Metropoulos Forum

Guys, I've dragged my feet as long as I can. I have no choice but to raise my prices on some products. The weak dollar combined with skyrocketing costs for raw materials have driven costs through the roof.

For example, cost of steel and copper have driven transformer prices up 30% in 18 months. This 30% increase is even with my huge quantity commitment and locked in 2007 pricing.

Baltic birch costs have increased headbox prices 40% since January!

On many products I've been able to offset price increases by buying in higher quantities and in some cases buying factory direct.

On other parts my hands are tied by the manufacturer's MAP pricing schedule. The THD Hot Plate for example. Which I had listed in the store below MAP, a violation of their dealer agreement.


I'll do everything I can to ease the pain. And I've found that simply being honest about these things is the best policy. You guys are feeling the economic crunch too, so we're all in the same boat.

Thanks,

george

thats alright bud. we all get through this.

I had to bump shipping a few months back, then I got a $10 increase on ceramics plus a $20 increase on alnicos cuz cobalt went up. It's all based on the dollar vs euro and fuel costs.

Southbay Ampworks wrote:I had to bump shipping a few months back, then I got a $10 increase on ceramics plus a $20 increase on alnicos cuz cobalt went up. It's all based on the dollar vs euro and fuel costs.

At least the Canadian buck is strong so it is good for buying south of the border from north of the border

Absolutely! I've seen a distinct increase in international orders. No doubt due to the relative strength of all other currencies over the dollar.

VG

Hmm, I guess I do feel sorry for you guys over the big pond, but the exchange rate to England doesn't seem to have changed much, in fact it's slightly in your favour.
Whatever happens, I'm sure damn near everyone on here will remain faithful.
If it's hitting you, then it's going to be hitting all the competition too.

Many thanks. It means a lot to me.

Even as prices do inevitably go up, I'll try to find ways to add value to the metroamp experience.


VG

I'll try to find ways to add value to the metroamp experience.

You must mean those flashy new boxes with "Metropoulos Amplification" splashed across the sides.......

Each metro comes with $100 in funny money for your local gentlemens club

Hey George, keep the prices at a level that you can remain doin' this business. Your company is unique in this world and there are lots of people who'd lose a great part of their life (building and then playing the best Marshall clones around) if you have to close the amp because you can't make profit any longer, at least that's the story for me. Hey and I don't mind if you make profit and a good living out of selling the best available parts to me. I think I speak for a lot of others too.

And about that low Dollar: at has a lot of disadvantages e.g. high fuell price, thus high shipping costs, but has the nice advantage that doin' business outside the US is easier for you I'm in Europe, where we don't have all the nice parts you are selling and shopping in the US in general or your shop specifically is a charm! I truly hope you can keep it that way, not by keeping your prices low but by staying in business.

Anyways, I support you and hope I can enjoy Merto amps for many years coming.

+1,000,000,000 with what Rootz said. We need you George!

Damn straight on making sure Metro stays here for a long time.

I'll be seeing more boxes with that flashy Metropoulos Amplification logo for sure.

rootz is totally right about your buisness , it's essential to keep it living .....which makes me asking myself if "weak" or "strong" are very appropriate terms concerning money .....euros is "strong" ....well ....that's cool ...... but because of the "strenght" of euros we have no work and our european pocket remain empty ....i'd rather prefer having pocket filled with "weak" money than with absolutely no "strong" money

Indeed. Copper has been on a steady rise for a couple of years and recently Cobalt has really jumped. The last batch of magnets I bought (AlNiCobalt) were twice as much as the previous order. Doubled in less than a year. Every time I buy spools of magnet wire, the cost is up a third or better. These things are inevitable right now, as much due to consumption overseas (China) as the weak dollar here.

All of the other companies -- Newark supplies, Mouser, all of the big online electronics supply places, the eBay stores that sell tube sockets, the turret board stores, you name it, everybody -- are raising their prices too. Part of the convenience of MetroAmp is not having to shop around, and pay multiple shipping charges from multiple sellers and companies. I think the MetroAmp service is great. I'm always confident in my supplies and items being taken care of as economically as possible. I think that even if your prices go up, MetroAmp will still be very much competitive with other locations that sell the same components, but above and beyond that, make it possible to get just about (if not) everything from the same spot, and for most of us, that saves us hundreds of dollars on shipping, for some of us, thousands. You gotta do what you gotta do and I think everything has been more than fair with MetroAmp so far. Nothing and nobody short of death itself will prevent me from taking care of my family, and in a tough economy, there should be, IMO, no questions asked. Two thumbs up.