Tele Vue prices up?

[gb_astro]

Am I imagining things or were Bintel Tele Vue eyepieces cheaper a week ago?

gb.

[Stephen65]

Yes it looks like they've quickly adjusted for last week's drop in the A$

[GrahamL]

They sure were ...I have been thinking for a while that many astro items are likely to get more expensive no matter how our dollar runs ..I don't know how they price or are billed for there stock ..but the item I enquired about was there in plenty a couple of weeks back..and did jump overnight.

I have bought US $ for 49 c..so a little drop to 86 c .. dosn't hurt to much .

[mick pinner]

funny how they seem to get adjusted one way quicker than the other.

[JethroB76 (Jeff)]

Taking their cue from the oil companies.

[AlexN]

Yeah, it happened sometime on thursday of last week.... Unfortunately it happened BEFORE i placed my order for a few things... surprisingly some prices went up and some went down... Even across the same brand name... ?? Meade ACF OTA's stayed the same price, Meade flip mirrors went up, and Meade focal reducers went down... odd.. Orion prices went up ~10%.. almost across the board with the exception of their guiding reticle.. which dropped 10%

When the prices do that kind of thing you have to wonder whats going on....

[erick (Eric)]

Was I dreamin' that I saw the 27mm Panoptic for $349? I started saving for it. Back up over $400 now

[matt]

Hmm.

Wonder whether that includes stock purchsed when the Oz dollar was riding high against the Greenback???

It's frustrating that there are a million and one reasons (excuses) for maintaining high prices here in Australia, even when the dollar's doing well, but the moment there's a fall in the Oz dollar ...prices go up quicker than a rat up a drainpipe!!!!!

Another reason why I buy most of my gear overseas. Not out of bitterness or resentment, just plain economic good sense and market competition

[Alchemy (Clive)]

(quotes)

funny how they seem to get adjusted one way quicker than the other.





Taking their cue from the oil companies





banks have a simailr system

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Come on guys - that's a bit unfair isn't it?

Companies that sell and trade in foreign-sourced goods know, at any one time, what their stock is worth based on the current exchange rate and sell it accordingly. Could you imagie the complexities involved in tracking every single item in stock and charging it out at a different rate to any other? Also given that not all of their stock comes from a single country of origin (i.e. USA, China, UK, Japan, etc, etc..) how complex a system would they need to monitor and adjust individual stock lines based on the country they were bought from?

"Now - let's see - we bought this in from the US on 17th April, so the exchange rate back then was XXc/AU$, so we ...." You get the idea - I would have thought that it's a totally impractical way to do business.

The fact that they (Bintel and others) do actually alter their prices as rates drop seems to be well-received by all - but when they go back up again, which is out of their control somewhat - everyone thinks te worst of them.

[matt]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

Come on guys - that's a bit unfair isn't it?

Nope.

The Oz dollar was riding high for ages before there was a price drop in product.

The corresponding increase in prices happened much swifter. End of story.

Anyway...my main point is/was for everyone to shop around. Compare prices. Vote with your wallet

Chris, I'm well aware of the many arguments for buying locally. However, it's up to individuals to decide where they stand on such issues.

Cheers.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by matt

Nope.

The Oz dollar was riding high for ages before there was a price drop in product.

The corresponding increase in prices happened much swifter. End of story.

You have some dates and examples there Matt? You're a journo - you know that in order to issue assumptions like this you'll need some proof to be able to make them.

Not trying to be funny here - but I have a suspicion that our perception of how these market forces move, and how we wish them to move to suit us differ from reality in most cases...

I'm glad that Bintel and some others like them actually DO pass on price drops. Many don't!

[iceman (Mike)]

It's always give and take.

I like the aussie dollar high when I have to pay server hosting fees, but want it to drop by 40c before google payday.

[matt]

I regularly vist the Oz astro retailer sites (a number of times each week) to keep an eye on pricing. Particularly with regard to eyepieces, filters, etc

My comment/s are based on general observations over many months, Chris.

I also keep a close eye on the Oz-Us exchange rate, through no other reason than I have to broadcast it (on air, on radio) as a requirment of my job as a journalist out of several news bulletins each day.

It's probably reasonable that you ask for specific dates and examples. Do you have some you can toss our way, which you are basing your counter-argument on

Anyway...I recommend anyone who isn't content with the prices being asked by local vendors to shop around. Compare sites. It can be very worthwhile on smaller items such as eyepieces.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by matt

It's probably reasonable that you ask for specific dates and examples. Do you have some you can toss our way, which you are basing your counter-argument on

LOL! I'm not making the accusations Matt! I've not provided a counter argument nor have I stated the opposite to yourself anywhere. I've not stated that I believe that Bintel or any other company we buy from has or has not done right by us. I've merely suggested that without substantiated data, the argument is only based on your own perception.

[matt]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

You're a journo - you know that in order to issue assumptions like this you'll need some proof to be able to make them.

BTW Chris...when I'm on IIS....I'm just me...an enthusiastic amateur astronomer. Not a journalist, and certainly not a financial expert by any means.

[matt]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

LOL! I'm not making the accusations Matt! I've not provided a counter argument nor have I stated the opposite to yourself anywhere. I've merely suggested that without substantiated data, the argument is only based on your own perception.

No-one's accusing you of making 'accusations', mate.

And I would have thought it was clear that the comments of most people in this thread are perceptions. Sheesh!!!

Funny how there seems to be so many people with the same 'perception'.

And as for not providing a counter-argument or the opposite, the "that's a bit unfair" aspect of your earlier post would tend to suggest you do not agree, which would be an opposing position.

Anyway this is a boring semantic 'argument'....

My point being....again.....vote with your wallets people! If you are not happy with prices ... vote with your wallets!!!!!!!

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Sheesh indeed!

Truce Matt - we're all on the same side here!

I guess at the end of the day, we'd need to be privvy to the businesses involved to be able to judge what their motives, if any, are. We're not - so we just have to hope that they are doing their best to ride the monetary tides and keep their customers in the loop.

[matt]

True, Chris

[Ian Robinson]

Originally Posted by Alchemy

(quotes)

funny how they seem to get adjusted one way quicker than the other.





Taking their cue from the oil companies





banks have a simailr system

banks.... greased lightning when bumpup LOAN interest rates , not so fast when the rates are going the other direction.