Price increase in Europe UPDATE

Thomas JackermeierThomas Jackermeier Member, Administrator
edited March 2015 in Blog

This is a post which is rather less fun for me but we cannot avoid it.

Due to the questionable strategy of the European Zentral Bank, the excheange rate Euro / USD has massively dropped in the past months. The target of the EZB is to increase Inflation and it seems that they are succesful with that attempt as all good made in the far east usually have to be paid in USD and therefore those products are now seeing a massive price increase.

We absorbed this price increase in the past months but we cannot do that anymore and therefore we had to increase all our European prices between 20 to 30%. We just hope that the Euro will not continue to drop and we can keep at least this Level.

And before everybody starts to complain why our Prices are more expensive in the Euro webshop than the prices you see in the US Webshop I would like to remind you that EU prices will always be about 30% more expensive in comparison to the US.

The reason is that the prices in the EU shop include VAT and this makes about 20% alone. The US Webshop prices do not include VAT or sales tax.

The other 10% are becuase of various reasons like higher logistic costs, localisation, more strict environmental rules and a 2 year warranty instead of 1 year in the US. All those little extras don't come for free and this is the reason why almost every product in any category is more expensive in Europe than in the US.

I hope you will still stay with us and understand the situation. Thank you.


UPDATE

Here are some more facts:

May 2014: Euro/USD 1,3862
March 2015: Eur/USD 1,0664

If a product costs 100 USD to manufacture it was 72,46 € in May 2014 and now we have to pay 93,77 €

This is a cost increase of 29,41 %

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Comments

  • ...... Das leiht Kevin Aber EINEN schon früher Gesagt Werden s
    so leiht Kevin Leute die finaziell So nicht ei kasse sind, sich doch noch ein paar euro gespart!!!!!
  • edited March 2015
    should be that would have been reported earlier.
    so have people who are not financially well there, 
    had such as the ability to save a few euros !!!!!!


  • edited March 2015

    So while us XBOX One guys have to wait till you FINALLY make the announcement about the wheel and the WAIT for the PS4 announcement...we get REWARDED with a HUGE price increase TOO ???????????

    Im gonna buy me a second hand PS4 tonight and in near future the CSP V2, BMW rim etc ALSO second hand....your products weren't cheap to begin with.....and now your just throwing 110€ on top off those prices. THAT'S ALLMOST 45% FOR CSP V2 NOT 20 TO 30%

    You also charge shipping cost, which allmost none other company does....I'm kinda beginning to feel regret ever buying the V2 base !!!!


    THANK YOU Fanatec...NOT

  • edited March 2015
    WTF?
    You're the ONLY company with such price increases. I wanted to buy the ClubSport Pedals V2 EU. A few days ago the price was at 250€ and now 360€??? I'm not buying them sorry. That's way too much. That's just bullshit.
    Why didn't you say something?? I would have bought them but now you're getting nothing from me.
  • edited March 2015

    ME TOO cancelled pre order on the SQ Shifter AND CSP V2 last week !!!! Because I thought it would be wiser to wait for the XOne rim and order everything at once Just to not pay 2 times the shipping costs....and now....


    VERY DISSAPOINTED

    :-& X( :-@
  • Bought CSW V2  which is a good wheel. Still a fairly substantial investment but with the code discount together with the rim probably priced about right. But no bargain. Looked at the csp last week but with the pre order out to the end of may chose not to order until closer to may. Again I have experience of the pedals. And probably fairly priced but they have a few issues (load cells going). With this massive price hike I will be looking else where. Just too expensive for the quality sorry.

  • Totally agree with Antoine Goossens and others...

    You're the only company with such price increases. And it's the same thing for shipping cost, you're the only one who charge customers.

    2 year warranty ? you're not the only one.

    So yes, you have good products, but now you have the most crappy price/quality too.

    "I hope you will still stay with us and understand the situation".

    It's a joke ?
    If not, no i (we) don't understand your position, and no, i don't stay with you.

    It's a good opportunity to test your opponent in this segment.
  • I ordered my CSWB v2 in November and it's been dispatched today. Luckily on the old prices. Looking at the price now €700. Wow. If the xbox one rim is stupidly priced it might be worth sticking the v2 base on eBay and make some money on it. I have a TX at the moment with CPX adaptor so might be worth sticking with that. coming back to the xbox one rim, you need one gt rim and 1 f1 rim. That's going to be some seriouse money on the new prices.
  • edited March 2015
    Hello Thomas,
    Hello drivers,

    Sorry for my bad english..

    It is a bad new for all of us indeed... I agree with what has been said by other users.

    Times are difficult for most of us I think, that's reality and we can all understand that. Writing on this forum and being users of your products also means that we are not facing enormous difficulties.

    However, your financial strategy seems strange to me: for instance, the price for the F1 rim for the CSR Elite has decreased (that is a very good think for the owners of this wheel. I was one of them a few months ago before you indicated that it won't be PS4/Xbox one compatible....). It has no sense if you speak about taxes and extras costs... Why on several products and not on other ?

    Also, and that is a personal note sorry for other users ;)), I feel sorry to have sold my CSR Elite in order to buy a V2 Base. I would not have sold it if I knew that it will be PS4 compatible. It was clearly what you indicated: previous wheels will not be compatible with new consoles....
    Regarding the price of the xbox one rim, we can imagine that it will be very high for now. You could have release the xbox one rim before making this announce, we all suppose that it is already ready to be sold. Prices really begin to be extreme, much more that before. I love Fanatec products but 499€ for one rim...

    What I am trying to tell (and it is difficult with my bad english) is that we can understand things when they are clearly announced and when they are announced earlier. Also, you can't tell a thing one day and the other the next day. For the CSR Elite for instance, I would not have sell it if I knew that it was compatible with PS4.
    All of us are (were given the previous messages) loyal customers, passionnated in your products (I am sure that most of us own more that one of your wheel, pedals....), but I sometimes (and I only speak for myself) we can feel that things are imposed on us.

  • This will be a bad move for fanatec. If no one buys there stuff then what's the point? If their price increases? They will loose money
  • Is tis a 1 april Joke ??

    Clubsport padels v2 eu from €249 to € 359...........35%
  • No Wilfred it's ALLMOST 45%!!!!
  • Thomas JackermeierThomas Jackermeier Member, Administrator

    I really understand your frustration and believe us it was a hard decision.

    But what should we have done different? Continue to sell at old prices without making profit?  WIthout profit it simply makes no sense to serve this market and we would have shifted all available inventory to other markets.

    Announcing it earlier? Our inventory would have gone quickly and our losses would have increased. Good for you but without earning money we cannot invest into new projects.

    The Formula rim for the CSR E became cheaper because we are selling off this product.

    It is always bad to make the first move but you can be sure that within the next weeks and months a lot of electronics will be more expensive. It is an external factor we cannot influence.

    If you are now buying a competitor product which ships from the USA you will face the same Problem.

  • No Wilfred it's ALLMOST 45%!!!!

    yes 45% indeed !!
  • 42% is not 20 to 30% to me!! That's simply insane!!!
  • Thomas JackermeierThomas Jackermeier Member, Administrator
    On the CSP we are also facing increased production costs so the Price increase is more significant on this model. But the next batch will also see several small improvements so we are confident that the Price is still competitive.
  • Marian HodzaMarian Hodza Member
    edited March 2015
    Thanks for saving my money for CSW V2 + X1 wheel. I am sorry Fanatec, i have two PGT2 + CSpedals and I am sure you will be not 4x better than my 1year old ThrustmasterTX which everyone can get in shop for only quarter of the price. I understand that you only turn profit from actual situation of your offer and demand, but big disappointment that you made it like an average EU politican :/  bye bye, so sorry. Marian
  • Our wages got frozen about 2 years ago and STILL are by our gouvernement and LIFE KEEPS GETTING more and more expensive....how's that for life !!!

    I will keep looking for a used CSP V2 till I drop and get a new cpx adapter, when it's on stock,to get the TH8A working on the V2 base IF I don't sell it. I'm kinda getting used to the waiting game...so that can be added to it.

    And depends on if  I find a used CSP V2 or not if I ever buy an XOne rim ONCE it'll be ever revealed ???

  • edited March 2015

    Maybe moving to Poland is the better idea now to make profit ? Also a lot closer to Europe in stead of China....O uhhhh wait it IS in Europe...

    I know that's unrealistic....but so are the new prices

  • Thomas JackermeierThomas Jackermeier Member, Administrator

    You are comparing the CSW B V2 which is fully made of CNC machiened metal with a wheel which is fully made of plastic Of course there is a price difference but you also get a performance difference.

    The ClubSport series should only be compared with similar high-end products and even with the new prices our products are priced very competitive.

    Our answer to the increased prices will be to develop cheaper products so we can keep our customers happy and lower the entry level to use a Fanatec wheel. Therefore you can expect to see a full line of new products which can be produced more cost efficient but still has unique features.

  • I ordered & paid for my Club Sport V2 Base on wednesday for €549 i think. Will it still be the same & will my base be the one with these improvements? Only bought it for the xbox one compatiable rim whenever thats gets announced. Cant wait yo play F1 2015 with my new wheel.
  • Thomas JackermeierThomas Jackermeier Member, Administrator

    Maybe moving to Poland is the better idea now to make profit ? Also a lot closer to Europe in stead of China....O uhhhh wait it IS in Europe...




    We are actually looking into the option to move production to Europe. It is much more attractive now and perhaps a good Option for our high-end models.

  • edited March 2015

    You are comparing the CSW B V2 which is fully made of CNC machiened metal with a wheel which is fully made of plastic Of course there is a price difference but you also get a performance difference.

    The ClubSport series should only be compared with similar high-end products and even with the new prices our products are priced very competitive.

    Our answer to the increased prices will be to develop cheaper products so we can keep our customers happy and lower the entry level to use a Fanatec wheel. Therefore you can expect to see a full line of new products which can be produced more cost efficient but still has unique features.



    But we live NOW and most of us are awaiting XOne rim...so feature plans don't go for us...we wanna play PCars when it hits the shelves...not wait to buy it after a yaer past date... ;)

    The load cells of the csp's are the weakest link...that ain't high end if you have to buy every 6 to 8 months a new one...


    50 to 80€... I can live with that....but 110€ more expensive ?????? insane

  • Thomas BarthThomas Barth Member
    edited March 2015
    Hi Thomas,

    I'm also disappointed regarding your price strategy, nobody understands this. Maybe it's better to increase 5% every three months instead of 45% (!) within one day !

    But I can undestand something else: if you can not deliver from stock anyway (Wheel Base has now at least 12 weeks delivery time) you can think your products are too cheap. A company has the perfect price found if there is exact one item in stock (sorry in German: "Marktwirtschaft") !

    But this is short view: at the end it's better to have satiesfied customers who buy additional parts instead of the pressure to win new customers (especially with your actual pricing) ...

    Regards
    Thomas (yes, also Thomas)
  • Wow that is a slap in the face big time!! Im sorry thomas I love fanatec products and wont use any plastic wheels but I will NOT spend over 400 euro for a wheel rim that I spent 500 euro on the base! Cant belive this tbh think id rather use a pad than spend 1000 euros just for my wheel, thats without pedals and shifters. I honestly think this will be the end of fanatec!
  • Thomas said:

    Hello everybody and a happy 2015!

    We have great plans for 2015 and there will be plenty of exciting new products coming up. Some of them expected and others will be a surprise.

    Well this was VERY UNEXPECTED and a VERY unpleasant surprise

  • edited March 2015

    Maybe moving to Poland is the better idea now to make profit ? Also a lot closer to Europe in stead of China....O uhhhh wait it IS in Europe...




    We are actually looking into the option to move production to Europe. It is much more attractive now and perhaps a good Option for our high-end models.



    Unfortunately that does'nt help us Europeans now....sorry Thomas...but I'm just dissapionted that I probably can't even buy the XOne wheel because I need to spend over 200€ more on the rest. And I don't wanna buy the Elites just to have money to buy the club sports 6  months to a year later. I won't make profit either selling the elites then....

    And my guess is that I'm probably not the only one.....money does'nt grow on trees you know ;)

  • What if you offered extended warranties that are high profit margin to offset the costs there
  • Wow that is a slap in the face big time!! Im sorry thomas I love fanatec products and wont use any plastic wheels but I will NOT spend over 400 euro for a wheel rim that I spent 500 euro on the base! Cant belive this tbh think id rather use a pad than spend 1000 euros just for my wheel, thats without pedals and shifters. I honestly think this will be the end of fanatec!



    Think I have to agree
  • edited March 2015

    I had better bought all my gear 2 months ago and let it wear off some warranty than dealing with this !!!!

    CKUF I'm frustrated.....was looking so much forward to use my gear on PCars and now....I feel like throwing the base trough the window, without even opening it !!!

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