celestron has gone insane with edge hd prices

[Mike Hawtin]

I'm not sure if Celestron are ripping off the importer or the importer is ripping of the distributors, but someone is making quick and easy with the profit margin.

Makes no difference to me who is doing the ripping off, they're not getting my custom on principle, still see too much of this and it really gets my goat!

[Dunkster]

Taking the CGEM 1100HD as an example...

UK price = £4495inc => £3745ex

average recent exchange rate £1 = US$1.5

Giving rough price of CGEM 1100HD in US$5619

US pricing US$3999

40% markup for these products in the UK, ignoring tax. Prices taken from readily available, reputable retailers (FLO, OPT, etc), not accounting for minor fluctuations in exchange rate.

The CGEM 1100 (non-HD) on the other hand, is almost bang on after accounting for our 20% sales tax.

I quite fancy the CPC 1100 (I'm visual only for now), and the gulf between fantasy and reality is even greater $2400+/£1600+ difference between UK and US prices of the Edge HD version, but again the non-HD version is within margins of exchange rate.

The only comfort is I don't have the cash anyhow

[KE400]

I looked into this topic not long ago and posted on here regarding the huge differences in price from US to UK on an Edge 1400. The only stumbling block for me personally was the whole guarentee issue. If a scope is purchased in the US and either shipped to the UK or hand carried, the Celestron guarantee is not valid anymore!

It certainly put me off when thinking of parting with a lot of hard earned. If something was wrong or went wrong with the scope which sometimes happens, not being covered by a guarantee after parting with a large sum of money is a big gamble. A one I'm not prepared to take. It seems that this guarantee comes at a high price to the UK astronomer.

It also seems to me a "no brainer" if Celestron were adjust costs in the UK to US pricing that a lot more folk would consider purchasing the Edge scopes. Sadly however, this is not the case.

[Mr Spock]

I wouldn't use an Edge for visual use, there isn't really a point.

However, they do seem to be rather good at imaging if this flickr album is anything to go by:- Celestron Edge HD Image Gallery - a set on Flickr

Whether something is worth the price or not is up to the individual.

[ollypenrice]

Mr Spock is right, those are very good images. However, they are taken with the Edge 14 inch (or all the ones I clicked on were so taken) and with the stunningly high quality Apogee CCD, sometimes with a Hyperstar. That makes for a very seriously expensive imaging rig.

Olly

[Davey-T]

And the government says inflation is 3.4% perhaps they should include scope prices in there

calculations

Davey -T

[ukskies]

Ok then my thread has been closed so I'll re post my last point on this thread. I posted.....

The idea I am trying to project is that it must be a mistake not a rip off.

Lets try another tack.

Using FLO pricing difference between 11" edge hd and standard is (3995 - 1575) £2420.

Now stick them on a mount CGE Pro say Standard is £7140 and edge is £7890 now the difference between tube assemblies is only £750 can someone explain that to me?

Stick them on a CGEM difference is £1815 and on a CGEM DX its £1795 what on earth is going on????

[derekm]

BS baffles brains?

[Davei]

There are a few of the Celestron Edge promo offers still around. Eg C11 Edge for £2.3k. At that price it seemed good vfm. On my first viewing it's great; lovely views of Saturn & Mars. Re: Olly's comments, I shall still use my WO refracter for DSO's.