Happy New Year from Swarovski Optik (1 Viewer)

Just got off the phone with a retailer...looks like SO is ringing in the new year with a little price increase (+$80 to $2,429 for the 8.5s). Some websites already have the new prices. Perhaps if you make a purchase in the next few hour at the sites with the old price you might save a few $.

Wish my $1,800 demos had worked out.

Shouldn't price go down in dollar value if Euro is weak relative to USD now?

Actually I was told that increase is due to Euro weakness, although after a quick look at the exchange rate history for the year there wasn't much change.

Still the increases are only in the area of 3%. I would guess inflation (or its expectation), or supply-demand, or what the market will bear are the primary factors.

Perhaps it's "supply and demand," with the way the SV EL's were "selling like hotcakes" last year. Or maybe Swaro is trying to bolster its bottom line before a EU-wide recession kicks in.

As far as American buyers, what's 80 buck$ extra if you can already afford to spend $2,349 for a pair of binoculars? Pocket change.

As the OCPI poll showed, for those who want "the best," the sky's the limit when it comes to pricing. Next year, the SV EL could jump $180. Some buyers will just keep digging deeper until they hit magma.

I was at GNC today to buy some vitamins since its Gold Card week (bought four bottles for $22), and a guy in his mid-30s came in with his young daughter. He bought $375 worth of body building powders and potions including Cis-9-Trans-11, a "Rare Plant Extract That Increases Muscle Growth by 700%". The girl at the counter wanted to know if I wanted a sample. I said, "No, thanks. I'll just eats me spinach".

Zealot hobbyists don't pay whatever the market will bear, they bear whatever the market asks them to pay.

Brock

Great story Brock.... So true.! Jim

The EL SV & SLC HD lines all show price increases from $20 to $80--probably positioning their pricing so they can charge $2300 for the new 8x32 EL SV when they show! The 50 EL SV marketing started about a year ago in January, wouldn't be surprised if Swaro starts creating a 'buzz' on an 8x32 soon!