I think that the question is not about the value to save your life but rather if the units cost this much to produce. Are some companies making a "killing" at our expense? The old units are selling at around $100.00. Does it cost 4 times as much to make the new ones?
A Proud Member of
"The Rebel Alliance"
I believe the pricing of any marine electronic item amounts to normal business practice.......there has to be a $ in it for the manufacturer, otherwise, it will not be manufactured........
Three years ago, a 42" plasma TV retailed for $8000 (now there was a conspiracy!!). Exactly the same unit now retails for $1200.
Clearly, as volumes increased, pricing dropped and I would envisage that the same will happen with the humble 406 EPIRB. You can draw the same analogy with any new technology.....mobile phones, DVD recorders, video cameras, calculators.....all started high and where are they now?
This is a limited market for the manufacturer.....
The argument is a nonsense.
Last edited by Chine; 25-04-2008 at 10:29 PM. Reason: More to say........
"The old units are selling at around $100.00. Does it cost 4 times as much to make the new ones?"
1. $100 for 9 months or $400 for 6 to 7 years? Why would you want to waste $100
2. There appears to be a hole in your logic and a misunderstanding of the issue
Hey SatNav some of these guys would rather buy a couple of bottles of rum or a slab than an EPIRB.Originally Posted by SatNav
Sat Nav
You have clearly not understood the post and I have a feeling that you have a hidden agenda with your agressive responses
The question is why can the manufactures quite happily sell them at $100 now but hold out at $400.00 for something we all need. You can hide behind the supply demand models as much as you want but I still see a government initiated cash cow for the manifactures and distributors of the 406 units
A Proud Member of
"The Rebel Alliance"
Those wondering about the reason's this thread should read this preceding thread;
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...d.php?t=128697
A few posters hijacked the thread by claiming that the pricing of 406Mhz was a conspiracy. None of those posters have furthered their claims in this thread so far.
I have actually seen the 121Mhz EPIRBs being offered for $50 recently, but then with less than 8 months useable life left for them that is probably all they are worth. I do know someone who paid the $50 rather than $400 for the 406Mhz model recently. They are hoping they will continue to get cheaper.
My memory of the 121 Mhz EPIRB pricing a couple of years ago (before the switch to 406Mhz was imminent) was that they were around the $300 mark, so $400 for 406Mhz seems on par to me. When they first came out the 406Mhz were around the $700 mark I think, and I expect they will continue to get slower cheaper as the makers recoup their design and set up costs. For 7 years (GME) and 10 years (Pain Wessex 2 by 5 years with one free replacement battery) useable life $400 sound pretty reasonable to me.
Actually if they were selling for say less than $200 I would question whether there was actually enough quality in their design and manufacturer to do the important job they were designed for. I also note there does not appear to be any cheap versions out of China or the like.
So my opinion, there is no conspiracy and I would think there would be more margin in the average Sounder or GPS .
Cheers
Dave
Last edited by Outsider1; 27-04-2008 at 08:38 AM.
Low demand = low price to clear existing stocks. (this includes components)
The tens of thousands of units sold have already recovered the R&D cost.
It's really not that hard to understand...is it???
When the 4 stroke outboard was released at a higher price thean the previous 2 stroke , it was also a conspiracy wasn't it???
If you can't afford $400, you cant afford to go offshore.
1. Excellent to see some understand the query and issue, good job fella's
2. Pityful to see the claims of hidden agenda and continuing irrational comments and now claims of government involvment, amazing, what next horse?
3. It's not impossible that China would not be able to produce the technology but would have to be certified by Cospas-Sarsat along well fefined guidelines
4. Of the 42 world wide LEOLUT's China operates 2 of these
5. It needs to be realized the organisation responsible for this system is truely international and invloves cooperation and understanding of all countries involved
6. It is not as some suggested driven or controlled from a pure government level.
7. Decisions made by the organisation also go beyond and above the government level. Government initiated cash cow? What a poor comment considering the objective of the change!
8. The conspiracy theory is completely false and even worse those that push this line show and extremely poor understanding of the subject.
smartest thing you've said all thread SatNav..
why didn't you say those comments from the start.
BOAT= Break open another thousand....
Own a Boat then ya have ta maintain the pleasure it brings as well as the safety that goes with it..... NO???????
i was under the impression that all boatowners& fishers knew that anything to do with our past time was totally overinflated, i pulled my old epirb apart to see what goes showed my brother instrument fitter reckonds about $50 to build but who cares cause i cant swim 50km so i suppose $400 is cheaper than a
funeral.
cheers.
xxlm
sure $50 to build, but how many $million to design, get approval for, insure (yes, if someone loses a loved one because an epirb doesnt work I'm sure they would sue the manufacturer)
No campany is in business for the fun of it. Who here has their own busness? I bet you all like to make a profit too.
yep, as well as paying manufacturing,warehousing,distribution,marketing and advertising and promotion and then on top of that having to convince those who think they are getting ripped off to buy one...
No point in being in business unless they are making a decent profit.
Bring that epirb to me and I will give you a real cost analysis of what it takes. I to am an instrument fitter by trade, but went of to study engineering. There might be only $50 in parts, but there is more to an epirb than parts.
What most people forget that when human life is involved, certifictions are not cheap and insurers dont want to touch you. To get both cost a lot of money. That excluded the cost of design and development, as well as non recoverable expenses of manufacturing electronics equipment. There is a whole lot more as well. IT all adds up.
MMMMMM BEER!!
northernblue
><)))))))*>
It is a far, far better thing to have fished and lost, than never to have fished at all.
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