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5 minutes ago, Joe12345 said:

Any idea what might happen to tracer power pack prices?

And slightly off topic, but what will happen to our relationship with the ESA?

Director-General Johann-Dietrich Werner has said it shouldn't have any effect. 

And back on topic, I for one will keep on buying from FLO, the service I received on my last purchase was second to none and that's what it's all about for me.

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19 hours ago, FLO said:

FLO was launched in 2006, around the beginning of they now call 'the great recession'! We know what it's like to trade in difficult times :smile: 

We'll be okay. 

Steve 

Wow, was that really ten yrs ago? seems like just a couple of years since someone turned the tap off on the building industry..Looks like we made it :)

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Buy from British retailers if possible even if the prices do go up.
I have bought from the EU before but only when I could'nt get the item here.

Give it time and things will settle.
Remember, the markets are rigged, they were already moving well before the polls closed.

 

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Flo has always been my number one shop for astro, other than when i first started then it was south west optics before flo was born, does it matter if the prices increase a little, we have had it good for a long time

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16 hours ago, Joe12345 said:

Any idea what might happen to tracer power pack prices?

 

12 hours ago, FLO said:

I'll see what I can find out :smile: 

I spoke with Tracer's UK importer, they have plenty of stock here in the UK so a price rise is not planned :smile: 

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Well I see some retailers are already taking advantage of the weak £.... tut tut!! Their Televue eyepieces soon took a hike up in price. I'd like to guess they already have a few TV ep's in stock (pre weak £) so why they felt a speedy price adjustment was necessary leaves some questioning?? 

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57 minutes ago, spaceboy said:

Well I see someone is already taking advantage of the weak £.... tut tut!! Their Televue eyepieces soon took a hike up in price. I'd like to guess they already have a few TV ep's in stock (pre weak £) so why they felt a speedy price adjustment was necessary leaves some questioning?? 

Let's be careful to focus on the discussion points at hand and not go down the route of targeting individual retailer activity. Buyer behaviour will determine whether pricing is acceptable or sustainable. There are many variables behind the scenes which we are unaware of such as stock levels , stock price protection policies (although that's more relevant for price downs than price increases), manufacturer support etc etc which will affect the prices seen during transition periods like this. Retailers need to make money to survive, so long as those margins are reasonable then we should all be ok with it.

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22 minutes ago, Stu said:

Let's be careful to focus on the discussion points at hand and not go down the route of targeting individual retailer activity. Buyer behaviour will determine whether pricing is acceptable or sustainable. There are many variables behind the scenes which we are unaware of such as stock levels , stock price protection policies (although that's more relevant for price downs than price increases), manufacturer support etc etc which will affect the prices seen during transition periods like this. Retailers need to make money to survive, so long as those margins are reasonable then we should all be ok with it.

Post edited so as not to point the finger but I still feel the price hike was premature on eyepieces that are clearly advertised as already being in stock and being dispatched using mainland delivery methods.

I agree retailers have to make a living but buying at one price to apparently take advantage of current affairs by selling at an inflated price is not the way to earn an honest living. I have voiced my opinion so I will shut up now and appologise in the hope I haven't distracted too far away from the thread topic.

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FWIW I am disappointed at the way the media are focusing on negatives. The British people are known for their stoicism, good manners, sense of humour and pride in their country. With the right leadership this situation can be considered an opportunity for positive change. It doesn't have to be negative. 

Absolutely agree!

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12 minutes ago, spaceboy said:

Post edited so as not to point the finger but I still feel the price hike was premature on eyepieces that are clearly advertised as already being in stock and being dispatched using mainland delivery methods.

I agree retailers have to make a living but buying at one price to apparently take advantage of current affairs by selling at an inflated price is not the way to earn an honest living. I have voiced my opinion so I will shut up now and appologise in the hope I haven't distracted too far away from the thread topic.

Thanks Nick. To be fair we don't know the full story behind everyone's decisions. Many list items as being in stock, when that actually means distributor stock which may or may not be at the higher price already. I get your point, but thanks for the edit.

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I think this is a very reasonable and honest statement by FLO.

I bought my first 60mm refractor in 1965 with my first salary payment - the cost just under 30GBP - with inflation that is 549GBP today for a 60mm Achro Frac - no comparison with current equipment.

I attach a copy of Fullerscopes catalogue from 1973 showing an 8" Newt - again compare these costs with a 8" Dobsonian today.

I have bought many new Astro items and secondhand items- I have used FLO many times for scopes, eyepieces and mounts. FLO are one of the most honest, reliable and genuine retailers I have every used and I will continue to do so.

We can cannot be certain what will happen over the next few months but I will continue to support UK based retailers for my astro equipment.

 

scopes002.pdf

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On 29 June 2016 at 14:31, spaceboy said:

Post edited so as not to point the finger but I still feel the price hike was premature on eyepieces that are clearly advertised as already being in stock and being dispatched using mainland delivery methods.

I agree retailers have to make a living but buying at one price to apparently take advantage of current affairs by selling at an inflated price is not the way to earn an honest living. I have voiced my opinion so I will shut up now and appologise in the hope I haven't distracted too far away from the thread topic.

Please, everyone, he isn't referring to us. He is referring to a different retailer :smile: 

@spaceboy We would very much like to help SGL members with TeleVue products but we are not a TeleVue dealer. 

Steve 

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We have been giving the pricing situation a lot of thought. The £ exchange-rate has been volatile for months but the overall trend was down. Here at FLO price increases are phased in gradually, usually applied when existing stock has sold and is replenished. Being the largest UK astro retailer we carry more stock than our competitors but all astro retailers (and their suppliers) reduce their stock during the period leading up to summer (astro retail sales are at their strongest over the winter months when nights are long and dark, and weakest during the summer months). So, whilst we don't think the fallout from the referendum has been, or will be, as bad as the media suggest, we (and other retailers) have been absorbing higher cost prices for several months and our existing stock levels are at their lowest. This means when we review our prices they will probably rise 7-10% and the increases will sometimes appear quite suddenly. 

Here at FLO we will review prices for our US sourced products (i.e Starlight Instruments, Moonlite, Astrozap, Hotech, Unihedron, ADM, etc) over the next week or two so if you are planning to buy we recommend you place your order soon. Atik price increases were applied last weekend, ZWO price increases will be applied soon (possibly today or Monday). Explore Scientific prices were expected to increase last March (they probably delayed things until after the referendum) so we can expect their prices to rise soon. We think Skywatcher & Celestron will be last to increase their prices (their distributors have stock in the UK) but, assuming the £ continues at around the current level, they will need to and when one does the other usually follows soon after. 

HTH, 

Steve 

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On 27/06/2016 at 21:51, FLO said:

FLO was launched in 2006, around the beginning of they now call 'the great recession'! We know what it's like to trade in difficult times :smile: 

We'll be okay. 

Steve 

 

Soon to be known as the days when 'you never had it so good'...

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52 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Soon to be known as the days when 'you never had it so good'...

I doubt that. Working until 3am, car falling to pieces, no holidays, competitors sneering at the "forum retailer" and suppliers wondering if dealing with us would upset their established accounts. I wouldn't want to go through that again :unsure:

Unless you are referring to the after-math of the referendum. Things are never as bad (or as good) as the media claims. This storm of resentment and retribution they and the politicians have whipped up will soon pass and with the right leadership we can feel optimistic. 

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1 hour ago, FLO said:

I doubt that. Working until 3am, car falling to pieces, no holidays, competitors sneering at the "forum retailer" and suppliers wondering if dealing with us would upset their established accounts. I wouldn't want to go through that again :unsure:

Unless you are referring to the after-math of the referendum. Things are never as bad (or as good) as the media claims. This storm of resentment and retribution they and the politicians have whipped up will soon pass and with the right leadership we can feel optimistic. 

I was thinking along similar lines to:

Harold MacMillan: "you've never had it so good."

Harold Wilson: "You've never had it."

Margaret Thatcher: "You've never had it. So good!"

 

(hope this is oOK unfder forum rules)

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I, for one really do admire FLO for being upfront and honest about how the company may/may not be effected by the current situation. I'd expect nothing more,nothing less from them. The simple truth is that none of us anywhere in the world can say for sure what may/may not happen. Obviously there will be changes...its part and parcel of the situation. It is and will be business as usual.

Life and business will go on for all of us, as it has done.

 

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I like this thread. It treads carefully within the forum rules at a difficult time and I intend to tread likewise. If we British aim to congratulate ourselves on our politeness (I'm a great fan of politeness despite being an uncouth northern so-and-so:D) then we must take care - this is not rocket science - to be polite! And that's what we are doing.

Olly

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