Axminster Price Hike

[wizer]

If they feel they have to do it then I guess they have to do it.

I won't refuse to shop at Axminster. But I will shop around harder than ever before. Axminster's outstanding service is not enough to put me that far out of pocket.

 

[p111dom]

At least you got an answer. I think it a credit to the company that the someone high up took to time to respond.

That said we all expected that sort of stuff for an answer but the fact remains that every company is under this kind of pressure at the moment just as Axminster is, and yet they have found a way of reducing their prices. Take the motor industry. They are susceptible to fluctuations in raw material prices and also have the problem of the falling pound to contend with regards to imports and exports and yet Land Rovers response to difficult trading conditions has been to cut £7500 off a new Discovery. A reduction of 20%+.

I understand the difficult conditions but Axminster's policy of increasing their prices buy 30% just as people will be stuggling for disposable income is akin to drilling holes in the hull of an already sinking ship.

 

[woodbloke]

I can't help wondering what's going to happen next year. Clearly this recession is going to go on into 2010 so I wonder how many more times Axminster will feel justified in raising their prices? I'll be looking to upgrade all my kit in a couple of years so I think I'll be looking round quite hard.
On the other hand though, if I were to get all my stuff from Axminster, I wonder just how much of a discount or 'inducements' :wink: they could be persuaded to offer, certainly I think the Heavy Haulage charge could be slashed significantly. I've made enquiries of Axminster delivery and have been assured that because they use their own delivery lads, they will deliver into your 'shop rather than dump it in the road outside, which in my case is a definite bonus - Rob

 

[wizer]

've made enquiries of Axminster delivery and have been assured that because they use their own delivery lads, they will deliver into your 'shop rather than dump it in the road outside, which in my case is a definite bonus - Rob

This is very true and they are very pleasant chaps indeed.

 

[PaulO]

I was looking at buying a LN 8 last week. When I saw the new catalogue from Axminster drop through the door, the first thing I did was look up the price. It had gone up by £40. So I checked Classic Handtools, also up to the same price as Axminster, same for John Lloyd. I dropped Classic Handtools a line to see if they could do anything.

In the mean time I spotted Tilgear had them at the old price, so I ordered from them.

Mike Hancock from CHT has since got back to me with a very reasonable offer of a shop soiled plane, and an explanation that Axminster are the sole distributors of LN in the UK, and they informed all the resellers of the price rise.

So well done to CHT for offering a deal and a quick response and well done to Tilgear for being slow to update prices

 

[Mr Ed]

I agree with Waka. I don't see the situation in quite the same way as some other posters - if you don't like the prices (and from what people are saying I don't like them either) buy somewhere else. There's a thriving market of suppliers out there so give someone else the business. Admittedly this is a bit difficult on the LN stuff by the sounds of it with Axminster the sole importer but plenty of other stuff is widely available.

I have spent thousands with Axminster over the years and think they are an excellent supplier, but I generally buy on price. The last couple of orders I made went to D&M as they were cheaper on the items concerned.

No need to get wound up by it, just go elsewhere when Axminster is not competitive.

Cheers, Ed

 

[Steve Maskery]

Axminster have a long and respected tradition of offering products at sensible prices. If they feel they have to make such difficult price rises at such a difficult time I'm sure they have a good economic reason for doing so.

This is indeed a direct consequence of us all being screwed by Sir Whatisname Of MegaPension and his ilk. I really don't think that Ax is the villain here. And no, I don't have any connection with Axminster.

CHT and other independents may well have better deals right now, but you can bet that that is just a discontinuity of the market, so make the most of it, because if Ax, with all their buying power, have to pass this on, you can bet that the others will have to do the same when they re-stock.

Schummie, if you are in the Euro zone, you at least benefit from the £/€ collapse.

Cheers
Steve

 

[matt]

I didn't go ahead with my order in the end. I did make contact with customer service to see if they wanted to make a concession given the circumstances (I was building a basket to qualify for free delivery. They were out of stock of a product, meanwhile all the prices went up (+35% in the case of my order)).

I think they've been remarkably daft in marketing discounts on a lot of products which ended at the same time as all their prices went up. Take, for example, the Bessey UniKlamp (60cm). Offer price £12.28. New price £17.75.

As others have mentioned, I buy on price. Axminster used to be my start point as they tended to offer good value and service. Sometimes I would not bother shopping around. Not anymore - the landscape has changed...

 

[Bassbear81]

So when the pound recovers then prices will come down is what Axminster are saying.....will they hell!

What other tool shops do people use????

 

[Karl]

So when the pound recovers then prices will come down is what Axminster are saying.....will they hell!

What other tool shops do people use????

The same thought had crossed my mind about Axminster prices.

I have started using a number of suppliers instead of just going to Axminster. Funnily enough my local tool shop has an account with Brimarc (Axminster), and I recently used him to buy the Veritas Skew Rebate plane - cos he gave me a 15% discount.

Shop around would be my advice to anybody looking for new gear. Retailers should be falling over themselves for our custom at the moment.

Cheers

Karl

 

[SVB]

I can't see Ax doing anything too quickly.

After all, they have a big warehouse full of 09/10 catalogues so are committed really for this year / early next. (It is one a year isn't it?)

Also, whilst I am as disappointed as the next, to offer some balance they have stuck by their prices set when $2 to the £1 was on offer when for the last 6 months they have been a long way off this (not sure if they are big enough to play the exchange markets and forward buy $ etc??)

Either way, there are two sides to every story.

Simon (ducking for cover!)

 

[CNC Paul]

Another consideration is the new catalogue is with VAT @ 15%

 

[Harbo]

I cannot imagine that Axminster in this "Global Financial Crisis" have put up their prices just to cash in and make more profits.
Most people shop around for the best price and I am sure Axminster must be well aware of this?
Most of the world's trading is done in USD and we in the UK are suffering from this as the GBP is weak.
Last year I bought a LN No. 9 from the States for $360 when it was $2 to the £ (£180). Now the US price is $375 but at $1.30 that's £288!!
CHT's price is £322 so not that much difference if you take postage and duties into account. Axminster's prices must reflect some of that?
I've had a look at AHC Camberley's prices which used to be much cheaper than Axminster for Veritas stuff - they are now a bit dearer!
So my advice is to shop around and look for special deals - they may not come around very often though?

Rod

 

[Escudo]

I always try to use CHT for my hand tools. Don't get me wrong Axminster are a good firm.

CHT support events like Yandles (coming up), Westonbirt, organising Cressing Temple later in the year. etc.

Lets not forget CHT have to deal with Axminster as their supplier for LN. This must be very difficult, a supplier who is also one of your main competitors? :?

CHT have always matched or been cheaper than Axminster in my experiance and it is good to support small independent retailers.

Increase in prices occurred last Autumn (widely publicised), now with the poor exchange rate and increases in raw material costs the latest increases were inevitable.

Tony.

 

[Schummie]

Bassbear81

That about that when the pound recovers the prices will come down,
that was something I said.
Everything between " are the words from mister Styles.
I meant the prices go higher because off all the things they make up, oil,
transport, the dollar, the banks, the weather.
But when everything goes well that they don't decrease the prices.
But they can do it, you can read it over here, people are still buying there.
They life on the good trust off most people.

 

[lurker]

Well someone mentions shopping around.
Actually I'd pretty much stopped doing this if Ax had an item I wanted as the difference was not worth the hassle.

I'm now shopping around :roll:

I'm bloodly annoyed (with myself) as I had a big basket on the go & was just waiting for the saw I wanted to come back into stock. :evil:

 

[matt]

I'm bloodly annoyed (with myself) as I had a big basket on the go & was just waiting for the saw I wanted to come back into stock. :evil:

Same here...

 

[head clansman]

Hi all

Don't take it as correct when there web site says your item is out of stoke , when i phoned through to make some enquires about other items recently when i said what i wanted was out of stock I was told it was not out of stock so i order straight away , some one had not updated there web site. hc

 

[laird]

That's really going to make Matt and Lurker happy bunnies :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[thomvic]

Whilst they are very disappointing most of the price increases are well below the reduction in value of the £ sterling against other currencies and most of Axminster product are imported.

Don't blame Axminster - blame the government and the bankers.

Richard