Shocking price rises!!??

[Stu1smartcookie]

17 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

I'm not sure if high prices are here to stay.

Really ??? look at fuel ... the price of oil drops and we save a penny at the pumps ... it goes up and the price goes up by 10p a litre . 

Its called a cartel ... and if you want to be in that party then you have to play by the rules . ie pay that price or walk . 

The same goes for astro gear . 

I repeat my first sentence ".... . The Op has sighted a  200mm Dob as an example ,  and has a point in the actual margin of increase"

 

 

Anyway , nothing us mere mortals can do if we still want to play . 

If people are happy to pay the prices , then there is a market .  

Edited March 2, 2021 by Stu1smartcookie

[Stu1smartcookie]

lol if i can add one positive note ... THE SKY IS STILL FREE    ( and tonight , hopefully clear ) 

[johninderby]

Prices will drop back a bit but not to the pre-increase level I think. Also expecting a glut if cheap unwanted astro gear to flood the market isn’t probably going to happen, at least with the decent stuff. Low end “department store” gear then yes they will be loads of it going dirt cheap.

[Stu1smartcookie]

1 minute ago, johninderby said:

Prices will drop back a bit but not to the pre-increase level I think. Also expecting a glut if cheap unwanted astro gear to flood the market isn’t probably going to happen, at least with the decent stuff. Low end “department store” gear then yes they will be loads of it going dirt cheap.

Agree , entirely .

[Skipper Billy]

As a retailer (nothing to do with astro) we are facing two issues - UK (non) supply chain - take International Paints for example - spring time - people ready to get their boats sorted out for the season - International have virtually nothing on their shelves - many of the workforce were furloughed and therefore not making paints - how can they or we trade our way out of this mess if nobody has any stock of anything??? Secondly - stuff that comes from outside the UK - aside from China a lot of boaty stuff comes from Sweden, Germany, Italy and Greece - the few that will still ship to the UK have pit their prices up through the roof - a windlass that used to be about £700 at cost is now over £1000.

I feel for anyone in retail just now unless they are selling masks, sanitizer or work from home gear. I fear we will all have to get used to earning less due to tax increases and paying more for almost everything.

[MiladyB]

12 minutes ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

If people are happy to pay the prices , then there is a market .  

There's the rub - it means the entry end of the market will be squeezed if prices don't settle. I've had to completely rethink for now - I can't justify blowing my whole starting budget on a scope that suddenly went up by £200 and have no money left for any accessories. I've bought binoculars and a tripod and will just keep my ear to the ground to see if the scope I want becomes affordable again at some point.

[johninderby]

I have recently seen some changes in some EU companies reluctance to ship to the UK. It’s just starting to sink in that hey make it diifucult to buy from the UK and they will go elsewhere and we’ll loose a huge market. 

Edited March 2, 2021 by johninderby

[Skipper Billy]

Some are just jumping on the bandwagon too !! I was all set to buy a set of Astrodon narrowband filters until they went up about 30% for no apparent reason!

 

[johninderby]

I think things will start to improve later in the year. The EU needs the UK and vice versa. 

[Robindonne]

2 hours ago, johninderby said:

I think things will start to improve later in the year. The EU needs the UK and vice versa. 

For what? For the liquorice allsorts?  We have a good alternative already.

 

no but you’re right.  I dont understand why things are so hard right now. Like a form of punishment for leaving the eu?

Edited March 2, 2021 by Robindonne

[Deadlake]

The new normal seems to be pay for items up front and then wait months for them to turn up. I'm sure the funds are kept in a holding account until the items are shipped, but still...

[Tiny Clanger]

6 minutes ago, Deadlake said:

The new normal seems to be pay for items up front and then wait months for them to turn up. I'm sure the funds are kept in a holding account until the items are shipped, but still...

Entirely up to the consumer to decide if they want to reserve the item by paying before it is delivered or not . No one is forced to do so.

[Deadlake]

16 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Entirely up to the consumer to decide if they want to reserve the item by paying before it is delivered or not . No one is forced to do so.

It's a choice, but that in reality thats not an option. Given that people use credit cards the risk if really with the card holder and they pocket the credit until the goods are delivered.

I'd like to know a retailer who will reserve an item without payment?  

Edited March 2, 2021 by Deadlake

[Tiny Clanger]

2 minutes ago, Deadlake said:

It's a choice, but that in reality thats not an option given the just in time world we live in. 

I fail to see any distinction between a choice and an option ? You do, or you don't do, opt in or out. Your money, your choice (or option) out of the options (or choices) available.

  'Just in time' as I understand it is manufacturers not keeping stock of raw materials or components to feed their processes, but getting precisely scheduled deliveries of them to keep their processes rolling, not consumers demanding instant gratification.

[JamesF]

29 minutes ago, Deadlake said:

The new normal seems to be pay for items up front and then wait months for them to turn up. I'm sure the funds are kept in a holding account until the items are shipped, but still...

Those of us of a certain age will readily recall the expression "Please allow 28 days for delivery" :)

James

[Deadlake]

On 02/03/2021 at 17:40, Tiny Clanger said:

not consumers demanding instant gratification.

Surely thats a post for "What the postman brought today" thread 😀

In seriousness where can I reserve an item, and pay when it is in stock? I cannot do that at Flo for instance..

Only UK retailer is RVO which will accept a deposit for large items (Telescopes/Binoculars) with full balance payable when shipped to them.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Deadlake

[JamesF]

1 hour ago, Skipper Billy said:

work from home gear

Pyjamas?

James

[Louis D]

14 minutes ago, Deadlake said:

In seriousness where can I reserve an item, and pay when it is in stock? I cannot do that at Flo for instance..

I know Astro Physics keeps decades long waiting lists for when they restart production of certain in-demand scopes.  If they decide to restart a certain item, they will approach each list member in order, and ask if they still want to buy that item.  If they do, they ask for a 50% down payment to hold your spot in the line at that point.

Perhaps this could be the new normal for retailers with months long wait times for popular items.  If they receive word of an item due for unloading and customs, they could go back to the wait list and ask for down payments to hold their spot in line for a few more weeks while the item clears customs.

[Davey-T]

1 minute ago, Louis D said:

Perhaps this could be the new normal for retailers with months long wait times for popular items.  If they receive word of an item due for unloading and customs, they could go back to the wait list and ask for down payments to hold their spot in line for a few more weeks while the item clears customs.

Depends if the supplier has to pay up front for their order I guess, ok if they're working on a fifty percent markup 😂

Dave

[Paul M]

26 minutes ago, JamesF said:

Those of us of a certain age will readily recall the expression "Please allow 28 days for delivery"

James

Some of us of a certain age and older will have fond memories of waiting 6 weeks or more for a Fullerscope telescope!

Mine might have been more like 10 weeks. But hey, I'd actually been waiting 20 years...

[Deadlake]

1 minute ago, Louis D said:

I know Astro Physics keeps decades long waiting lists for when they restart production of certain in-demand scopes.  If they decide to restart a certain item, they will approach each list member in order, and ask if they still want to buy that item.  If they do, they ask for a 50% down payment to hold your spot in the line at that point.

Perhaps this could be the new normal for retailers with months long wait times for popular items.  If they receive word of an item due for unloading and customs, they could go back to the wait list and ask for down payments to hold their spot in line for a few more weeks while the item clears customs.

I'm sure in the past, for example with an online retailer like Amazon

1. You would order an item.
2. The item's would show as pending on your credit card.
3. Once dispatched you would be charged.

This makes more sense to me, seems the shops and credit card companies are being given a free ride here...

 

[pete_l]

13 minutes ago, Louis D said:

I know Astro Physics keeps decades long waiting lists for when they restart production of certain in-demand scopes. 

I reckon that AstroPhysics and maybe a few others do this deliberately to support the cachet of their brand. By keeping supply low they increase the rarity and demand (and therefore price) of their products.  It used to be that if you wanted a Harley (not a make of telescope), you would have to wait months for it.
It only works where a product is considered a luxury item. I doubt that the practice would transfer to the mass market where competition is rife.

It also does nothing to promote product improvement.

[Deadlake]

18 hours ago, pete_l said:

I reckon that AstroPhysics and maybe a few others do this deliberately to support the cachet of their brand. By keeping supply low they increase the rarity and demand (and therefore price) of their products.  It used to be that if you wanted a Harley (not a make of telescope), you would have to wait months for it.
It only works where a product is considered a luxury item. I doubt that the practice would transfer to the mass market where competition is rife.

It also does nothing to promote product improvement.

The waiting list is the cachet of the brand. I know 50% of the cost is the lens cell. Hence this is paid for upfront when you've won the AP lottery and then usually the rest closer to the delivery time.

The longer lead times and the lack of escrowed accounts I feel needs to be addressed.   

Edited March 3, 2021 by Deadlake

[SteveNickolls]

Well I'm making a personal stand. No more astro-purchases for a year then see where everything still resides. We are all going to have to repay the enormous costs arising from the virus so saving some hard earnt notes in the bank will come in handy. Difficult times.

Cheers,

Steve

[Louis D]

I'm thinking of getting a standby generator for the house instead of more astro gear since we lost power for days during the winter storm two weeks ago.