Scalping of Astronomy Equipment During Covid-19

[Adam J]

8 hours ago, gorann said:

But come on, get real, do you think he had stocked up on "Premium Cheshire Collimator eyepieces" to make a few penneis becasue he had anticipaded a pandemy? If I was a scalper and had anticipated the pandemy I would have bough the complete stock of ZWO cameras, which could maybe have been worth the risk and effort, but then only in hindsight as no one could anticipate the current situation....

To be honest with you I am very happy to say that I don't think a single retailer has to my knowledge taken advantage of the situation and increased prices. Let's face it they could have done. So every cloud has a silver lining. As you say it would have been a brave person to make that choice. I don't really think anyone has done this on a mass scale, just think some are taking the p on a case by case basis. 

[Adam J]

6 hours ago, John said:

Well I have a clear conscience

I've recently sold a number of items, all in excellent condition and at prices of 50%-60% of the retail. All sold quickly and I'm pleased that they will be continuing to give good service under new ownership

 

 

 

I purchased a second hand heq5 pro about three years back for £450. I sold it this year when I upgraded to a AZ EQ6GT. Maybe I am guilty for making a profit on a used item? It's second hand value changed allot in three years but i still sold it for significantly less than new and at least I did not try and market it as a deluxe model or something equally silly lol. I am ok with people asking more but take issue with people playing the market and certainly if they are asking more than the new price. 

[Shimrod]

9 hours ago, merlin100 said:

I never claimed that he had stocked up on them. I think they were profiteering on the high demand, that's all. That's just my opinion. 

Assuming it was this listing (The only one that fits your description) Collimator  then it sold for £25 + postage, so hardly profiteering. I sell occasionally on ebay and get all sorts of cheeky offers which I just ignore. It's entirely possible you just irritated the seller with your first low offer and he decided to see what the market would pay (in this case, about 2/3rds new price).

I have seen prices of some items shift upwards over the last six months, but only slightly and that is easily explained by the shifts in currency exchange rates - with few exceptions the £ was weaker against most other currencies through the summer when stock would have been sourced and that would reflect on import costs.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Shimrod said:

Assuming it was this listing (The only one that fits your description) Collimator  then it sold for £25 + postage, so hardly profiteering. I sell occasionally on ebay and get all sorts of cheeky offers which I just ignore. It's entirely possible you just irritated the seller with your first low offer and he decided to see what the market would pay (in this case, about 2/3rds new price).

I have seen prices of some items shift upwards over the last six months, but only slightly and that is easily explained by the shifts in currency exchange rates - with few exceptions the £ was weaker against most other currencies through the summer when stock would have been sourced and that would reflect on import costs.

I also occasionally sell on eBay, so I know how it works. I always believed that once something has been bought new, that it's value depreciates by around about half.

[Louis D]

7 hours ago, merlin100 said:

I also occasionally sell on eBay, so I know how it works. I always believed that once something has been bought new, that it's value depreciates by around about half.

Not for Astro-Physics refractors.  However, if Roland catches you profiteering by immediately reselling one of his scopes, he won't sell to you ever again.  He knows he could ask for much more for each of his scopes, but he doesn't as a matter of principle.  He simply sells them for what he considers a reasonable profit to keep his business going.

[johninderby]

Oddly enough while the value of an second hand AstroPhysics refractor stays high in the US in the UK they depreciate much more. US buyers could pick up a bargain by buying a used AP scope in the UK.

Edited October 29, 2020 by johninderby

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Louis D said:

Not for Astro-Physics refractors.  However, if Roland catches you profiteering by immediately reselling one of his scopes, he won't sell to you ever again.  He knows he could ask for much more for each of his scopes, but he doesn't as a matter of principle.  He simply sells them for what he considers a reasonable profit to keep his business going.

Firstly, who? Secondly, I try never to buy expensive used stuff off of eBay, only ancillary equipment, usually bits and pieces. I prefer to buy brand new telescopes and eyepieces, mostly from 'bricks and mortar' retailers, like FLO, etc.

[John]

4 minutes ago, merlin100 said:

Firstly, who? Secondly, I try never to buy expensive used stuff off of eBay, only ancillary equipment, usually bits and pieces. I prefer to buy brand new telescopes and eyepieces, mostly from 'bricks and mortar' retailers, like FLO, etc.

Roland Christian - founder of Astro-Physics.

Most of my stuff (90% ?) has been bought on the used market. I could not have afforded it all otherwise

Edited October 29, 2020 by John

[Captain Scarlet]

6 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Oddly enough while the value of an second hand AstroPhysics refractor stays high in the US in the UK they depreciate much more. US buyers could pick up a bargain by buying a used AP scope in the UK.

yes but then you'd have to swap the steering wheel and pedals over

[Guest]

1 minute ago, John said:

Roland Christian - founder of Astro Physics.

Most of my stuff (90% ?) has been bought on the used market. I could not have afforded it all otherwise

Sorry, I've never heard of the gentleman.  No disrespect intended, but being relatively new to the hobby, many of these names mean nothing to me.😲

[John]

Just now, merlin100 said:

Sorry, I've never heard of the gentleman.  No disrespect intended, but being relatively new to the hobby, many of these names mean nothing to me.😲

No problem. There is a lot to learn

 

[johninderby]

If you want to start a war on Cloudy Nights just say that the Chinese can make scopes just as good as Astro Physics. 😁😁😁

AP is just another import in the UK anyway. 🙂

[Louis D]

1 hour ago, johninderby said:

Oddly enough while the value of an second hand AstroPhysics refractor stays high in the US in the UK they depreciate much more. US buyers could pick up a bargain by buying a used AP scope in the UK.

Interesting.  So, something like this 23 year old Astro-Physics 155EDFS on CN classifieds might go for half this or less in the UK?  I'll have to keep that in mind if I ever decide to go after an AP scope.

[Louis D]

1 hour ago, merlin100 said:

Sorry, I've never heard of the gentleman.  No disrespect intended, but being relatively new to the hobby, many of these names mean nothing to me.😲

No problem.  He and Al Nagler of Tele Vue are practically treated as demigods of astronomy gear over here.  I wonder who the UK equivalents would be. 🤔

[johninderby]

Some do charge the typical US price but there are bargains to be had sometimes if you are patient.

Have seen Starfire 155s go for about £5,000.00 or so.

Edited October 29, 2020 by johninderby

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, Louis D said:

No problem.  He and Al Nagler of Tele Vue are practically treated as demigods of astronomy gear over here.  I wonder who the UK equivalents would be. 🤔

I've only learned of Al Nagler in the last year or so, due to the eyepiece type he invented.  I guess here in the UK it would have to be the late, great Sir Patrick Moore and Professor Brian Cox.

[John]

1 hour ago, Louis D said:

No problem.  He and Al Nagler of Tele Vue are practically treated as demigods of astronomy gear over here.  I wonder who the UK equivalents would be. 🤔

David Sinden ?

Henry Wildey ?

Peter Drew ?

Rob Miller ?

Dudley Fuller ?

David Lukehurst ?

Edit: maybe better discussed in another thread though ?

Edited October 29, 2020 by John

[Louis D]

43 minutes ago, John said:

David Sinden ?

Henry Wildey ?

Peter Drew ?

Rob Miller ?

Dudley Fuller ?

David Lukehurst ?

Edit: maybe better discussed in another thread though ?

Definitely Peter Drew.  I'm less familiar with the others.  The fact that he's active on SGL is truly awesome.

It would make for an interesting thread of great past and present individuals in amateur astronomy around the world.

[PadrePeace]

https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=167596 
so what’s this?

£700 new from Altair Astro. 

Edited November 2, 2020 by PadrePeace

[johninderby]

Not a great price but not scalping for the CEM25p

Plus the tripod with 2” legs, mini pier, extra counterweight hard case etc so about £1,100,00 new. £699.00 is the head and counterweight only.

Edited November 2, 2020 by johninderby

[gorann]

On 29/10/2020 at 19:24, Louis D said:

Interesting.  So, something like this 23 year old Astro-Physics 155EDFS on CN classifieds might go for half this or less in the UK?  I'll have to keep that in mind if I ever decide to go after an AP scope.

How does this one compare to US prices?

https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=167429

[johnturley]

On 29/10/2020 at 17:26, johninderby said:

If you want to start a war on Cloudy Nights just say that the Chinese can make scopes just as good as Astro Physics. 😁😁😁

AP is just another import in the UK anyway. 🙂

Actually they can, my Skywatcher Esprit 150 is superior to a early (pre Starfire) 6in f8 Astro Physics Refractor that I used to own in terms of sharpness of the image, and vastly superior to it regarding colour correction.

John 

[Louis D]

1 hour ago, gorann said:

How does this one compare to US prices?

https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=167429

I found this AP 130 EDF scope resold twice in the last two years on CN classifieds:

https://www.cloudynights.com/classifieds/item/146793-astro-physics-130-edf/

https://www.cloudynights.com/classifieds/item/165492-astro-physics-130-edf/

First, for $5000 in 2018 and then $5150 in 2019.  In 2020, I would guess it would fetch $5300 or more.  There's a wanted ad for one, so there's still demand for them.

The ad you linked to has it listed for £4195 which would be about $5400 at today's exchange rates.  As such, there really isn't much of a price difference between the UK and the US vis-à-vis A-P scopes based on this one data point.

[Louis D]

1 hour ago, johnturley said:

Actually they can, my Skywatcher Esprit 150 is superior to a early (pre Starfire) 6in f8 Astro Physics Refractor that I used to own in terms of sharpness of the image, and vastly superior to it regarding colour correction.

John 

I wouldn't doubt it with the advances in low dispersion glass and improved Chinese lens polishing.

The question then arises, are their lens cells as well designed to hold collimation as temperatures drop for astrophotography?

[johnturley]

48 minutes ago, Louis D said:

I wouldn't doubt it with the advances in low dispersion glass and improved Chinese lens polishing.

The question then arises, are their lens cells as well designed to hold collimation as temperatures drop for astrophotography?

The pre Starfire Astro-Physics Refractor that I used to own did not even have a collimatable lens cell.

John