the end of their shelf life. So they buy a dozen and assume only 10 will sell.

A larger shop or one with a larger customer base (meaning a different country) can usually/probably get a better price from the makers and a better delivery price and can safely assume all will be sold.

With exports and imports it's important to remember that some prices in the package are per item and some per package. Meaning the agent's fee for a pack of 5 and for a pack of 500 will be the same. Also minimum fees come into it.

The same applies when it's sold, for example a cassette of film weighs about 30g and it's size means it goes by Royal Mail as a "small parcel" at UKP 2.80 but that's for an "Up to 1 kg" small parcel. So for the same price I could probably send 30 cassettes of film and 100g of packaging. Sending 30 means the delivery costs 9p or so a film...

Regards, David

PS And what's wrong with British film?

 

[KenR]

I noticed this a couple of years ago when I was planning a hiking trip in northern England. I had a free day in Manchester before the hike, so I thought it would be cheaper to buy some Ilford film at that time. As all the prices that I could find on-line were significantly higher in the UK than the film that I could buy and take with me from the US, I carried all my film with me.

 

[Sparrow]

I noticed this a couple of years ago when I was planning a hiking trip in northern England. I had a free day in Manchester before the hike, so I thought it would be cheaper to buy some Ilford film at that time. As all the prices that I could find on-line were significantly higher in the UK than the film that I could buy and take with me from the US, I carried all my film with me.

.. not the Ken R?? 😱 :we-are-not-worthy-smiley:

 

[KenR]

The other Ken R.

The other Ken R.

I think that I am older than the other Ken R., so I was Ken R. before he was.

 

[zuiko85]

I live in the US and grouse about the increse in B&W film prices but I see it's much worse in other countries. I have a digital SLR but hardly ever use it and mostly shoot film but even at that I don't go through a lot, perhaps 20~30 rolls of 35mm and 10~15 rolls of 120 a year and at that rate I only spend $200 to $300 a year. Retired on and on a fixed income that is about my limit on film. One factor that helps is that a lot of the 35mm is run through half frame cameras.

There are of course other costs involved but I do my own developing. I have also dinked around with 4X5 but only with paper as a negative so that is still fairly cheap.

 

[John Bragg]

I would love to be more supportive of Ilford, but at current prices, I will stick with good old Tri-X. 2/3 of the price and my favorite go to film.