Bintel prices on TV eyepieces

[MortonH]

Just noticed that Bintel has its Black Friday sale on with 10% off all in-stock items (except Esprit scopes). Thought maybe I'd look for a bargain Tele Vue eyepiece only to discover that the prices are 10% higher than a few days ago. For example a Nagler T6 has just gone up from $449 to $509.

The prices of Tele Vue telescopes haven't changed, but since none are in stock they're excluded from the sale anyway.

Since their Tele Vue prices already increased a while back (presumably due to the falling Aussie dollar) the timing of this increase on eyepieces just before the 10% off sale seems a tad odd. Am I being overly suspicious?

[raymo]

I suspect not.
raymo

[Wavytone]

Looks like more turbulence coming in the exchange rates. While the long-term forecast for the $A is not favourable (and hence I can understand Bintel raising the prices) when Wall St goes wobbly at the knees this can affect the exchange rate - in our favour.

[AndyG]

Hello Morton,

Regarding the Bintel prices, I'm curious if you've logged into to their site, or are browsing anonymously?

I've noticed that most things are about 10% extra, after I've signed in. I thought that maybe a product of my distant postal address. I then changed my postal details to somewhere down the road from their shop, and refreshed everything... same deal.

I was looking at a rather un-exotic Bintel 12" Dob. Which is $1099 (+$75 postage) in my cart, but $999 pre-login. Black Friday would essentially give me even less - free postage...

I should be asking them all this. However, I have no money, and realise I'm dreaming harder than Wayne Campbell drooling over that white Fender Strat... With that in mind, I shouldn't waste their time until I can get financially real :)

[Kunama]

Bintel price yesterday on Delos 4.5mm was $509, today the same eyepiece has gone to $569 (they only still show 1 in stock) so with the 10% off it is now $512.10...... however as they are not in stock the discount does not apply.... so $569 .......

[N1]

Crikey I've bought Supermonos for less than that

[LewisM]

Oh oh...popcorn required.

It happens all too often unfortunately - put the prices up a few days, sometimes weeks before a "sale" with the usual "exchange rate" excuse, so that the retailer still gets the original price regardless. Target has been caught doing this with their Toy Sales.

[doug mc]

$560.00 for an eyepiece, i would love to have your salary.

[Kunama]

:lol: I really doubt that....:lol: I am just a poor pensioner living on my superannuation, and cans of out of date soup ....... :sadeyes:

[PCH]

...and Winnebagos, lol

[AndyG]

You never know with these dedicated high-postcount-types Doug. They may have sold a kidney... Perhaps entertained the idea of selling both :p

Nah serious now. Has anyone else noticed the Bintel price increase after logging in? Last night I noticed the 12" dob increase by $100 as soon as I typed 1 character into the address field. Even without login. For giggles, I even used the address next door to their shop. Is it just me?

[Kunama]

I placed a Delos into my Bintel Cart last night and it was $509. I went to pay for it earlier today and it had miraculously jumped to $569 in my Cart.....

I am now going to order from USA instead....

[gjr80]

I just looked and I was shown the same $1099 whether I was logged in or not whether on PC or iPad. Maybe you caught it as the pre-sale price increase was being added? ;)

On price increases I did notice that Panoptic 24 I got for $400 last November is now $499 (sales aside). Knew there had been one price increase of about $50 but definitely seems like there's been another.

Gary

[FlashDrive]

Don't forget the Sao Biscuits .....:P

[FlashDrive]

I don't see the $$' Value in the TeleVue eyepieces anymore .... so over priced now ...just my sentiments.

I'm looking towards the TAK LE eyepieces ....still very competitive and very good ones for the price.

I tend to look for the early UltraScopics / Ultimas / Parks Gold Series ...mostly on the s/h market, but must be in good condition for me to buy.

......and I won't buy any eyepieces ( regardless of brand ) if they look like they've been rolling around in a gravel pit .

Col.....

[MortonH]

I wasn't signed in (I don't think) when I noticed.

[MortonH]

Yes, they were around $400 then increased to $449 a few months ago and now $499. That's an increase of around 25% in less than a year.

[Madanie7]

Cyclops Optics in Hong Kong have the Delos 10mm for HK2650 ($466AUD) and ship to Australia for free when order is over HK1400 ($246AUD)

Not sure of reputation but that's a fair deal considering the eyepiece is $569 here

[Cimitar]

Sorry, I know it's not TV related, however, the same thing happened last week with the ZWO cameras. ZWO manufacturer announced a "world-wide" discount of $100-250, commencing on 16 Nov, for the majority of their cameras/kits etc. I wrote down the existing pre-sale prices, for ZWO & Bintel sites, in anticipation of how much I might save.

Literally overnight, Bintel put many of their ZWO camera prices up by $100-$200. Suffice to say I thought the timing of their price increase was a tad odd as well.
ZWO's pricing on its own website genuinely appeared to reflect a discount.

[MortonH]

Shame I'm away this weekend or I'd pop in and ask them in person.

[luka]

Please do when you get there next time. The practice of jacking up prices before sales is illegal and unfortunately happens too often.

(And if Bintel is doing it then they just lost a customer)

[anj026]

I have noticed that sometimes GST is not added to the price until the website knows you are in Australia.

[raymo]

Don't forget the $46.60 GST, so still a good price, but not AS good.
raymo

[Madanie7]

Ah of course :thumbsup:

[casstony]

There's still no gst on imports under $1000 from astro shops. GST is applied to bigger outfits like ebay but not small businesses.

I suppose that might change in future if it appears that a particular business is selling more than 75,000 worth into Oz.

[DeWynter]

Make sure you are paying straight to the seller with a credit card and not via PayPal. PayPal adds GST to any online overseas purchases, not only to eBay.

[FlashDrive]

That's something I would never do ( although I haven't owned one in over 10years ) ....there has been stories that some who have done it this way, find that a little while later, their credit card account shows an ' illegal purchase ' has been made by some unknown party using those gredit card details.

Then the rubbish you have to go thru' to get it sorted out with your bank and a refund ( if at all you get it ) of the monies involved.

If you have no fear of using your credit card , then do so .... but be very carefull

Col....

[gjr80]

Hmm, not my experience. $127USD invoice from a US company last week, paid via paypal and was charged at the prevailing exchange rate. Goods appeared this week with no further payments required.


Now as for ebay and being charged $0.10 GST on a $1.00 packet of screws from China. I feel a certain degree of smugness knowing it probably cost them more than $0.10 to collect the $0.10 GST.


Gary

[Madanie7]

Couldn't you claim this back?
If you don't get charged GST on purchases under $1000 then it would have to be claimable, wouldn't it?

[casstony]

I checked a recent transaction and it didn't appear that paypal added gst. I bought a Starsense for Skywatcher from the UK for $400 less than the price locally. For some reason we are particularly gouged on that item.

[morls]

If it walks like a duck...

[DeWynter]

Gary/Tony,
That's quite interesting. Because I also purchased a few things recently from overseas - small shops, not big brands and PayPal charged GST on a separate transaction in the same way they were doing for eBay - one transaction for the actual purchase and another transaction for GST. Hmmm.... :(
Thinking about purchasing from Stellarvue... Might try PayPal option again. Almost went with just a pure credit card purchase to avoid GST.

Brendan,
No, you cannot claim it back. :( Or at least I do not know any legal way of doing that. Gov pushed GST on all purchases regardless of the price so even a $10 transaction should incur GST.

Col,
Yes, this is true. There is always a risk. However nowadays banks are more intelligent with identifying frauds and illegal purchases. I'm not saying it's safe, but it's a bit better these days than it was before.

[gjr80]

Hmm, maybe the little man that sits at the border with his clipboard and calculator (there must be one mustn't there?) had already reached the $75k limit for your shops ;)

Gary

[DeWynter]

Certainly! :rofl: At least clothing and electronics are much more popular than scopes so they are on the watch-list. ;)

Anyway now I wonder why PayPal differentiates non-eBay purchases.

[AndyG]

Maybe that is it! For me, it's appears as 10% everytime, and to reflect your statement, I'm in Japan right now...

EDIT: screenshot regarding no GST. That's how they must handle it. Sad that I got excited by the original pre-login price...

[Merlin66]

Yeah, browsing eBay everything seems to show "plus 10% GST" - no matter what the price $2 or $200.

[AndyG]

Banks are hellbent on retaining good customer sentiment regarding credit card safety. Having been on both ends of the CreditCard Fraud process, I have seen the following:

Having lost $2500 on some scumbag ordering airtickets to Philipines, and a hotel in Amsterdam, I called the bank. Explained I have never been to either place, and never want to. Banks staff said "fine, leave it with me". 7 days later, money was refunded.

Having been a shop manager, a customer unfortunately forgot that he'd bought a $60 videocard 3 months ago from us. The bank sent us registered mail, stating that in no uncertain terms that this money would be removed from our account, if we could not prove that this customer spent the money in our store, of their own free will. All the burden of proof was upon us, and the letter was quite abrupt. Proof was easy, we found the receipt and called the bank. We also called the customer, and had a nice chat. Poor old guy forgot that we'd fixed his computer, and all was well. This was 12 years ago.

Whilst it's easier to rip off C/C numbers as time goes on, the banks are petrified of the population losing faith en masse. They bend over backwards to restore your funds and your faith. ...and these words come from someone who distrusts banks as much as every other Australian.

[casstony]

Still some good deals at Bintel eg. AZ-EQ6 $2250 and Edge HD 8" for $1800 - not bad prices.

[Profiler]

Yep - time to take a 2nd look at the Pentax range of EPs:lol:

[morls]

Mind reader!

[Kunama]

or you can buy TeleVue eyepieces from me, seems I have a few spares :shrug: (according to my dear wife :argue:) anyone for a Nagler or Panoptic? Delos?

[LewisM]

Send me your catalogue Matt - looking for EPs for the Mak

[FlashDrive]

Do we get 'Black Friday ' prices on these Matt :P