I’ve heard of inflation but this is ridiculous.

[Cabinetman]

I’ve heard of inflation but this is ridiculous, I went into Toolmart today for some sanding disks 305 mil diameter, and the guy said "oh you’re just in time they’re just about to go up", paid £8.39 and they were already marked up at £13.19 , that’s for five so it was still good value, but it makes you think.

good value but it makes you think.

 

[Rorschach]

£8.39 is a great price, I have never paid less than £2 each for a 300mm disc. Even when I first bought that sander, almost 15 years ago they were still £2 each.

 

[DBT85]

We sure it wasn't marked down to shift stock or something?

 

[Cabinetman]

I don’t think so I got the impression that it was just part of a general price rise.

 

[thetyreman]

supply and demand, I'm guessing that there's less supply than demand can cope with, I've noticed a few things creep up lately in price.

 

[Ollie78]

This is happening all over.
I went to pick up a couple of boxes of nitrile gloves and stuff from a PPE supplier. I thought oh I will get a box of those masks as I prefer the ones with a valve and don`t like the ear destroying ones either. I asked how much ? £20 for 5 last time they were £8. As for the tyvek painting suits I normally get they can`t even get any.
The girl in the shop says you can`t even order most stuff, they just get random deliveries.

I am never sure if its a real increased cost of the supply chain or just taking the piss because they can. Either way its annoying.

 

[Cabinetman]

Yes you’re right, I was in my good quality local hardware store the other day getting some hinges, I know the owner quite well and she said 15 out of 53 items only were delivered, that’s almost a 75% attrition rate. And today I was at another local fastenings warehouse that delivers all over the country for some stainless steel Allen head bolts and it was apprising what they didn’t have in stock, they normally have everything.

 

[sawdust1]

Same with Toolstation and Screwfix so many items are out of stock.
I use a lot of Timbadeck screws from Screwfix and they have not had any for 4 months.

 

[DBT85]

I am never sure if its a real increased cost of the supply chain or just taking the water because they can. Either way its annoying.

Its more likely that its just becase so much stuff is harder to get hold of at the moment. Demand rises as there is shortfall of supply and so prices rise with it. It's crappy for the customer, but sensible business practise. If you've no stock to sell, what little you have you need to make more on.

The Domino in 240v flavour is rarer than rocking horsse teeth at the moment for the same reasons.

 

[StevieB]

This is happening all over.
I went to pick up a couple of boxes of nitrile gloves and stuff from a PPE supplier. I thought oh I will get a box of those masks as I prefer the ones with a valve and don`t like the ear destroying ones either. I asked how much ? £20 for 5 last time they were £8. As for the tyvek painting suits I normally get they can`t even get any.
The girl in the shop says you can`t even order most stuff, they just get random deliveries.

I am never sure if its a real increased cost of the supply chain or just taking the water because they can. Either way its annoying.

A bit of both, but especially for PPE. We have seen an over 300% increase in cost of gloves at work. Since we order thousands and thousands at a time this makes a massive difference. No supply issues, but increased demand simply means profiteering even from major reputable lab equipment suppliers under this guise (if you can still deliver thousands of boxes of gloves next day, you do not have supply issues!)

 

[Rorschach]

A lot of it comes back to the elephant in the room. Supply is part of the reason but mostly it's demand and hysteria. If you supported this you only have yourselves to blame I am afraid.

 

[shed9]

if you can still deliver thousands of boxes of gloves next day, you do not have supply issues!

Maybe they do have issues but they need to increase their costs by 300% to meet the demand of delivering thousands of boxes of gloves next day.

We are in the middle of a global pandemic which in turn has caused the biggest UK economic slump in >300 years. If a supplier has to put the price of gloves up to stay in business or because their other stock lines are affected or they too are being stung themselves by the OEM's then good for them and I hope they are there tomorrow morning, else that 300% is going to get higher.

 

[Droogs]

Or people will just end up saying "Eff that, I'm not paying that" and not bother wearing them at all. Yes, take advantage of increased demand but don't gouge your customer as when it's all over they will remember and return the favour and shift to a different supplier when things "normalise".

No one other than shysters supports econimic collapse Rorschach and the hysteria and bull run was caused by ignorance and human nature of fear of the unknown. It could have been easily prevented by business if they had decided not to profiteer

 

[RickG]

The price rises are happening in all areas on everything we buy. Weekly groceries are costing more. This is because to pay out £billions the Government are printing money. Each time you increase the £££ in circulation you decrease it's value. So we're lowering the value of the £ on the world market.

 

[Droogs]

Oh I blame them as well. Also the completely amoral reporting of most of the press.

 

[Rorschach]

Oh I blame them as well. Also the completely amoral reporting of most of the press.

Indeed, they both push each other to further extremes. At least it seems the tide is turning with some media outlets.

 

[RickG]

I doubt there's too much profiteering by business. In a weak economy it would be very brave of any individual business to decide to cut themselves a larger slice of profit.
Besides, prices are risingon everything, not just tools.
There's a possibility that China, the source of many tools, may have increased profits to try to reclaim lost income due to Covid shut down, but it's more likely its the £ dropping due to loss of confidence in thr foreign exchange due to No Deal, plus the times Boris keeps shaking the magic money tree.

 

[transatlantic]

Personally, I don't think it's just a case of greedy prices increases, as any business in their right mind would keep the existing prices and get all the customers.

Although possibly a mix.

 

[Droogs]

I've seen ppe black gloves go from £5.43 a box of 50 to over £40 at a local supplier - that is profiteering

 

[RobinBHM]

I doubt there's too much profiteering by business. In a weak economy it would be very brave of any individual business to decide to cut themselves a larger slice of profit.
Besides, prices are risingon everything, not just tools.
There's a possibility that China, the source of many tools, may have increased profits to try to reclaim lost income due to Covid shut down, but it's more likely its the £ dropping due to loss of confidence in thr foreign exchange due to No Deal, plus the times Boris keeps shaking the magic money tree.

A tiny virus has managed to exposed the fragility of the globe having highly integrated supply chains.
I dont think there is any profit motivation behind it, simply that most of the world is still not operating at anything like pre covid capacity.

Ive been trying to buy some LED bulbs -goodness me, Toolstation and screwfix have loads of stock outs, so do many of the online suppliers.

but its better than in April when you couldnt get one for love or money.