679 replies to this topic

[BarrySimon615]

Prices, as always, tend to go up year after year.  Some here would be shocked to hear the older guys and gals here give a bit of a history lesson about what equipment cost back in the 60's, 70's and 80's.  Of course we cannot really compare prices when we talk about pricing of some of the new technology stuff that has only been around for a short period of time such as modern imaging equipment.  However certain baseline products like premium eyepieces can be priced compared when looking at 2024/25 prices and comparing those prices to the prices of the same products back in let's say 1985/86.  Wow! With a multitude of factors affecting price.

 

So how will increasing tariffs affect the price of accessory equipment that we purchase today?  What items will be mostly immune to tariff increases and what product prices will be greatly affected by those increased tariffs?  Should some purchases perhaps put off until the next sale be purchased quickly now before price increases hit?

 

Barry Simon

Edited by BarrySimon615, 02 February 2025 - 08:43 PM.

[Souldrop]

For US astronomy related purchases I would expect prices to tick up for at least some products in the comings months/years. Specifically I have been eying the new Astronomics AT150EDL, as I want to say Mike mentioned a few months ago in one of the refractor threads that if the rumored (at the time) tariffs did happen and stuck around AT at least would have to eventually raise prices a bit.(Could be misremembering so don’t quote me on it)

I would guess most retailers/distributors for a lot of the imported scopes that are working with narrow margins would be in a similar position.

Edited by Souldrop, 02 February 2025 - 10:26 AM.

[Mike McShan]

The increase in tariffs for Chinese products is 10% over what is already in place according to the Washington Post article I read.  So, we can anticipate some items going up.  I don't think that it will impact products from Taiwan or Japan. C'est la vie...

[Bob Campbell]

Prices, as always tend to go up year after year.  Some here would be shocked to hear the older guys and gals here give a bit of a history lesson about what equipment cost back in the 60's, 70's and 80's.  Of course we cannot really compare prices when we talk about pricing of some of the new technology stuff that has only been around for a short period of time such as modern imaging equipment.  However certain baseline products like premium eyepieces can be priced compared when looking at 2024/25 prices and comparing those prices to the prices of the same products back in let's say 1985/86.  Wow! With a multitude of factors affecting price.

 

So how will increasing tariffs affect the price of accessory equipment that we purchase today?  What items will be mostly immune to tariff increases and what product prices will be greatly affected by those increased tariffs?  Should some purchases perhaps put off until the next sale be purchased quickly now before price increases hit?

 

Barry Simon

"The tariffs will have no exemptions, and the executive action Trump signed Saturday will close the so-called de minimis loophole that had allowed shipments of $800 or less to come into the United States tax-free — a key provision used by many American small businesses but also Chinese e-commerce companies such as Shein and Temu. Trump administration officials said the loophole prevented customs officials from properly inspecting those packages"

 

this is a big deal, the closing of de minimis. Affects cameras, small telescopes, smartscopes.

 

Bob

[GrassLakeRon]

Well Astrotech UWAs went from $99 to $119, so 20%. My new computer I ordered the week before his return went from $1099 to $1399, so 30%. Can't see how this is helping me.....

[Doug Culbertson]

Well Astrotech UWAs went from $99 to $119, so 20%. My new computer I ordered the week before his return went from $1099 to $1399, so 30%. Can't see how this is helping me.....

But the AT UWAs were on sale; Astronomics always showed $119 as the regular price. 

[Dobs O Fun]

Friendly reminder...

 

The topic is: Likely effect of increased tariffs on Astronomy goods prices?

 

Tariffs in relation to Astronomy goods.

 

Let's stay away from the doom and gloom and the political part of the equation please.

[Cali]

Here is the link to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule 2025 Basic Edition

 

Scroll down to Chapter 90 - "Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof"

 

Click on DOWNLOAD

 

Open document and scroll down to Section 9005 which begins with "Binoculars monoculars other optical telescopes".

 

NOTE these rates may change over the next week.

 

- Cal

[GrassLakeRon]

But the AT UWAs were on sale; Astronomics always showed $119 as the regular price.

On sale for a year? StarrySea a Chinese eBay Company TMB Planetary EP's went from $26 to $36.

Edited by GrassLakeRon, 02 February 2025 - 05:36 PM.

[trem652]

Canada here. Just to be on the safe side, earlier today, I ordered a Celestron product from Amazon Canada with an estimated delivery date for this coming Tuesday. I imagine if it has to cross the border, it will be tomorrow before the tariffs come in to effect. I was going to wait until the Spring, but thought I'd better jump on it now because of the uncertainty of it all. Total cost of the product before Canadian sales tax is a little over $300, so possibly could have been charged an extra $75 plus tax in the worst case scenario.

[Doug Culbertson]

On sale for a year? StarrySea a Chinese eBay Company TMB Planetary EP's went from $26 to $36.

Yeah, that’s not unusual for Astronomics to keep a product on sale for a long time. The question is will they go up again on the next shipment after the tariffs take effect?

Edited by Doug Culbertson, 02 February 2025 - 06:17 PM.

[Dwight J]

Canada here. Just to be on the safe side, earlier today, I ordered a Celestron product from Amazon Canada with an estimated delivery date for this coming Tuesday. I imagine if it has to cross the border, it will be tomorrow before the tariffs come in to effect. I was going to wait until the Spring, but thought I'd better jump on it now because of the uncertainty of it all. Total cost of the product before Canadian sales tax is a little over $300, so possibly could have been charged an extra $75 plus tax in the worst case scenario.

Order/buy from Canadian vendors.  The prices won’t be affected by tariffs.  

[trem652]

Order/buy from Canadian vendors.  The prices won’t be affected by tariffs.  

 

Agreed. I usually buy from Telescopes Canada. However, they, and all other Canadian telescope stores I checked were charging $50 or more plus shipping for the same product, compared to Amazon Canada with free shipping. 

[Wisconsin Steve]

Looks like Astro equipment will be getting more expensive, the new normal. Very little Astro stuff is made in the US anymore.

Edited by Wisconsin Steve, 02 February 2025 - 09:01 PM.

[ShaulaB]

Canada supplies a lot of lumber to the US. Expect the cost of building your roll-off-roof observatory to increase.

[waso29]

Looks like Astro equipment will be getting more expensive, the new normal. Very little Astro stuff is made in the US anymore.

Thankfully, there's Chinese Taipei and Japan.

[Bob Campbell]

Thankfully, there's Chinese Taipei and Japan.

Yes I believe all astroTech scopes are made in Taiwan, and very well I might say.

 

Bob

[Souldrop]

Yes I believe all astroTech scopes are made in Taiwan, and very well I might say.

Bob

Just a heads up I believe most AT scopes are actually made in China.

[Bob Campbell]

Just a heads up I believe most AT scopes are actually made in China.

When I got my AT80ED, I went through the materials that came with the scope. I don't think it was the user manual, but some other paperwork definitely indicated it was made in Taiwan. I made  a mental note of it because I thought that fact was quite cool.

 

Bob

[Souldrop]

When I got my AT80ED, I went through the materials that came with the scope. I don't think it was the user manual, but some other paperwork definitely indicated it was made in Taiwan. I made a mental note of it because I thought that fact was quite cool.

Bob

Hmm interesting. I thought KUO supplied most the of AT fracs for the moment (at lears the EDL) series. Maybe they have some long perng scopes thrown in the bunch as well.

[BlueMoon]

I personally don't want this to happen....what % of the country was unemployed? 

Sent you a PM to keep thread on topic. Cheers.

[jpcampbell]

The price increases for Americans can be readily seen at the Sky-Watcher USA site and comparing them with what they were in December via archive.org. Just looking at the prices for the Starmax and StarTravel telescope lines the increases are huge.

 

The StarTravel AZ3 package was $550 USD on December 24.

 

https://web.archive....avel-refractors

 

The same package is $820 today, so a 49% increase. I just made a comparison between the non-sale prices on the Starmax and StarTravel products listed in the archive.org page and compared them to what they are today and it seems they're all about 49% more than what they were.

 

Hope you're all satisfied with your telescopes because it seems most of them will now be way more expensive for you than what they were.

[Starman1]

I may be wrong, but my understanding is that #4 is incorrect. There is no direct government revenue. The business receiver of the import pays the tariff. Then it is at their discretion on whether to absorb the full cost, or to pass all or part of it on to buyers of their product by raising the retail price.

The Tariff (I have paid lots of them over the years) is paid to the import broker (usually the freight company, who also charges a "brokerage fee") who, in turn, pays it to the Federal Government.

So, the tariffs do, indeed, raise money for the government.

It is possible the tariff is absorbed somewhere along the way, but usually the extra cost is just figured into the landed cost of the item and profit margins are calculated from there.

As I pointed out, a 10% tariff doesn't mean an automatic 10% increase in the retail price of products.

[Starman1]

The price increases for Americans can be readily seen at the Sky-Watcher USA site and comparing them with what they were in December via archive.org. Just looking at the prices for the Starmax and StarTravel telescope lines the increases are huge.

 

The StarTravel AZ3 package was $550 USD on December 24.

 

https://web.archive....avel-refractors

 

The same package is $820 today, so a 49% increase. I just made a comparison between the non-sale prices on the Starmax and StarTravel products listed in the archive.org page and compared them to what they are today and it seems they're all about 49% more than what they were.

 

Hope you're all satisfied with your telescopes because it seems most of them will now be way more expensive for you than what they were.

A good portion of that increase is actually due to an increase in costs.

A lot of Chinese factories are raising prices to become more profitable; in some cases, merely to survive.

 

There have been cost increases in raw materials, transportation, labor, ocean freight, duty (tariffs), brokerage fees, devanning charges (if less than a full container), inland freight charges, store and warehouse rents and overhead, etc.

Inflation has been international--it was not a problem caused by US politicians.

With certain products, price increases have had nothing to do with tariffs but adding them doesn't lower prices.

[jpcampbell]

A good portion of that increase is actually due to an increase in costs.

A lot of Chinese factories are raising prices to become more profitable; in some cases, merely to survive.

 

There have been cost increases in raw materials, transportation, labor, ocean freight, duty (tariffs), brokerage fees, devanning charges (if less than a full container), inland freight charges, store and warehouse rents and overhead, etc.

Inflation has been international--it was not a problem caused by US politicians.

With certain products, price increases have had nothing to do with tariffs but adding them doesn't lower prices.

That's true, but the notice I received from Telescopes Canada in December indicated that we can expect prices on Celestron and Sky-Watcher products to go up 3-5% in January. Not sure why they're up 49% in the US and not elsewhere.