Hi all
I was at my local hobby shop and I am going to get a DCC, system and maybe an atlas locomotive, Yet one post ive seen "Prices expected to increase sharply at Atlas", does this include Atlas Locomotive from the masterline, with sound? Any feedback would help
Seems often times sales happen before price increases. I just purchased an Atlas FM Train master w/sound from M.B.Klein on sale for $169.00. I think a very good price. This may be a good time to purchase Atlas products before the announced price increases.
If they are going to rise, then by how much like $50? Maybe I should just email Atlas
It’s hard to say, but 10-15% is not out of the question. It is hard to say because we haven’t a good handle on what their rising costs, purportedly, have been in the way of a percentage.
If they paid for their current run supplies with the dollar fixed agains the Euro or the Yuan at X amount, and with oil at something like $70/barrell (wasn’t that long ago!), what do you suppose the rise is likely to be in view of what we are facing these days, especially with fuel prices rising steadily and oil clearing $100? That sounds more like a possible 40%-ish jump, doesn’t it?
If you are in a hurt for a nice engine, buy it now. Discountrails.com had a better price than MB Klein just six weeks ago on that same Gold Fairbanks Morse. So, call and hunt and get the money transferred ASAP. It is what I’d tell my own kids.
Atlas is probably just the first of many companies that will announce price increases this year due to the high cost of oil and other raw materials.
Yet another “sky is falling” topic. See the othrers already in existance.
I don’t see it that way in the least. It is a pointed question, and not one that is offering that the rest of us, and the hobby by extension, is going to experience anything except a price increase, and he has kept the focus on his own desire to get a good price when he can…as he can.
-Crandell
Atlas didn’t specify the amount of the increase in their announcement, but I doubt we’d see anything as big as a 40% increase. Manufacturers are more likely to make several small increases before letting costs vs prices get that far out of whack. BLW has the following announcement on their website, which seems more reasonable:
Atlas Announces 10% Price Increase
Citing increases in cost and shipping, effective Feb 1, 2008, Atlas will raise prices approximately 10% on all track and structure kits.
Prices on previously released locos and rolling stock will not be affected, though future projects proably wiill be.
We’ll see after Feb 2nd, won’t we.
Regards
Ed
Yes, that’s true, Ed. I was pointing out that oil has risen approximately 40% over the past while, say a year or so, but when did Atlas last announce such a price change? Somehow they will have to gain some ground back if they have lost much of their price advantage in terms of corporate profits over that same period. So, 10% now, maybe another by Christmas…they don’t want to be losing ground all the time.
Whatever cost rises, it affects others, even if eventually in salaries/wages as demands rise to counter the inevitable inflation. Also, we mustn’t forget that the USD is in some difficulty relative to other currencies these weeks, and its relative losses will contribute to more of a real, absolute value, price change over the next months. It could conceivably contribute 15% all by itself!
-Crandell
Thats is a good point "10% on all track and structure kits" They haven’t annouced any changes in locomotive pirces. But future products may be affected. We can only wait and see