Axminster price increasing

[julianf]

Got a text from my mobile provider about an hour ago.

Call charges in the uk are increasing from 3p per min to 10p per min.
Call charges in EU are increasing from 3p per min to 35p per min.

 

[niemeyjt]

Interesting - I am in Switzerland and Digitec do something similar. A graphics card I have been "following" waiting for one of their flash sales has gone up by 10% as well - was 249 now 274 (so much for the flash sale).

A monitor I was watching has increased over 20%

So it is not just an Amazon or a UK thing.

 

[pgrbff]

I had to build a new computer a few months back.

I had three parts in an amazon cart, but purchased them elsewhere.

I try pretty hard not to use Amazon, so it was only yesterday that I logged on again.

"Important information about items in your basket"

(I might be mis quoting)

Anyway, the three lines, a case, some memory, and some other part, had ALL risen in price.

Not by a small amount either. 10% or so.

I keep everything I might need in my Amazon basket. Prices go up and come down. A DVD or CD that costs 9.99 today could easily be 5.99 tomorrow. it depends on the competition. Having said that it has been a while since they were the cheapest option. I bought some Bessey clamps recently. Normally around 6.00 they were suddenly 1.99.

 

[Amateur]

Just been reading about a lighting company that buy from China. Container prices increased from £1800 to £10,000.
If this is true for all container shipments machinery prices will go through the roof.
Anyone like to confirm this?

 

[TFrench]

I've heard similar. Lots of empty containers here and none in China. I think it will resolve itself quite quickly as all of a sudden it will be profitable to move empty boxes back to the far east if there is that much demand.

 

[Peter Sefton]

Just been reading about a lighting company that buy from China. Container prices increased from £1800 to £10,000.
If this is true for all container shipments machinery prices will go through the roof.
Anyone like to confirm this?

Our shipper told us this week containers have risen from around £2K to £10-£15K

 

[Nick.]

Anyone like to confirm this?

Yes, those costs sound about right.
Biggest challenge will be larger sized but lower value items - as the importer will pay more in relation to the products value due to the space it takes up.
eg. Importing a container worth 35k has a bigger percentage hit than importing a container worth 100k if that makes sense.

edit, just seen Peter's post above as I was typing - yes, same here mate - that's if you can get hold of one too...

 

[user22161]

Our shipper told us this week containers have risen from around £2K to £10-£15K

EU/UK carriers are also boosting prices and lots of complaints in the boat parts world about EU suppliers no longer supplying to UK and UK ones not supplying to EU, due to new VAT payment rules and customs paperwork. It's a mad world at the moment.

 

[user22161]

I keep everything I might need in my Amazon basket. Prices go up and come down. A DVD or CD that costs 9.99 today could easily be 5.99 tomorrow. it depends on the competition. Having said that it has been a while since they were the cheapest option. I bought some Bessey clamps recently. Normally around 6.00 they were suddenly 1.99.

A recent post elsewhere, a guy ordered from Amazon Germany for delivery to EU address but Amazon dispatched from UK warehouse so he paid UK VAT and then EU VAT on import, not a happy bunny!

 

[Droogs]

Well Amazon should take the hit for that faux pas

@Peter Sefton & @Nick Laguna UK Laguna , Would it not be economical to buy some ISOs here and ship them back empty sell some and then have some of them filled?
I've no idea myself as all my stuff comes in packets or boxes not containers

 

[Peter Sefton]

Well Amazon should take the hit for that faux pas

@Peter Sefton & @Nick Laguna UK Laguna , Would it not be economical to buy some ISOs here and ship them back empty sell some and then have some of them filled?
I've no idea myself as all my stuff comes in packets or boxes not containers

Pleased to say we don't bring much in from Asia but getting kit from the states also has its issues.

 

[Peter Sefton]

EU/UK carriers are also boosting prices and lots of complaints in the boat parts world about EU suppliers no longer supplying to UK and UK ones not supplying to EU, due to new VAT payment rules and customs paperwork. It's a mad world at the moment.

It has been getting a bit more tricky, but on the positive side its good for the panet not to be sending stuff back and forth thats available more locally.

 

[user22161]

It has been getting a bit more tricky, but on the positive side its good for the panet not to be sending stuff back and forth thats available more locally.

Thankfully, having retired, I'm no longer involved in business except for a small sideline. As an importer, have you any thoughts about looking around UK suppliers to see if the present (likely ongoing) situation may make UK suppliers more able to compete?

 

[Peter Sefton]

Thankfully, having retired, I'm no longer involved in business except for a small sideline. As an importer, have you any thoughts about looking around UK suppliers to see if the present (likely ongoing) situation may make UK suppliers more able to compete?

Actively looking and using UK suppliers were possible, it may prove more expensive but what is the cost to our planet moving so much around it?
If anyone knows of good engineering companies who can machine, anodise and etch please let me know. I am designing new products at present, so any ideas are always welcome, please PM me.

 

[clogs]

so as I understand it, the shippers now run a Cartel...
this increase from approx £2,000 to £10,000 seems to be totaly out of order....

 

[Spectric]

The first thought that springs to mind is that there may well be good engineering ability out there but can it be competative. I looked at some items from FC Tools and the quality is top notch but when you think that the Domino Alignment Jig is £370 and a Jessem Prestige router lifter is £335 you do ask questions. Is this because Canadian/US manufacturing is really more cost effective and taking into account the importing or just a case of Festool followers can be made to pay more.

 

[user22161]

The first thought that springs to mind is that there may well be good engineering ability out there but can it be competative. I looked at some items from FC Tools and the quality is top notch but when you think that the Domino Alignment Jig is £370 and a Jessem Prestige router lifter is £335 you do ask questions. Is this because Canadian/US manufacturing is really more cost effective and taking into account the importing or just a case of Festool followers can be made to pay more.

Much of cost is dependent on length of production runs and size of market. I spend a lot of time here in Portugal and rents/rates/land cost is a hell of a lot cheaper than UK and so are wages so, set up two identical factories, here and UK and it's obvious who can produce more cheaply. OTOH, when adding carriage costs and duty to US imported goods, UK manufacturers should be able to compete with many.

 

[mikej460]

I read that one major contributor to the container shortage and subsequent price increases is that many are held up in the UK offshore due to the new customs bureaucracy.

 

[Peter Sefton]

The first thought that springs to mind is that there may well be good engineering ability out there but can it be competative. I looked at some items from FC Tools and the quality is top notch but when you think that the Domino Alignment Jig is £370 and a Jessem Prestige router lifter is £335 you do ask questions. Is this because Canadian/US manufacturing is really more cost effective and taking into account the importing or just a case of Festool followers can be made to pay more.

I used to supply FC Tools with some components for one of their tools, we have spoken about us selling some of their products via our tool shop but the margins are just too tight. I am having some router table tops and other products made in the UK, it took a long time to find a UK manufacturer that could make to the high specification I wanted for a saleable price. The first two I tried needed more money than we sell them for, the third was double the price. It's a so process getting the right suppliers but it gives me a project to get my teeth into whilst I have no students.
JessEm quality is superb and a really good family company to deal with, they are currently building a new factory to try and keep up with world demand and to develop new lines.

 

[Spectric]

JessEm quality is superb and a really good family company to deal with, they are currently building a new factory to try and keep up with world demand and to develop new lines.

Thats testament to Jessems product quality, real quality always sells.

Another big issue for a small sector such as woodworking tools and machinery is that so many engineering firms can deliver but not in small volumes, just not worth their setup times for small batch runs. I can recal one supplier many years ago that initially thought I was probably mad when I asked for a quote for one of their products but wanted a different front housing. The guy started adding words in his native language as he went into overdrive but this all changed when I mentioned that we would be buying around 50000 units a year and will contribute towards the cost of the new tooling, then it was yes sir and when do you expect first delivery sir and he was a different person, could not do more.