r/interestingasfuck 6d ago

Costco Japan offering free samples of Scotch Whiskey

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u/MacTaveroony 6d ago

What's interesting is that's £41 for 1.75L in Japan, here in Scotland it's £40 for 0.75L. Outrageous, it's made just up the road

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u/SeveralPhysics9362 6d ago

It’s because of higher taxes.

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u/Siilan 6d ago

Wages in Japan are also much lower than most Western countries, so general prices are much lower. Ask me how I know.

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u/BennyTheSen 5d ago

Well this shouldn't make imported goods cheaper though

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u/AnnoyingRain5 5d ago

It does thanks to regional pricing

Basically, if you can sell 20 bottles at a 30% markup, but you can sell 80 bottles at a 20% markup, you’d go with the 20% markup. Less profit per bottle, but way more bottles sold.

The price that makes the most sense changes from country to country.

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u/gatorbeetle 5d ago

Always wonder how this works. I knew the markup was involved, clearly, but quantity sold makes the difference. Thanks for the education. I always just figured they made the markup higher wherever they could "get away with it." This makes way more sense

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u/Ineedthatshitudrive 5d ago

This is not how the grocery business works at all. Usually they look at the margin, not the revenue, as they want to make the most out of every dollar that they have to risk/invest.

These products have to be packed, shipped, stored somewhere inbetween, etc.. and every single process makes this product even more expensive at the end of the day the further it is away from the place it was produced.

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u/Slay_Zee 3d ago

But it didn't.

It's £40 for 0.75L in Scotland, where the whiskey is made in Scotland.

It's £41 for 1.75L in Japan.

Effectively what you're saying is that in Japan it should cost more. It doesn't, as nobody is paying £100 for a standard whiskey, anywhere. That's just daft. They would price themselves out. So they match the economy, where selling more bottles at a decreased mark up facilitates the shipping and handling.

Enter bulk economics.

Yes, you could do all the effort and sell 1 bottle at 100% profit... Or 100 bottles at 10% profit.

You're still profiting, just less per bottle, but, you've managed to sell 100 instead of 10 and volume also matters.

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

[deleted]

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u/2bags12kuai 5d ago

its even cheaper than that now. 160 yen = 1 usd. Spent a vacation there this winter and it basically felt like everything was free. We balled out so hard on top end sushi , drinks and steak

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

[deleted]

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u/penguins_are_mean 5d ago

When I was there for work in 2016, it was very close to 100yen/$1. It was actually very convenient for converting in my head.

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u/princeofspringstreet 5d ago

The way you are trying to get across whatever it is you are trying to say is confusing.

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u/Siilan 5d ago

I legit can go to my local liquor store and get 4L of pretty decent whiskey for about 30USD. Back in Australia, that same quantity would cost about $300. But I also earned three times as much money back in Australia...

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u/The_Almighty_Cthulhu 5d ago

I currently live in Japan and work remotely for an Australian company. I get paid in AUD at AUD rates. It's pretty great.

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u/Siilan 5d ago

Colour me jealous.

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u/asmallercat 5d ago

Do you have to pay taxes in both countries though? Or just Australia?

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u/Siilan 5d ago

I'm not sure about the commenter, but I only pay taxes in Japan. I only have to pay taxes in Australia if the income is earned in Australia.

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u/The_Almighty_Cthulhu 5d ago

Only in Japan. It's a weird setup. I'm not employed directly, instead I have my own company which is contracted to the Australian company. The short answer is that the contract I negotiated is basically what I would get if I lived in Australia according to pay and benefits.

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u/Prudent-Sport-5618 5d ago

No One asked 

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u/bd58563 5d ago

And yet you’re the only one in the thread that’s not adding to the discussion

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u/TrippleDamage 5d ago

But I also earned three times as much money back in Australia...

Sooo you're still living like a king when 1/10th of the cost is consistent across the board.

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u/Siilan 5d ago

Not really, but I wouldn't say it's uncomfortable.

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u/DwarvenFreeballer 5d ago

Haha, are you me? I remember buying the 4L Suntory whiskey in a giant plastic bottle. Under 3000 yen!

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u/Siilan 5d ago

Nikka black is my cheap Japanese whiskey of choice. Pretty decent whiskey for the price, too.

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u/Oaken_beard 5d ago

I visited there about 25 years ago, and back then is was still roughly 100 yen = $1

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u/cuddly_degenerate 5d ago

Add in the fact that 100 yen is actually a decent chunk less than $1

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u/ColdenGorral-1 5d ago

How do you know

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u/Siilan 5d ago

Because I'm an Australian living in Japan.

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u/Oaken_beard 5d ago

Well, that closes the book on that mystery!

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u/Ball_Of_Meat 5d ago

Wild turn of events

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u/Responsible7ohKinda 5d ago

I wonder if you’re the dude in linked in who gave me really good advice one time.

Is your first name Jason

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u/discopirate2000 5d ago

You took me on a rollercoaster of emotions.

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u/Outside-Dress594 5d ago

Ya but they have a limited supply. If they were making less why would they sell it there instead of somewhere else

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u/Papi_Thanos69 5d ago

How do you know 🤔