Site Idea - would love your opinion...Cartridge Price Tracker

[tiptop]

VAT is the big killer. Manufacture's price + vat. mark up + vat. We here the government go on about getting all walks of life into sports, perhaps all sports governing bodies should start to lobby ministers to remove vat on all sporting consumables, that would save 20%.

 

[ExSCA]

Interesting to see this thread burst back into life... clearly current prices are an issue for people (me as well).

I'm still trying to formulate the ideas - but I'm sure there is something that a 'popular' website could do to make cartridge pricing more transparent and create some competition in the market. Either by marking the prices, or creating competition.

One idea could be to get cartidge resellers to post their prices here - it would be free advertising, they could expose special offers (maybe even small special offers for ShootClay) and we'd have a good resource to find the best opportunities to save money.

Phil - I'd be happy to publish your lists - and I'd love to get them from other retailers... justcartridges have ignored my mails, as have claysrus - but there are others who maybe forthcoming. A cartridge price forum would be easy to add - if I could get enough retailers/resellers on board.

 

[ExSCA]

To add - there may even be some bulk buy actions that the site could co-ordinate - meet-ups are one thing, but getting 4 or 5 people together to buy supplies could leverage some discount.

 

[TobyM]

TBF to JC and CartridgesRUs, they publish their prices on their own websites with pdfs

 

[TobyM]

To add - there may even be some bulk buy actions that the site could co-ordinate - meet-ups are one thing, but getting 4 or 5 people together to buy supplies could leverage some discount.

Good idea. I guess it would depend on people's preferred brands, shot sizes, etc. But I'd be interested in any Fiocchi bulk buys when I'm due later in the year, probably around summer

 

[tiptop]

Group bulk buy's are a good idea as long as everybody is happy shooting the same manufactures cartridges.

 

[ExSCA]

TBF to JC and CartridgesRUs, they publish their prices on their own websites with pdfs

TBF - they don't do it very well... justcartridges do a good job but....

From ClaysRUs : Prices correct at 22 June 2011 (Inc. VAT at 20%).

 

[ExSCA]

For reference - justcartridges price lists are here : http://www.justcartridges.com/cartridge_pricelists.html

 

[GlenPresley]

My view is that if you shoot and want to shoot a lot of clays then you have to except you will be truely rodgered over cartridge costs.

At the end of the day if you are that hard up to save a fiver or tenner then lets be honest you can obviously not really afford to do it! I know that is harsh but we have been getting ripped of on increases for years, despite what you may be told.

What makes me laugh is the constant complaining about shells and increases I have heard over the years and yet some can then go buy a brand new 5-10K quid gun or a new Bentley or a new extension on their house etc. At the end of the day it is all about what your priorities are I guess.

This is a rich mans sport always has been and always will be.

Do what you can.

Glen.

 

[Will Hewland]

Its not only about what you can afford. It is about fairness / shock . Any sudden price rise will make you ask `is it all justified`.

Again, look at fuel price rises in the USA. To us its really cheap there, at about a third of what we pay here! To them its outrageous because it went up so much from what they were used to.

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[ExSCA]

Exactly - and whilst I'm comfortable with the cost - I won't accept a cartel driving prices - I'm all for the mutuality that sees people pay a fair price that allows a company to make a profit - but there is a sense of a cartel out there, with someone making an unfair margin.

 

[TobyM]

Just had a peak over at the London Metal Exchange:

Lead in 2000 was about $450/tonne, peaked at over $3,500 in 2008, now trading at around $2,080

Plus oil costs have risen which affects transport and plastics

 

[ExSCA]

If anyone has a contact at one of the cartridge manufacturers - I'd love to interview them for the site.

 

[tiptop]

If there is a cartel it must be country wide or at least here in the south. Just done a quick site comparison Just cartridges to Essex gun where most of the mid/high end cartridges seem to be within a few quid of each other in favour of essex gun. The big difference is in the low end, eley first plastic £174.50 at J/C and £150 at E/G, kent velocity £163 at J/C and £149 at E/G. budget end cartridges not quite so budget end at J/C.

 

[TobyM]

I don't think close pricing is necessarily an indicator of a cartel. Restrictive supply and collusion would be. On the other hand, can a manufacturer decide who they want to sell to? Probably, I'd say.

 

[GlenPresley]

Yes Tobi but you never see the price ever coming down do you?

The price only goes one way and that is Up and Up and Up.

Most prices out there are within a fiver nothing to right home about or worry about where you get them from in my eyes.

You guys will learn over your shooting years that of course the shooting market is a closed shop and always has been! Captive audience.

I bet if you took all the price lists from the UK and compared the variance would be minor!

It is for the rich and famous, remember where this is all coming from jeeze back in the day the only people who shot to levels we do now were wealthy land owners! - Unless you were a seasonal poacher!

This game has caused money problems for many an average person.

If you got the wonga then you don't care, do you?

Glen.

 

[TobyM]

Agreed, Glen.

How do prices compare over your way? How much are they in Italy or Portugal, say?

 

[Will Hewland]

Something aint right. I use an Italian cartridge that (in my opinion) is VERY similar to a Hull Pro One. Yet they are £20-£25 less per thousand than the Hull; despite a punitive exchange rate and massive travel costs..

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[TobyM]

Maybe the italian manufacturers don't have to import the components - just a thought

 

[GlenPresley]

Put it this way Toby they are doing the same over here with Steel.

Steel is well overpriced here and back home you can get a reasonable steel shell for clays say 20pounds a thousand cheaper!

Work that one out! Captive audience again see! In Holland they have to shoot steel so they can all charge what they want! Same as what is being done in the UK.

One ground is restricting shooters to using one manufacturer and no other brands are allowed there! In many cases they sell onsite per 25 only no 1000 rate etc which can range from 7-10€ per 25 shells for steel!!!

Obviously I shopped around and bought mine in Bulk!

Do not know how much they are charging in spain etc but I gurantee one thing at the European Fitasc in portugal shells, food and drink from at the comp will be pushed up, always have been always will be! They love to get you good whilst you are there! For most, you just have to bend over and take the dosage!