Quantcast

YT increases price of entire bike line in North America by 20%

csermonet

Monkey
Mar 5, 2010
942
127
I already posted this in the YT thread but didn't want it to get buried, so I started this to get some more eyes on it.

YT just hiked their prices across their whole bike line in the US. The base model aluminum Capra is no longer $2899, it is now $3564. The base model aluminum Tues has recieved the same increase. Then add another $150 for shipping. That's a price increase of fucking 20%. Not insignicant. The rate of increase goes up in the higher end models. This is a real shame. It seems like have hiked their prices in the US to increase margins when they have been more than succesful in the Euro market at a lower price point. I was interested in the base Capra, but now I can confidently say YT will not be getting my business. After a 20% increase it is simply too steep for my financial situation, i'll keep my 8 year old frame.
 

OBB

Monkey
Sep 25, 2008
157
3
I'm not seeing these increases.

The Capra AL 2 is 2,995. Also the Capra CF Pro Race was originally 5,495 and still is.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
so is it just speculation that they are increasing prices to increase margins or have you confirmed this?

also, $150 for international shipping sounds spot on. and don't forget customs fees and import tariffs.
 

frorider

Monkey
Jul 21, 2004
971
20
cali
with the way the dollar is strengthening vs the euro, our USD prices should be down 15%. not that that's going to happen.
 

Josef

Monkey
Apr 17, 2013
108
11
With they EUR tanking, they have to pay premium buck to the Asian factories to manufacture these.
My experience is that the Asian factories are more than willing to accept USD. Not sure why YT- USA wouldnt be able purchase their frames in dollars.
 

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,001
1,693
Northern California
Tell me about it. That's the cheapest cost to send insured at replacement value. USPS International Priority is $70, but that's basically playing Russian roulete - minimal insurance and it could take 3 months to get there, or it may not show up at all.
 

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
^^i understand its in scotland, but that seems really high for just a fork.
Yeah that does seem really high. I've shipped dual crown forks all over the world (Greece, Russia, SE Asia, Australia, western Europe, S. America) with oil at $130/barrel and its been $110 at most maybe.
 

Josef

Monkey
Apr 17, 2013
108
11
because they buy them from a german company that orders in asia?
I have zero idea how they have set up this business but it would be ridiculous for them to be buying frames from the German entity of the business. Not sure what the value gained from that instead of placing an order directly would be? Seems like you would just be opening up yourself to two fold the fx risk.
 

Trasselkalle

Monkey
Oct 28, 2014
138
25
Sweden
I have zero idea how they have set up this business but it would be ridiculous for them to be buying frames from the German entity of the business. Not sure what the value gained from that instead of placing an order directly would be? Seems like you would just be opening up yourself to two fold the fx risk.
Still, that would mean that the US warehouse would have to build up a lot of bikes, with their own supply line for components, and thus not likely as much of a bulk cost reduction as they can get if everything goes through Germany.

In the "press release" I got the impression that it would mainly be Cam and Howie Zink, but that could of course just have been the names that they front with. From that piece: "Bikes will still be sold directly from the manufacturer, but stocked and serviced in-country via dedicated partners." That's what makes me interpret it as stocked only, and not assembled in the US. Possibly, the cost of setting up another assembly company and supply chain could be too large before they know what kind of demand they will actually have.
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
^^i understand its in scotland, but that seems really high for just a fork.
shit, UPS wanted to charge me $212 to send a pair of shoes back to chain reaction that were the wrong size.

As for the YT bike thing, no care, there are plenty of domestic options that are either cheaper, or similar in price that will work just as good.
 

Josef

Monkey
Apr 17, 2013
108
11
Still, that would mean that the US warehouse would have to build up a lot of bikes, with their own supply line for components, and thus not likely as much of a bulk cost reduction as they can get if everything goes through Germany.

In the "press release" I got the impression that it would mainly be Cam and Howie Zink, but that could of course just have been the names that they front with. From that piece: "Bikes will still be sold directly from the manufacturer, but stocked and serviced in-country via dedicated partners." That's what makes me interpret it as stocked only, and not assembled in the US. Possibly, the cost of setting up another assembly company and supply chain could be too large before they know what kind of demand they will actually have.
I don't really care how they have it set up but my experience is that ship to location rarely effects bulk pricing. I'm gonna blame Obamacare...
 

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,010
1,142
El Lay
USPS is always the cheapest shipping for small-to-mid items.... because FedEx and UPS to do not have a "Ground" (boat) option to EU.

Whether you choose to trust USPS is another question, but you are basically paying for Overnight/2nd day if you use those 2 commercial carriers... so yeah putting a mtb fork on a jet airplane to the UK is expensive.