FLO Prices just gone up...

[Mr niall]

Looks like FLO have just put a blanket 10-15% increase on pretty much every Skywatcher item in the shop... not sure about other brands.

That's disappointing, have been mulling over a big spend for the last couple of months, completely priced out now.... 

Edit; thanks @FLO for pointing out it is actually much lower than 10%, apparently 6-8%

Edit 2: Having done some research overnight it appears that @FLO are still just about the cheapest around for everything I was after even with the price increases. And yes it looks like everyone has increased their prices. Probably should have titled my post "Everyone has just got more expensive" rather than make it look like FLO bashing - which was never my intention either way. But yes - Boooooo! 

[MakeItSo]

If you can find the item sold at the original (or lower) price by another retailer you should be able to “appeal” for price match with the “blue button”

[Mr niall]

2 minutes ago, MakeItSo said:

If you can find the item sold at the original (or lower) price by another retailer you should be able to “appeal” for price match with the “blue button”

Tried that with a star adventurer 6 weeks and they refused. And it was RVO.

[JamesF]

Steve did post quite recently saying that prices were going up and that other vendors would in all likelihood be doing the same.  I guess the weak pound is starting to bite now :(

James

[FLO]

Quote

Looks like FLO have just put a blanket 10-15% increase on pretty much every Skywatcher item in the shop... not sure about other brands.

That's disappointing, have been mulling over a big spend for the last couple of months, completely priced out now.... 

@Mr niall Regarding Sky-Watcher increasing their prices, in their defence they don't do it very often and it isn't difficult to see why it was necessary in this instance. The new prices affect all UK retailers, not only FLO. 

For more info of our price-match policy please see this page at our website and this announcement at SGL where we positively encourage people to request a price-match.

It is Saturday night. I don't recall your request from six weeks ago (perhaps you spoke with one of my colleagues). Each request is assessed before we make a decision whether to price-match. We do occasionally decline (i.e. the other price might be a typo or below cost) but it is rare, no more than once or twice a month. The vast majority of requests result in a price-match. 

HTH, 

Steve 

[FLO]

50 minutes ago, Mr niall said:

... just put a blanket 10-15% increase on pretty much every Skywatcher item in the shop... 

This is not true.

I haven't calculated every change but looking at the price-match discount codes provided this week the majority are 6-8%. 

HTH, 

Steve 

[Mr niall]

7 minutes ago, FLO said:

@Mr niall Regarding Sky-Watcher increasing their prices, in their defence they don't do it very often and it isn't difficult to see why it was necessary in this instance. The new prices affect all UK retailers, not only FLO. 

For more info of our price-match policy please see this page at our website and this announcement at SGL where we positively encourage people to request a price-match.

It is Saturday night. I don't recall your request from six weeks ago (perhaps you spoke with one of my colleagues). Each request is assessed before we make a decision whether to price-match. We do occasionally decline (i.e. the other price might be a typo or below cost) but it is rare, no more than once or twice a month. The vast majority of requests result in a price-match. 

HTH, 

Steve 

My frustration isn't aimed at you Steve, or FLO in general, just an expression of disappointment. The current economic climate more than justifies any price increase (not that justification is needed). I would still rather shop with you or RVO than any of your competitors. However as a consumer, more expensive is still more expensive!

Edit; fair enough, I will amend my original post to reflect my poor maths skills!

Edited August 17, 2019 by Mr niall

[FLO]

I never doubted you contacted us. I only said I didn't recall your request and suggested you might have spoken with a colleague. Your screenshot confirms this 🙂 

Steve

[geordie85]

This is a great shame as I was planning on getting an Esprit 100 at IAS this year, especially as FLO will be attending. 

Maybe I'll still be able to, but not holding up much hope. I'll still be going to see if there's any decent offers

[johnturley]

2 hours ago, geordie85 said:

This is a great shame as I was planning on getting an Esprit 100 at IAS this year, especially as FLO will be attending. 

Maybe I'll still be able to, but not holding up much hope. I'll still be going to see if there's any decent offers

Skywatcher prices in the UK are still very competitive compared with those in the USA, for example the Esprit 150:-

Current price (following increase) at FLO = £4,299, plus Field Flattener = £4,550

USA price including Field Flattener = $6,399, which at £1 = $1.20 is equivalent to £5,332, and that doesn't include USA sales tax.

In fact I'm surprised that Skywatcher have held the UK price for as long as they did due to the falling pound resulting from Brexit, Astrograph increased the price of their imported (from the USA) TEC Refractors by around 8% a few weeks ago

John

Edited August 18, 2019 by johnturley

[FLO]

19 minutes ago, johnturley said:

Skywatcher prices in the UK are still very competitive compared with those in the USA, for example the Esprit 150:-

Current price (following increase) at FLO = £4,299, plus Field Flattener = £4,550

USA price including Field Flattener = £6,399, which at £1 = $1.20 is equivalent to £5,332, and that doesn't include USA sales tax.

Consider also last week’s price changes from Sky-Watcher haven’t yet settled. I suspect when we assess the situation this week we will find some competitors have set theirs a little lower than ours. We will then reduce ours, and so on. It might be two weeks or more before prices have settled so we are ‘encouraging’ people to click our blue price-match button 🙂

Steve  

[DAVE AMENDALL]

Seems I managed to get everything I will ever need Astronomy wise just in time before the crunch. I had a feeling there would be another increase. Some say it's the weak pound others blame Brexit. Most don't know why but the fact remains.  No doubt there will be more increases to follow...Dave

[GlenM]

Prices go up every year and the margins for retailers are not huge by any means. The weak pound won't help either. A bit of a double whammy.

 

Glen.

 

 

 

[ollypenrice]

A falling pound is upsetting but, relatively speaking, astronomy equipment is far less expensive now than it was twenty years ago.  An often-overlooked fact is that the TEC140, when it appeared, was a 'budget-premium' instrument far less expensive than 150mm Tak and AP scopes. Even so, seven years ago I paid only a few hundred pounds less for my second hand example than FLO are asking now for a new Esprit 150. That's still pretty darned good.

Olly

[Tim]

15 hours ago, geordie85 said:

...................IAS this year, especially as FLO will be attending. 

That's good news. I just drove past the pub we went out to last time FLO did a local (to me) show and was thinking about it. Ted came from Borg too.

[Astroscot2]

Its been a while since Skywatcher increased their prices,  I was  looking at purchasing an Esprit 120 last year, I panicked last May when Celestron hiked up their prices and had heard Skywatcher normally follow, I pressed the button on the Esprit 120 last May.  I still think at the new prices the Esprit range is still a bargain .

Mark

[david_taurus83]

19 hours ago, DAVE AMENDALL said:

Seems I managed to get everything I will ever need Astronomy wise...

😂😂😂 That's what we all keep telling ourselves!!!😂😂😂

[johnturley]

21 minutes ago, Astroscot2 said:

Its been a while since Skywatcher increased their prices,  I was  looking at purchasing an Esprit 120 last year, I panicked last May when Celestron hiked up their prices and had heard Skywatcher normally follow, I pressed the button on the Esprit 120 last May.  I still think at the new prices the Esprit range is still a bargain .

Mark

Yes, for some reason they cost about 20% more in the USA, never fully understood this as Explore Scientific scopes work out about the same.

John 

[Carbon Brush]

The price rise notification from FLO prompted me to push the 'buy' and 'price match' buttons on a Solarquest mount that I had been thinking about for ages.

It is really good that FLO had the consideration to let us know the situation and give us a last chance at the old price, rather than just let the increase happen.

At work I buy a lot of electronic components. Their price is significantly influenced by the US dollar and the Euro exchange rates.
In the past year or two, the price increases have been much more than the few per cent we are seeing on Skywatcher.

It seems likely that all astronomy products, from lens caps to £10K scopes, are going to be similarly affected.

 

[JeremyS]

1 minute ago, Carbon Brush said:

The price rise notification from FLO prompted me to push the 'buy' and 'price match' buttons

Hah! So I wasn't the only one then! 🙂

 

[paulastro]

Despite the price increases, Sky Watcher still offer tremendous value for money.  They provide an excellent range of equipment for all abilities, interests and for all depths of pockets.  While there will always be people who have the money and desire to buy more expensive (and 'fashionable' ) equipment, the Sky Watcher range probably has just about everything most astronomers actually need - rather than desire or want.  If overnight the Sky Watcher range was no longer available, there would probably be a cry of anguish far across the astronomical observing community.  I for one would rather Sky Watcher had a modest price increase every now and again than they disappear from the market all together.

Also, because SW are so popular, it means there is often the opportunity to buy their more expensive items on the second hand market - where I do most of my astronomical shopping .

[Martthebass]

Glad this was nothing to do with me then.  I generally find when I've settled on a purchase the price jumps in the wrong direction.  Not really surprised based on the $/£ - hoping that I don't have to take out a second mortgage after 31st October 😂

[JeremyS]

58 minutes ago, Martthebass said:

I generally find when I've settled on a purchase the price jumps in the wrong direction. 

I generally find that after I've procrastinated for years and finally buy, with a few months a completely new model comes out and mine purchase is superseded!

Lost count of the number of times that happens!

[Skipper Billy]

I would add 2 thoughts

Firstly - it seems a bit 'rich' to grumble about price increases on a forum that is paid for and sponsored by the company you are grumbling about. By all means have a go at Skywatcher but FLO are not to blame! I own a small retail shop and we are under constant pressure from our wholesalers - usually price rises are just blamed on Brexit without any reasoning at all which forces us to increase our retail price especially as our utility bills, staff wages, insurance etc are constantly on the rise. 

Which brings me to the second point.

Secondly - I am not sure that FLO's price match is a wise move. The race to the bottom is almost impossible to reverse once introduced. I would rather pay a little more for outstanding customer service, a cast iron returns policy and good stock levels - all things you get from FLO.  These things cost money and if margins are ripped to the bone then something has to give.

[Mr niall]

7 minutes ago, Skipper Billy said:

I would add 2 thoughts

Firstly - it seems a bit 'rich' to grumble about price increases on a forum that is paid for and sponsored by the company you are grumbling about. By all means have a go at Skywatcher but FLO are not to blame! I own a small retail shop and we are under constant pressure from our wholesalers - usually price rises are just blamed on Brexit without any reasoning at all which forces us to increase our retail price especially as our utility bills, staff wages, insurance etc are constantly on the rise. 

I don't think anyone on here has had a go at FLO. Or Skywatcher. And I disagree, I think this exactly the place to discuss it. As seen above, FLO took the opportunity to rationalise their increases which they didn't have to do and further reinforces their excellent reputation.

I don't see how the price match isn't a good move. They were already the cheapest for just about everything anyway so all we're talking about is a limited extension of an existing pricing strategy. In fact in the vast majority of stuff that is price matched will still be selling for more than the original FLO price anyway due to their undercut.