Thread: Carbatec Prices going up

I don't think it's only going to be Carba-tec putting up prices, unfortunately.

Well they didn't come down when the $ spiked so putting them up now it's back where it was 12 months ago is hardly justified. Also if people really are hurting hobby woodworking purchases are discretionary spending if ever there was one. They may have to discount hard to get any sort of volume.

Anyway just to be safe I returned my 24" progrip for the 96" one today so got it at the old price. I had a brain explosion a few weeks back, went in to get the big one, bought the little one. They were happy cos 19 big ones in stock all little ones out. It's enormous. Hardly fit in the fairlane.

Originally Posted by damian

Well they didn't come down when the $ spiked so putting them up now it's back where it was 12 months ago is hardly justified..

Yeah, so typical Damian, bit like the petrol prices eh? Prices go up like a rocket when the price of crude rises but not the same response when the price of crude drops. Not reflected at the petrol pump as quickly.

Originally Posted by damian

Well they didn't come down when the $ spiked so putting them up now it's back where it was 12 months ago is hardly justified. Also if people really are .

You don't think that the price increases RIO and BHP got for iron ore will affect steel prices?

As for petrol prices, crude is priced ins $US and petrol at our pumps in $AU. For a fair comparison, price the crude in $AU.

The rising $AU protected us from inflation, now it's plummeting expect imported goods to become more expensive quite rapidly.

Well I worked in the coal industry for nearly 10 years so I've got a bit of an idea about coal and iron prices. I also worked in manufacturing for many years and the cost of iron ore and coal are trivial factors even when labour is as cheap as it is in China.

Oil peaked at $145US a barrel a few months back when the $AU was 97c. Oil is now at $67US and the $AU is about 66c. Petrol should have dropped about 30c/liter.

Do you understand how iron ore and coal are priced and sold ? Do you understand the difference between derivatives trading and actual contracts ?

In 2000 both iron ore and coking coal were selling for about $55 tonne. They peaked recently at about $150 a tonne and there was talk of next years contract going to $175. That isn't going to happen now, and in fact both will probably fall a little in the next few years.

Anyway, doesn't matter in the scheme of things.

Had a look at some Carbatec prices today, boy have they gone up!

Seems a bit rough putting the prices up on existing stock
Can hardly blame falling dollar when doing that
Colin Rayner of Northwood tools forecast that this was likely in his last newsletter

love the way the greedy ..........s put the prices up on existing stock, hate the way people profit from price rises like that, they wont be getting my dollar,have a look at other places they seem to be a bit more generous with their pricing, and not cashing in on the current crisis,hope people remember them when things get better.bob

This now means that I cant afford to buy tools from carbatec, just looked at a couple of my recent and future purchases on there website.

6" benchtop jointer purchased 2 weeks ago at $249 is now $359
10" Table saw paid $1459 is now $1995
economy lathe was $339 is now $600 - just cant afford it now.

will now have to concentrate on ebay for tools etc- are hare and forbes putting there prices up?

ps I thought there were issues when I overheard the shop staff being told 2 days after the show that show prices were not to be given in the shop and that they were only for the show.
typically being able to get show prices upto a week after at carbatec store - not any more.

Had a look at some of the H&F prices and although they have also gone up, in the main by less than half the Carbatec increase.

Their bandsaws are now very much better priced than Carbatec, as are their metal lathes.

For instance the C3 Mini Lathe at Carbatec is now $1095, $830 at H&F.

Some of the CT prices have gone ballistic, eg the CTJ680 Thicknesser, was $1249 but almost continually on "special" at $995, now costs $1449.

It may not hurt to ask for a discount and you may get the old catalogue price on existing stock. i got this on some ancillary items on Sat when i picked up some machinery (that i luckily ordered at the old price). Was very, very tempted to see if i could get my bandsaw at the old price but was scared for my life they may say yes.

On my rough calculations the $AU has declined about 36% against $US. The Carbatec price increases noted here are well above that. Carbatec may have some other legit funding costs to recover but it is interesting that the price increases are not uniform - not even close. Would appear Carbatec has taken the opportunity to adjust profit margins. It's their business!!

Must say however that the TS-10L that I would love to own is still listed on the web site at $2195 as it has been for some time. I wonder if they could deliver were I to order now!!

It all comes to he who waits. The current price is going to hurt sales and sometime down the track they will have a lot if unsold stock to move. They were already a bit pricey even before the dollar took a hit. They should remember they are not the only tool sellers around.
Regards
John

I thought the same thing, but then my Dad explained how this happens. Say they buy the stock on 90 days terms, with a letter of credit. If they don't fix the dollar price at that time, then by the time 90 days have come around, the dollar may have changed dramatically (up or down).
It also means that you may have had stock on the shelf for 2-3 months before you actually have to pay for it, at which time, if there has been a dramatic change, you may have to change the ticket price, of take a huge loss.