19 replies to this topic

[DOBguyinGA]

Good morning everyone,

 

I took the opportunity to survey what is available in astronomy equipment by viewing all of the pages on a large supplier’s website yesterday. Probably 60 to 80% of the items were not in stock.

 

I am new to this hobby. Is this the result of normal Christmas gift activity, or is it unusual?

[BlueMoon]

It's not unusual but there are too many factors involved to give a specific explanation as to why. Supply and demand, tariff worries, parts availability, new product lines being produced, older products being retired, how frequently the website updates, transportation logistics, etc. Advice: These days, if you see something you want and it's in stock, go for it as it might be gone tomorrow. Cheers.

Edited by BlueMoon, 04 February 2025 - 10:35 AM.

[scotsman328i]

Good morning everyone,

 

I took the opportunity to survey what is available in astronomy equipment by viewing all of the pages on a large supplier’s website yesterday. Probably 60 to 80% of the items were not in stock.

 

I am new to this hobby. Is this the result of normal Christmas gift activity, or is it unusual?

It’s been on and off like this I’d say since the COVID outbreak. Things started to get somewhat back to normal supply and demand, however there is a new economical storm on the horizon now in the form of tariffs. I concur fully with what BlueMoon says…if you can afford it, get it now. No one can project when the item or product will run out, and even worse, when the item or product will be in stock again. Then keep in mind even if it does come back in stock, what will the price of the item or product cost you then? 

[sevenofnine]

+1 on all of the above. Also, Covid closed many factories in China. Whether they come back, no one really knows 

[Nankins]

Some of it is the result of Christmas... 

 

But Orion and Meade also went out of business which really hurt a lot of the commercial side of things, as they were both major producers and retailers.  I believe High Point Scientific bought up a lot of their stuff, you might try checking there.

[Inkie]

All above:  supply gets thin over Christmas, some purchase items they suspect will be hard to find or that will cost a lot more as hedges against inflation due to uncertainty over the economy with a new Pres who is desirous of reforms of all kinds, Chinese economy is in almost-tatters, COVID purchasing was costly....(You don't want to know how much I paid for my large refractor in Dec 2023...I still have a large gauze where it hurts most) because of supply, and the hobby is gaining and losing both suppliers and importers, or so it seems. 

 

What we should be grateful for is that quality does not seem to have suffered unduly the way it has in the RV industry.  Talk about a rout on quality in travel trailers and driveable RVs...holy smokes!!  When dealers who have weekly channels on YouTube tell their viewers to think hard about purchasing anything built in that industry after March 2020 (and they have $2M worth of current stock sitting on their lots!!!), and when the used RV market balloons and gets hugely costly, you know they have a problem, and it persists still. 

[dnrmilspec]

We are locking this thread as the mod staff confers. 

 

No edit:

 

We have decided to reopen this thread.  Let us all please remember that political discussions are a violation of the TOS. 

[sheath]

It's not unusual but there are too many factors involved to give a specific explanation as to why. Supply and demand, tariff worries, parts availability, new product lines being produced, older products being retired, how frequently the website updates, transportation logistics, etc. Advice: These days, if you see something you want and it's in stock, go for it as it might be gone tomorrow. Cheers.

 

 

It’s been on and off like this I’d say since the COVID outbreak. Things started to get somewhat back to normal supply and demand, however there is a new economical storm on the horizon now in the form of tariffs. I concur fully with what BlueMoon says…if you can afford it, get it now. No one can project when the item or product will run out, and even worse, when the item or product will be in stock again. Then keep in mind even if it does come back in stock, what will the price of the item or product cost you then? 

Can you please provide objective factual information regarding how tariffs, which may or may not be imposed, and may or may not affect astronomical products have created the shortfall of current inventory as per the question of the original post.  This is product that would have taken weeks, if not a full month to reach resellers. 

I've not seen anything from any manufacture claiming they have been affected in this regard.  Is there dialog that backs up your statements?

[scotsman328i]

Can you please provide objective factual information regarding how tariffs, which may or may not be imposed, and may or may not affect astronomical products have created the shortfall of current inventory as per the question of the original post.  This is product that would have taken weeks, if not a full month to reach resellers. 

I've not seen anything from any manufacture claiming they have been affected in this regard.  Is there dialog that backs up your statements?

My point is that whether tariffs are imposed or not, it’s hard to tell what is going to happen as far as longer delays or price hikes. We can sit here and stand on soap boxes of righteousness all night long about factual information, current inventory, what takes weeks or months to reach retailers etc. However since there really isn’t any dialog to back up anyone’s statements on the matter, I’ll prefer to play things safe and purchase the few items I’ve wanted before any possibility of the economy, tariffs and delays happen. Far better to be prepared, then take everything for granted because the dialog you rely on for factual information appears suddenly and by then it’s too late to purchase that item or couple items you wished you’d bought when you had the chance. Totally up to you though. Some like to gamble. I prefer not to.

[BlueMoon]

 

Is there dialog that backs up your statements?

Nope. It's just an opinion based on decades of experience in this hobby. I think if you want "objective factual information" you might try the US Dept. of Commerce: https://www.commerce.gov/ and poke around. Or perhaps, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce: http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/ Good luck.

[Don W]

Can’t we all just get along?

[sheath]

My point is that whether tariffs are imposed or not, it’s hard to tell what is going to happen as far as longer delays or price hikes. We can sit here and stand on soap boxes of righteousness all night long about factual information, current inventory, what takes weeks or months to reach retailers etc. However since there really isn’t any dialog to back up anyone’s statements on the matter, I’ll prefer to play things safe and purchase the few items I’ve wanted before any possibility of the economy, tariffs and delays happen. Far better to be prepared, then take everything for granted because the dialog you rely on for factual information appears suddenly and by then it’s too late to purchase that item or couple items you wished you’d bought when you had the chance. Totally up to you though. Some like to gamble. I prefer not to.

 

 

Nope. It's just an opinion based on decades of experience in this hobby. I think if you want "objective factual information" you might try the US Dept. of Commerce: https://www.commerce.gov/ and poke around. Or perhaps, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce: http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/ Good luck.

Okay, so basically, the sky is falling. lol

The subject of this thread is current product shortages.  Not what do we think will happen with newly imposed tariffs.

 

How about we take a trip back to 2018-19 when the last round of tariffs imposed by the U.S. against chinese goods went into effect. 

The result was, and you can verify this through a pretty easy search, there was no shortage of goods.  

Interestingly there was also not a surge in pricing that was being proselytized by doomsayers that wasn't the cause of other issues not related to the tariffs (i.e. dock strikes, OPEC raising prices, etc.). 

 

There are a lot of provable reasons for the shortage of products on the shelves.  The newly imposed tariffs aren't one of them. Maybe try sticking to the facts. 

[sheath]

Can’t we all just get along?

No way man! Where's the fun in that.

On a more serious note, this site provides a lot of competent information.  What was being conveyed above wasn't objective, or factual, just fear mongering.

[scotsman328i]

No way man! Where's the fun in that.

On a more serious note, this site provides a lot of competent information.  What was being conveyed above wasn't objective, or factual, just fear mongering.

There is nothing fear mongering about suggesting someone purchase the item they may have been on the fence about with the uncertainty of the economy. The economy being uncertain is a fact. It’s simple to see that you are a rude individual that would like to attempt baiting members into making this a political post. You won’t get that from me, I’m sorry. Good luck poking others. 

[BlueMoon]

 

What was being conveyed above wasn't objective, or factual, just fear mongering.

So you say of it. No worries. Please, if your going to criticize others for their "non-objective, non-factual, fear-mongering" responses, kind enough to present your own objective facts and their source(s). I'll wait. Cheers.

[sheath]

There is nothing fear mongering about suggesting someone purchase the item they may have been on the fence about with the uncertainty of the economy. The economy being uncertain is a fact. It’s simple to see that you are a rude individual that would like to attempt baiting members into making this a political post. You won’t get that from me, I’m sorry. Good luck poking others. 

 

 

So you say of it. No worries. Please, if your going to criticize others for their "non-objective, non-factual, fear-mongering" responses, kind enough to present your own objective facts and their source(s). I'll wait. Cheers.

Or you could just stay on topic.  It's hard to buy product that isn't available.

What would be interesting is to hear from retailers on their forecasting of product availability.

[BlueMoon]

 

What would be interesting is to hear from retailers on their forecasting of product availability.

Nothing prevents you from contacting them yourself and posting the results of your inquiries for the entirety of CN members to read. Consider what a boon that would be to all of us who can only speculate and rely on our past experiences.  

Edited by BlueMoon, 05 February 2025 - 12:01 PM.

[sheath]

Nothing prevents you from contacting them yourself and posting the results of your inquiries for the entirety of CN members to read. Consider what a boon that would be to all of us who can only speculate and rely on our past experiences.  

Off topic (my apologies to the OP):

That is a really cool point.  

I just posted a thread asking if there is an Astronomy Podcast in interview style, because this conversation put a bug in my ear.   

How cool would it be to sit in on a conversation between a knowledgeable interviewer, and leaders in the field, business, and technology sectors.  Less about what's in the sky and how to see it.  More about the history, present and future from more technical aspects. 

[scotsman328i]

Off topic (my apologies to the OP):

Indeed, or we could ‘just stay on topic’. 

[WadeH237]

OK folks,

 

This is the Beginner's forum.  It's intended as a place for those new to astronomy to ask questions without worry about whether their question is too basic, etc.

 

Originally, there was some discussion of market prices that might have been interesting for those new to the hobby.  But since then, it's focused entirely on debate of the effects of tariffs.  It no longer has any relevance to Beginners.

 

If you wish to continue discussing the effects of the tariffs, there is a specific topic over in the Equipment forum for just that purpose.