What's the deal with prices lately!

[voss345]

next thing we now, our world is goiong to ahve a depression like we did in the 1800-1900 dunno which

do you not know when the great depressions was ?

early 1920's up until WWII

ive seen prices jump up pretty substantially take the Hagen products for example Aquaclear HOB's increased by at least 30% same with fluval canisters

 

[crashinc25]

Hmm, after some searching I found this, and other articles like it:

http://www.petage.com/news110702.asp

So not only inflation but the new minimum retail pricing guides are responsible for the "new" higher prices I see online.

Do a search. Just about every major e-tailer has about the same price for many filters, heaters, etc.

Hagen might have been the first to take advantage of the US Supreme Courts ruling that manufacturers can set their minimum retail price (August 2007: http://www.pida.org/newsletter/0907/legal1.htm), looks like maybe the others followed suit.

Crap.....

This is a thread I have a vested interested in. Taking on a new business of buying/selling aquatic related products was not what I initially thought and in just a short period of doing business the "right way" I have seen a substantial increase on the back end (my end). I think much of the increases aren't so much increases, but more of a standard the manufacturers are trying to uphold. We all want products for cheaper, but I think with all the e-tailers and companies like mine competing for business and undercutting each other, the profit margin is almost non-existent. Good for the consumer, but bad for the industry in general. We all want the rare livestock and are willing to pay to get it, but the dry goods have become available to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Isn't an FX5 worth the $299.99 price tag? Why is paying $250-$300.00 for a GATF ok, but spending the money to keep it healthy not?
I think back to when this hobby was about face to face interaction. When you went to an LFS, you were paying for the knowledge of the employees, the recommendations to get the proper products, the selection of quality livestock, and the ability to promote your hobby to other people. It seems we've lost some of that and it's much more sanitary and non-interactive.
All this is besides the obvious gas prices and economic struggle.
I can tell you that you will see a trickle down effect with most products coming shortly. I have felt the increase on Seachem products to start.

 

[Bderick67]

do you not know when the great depressions was ?

early 1920's up until WWII

ive seen prices jump up pretty substantially take the Hagen products for example Aquaclear HOB's increased by at least 30% same with fluval canisters

Maybe a brush up on your history, is in order. But I guess your only off by a couple years.

 

[Demonfish]

I bought both of my XP3's for $99 each, now they are like $180, even from Big Al's! Even heaters seen to be much more expensive then what I remember paying even a year ago!

Has inflation effected our hobby this much already?!

An incompetent President who is married to the oil industry and a Congress and Senate without the "balls" and gumption to a. Unite Democrat's and Republican's together for the benefit of the American people and b. to make a stand against the oil companies and the OPEC cartel.