Bad News for Melbourne Astronomy - Page 2

skysailor (Peter) · #21 05-01-2016, 01:47 PM

Well I popped in this morning and bought a couple of things (didn't really need them) but it was my last visit so I thought why not....
Sad to see the shop close down, there was a young lady there buying a "first" telescope for her boyfriend and it was a good example of why we need shopfronts where you can ask all those first timer dumb questions and touch the scopes - she was being very well cared for and looked like buying a 14" dob.... lucky boyfriend...

cheers

barx1963 (Malcolm) · #22 05-01-2016, 03:35 PM

I have been lucky enough to be instore at Bintel when a "newbie" has been there asking for info to get a first scope and I have always been impressed with the degree of care and attention people receive. Advice has always been good and accurate.

Malcolm

UniPol · #23 05-01-2016, 04:11 PM

It would be interesting to know why Bintel in Melbourne is closing or shouldn't one ask..

Hagar (Doug) · #24 05-01-2016, 04:18 PM

Sad to see Bintel disappear from Melbourne. It was one of my drop in spots when I travelled down to Melbourne. I had quite an account with the guys there. even after they showed my daughter one Fathers day. Thank god it wasn't the wife.

All the best with your new venture Anthony. It's been nice doing business with you over the years.

MortonH · #25 05-01-2016, 04:31 PM

I noticed a while back that Bintel had dropped the prices on many/most of their own brand GSO gear to match or sometimes even undercut Andrews. I don't know what proportion of their sales are attributed to "standard" gear like GSO & Skywatcher. Unlike Andrews they also sell high end stuff like Tele Vue, Swarovski etc.

Yet if competing with Andrews was a factor you have to wonder about the likes of Sirius optics. No website for months due to the change in ownership and now that it's up again, I see so many prices that are so high. I suspect the only shops that will survive will be large volume discount stores (e.g. Andrews) or stores that have exclusive rights to certain brands (e.g. Bintel with Tele Vue, MyAstroShop with Vixen, etc).

I might have to help Bintel out by buying another DeLite from them.

Julian · #26 05-01-2016, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UniPol

It would be interesting to know why Bintel in Melbourne is closing or shouldn't one ask..

Obvious I would have thought

UniPol · #27 05-01-2016, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julian

Obvious I would have thought

It's not obvious to me, what do you think?

Wavytone · #28 05-01-2016, 06:32 PM

It was that kind of cluelessness that led to Mike Smith starting Bintel in the first place.

AussieTrooper (Ben) · #29 06-01-2016, 10:44 AM

Bugger. I'm looking at getting a 12" Dobs at the end of this year.
Can't do it before then due to getting the house renovated and married.

Nikolas (Nik) · #30 06-01-2016, 02:13 PM

Went in this morning to buy a pier extension but alas I found out they were closing in Melbourne. Anthony is a true professional and it will definitely be the end of an era.

kittenshark (Cheryl-Ann Tan) · #31 07-01-2016, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MortonH

I noticed a while back that Bintel had dropped the prices on many/most of their own brand GSO gear to match or sometimes even undercut Andrews. I don't know what proportion of their sales are attributed to "standard" gear like GSO & Skywatcher. Unlike Andrews they also sell high end stuff like Tele Vue, Swarovski etc.

Yet if competing with Andrews was a factor you have to wonder about the likes of Sirius optics. No website for months due to the change in ownership and now that it's up again, I see so many prices that are so high. I suspect the only shops that will survive will be large volume discount stores (e.g. Andrews) or stores that have exclusive rights to certain brands (e.g. Bintel with Tele Vue, MyAstroShop with Vixen, etc).

I might have to help Bintel out by buying another DeLite from them.

The US exchange rate has been brutal on many importers, it's putting 20% to 30% increase in costs. A year ago it was near parity.

Still, I didn't expect this coming from Bintel...

as a fellow retailer it's very upsetting to hear about someone so established and respected on the market to have to close down a major storefront. The Orion prices on the old Sirius Optics website had not been updated for years and was actually *below* cost to fulfill website orders so we had to take it down and start from scratch. I don't know if this affected other shops trying to match those crazy prices but I'm not surprised if it's spoiled the market for everyone already.

Skywatcher have raised their prices too. Even Chinese suppliers deal with US dollars so those prices have gone up too.

It's not turning out to be a good year to be a telescope retailer, but let's hope we'll all be able hang in there until the exchange rate improves and dealers lower their prices.

Fingers crossed for Bintel... hopefully reducing overheads will help.

04Stefan07 (Stefan) · #32 10-01-2016, 03:42 PM

I can confirm Anthony is starting up his own telescope/binocular repair business. Had a chat with him and was telling me a bit about it.

He is currently building a website so I would keep an close eye on it

.

www.battes.com.au

gaa_ian (Ian) · #33 10-01-2016, 10:40 PM

It is disappointing to hear of the closure of Bintel in Melbourne, I have certainly benifited from repairs there a number of times from the other end of the country! People certainly do like the touch - see - test experience of an astronomy store. A factor that keeps me busy every day here in Cairns as the only astronomy shopfront in northern Australia (as far as I know)
As for the direct shopping online, as a retailer you have to be a part of that to survive. Still business often comes from folk who have bought online cheap and been disappointed and so return to the bricks and mortar store with people who use and know the gear they sell.

Astromelb · #34 11-01-2016, 02:01 PM

Dear IIS team,

Sad news indeed.

This leaves my business - Astronomy Alive - as the only specialist retail supplier of telescopes in Melbourne.

In my decades in astronomy I have seen Roger at BATSC, Astro Optical, York and now Bintel close.

You now only have Astronomy Alive in the Melbourne suburb of Bentleigh - able to support a full range of specialist astronomy products from beginner, intermediate, advanced, professional and major observatory systems.

The only other Melbourne suppliers are OzScopes (a Malaysian business) and their spin off Optics Central - who serve a lower spec product range & are an online focus for sales of astronomy gear.

Whilst Bintel make this sad decision - my business Astronomy Alive has achieved another record year last financial year, and is already placed to achieve another record year this financial year.

Whilst my competitors go this sad route, my business thrives

I am happy to support customers in Melbourne, and also nationally and internationally with their needs - from beginner to professional - and with better prices than OzScopes & Optics Central anyway - but I suggest you check these prices yourself.

Plus I also support exceptional world class telescope manufacturers such as Officina Stellare (the worlds best telescope maker), ASA Astrosysteme, CFF Telescopes (fully oil spaced exotica triplets), Central DS CCD systems - plus my hand crafted designs of Sky Rover (triplet and sextuplet refractors which are massively popular), plus also hand crafted reflectors.

Good luck for the future to Bintel in Sydney.

Rgds,
Cris Ellis
Astronomy Alive,
Bentleigh, Melbourne,
www.astronomyalive.com.au

UniPol · #35 11-01-2016, 02:06 PM

Nothing like a free plug

Astromelb · #36 11-01-2016, 02:10 PM

Thank you UniPol, I agree, there's nothing like the closure of a competitor to enable an increased opportunity for my business. Some of the comments in this thread were saying there's now no one. So my comment is merely to correct this, they didn't mention my business, Astronomy Alive.

My business is a major telescope supplier national and internationally, and also actively supporting Melbourne, and thriving

Bintel closing is sad. But this is a major opportunity to my business, as now there's no one else with a capability in astronomy left here.

Rgds,
Cris Ellis,
Astronomy Alive.
www.astronomyalive.com.au

Fox · #37 11-01-2016, 02:35 PM

I have to say that I am really saddened to learn about this news, l must drop by before the doors finally close for good. It's quite depressing that the only Melbourne shopfront for telescopes will be toy shops and Aust Geo, honestly, don't people give a damn about the night sky anymore... Don't get me started....!

RB (Andrew) · #38 11-01-2016, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astromelb

Bintel closing is sad. But this is a major opportunity to my business, as now there's no one else with a capability in astronomy left here.

Rgds,
Cris Ellis,
Astronomy Alive.

I wouldn't buy from you if you were the last Astronomy shop in the World !

Just my thoughts....

RB

UniPol · #39 11-01-2016, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RB

I wouldn't buy from you if you were the last Astronomy shop in the World !

Just my thoughts....

RB

Pretty strong words there RB and coming from a moderator too. Mind you, I'm inclined to agree with you.

AndrewJ · #40 11-01-2016, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Some of the comments in this thread were saying there's now no one. So my comment is merely to correct this

In that case, a simple one liner ( vs a glowing/gloating advertorial ) would probably have sufficed

Andrew