Buyers' Strike

[matt]

Originally Posted by Starkler

Heads up. US dollar is crashing against other currencies
AUD = approx 77c US at this time.

It probably won't matter a jot to prices here. We'll be told current stock was purchased when the exchange rate wasn't so good.

Strange how that was also what we heard when the Oz dollar went on a very strong run for a very long time...

Gee...they must time their purchasing runs very poorly

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by matt

It probably won't matter a jot to prices here. We'll be told current stock was purchased when the exchange rate wasn't so good.

Well its a fair thing to say as long as it works both ways.
A month or so out from now there wont be any excuses. Punish those that want to profiteer by buying OS.

[stephenb (Stephen)]

I bought the LX200 10" for $5200 this time last year from BinTel. It's now $7400????

I notice however, that the LX90 8" went from about $3599 to $4000 at the start of this year, now i has dropped to $3699.

Nothing against BinTel here, just using them as an example.

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

I am wiling to spend now to get a scope that works, although I would wait before buying accessories to improve my viewing XP.

[Tandum (Robin)]

Wake me up when it hits 90Cents.

http://www.chartflow.com/fx/chartout...D&B1=Chart+Now

[Jen]

Originally Posted by Tandum

Wake me up when it hits 90Cents.

http://www.chartflow.com/fx/chartout...D&B1=Chart+Now

looks like your going to have a long long sleep

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by Tandum

Wake me up when it hits 90Cents.

http://www.chartflow.com/fx/chartout...D&B1=Chart+Now

If that happens anytime soon it means markets everywhere will crash and you'll have more to worry about than your next astronomy purchase.

[Tilt (Michael)]

You're missing one more option from your poll.

No - I'm AlexN



But seriously, I haven't spent all that big on astro gear... Yet. If I was in the market right now for a decent CCD or such I'd buy it tomorrow, the current AUD $ wouldnt put me off. But I don't want to rush these things, I've still got plenty to learn with the gear I have at the moment.

Michael

[TrevorW]

Still I've only found 1 supplier advertising and selling at comparitive prices to US prices most are marking prices several hundred dollars more than they should be.

I mean $3500 for an Orion 120 ED

[toryglen-boy (Duncan)]

Originally Posted by TrevorW

Still I've only found 1 supplier advertising and selling at comparitive prices to US prices most are marking prices several hundred dollars more than they should be.

I mean $3500 for an Orion 120 ED

i know what you mean Trev, and there is never a good time buy IMHO. I recently contacted a supplier looking for an ST80, i was quoted $650 when i asked why i was told "because no where else has them in stock, so if you want one this is the price". needless to say, i was kinda disgusted, and i picked one up from here, from a kind forum member for $100.

I find it annoying when retailers will use quite literally ANY excuse to bump prices up, and literally ANY excuse to not bring them back down when the financial emergency subsides.

I find Andrews to be the cheapest in Oz by far, they recently advertised the new Skywatcher Flextube Auto 12" at about $3000, by the next day they had cut $500 off the price, and it makes you think, how much money are retailers paying? I mean, i have a rough idea of cost price, and i know how much retailers put on as thier mark up, thats ok though, i accept that if i want post sales help, or advice, or that the retailer has overheads himself, then i dont mind paying. But people here seem to be paying through the nose, i mean how can you justify some of the differences retailers charge?

In many ways i have recently boycotted retailers although not intentionally. If there is something i want, the first place i will always look is at the IIS classifieds, then i will look online. i will only really now buy something from a retailer, if i want a gaurantee, or its new gear that hasnt filtered down to owners upgrading yet.

There are some retailers i wont even use for various reasons, one of them has a whole website of stuff with not a single price on anything just "between $1500 - $3000" and if there isnt a price there for me to compare with, then i can be bothered. Another retailers is just far too expensive for anything, even with a discount.

Its a buyers market, and if retailers dont realise this soon, then some of them will go out of business.