Sky-Watcher Price Increases

[Louis D]

Just now, CraigT82 said:

Those selling used stuff will tend towards increasing their asking prices to be 2/3 of the "new" price, rather than 2/3 of the new cost at the time they bought the item. 

I'm seeing used prices on many CN classifieds matching new prices from 5 to 10 years ago, and they're still being marked as sold within days.  The US is also starting to see the effect of 25% additional tariffs on Chinese sourced goods.  Thus, I expect to see used prices matching new prices from 2018/2019 in the very near future.

[Louis D]

22 hours ago, Miguel1983 said:

Covid is a temporary problem, but as is mostly the case, there’s only one way prices go 

We'll have to see if astro gear pricing moves like car prices, ever upward, or like gas (petrol) prices, wildly up and down.

[jetstream]

Wait until we see the effect on shipping prices with respect to "the cost of carbon".Every single thing will go up from tomatoes to telescopes IMHO.

[Beardy30]

Still ..there will be some good bargains out there as the year rolls on, always is. 

[malc-c]

Guys, as FLO have mentions it's down to shipping costs.  There have bee reports where the normal cost pre covid to "book" a container was £1000, and is now £10,000.  With these grossly inflated prices to secure space on fewer ships suppliers have no alternative but to increase the cost..... 

I've just taken delivery of a new Sony 4K TV, and had to spend a fair amount of time to track down the model I wanted as nearly every major retailer (Curry's, AO, Richer Sounds etc) were out of stock.  The supplier I purchased the TV from said that his stock was limited, and whilst they will be getting some in as the container was on the water, they certainly wouldn't be at the same price, with an estimated 30-35% increase due to the shipping costs...

I have no idea of margins on astronomical equipment, nor how large a turn over or how much cash in the bank FLO have, but it is really a sign of just how customer focused they are when they are willing to absorb the increase for existing back orders and help ease the pain of these hikes.

[Louis D]

5 hours ago, malc-c said:

There have bee reports where the normal cost pre covid to "book" a container was £1000, and is now £10,000.

It's also taking longer to unload shipping containers due to the backup of ships at many ports due to short-staffing of dock workers due to C-19.

[MiladyB]

Hopefully the prices will settle down once logistics and manufacturing come back on stream more fully. It must be really tough for retailers as well as consumers, with people potentially being priced out of the market at least temporarily.

For now I'm going to have to shelve buying the 250px flextube I've been hanging my nose over but wanted to look at 'in the flesh'. Hopefully it'll be back on the list once things ease up 🤞

Edited February 12, 2021 by MiladyB
Spelling

[SMF]

No reflection on FLO or any other retailer who’s prices/increases are very similar. This comment is aimed at the importers.

I'm instinctively not getting the maths and I’ll admit the below might be a very crude and simplistic evaluation but:

If shipping costs have gone up by £8k for a 40ft container and it has a capacity of 2376cuft.

The Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ6 GT Pro GEQ & Alt-Az Astronomy Mount I’ve had my eye on has increased about £340.00.

Rough guess is the mount comes in packaging approximating 10cuft.

Then Approx 230 mounts will fit in one container.

Increase in shipping per mount is then about £8k/230=£35.00.

Where’s the other £300.00 coming from?

 

[MiladyB]

49 minutes ago, SMF said:

Where’s the other £300.00 coming from?

My guess: increased manufacturing costs on the units themselves (goods inwards, covid security in factories etc), and a hefty lump of surge pricing on due to sheer demand and staffing issues.

Edited February 12, 2021 by MiladyB
Clarity

[AstroNebulee]

8 minutes ago, MiladyB said:

My guess: increased manufacturing costs on the units themselves (goods inwards, covid security in factories etc), and a hefty lump of surge pricing on shipping due to sheer demand and staffing issues.

Yes I agree its a whole manner of things causing this and not just one cause though I can feel everyone's pain retailer's included, I don't think  get better until towards the start summer here sadly. 

[SMF]

Again, instinctively the maths are not adding up.

China production has all but recovered if not now in a growth state. Their domestic consumer demand is also down.

In my industry (automation and control)  production in Germany barely missed a beat over the last year and is at pre COVID levels with no increase in price 2020/21.

After a life time in engineering and working with imports from China and Germany all I’m sensing is a dominant brand taking advantage of a huge increase in demand and current circumstances.

Fair play, it’s business and given the opportunity maybe we’d all do the same, but engineering/production/transport cost wise I don’t consider the increases justifiable.

I’d have more respect if the importers just said ‘supply and demand guys, we’re gonna fill our boots while we can’.

 

[CraigT82]

7 minutes ago, SMF said:

I’m sensing is a dominant brand taking advantage of a huge increase in demand and current circumstances.

Fair play, it’s business and given the opportunity maybe we’d all do the same, but engineering/production/transport cost wise I don’t consider the increases justifiable.

I’d have more respect if the importers just said ‘supply and demand guys, we’re gonna fill our boots while we can’.

My thoughts exactly.  Business is business, and if demand for these products at these higher prices remains good, they will never come down. 

[johninderby]

All the brands are doing the same thing and it’s not just astro stuff that’s shooting up but most consumer electronics from China. And the price of packaging materials has gone through the roof with no where near enough stock to fill demand so what stock is available is very expensive. 

[Highburymark]

On 10/02/2021 at 16:38, johninderby said:

Yes think prices will be volitile for a while. 😬

Check this price from a German dealer on the 200p dob.

Their prices are all over the shop John. They list T6 Naglers as £448 RRP, generously discounted to £368 - £65 more than other retailers.

[malc-c]

The thing is we don't know for sure if its the importers who are making hay whilst the sun shines, or the manufacture, but  there is some questionable ethics about the whole process given the huge increases.  

[Highburymark]

Skywatcher prices have been so competitive for so long - significantly below the rest of the market. Maybe Synta has calculated - in these unprecedented times - that among all its brands, Skywatcher can absorb the biggest price hike? Just a theory, as the increases seem surprisingly high. Will be interesting to see how the rest of the market responds.

[SMF]

41 minutes ago, malc-c said:

The thing is we don't know for sure if its the importers who are making hay whilst the sun shines, or the manufacture, but  there is some questionable ethics about the whole process given the huge increases.  

Very questionable and frankly it’s not promoted brand loyalty in me. I was dead set on getting a new AZ-EQ6 GT Pro as soon as they became available again but I am not prepared to accept that level of increase. I don’t think as a product it’s worth £1750.00 so I’m now looking at competitors/alternatives.

In my day one of the rules of sales was not to give loyal customers a reason to look at your competitors. It becomes the thin end of a very damaging wedge.

[omo]

3 minutes ago, SMF said:

Very questionable and frankly it’s not promoted brand loyalty in me. I was dead set on getting a new AZ-EQ6 GT Pro as soon as they became available again but I am not prepared to accept that level of increase. I don’t think as a product it’s worth £1750.00 so I’m now looking at competitors/alternatives.

In my day one of the rules of sales was not to give loyal customers a reason to look at your competitors. It becomes the thin end of a very damaging wedge.

Now that the price difference is negligible, you could buy a lovely British mount and get some motors for tracking later  👍

[MiladyB]

As gutting as it is for consumers, it's the sellers who will lose out on orders at least in the short term - since wages haven't risen in line with the prices. I feel for the retailers as most will squeeze their profits in order to try to maintain sales. It's effectively a bubble, though, and hopefully the market will self-correct soon.

[Tiny Clanger]

I'm new to buying proper astro kit, but I've looked covetously over adverts in astronomy magazines back in the days when the internet was science fiction . I seem to recall that 20-30 years ago the 'name' quality kit was mainly from Meade and Celestron, don't think Skywatcher was even a brand I'd heard of. However, prices (in the UK) were  higher, to the point where altho' my disposable income back then was double what it is today, I could never contemplate actually buying any halfway decent telescope.

Skywatcher ( perhaps I should say Synta)  have built themselves up to dominate the mass market  since then, producing acceptable kit at comparatively reasonable prices for years. Hardly surprising that now they have a good name and a huge % of the market, but a reduced ability to produce due to covid19, high demand due to covid 19, and difficulties with shipping (ditto) they are putting prices up. After all , businesses exist to make profit ,  demand & supply, John Maynard Keynes and all that ...

[Deadlake]

3 hours ago, Highburymark said:

Skywatcher prices have been so competitive for so long - significantly below the rest of the market. Maybe Synta has calculated - in these unprecedented times - that among all its brands, Skywatcher can absorb the biggest price hike? Just a theory, as the increases seem surprisingly high. Will be interesting to see how the rest of the market responds.

The free lunch of lower prices from China could never last. If transport costs did fall, I suspect cost of living rising in China will make up the difference. The new normal.

[Deadlake]

@FLO Ignoring border issues, are prices of Europe sourced items going to increase, e.g. Baader for instance?

Edited February 12, 2021 by Deadlake

[Louis D]

49 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

I'm new to buying proper astro kit, but I've looked covetously over adverts in astronomy magazines back in the days when the internet was science fiction . I seem to recall that 20-30 years ago the 'name' quality kit was mainly from Meade and Celestron, don't think Skywatcher was even a brand I'd heard of. However, prices (in the UK) were  higher, to the point where altho' my disposable income back then was double what it is today, I could never contemplate actually buying any halfway decent telescope.

Skywatcher ( perhaps I should say Synta)  have built themselves up to dominate the mass market  since then, producing acceptable kit at comparatively reasonable prices for years. Hardly surprising that now they have a good name and a huge % of the market, but a reduced ability to produce due to covid19, high demand due to covid 19, and difficulties with shipping (ditto) they are putting prices up. After all , businesses exist to make profit ,  demand & supply, John Maynard Keynes and all that ...

Or this is a huge plot by Chinese companies to buy up non-Chinese companies (e.g., Meade, Celestron, etc.), move production to China, keep prices low taking advantage of their lower production costs until they've bought all non-Chinese companies in a particular market, and then raise prices back to pre-Chinese ownership levels and pocket the difference and use it to buy up more non-Chinese companies in another market.  Nah, they wouldn't do that. 😏

[omo]

Seems to me that until now Skywatchers prices have been pretty much the same over the past 6 years i have been indulging in the hobby barring the implications of currency fluctuations, production costs will have certainly risen during that time and recently shipping costs have went through the roof affecting many different  businesses and or product types being imported.

There has to be a Return on Investment for those in the manufacturing and supply chain to survive otherwise there will be no end product for the consumer.

If you don't like it  there is always the used market to fall back on.

 

[Robindonne]

4 hours ago, Highburymark said:

Skywatcher can absorb the biggest price hike?

I quess thats part of the reason.  Im afraid prices won’t drop in the future.   Why? The uk for example is now on the level of other european countries. It was always a mistery to me why gear bought in the uk was so much cheaper. We have had also announcements here in NL and Germany from some shops. And they raised prices long ago.  The Uk and in particular FLO had always a stable price.   Its sad.   After the announcement i woke up with a headache😑