Shocking price rises!!??

[Shimrod]

9 minutes ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Yep, I paid £600 for a fullerscope Newtonian with MKIV mount, none goto mid 70's. I think I was on £35 a week summer job plus tips. Saved every penny I could and took six months plus. Now x that by today's minimum salary for summer jobs and you have a conservative estimate of £5000 to £6000 for the same scope.

For a more recent price comparison, I bought a Meade LX90 in 2003, and the cost was around £1750 - allowing for inflation that would be around £2700 today. The equivalent LX90 with some extra technology and improved optics is still only £1890 today.

This inflation adjusting website shows your estimate for the fullerscope as pretty much spot on !   Inflation calculator

[Goldenmole]

A travesty! My disappointment cannot be expressed in words, especially as i wanted to purchase an 8" Dob.

[AstroNebulee]

The Bay of E have always marked their prices up way higher than that of more reputable astronomy dealers, they are the real sharks circling now as they know of the situation with supply and demand, some people will pay it though. 

[Neil27]

39 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

Thankfully I have all the astro equipment I should ever need with no intention of spending another penny! Yep, that's me sorted!! 🤣🤣🤣

I love your optimism David 😆🔭🔭🔭🔭

[BaldyMan]

There has been a triple whammy of effects all caused by covid really.

1. Furlough has meant people stuck at home have decided to take up astronomy as a hobby. This is great for the hobby itself and hopefully they all stick around but it means all stock in the country has now been gobbled up.

2. Production plants in China are lagging behind due to covid lockdown. There is a lot of demand to meet and this is affecting every sector. 

3. The shipping container crisis. Since Western Europe still hasn't got to grips with the virus there are no products to ship to China. That means containers that should should returning to China with our products for their market (think Brompton bicycles and stuff like that) are all laying empty in our ports as nobody is willing to send empty containers halfway around the world.

So to summarise. Demand has rocketed up, supply cannot meet demand and costs have increased to get the products to market. It's a perfect storm and it is affecting all kinds of sectors.

[AstroNebulee]

10 minutes ago, Neil27 said:

I love your optimism David 😆🔭🔭🔭🔭

You can ever have to much astro equipment 😂

[DaveL59]

5 minutes ago, LeeHore7 said:

You can ever have to much astro equipment 😂

you can when you run out of room for it all 😉 

[Robindonne]

18 minutes ago, BaldyMan said:

There has been a triple whammy of effects all caused by covid really.

1. Furlough has meant people stuck at home have decided to take up astronomy as a hobby. This is great for the hobby itself and hopefully they all stick around but it means all stock in the country has now been gobbled up.

2. Production plants in China are lagging behind due to covid lockdown. There is a lot of demand to meet and this is affecting every sector. 

3. The shipping container crisis. Since Western Europe still hasn't got to grips with the virus there are no products to ship to China. That means containers that should should returning to China with our products for their market (think Brompton bicycles and stuff like that) are all laying empty in our ports as nobody is willing to send empty containers halfway around the world.

So to summarise. Demand has rocketed up, supply cannot meet demand and costs have increased to get the products to market. It's a perfect storm and it is affecting all kinds of sectors.

Strangely my small ali express orders arrive faster than ever.  Around 10 days

[Davey-T]

10 minutes ago, DaveL59 said:

you can when you run out of room for it all 😉 

I just spread into another room 😂

2 minutes ago, Robindonne said:

Strangely my small ali express orders arrive faster than ever.  Around 10 days

That'll be airfreight  then

Dave

[runway77]

don't buy this over-expensive stuff. They have increased the prices because some people are apparently willing to pay so much.

Edited February 13, 2021 by runway77

[rnobleeddy]

I don't see this as surprising. Yes, it sucks, but it's not going to change anytime soon.

- It's very unlikely there's any collusion. The usual rules of supply and demand apply. There are many equipment manufacturers and many retailers. I may pay a small premium to shop at my preferred retailer(s) but like most people, I'll be lead by price.

- The large increases in costs for shipping freight from China is well publicized, as is the issue caused by Brexit. Astroboot was still closed last time I checked. No hobby is immune to covid and the choices the country has made.

- eBay tends to be more expensive for new astro stuff, but no one's forcing anyone to buy there. This is true across many markets on ebay. The specific increases in prices recently were almost certainly just the front edge of the prices rises we're now seeing everywhere.

 

 

Edited February 13, 2021 by rnobleeddy

[AstroNebulee]

37 minutes ago, DaveL59 said:

you can when you run out of room for it all 😉 

Then you need to build an extension on to your house including an obsy, I'm currently in dreamland with that one 😉

[DaveL59]

1 minute ago, LeeHore7 said:

Then you need to build an extension on to your house including an obsy, I'm currently in dreamland with that one 😉

well the conservatory is the scope storage space here. Can't exactly build as I rent so with 6 currently in there no room for another right now, tho never say never... 😉 

[DaveL59]

wait till the chip shortages suddenly hike the cost of GoTo's, not to mention other PC gear etc. Car makers are already feeling it re ECU's etc.

[AbsolutelyN]

Some good points here. I remember as a teenager in the 90's I wanted a 6" reflector or a 4" refractor. They were completely and utterly beyond my reach. I finally ended up with an 8" mirror and diagonal after much saving and then having to slowly build a dobsonian scope from scratch out of scrap bits of wood and metal over about a year. Will never forget first time I saw m42 through it ... or the time I accidently set it on fire whilst projecting image of the sun! Even with the price rises that starter level equipment is within reach to most and we're completely spoilt for choice compared to a couple of decades ago.  

Edited February 13, 2021 by AbsolutelyN

[wulfrun]

37 minutes ago, DaveL59 said:

well the conservatory is the scope storage space here. Can't exactly build as I rent so with 6 currently in there no room for another right now, tho never say never... 😉 

Just needs some shelving then, stack 'em high! 😁

[Goldenmole]

1 hour ago, DaveL59 said:

you can when you run out of room for it all 😉 

Yeah, that seems to happen sooner than you think. I think my household is singlehandedly keeping Amazon running😆

[Tiny Clanger]

Not at all shocking if you keep an eye on the political and economic world

 

[Zermelo]

(1) Yes, we are lucky to be benefitting from the significant advances in technology and simultaneous reduction in manufacturing costs that have transformed the hobby over the years.  I was also one of those who, as a youngster, looked at what was available in the 70s and decided that I would never be able to afford to buy a decent scope (and 'decent' for me would not have included goto, tracking, and possibly not even a parabolic mirror); but I was sure I'd have enough time to build my own from a kit. I got as far as roughing out an 8" blank with #80 grit, and then real life took over. The rough mirror is still in my loft, but I recently bought a scope that is more effective and pleasing to use than I ever imagined (so I was wrong on both counts). And of course, it's not just amateur astronomy that has seen such improvements over the same period.

(2) Though lacking any "insider" knowledge, I'm sufficiently trusting of at least some of the main suppliers (based on their other behaviour) to believe that they are not taking advantage of the situation. Some private individuals are of course pricing new and second hand sales with one eye on the market. While I wouldn't necessarily want to share a pint with such a person, I don't see that I can condemn them either, in a free market driven by supply and demand. Is it any different from the inflated prices commanded by some heritage eyepieces that are no longer made? Though buyers will, I hope, remember those dealers who played with a straight bat through the crisis, and reward them with custom on the other side.
What I will say is that credit is due to those members on the buy/sell section here who are continuing to let unwanted items go at pre-covid/brexit prices, to the continuing benefit of new starters.

(3)  I wouldn't conflate (1) and (2) myself because they're not linked. But if we want to count our blessings, we could offset the effects of (2) with (1) and decide that perhaps the glass is still half full.

[dobblob]

55 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Not at all shocking if you keep an eye on the political and economic world

 

Well the pound has recovered nicely thank you. Today at 1.38, higher than it was before C 19 struck. I hope we can now see decreasing prices because of this or is my naivety showing?

[AlexK]

China is falling into the deep economy crysis. It's a communist state, don't forget. Their economy is much more weird than ours. In short they want more money, that's all.

[JamesF]

3 minutes ago, dobblob said:

I hope we can now see decreasing prices because of this or is my naivety showing?

Showing?!  Sounds like it might have a big neon sign over the top saying "Get your naivety here" whilst a full marching band complete with majorettes parade around it playing "When the saints go marching in" :D

James

[Nigella Bryant]

It'll be fine, they're be lots of second hand, hardly used stuff on the market in six to twelve months time at 2/3rds to 50% of the new price. 

[wxsatuser]

6 hours ago, banjaxed said:

As we all know prices are governed by supply and demand, so if demand falls due to excessive price increases then prices should start to reduce, (hopefully).

Exactly, if no one likes the price do not pay it.

[SiriusB]

8 hours ago, wesdon1 said:

I just wanted to express my shock and indeed anger at the astronomical ( pun intended ) price rises for Telescope equipment during recent months!!?? It all started on Ebay, and yesterday i noticed all the retail shops online have also massively increased their prices!!?? It was/is already such an expensive hobby, so i don't understand why this is happening ?? 

It doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. As others have stated the cost of entry level is way lower than it used to be even with price hikes.

   I doubt Astronomy will be the only sector hit by price rises this year.🤔

Probably saved me some £,I've suddenly lost any great desire for a larger ED. 😉