A big junk of that change is the warranty. Up until last year I was totally unaware of how much warranty adds to the price of a product. One product in particular regularly sells for around $900 and $300 of that was warranty. If that type of price ratio holds true then $800 of a $2400 binocular is warranty coverage. I am sure it isn't that cut and dry but it might give you some idea.
As for how much of the rest of it is profit...well, I would expect a max 30% markup on the manufacturer's price. So if $2400 is the base price around $1850. $800 of that may go towards warranty coverage. That leaves $1050. Not sure how much of that $1050 is profit but I would expect about half.
All guesses of course.
Depending on how a product is distributed, and how many times it is sold through the supply chain, it is generally marked up at least twice: once by the manufacturer, who sets the "cost" of the product, and once by the distributer, who marks up to the retail "price" we would pay.
If, let's say, a certain European manufacturer sets their US manufactured cost at $1176, and mark-up is 30%, then US distributors buy it at $1680 to then mark up another 30% at $2400. Built into that manufactured cost, however, is not only the materials and labor but the overhead associated with marketing and expected long-term service costs for that product (which for the premium manufacturers includes cheerful replacement or extensive upgrades, which in turn strengthen the brand when reported on BF). The manufacturer can make internal adjustments to their "cost" to lower or raise the retail price, but generally retailers have contracts governing their mark-ups and protecting their profit margins.
So when Cameraland NY says that, say, Nikon objects to a 10% "gone fishing" sale, it means Nikon isn't offering them any discount; the retailer has to take a cut in their margin. Too many discounts and a retailer loses its distribution rights. Generally, though, these "specials" and "discounts" are part of structured pricing plans offered by the manufacturer (say, SONA or Zeiss Sport Optics North America).
If Zeiss is ramping up to introduce new product, they will adjust the "value" of current product to create market value for a new product at a certain price point. Sometimes, as in the ill-fated debut of the EDG I in America, this strategy has lasting consequences (e.g. many who saw the deals on the EDG I 8x32 will never pay retail for the EDG II).
Anyway, it is not smoke and mirrors! It just feels that way.
David
The many importers/branders of Chinese optics