[ByrdC130]

Just got an email with the following from a supplier that I've done business with and is pretty straight up and honest. Has anyone else heard of anything like this?

Just to give everyone a heads up â€" Aristocraft, LGB, Hartland Locomotive, USA and, well, just about everyone!! â€" are raising prices March 1, 2008.  Let us know if you would like something before March 1st. 

And right before we get out tax break checks too. Sounds like it might be time to buy if this is true.

 

[blackburn49]

Wow. All of those all at once! Fortunately, I have largely purchased everything I need for all of my upcoming projects. Should have seen this coming with the rising cost of energy. Still, aren't they kind of shooting themselves in the foot raising prices in a soft economy ? One has to wonder . . .

 

[Mik]

The problem isn't just the cost of oil. The cost of copper and brass is through the roof!

Late winter is usually when my suppliers hit me with price increases as well. Usually Jan 15, Feb 1 and March 1...however with the crummy dollar the last few years, I've been seeing some mid-year increases on imported items as well.

 

[George Adams]

Most large scale manufacturers put their new price list into effect March first. Nothing drastic or earth shattering I expect.

George

 

[wmumpower]

Lets just say that capitalism has run amuck.  If prices become too outrageous, then there is always scratch building.

 

[Spule 4]

http://www.plasticsexchange.com/Research/WeeklyReview.aspx

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[Mike Reilley]

Posted By George Adams on 02/13/2008 8:21 PM
Most large scale manufacturers put their new price list into effect March first. Nothing drastic or earth shattering I expect.

George


Well, you work at Aristocraft in the Customer Service Department....so how much of a price increase are we to expect?  By now, you must know.  Are we talking price increases like the increase we saw in track prices a while back????....or just inflation levels...like 2%?  I mean, with all the talk about a recession on going, I'd think we'd see price decreases....

Let's take the rumor out of the thread...and get some information.

 

[jlyans]

Wow what are the odds of all of those manufacturers checking their balance sheets and then all of them deciding to raise their prices and then all of them independently deciding to make the price increases on the same day?  What a coincidence!

 

[Torby]

Such is life.

 

[cmjdisanto]

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[wchasr]

As long as prices do not double again I won't complain too much. As it is I will not buy anymore track for a long time. I'll make do with what I have. Or don't have as the case may be.

Chas

Cost of living raise at the beginning of 2008 = 2%, Cost increase of the health insurance plan = 5%. So I'm technically living on less take home pay. Even more so because the 2% put me in a higher tax bracket or something so my tax deductions seem to be higher. My actual cost of living is higher with rising energy costs transferring over to daily need items like food and clothes. So something has to budge and it WILL be the hobby items. Let them rise the prices all they want.

Chas

 

[vsmith]

Check out Trainworld for new Aristo price increases, its a goodly jump alright, not too terribly painfull but still, it WILL likely effect sales.

Lets just say that I'm just glad I got my FA-1 at Al's retirement sale for only $120.

 

[altterrain]

You guys kill me. Do you guys expect pay raises every year? Well, so does everyone else. That money has to come from somewhere. Geez!

-Brian

 

[Mik]

Pay raise? What the %&## is that? My costs keep going up and up, my sales keep going down and down, right into the toilet. My suppliers all want more $$. The shippers want more $$. The utilities want more $$. The show organizers and advertising people all want more $$. The customers OTOH want to pay less $$ (But expect free customer support, even if they bought it elsewhere!).... I don't know about the others, but I know I can't eat the cost increases. I've had to take a "real" job just to keep food on the table. (Which means less time available for customer service.)

There's something screwy with the numbers someplace, from what I can tell the economy has been pretty bad for at LEAST 2 maybe 3 years. Most people simply don't have as much (if any) money left for discretionary spending.

 

[markoles]

Hmm..

Some prices went up, some went down.  I guess everyone has gotten their Mallet? Those are listed under $500 each.  Old style diesels appear to have risen by about 10%, but the freight cars are up about $10 each.  I am planning on adding the Consolidation to my roster and the NH RS-3, and those prices are in line with what I expected.  Not a bit surprised that prices are rising.  

Mark

 

[blueregal]

Only thing that is constant is "CHANGE"  They are raising prices because they want to and they can!  This hobby is becoming increasingly more expensive!  Time to keep what you got and improve on it!  Only way to implement change is when the retailer finally figures out that people are not purchasing, and theyre customer base is not growing, and then you will probably see what we saw in the liquor industry around 2000.  Big companies eating up and merging or buying out  the little guys!  Geez maybe Wal Mart will become the g-scale or model rr capitol of the world like they are in everything else that is Cheapie Cheapie Cheapie!!!!!!!!!!!/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/sick.gif

 

[lotsasteam]

If 'What came appart 'sells g scale ,they 'll call it then Crap scale!
won't even get my hunting application there any more!!!

 

[lownote]

I'm not at all suprised by price increases--the price of oil is way up--it's at record levels, or was recently. That's going to have an impact at every point--in manufacturing (plastic is oil-based) and in shipping (both by boat and by truck). And then the dollar is low--so chinese goods and services cost more. It's not a big surprise

 

[Trains]

Pay raise what is that? I worked for the railroad for 35 years and never seen pay raises the way everything goes up!!
Gas goes up 15 -20 cents in one shot, I was lucky the get that in five years

 

[astrayelmgod]

" And then the dollar is low--so chinese goods and services cost more."

The yuan, (the Chinese currency) is tied to the US dollar, so it rises and falls with the US dollar. The Euro isn't tied to the dollar, so when it rises, European goods cost more. Assuming we are still buying anything from Europe.