Have you noticed the price of detectors lately...

[Elton]

[attachment 293921 8112076.jpg] Mid to top of the line are getting to be a serious investment.
That said..When you put em up as used for sale...Everyone wants you to give them away...
What is up with that ?.

 

[Southwind]

Yes the price of knowledge is getting expensive.

When I buy a detector, be it one that lists for $2,400 or $140 I know I'm going to loose money so I've got to make sure the knowledge I stand to gain is worth the loss.

 

[lytle78]

Metal detectors have always been overpriced relative to their production cost. A lot of that had to do with small production runs, and a multi level marketing system which ended up witH mainly "mom and pop" sized dealers - no reflection on the dealers's professionalism or enthusiasm intended - just their scale of operations.

Then, a while back, the price of top end machines started "bending the curve" upwards.

All along, however, I am convinced that the prices were supported by the hopes of the buyers (us) that we would find something valuable. The extreme example is the way a certian manufacturer of gold nugget detectors started raising their prices in line with and even above the run up in the price of gold per ounce.

Now an interesting thing is happening. A certian American manufacturer seems to be introducing highly capable detectors at the low to medium end of the market. It helps that this company has a brand which is widely distributed by mass market outlets.

Good for detector shoppers.

 

[mudpuppy]

Everything is going up, except what you already own... Still, these detectors do have the possibility of paying for themselves, unlike everything else we buy.
Mud

 

[WIHawker]

Simple inflation. Dollar is getting weaker everyday and gaining momentum.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

Many people posted within the last 2 years that used detectors would loose some value due to the sudden interest caused by the several metal detecting tv shows thus flooding the used market when little Johnny looses interest..I guess they may have right... so I blame the diggers show, mainly because I havent seen anyone blame them for anything recently and they use stupid words..lol..

 

[ironsight]

'Serious metal detecting' is becoming a hobby of the rich these days!

When diggers and like shows come to an end and more and more places restrict metal detecting, look to see prices drop....supply and demand.

 

[GeorgeinSC]

Most of us look for the maximum value for our dollar. One usually wants to pay less than the manufacturers suggested retail price and most dealers will beat that price. Then when we buy used we expect that the price will be considerable below the dealers price for a new item.

 

[yowow#1]

I think resale value is directly related to the economy, especially todays economy. And most people have no idea what a detector cost, the reason i say that is because a friend called and said he has been watching the detectors shows on t.v. and would like to try it and was interested in buying a detector. He asked what detectors i have, and i said a whites, minelab and tesoro. He said i've heard of whites what did you pay for it? I told him and he said hold on i just fell out of my chair he said i was thinking a hundred bucks. So i told him he can find them a lot less expensive, to look them up online. He still doesn't have a detector.

 

[ironsight]

I think resale value is directly related to the economy, especially todays economy. And most people have no idea what a detector cost, the reason i say that is because a friend called and said he has been watching the detectors shows on t.v. and would like to try it and was interested in buying a detector. He asked what detectors i have, and i said a whites, minelab and tesoro. He said i've heard of whites what did you pay for it? I told him and he said hold on i just fell out of my chair he said i was thinking a hundred bucks. So i told him he can find them a lot less expensive, to look them up online. He still doesn't have a detector.

At least one good reason they're so dang expensive these days!

The flip side, money an issue? No problem, some of those no clue 'diggers' inspired newbies are gonna go out and buy cheap $100 Wally World specials then with their BIG shovels go out to their local park and dig up every pull tab in sight!
The good news, that'll be less junk to deal with but....the bad news, within a week after they leave that park, there'll be a NO METAL DETECTING sign posted.

 

[yowow#1]

I see what you are saying ironsight, The same "friend" sent me word that he knew of an old illegal gambling house from the fifties, long gone.... That he and his wife wanted to metal detect...but they didn't have a detector ... His wife "A relative" told him they could go with me and he said we can go by ourselves "using one of his detectors"..... [size=large]Yea right[/size]... [size=large]HA[/size]...

 

[GeorgeinSC]

Part of the reason metal detectors are so danged expensive is the lack of standardization between models. For Example Minelab detectors. Nearly every one of them use some type of different shaft, Different arm rests, Different hand grips, even different washers between the rod and the coil. etc, etc, etc.

Manufacturing all those different items greatly increase the cost of the metal detector. Then you have the significant markup caused by shipping, Distributors markup and shipping costs and finally the Dealers Markup and shipping costs to the consumer. I have seen shipping cost from the Seller to the Consumer be over $35.00. USPS, FedEx and UPS are not our friends when it comes to shipping a detector.

 

[chuck ky]

but we're the only friends you've got when it comes to shipping

 

[Kellyco/Brad]

Doesn't help the raise in prices from FedEx either lately. With orders, I try to help as much as possible on shipping orders if they aren't free.