Astroboot

[CraigT82]

I've noticed that over the last couple of weeks that astroboot site is unavailable, with a placeholder pointing visitors to the astroboot EU site. 

Are they just cashing in on the exchange rate or am I too cynical?

 

[billyharris72]

That was my assumption too, I have to admit. Unusual to close a working and commercially viable site down for a revamp - you'd do all that offline and swap the sites round with a few hours downtime at worst.

Don't know if I'd call it "cashing in" or just avoiding the risk of exposure to the pound, but end effect is the same. Has anyone bought anything from the EU site - does it work out more expensive than it looks due to currency charges etc?

[PeterCPC]

I sent them an E Mail about 4 weeks ago - no reply.

Peter

[SkyBound]

Yes, they are cashing in, I tried to contact before the site went down with no luck, then got a reply pointing me to the Euro site.... won't be using again..

[Mark at Beaufort]

I googled their telephone number for the EU site -

AstroBoot.eu
Mellby Stora Väg 29
SE277 35 Kivik

Sweden

[swag72]

I bought from the EU site and it was an excellent transaction.... Items came quickly and with the postage mark of Kivik.

I paid in euros though, so the exchange rate was irrelevant to me. I would certainly use them again.

[happy-kat]

Think I'll pull finger out and order the cable I need, anyways found them good service and great for stocking those odd parts

[John]

The EU Astroboot seems to be much better populated with items than the UK one was. I wonder if the UK operator has simply sold the whole business to an EU operator and references to the UK site will eventually just be dropped ?

 

[Stub Mandrel]

If all the stuff comes from the EU and they operate on slender margins, the old site may need completely repricing.

[CraigT82]

Interesting, perhaps the business has been sold as John says or perhaps the proprietor has emigrated to Sweden and taken the lot with him. I dont blame him!

It's still a great place to find those bits and bobs that you can't get anywhere else, just a bit dearer with the exchange rate as it is. 

 

[Star Struck]

According to Astroboot, the EU site is a commercially separate enterprise so I doubt anybody is tryiing to pull a fast one.

I ordered something from them a couple of days ago, so too early to tell how efficient they will be. The UK site was very slow in fulfilling the orders.

Fingers crossed, and anyway it is PayPal that sets the exchange rate.

Tony

 

[Joseki]

Well the eu site is selling the same 130mm f5  set with chipped secondary thats been on the uk site for ages(yes it was a daily browse for me), so other than some legal definition of commercially seperate and a pile of hypothetical paperwork I don't see how they can be seperate.  They should man up about it rather than leave  the redirection page promising "exciting changes" if thats whats going on - I can't see how they benefit from being dishonest.

[brantuk]

I emailed a query to astroboot asking what's up with the UK site and just got a reply. Here it is:

Hi Kim and thanks for your message.

 

I can’t actually give you a date at the moment – too much depends on others.

 

We are behind schedule at the moment and there is still work to do combining the UK database with EU site database. Part of the problem is being busy with the more physical elements of the move. Our intention at the moment is to have the UK site back up before Christmas, but this may slip until just after.   When we get this work done the UK site will go back up and, from a product point of view, will look identical with EU site only it will of course be priced in GBP as usual. The move will make AstroBoot more cost-effective to operate and therefore more sustainable in the long run.

 

Thanks for bearing with us - we appreciate your patience. 

 

Kind regards

Robert

[Stub Mandrel]

I ordered a cheep R&P focuser for a guide scope recently off the euro site and it came no problem, but a little slower (from Sweden)

Unfortunately it was much bigger than I realised, although it's plastic it's very chunky with a T-thread on the end. Sure I will find a use for it eventually!

[oobydooby]

Just thought I would update the state of play with Astroboot.

A few weeks before Astroboot UK went down I had placed an order for a considerable sum.  I became concerned when after a few weeks of the site going offline and of no response to my e-mails and telephone calls that I raised a complaint with Pay Pal.

A day later I was contacted by telephone by Astroboot and was told that they had taken an order from another buyer for the item I had already paid for due to the change over of their business model.  They were currently receiving a few containers and were expecting there to be more of what I wanted and would I be prepared to wait a few weeks.  I asked for my money back as they had been holding it for more than 4 months and the next day it was re-reimbursed to my Pay Pal account.

I then ordered some items from AstroBoot EU which arrived today very quickly.  I was happy with the response from AstroBoot and was assured that both the UK and EU sites will be displaying the same items and the prices in Euros and Pounds Sterling will be equivalent when the UK site is back up.

 

[den12386]

I have always had good service from the uk astroboot and my last purchase was a skywatcher 150p explorer ota just before the site went ofline. I received it as usual via courier a few days after ordering. Lets  hope things go smooth for them with the change over and the uk site opens back up soon. 

[happy-kat]

My recent order arrived last week from Sweeden all fine.

[Joseki]

Glad to see Astroboot UK back up again postage is increased but I don't think you can begrudge them that. Back to many happy diversions browsing their site.

[happy-kat]

I love browsing and the descriptions can be very funny, the camera rdf hot shoe fitment does just the job, it's a recent stock item.

[Stub Mandrel]

The description for the Meade 208XT CCD camera is a gem!

[D Wright]

Just been browsing the new site. It seems a lot bigger with much more choice. Pricing is strange but this must be the exchange rate from euros. Pleased its back as I have ordered quite a few things in the past and as has been said you can't find them anywhere else.

[John]

Looks like the UK version is up and running again. Not sure about the revised delivery charge approach though 

[happy-kat]

Well it means I wont look around for other stuff and remain focused on buying just the item I was after

[Stu]

Well I have just bought an as new filter wheel, a x5 Barlow, a variable extension tube and a small ball head all for the price of a new filter wheel, so it can still make sense.

[happy-kat]

I saw the filter wheel yesterday that went quick