UK Price Rises
Userlevel 2
I was very disappointed to be informed of the Sonos price rises in the UK. Although the dollar rate is blamed it doesn't account for why the products are much cheaper in some countries? £100 rise on the Sub and Playbar is just too much. I am very lucky that my system is now pretty complete but think UK sales will suffer
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The market will find its own level however I see an opportunity being created for a grey market in components sourced outside of the UK.
There is no VAT on apples.
The market will find its own level however I see an opportunity being created for a grey market in components sourced outside of the UK.
The market will find its own level however I see an opportunity being created for a grey market in components sourced outside of the UK.
Whoops, make that "apples to apples" above.
As always needs to be said in these pricing threads, directly comparing the price in a country with a VAT calculated into the price vs. the US listing is quite unfair. Sales tax in the US is collected by the states, not the federal government, and the rate varies from zero up to nearly 10%. As such, it is never added to the list price, it is calculated at time of sale. So for a true apples to oranges price comparison, one must delete the VAT from the price before comparing to the US listing.
I don't think I have read as much garbage on any thread ever as on this one.
Sonos wants to maximise its profits in the UK (as everywhere), as it should do. The new prices are those at which it thinks it will do so, in the current situation. It makes not a blind bit of difference whether or not this is really currency / Brexit related. Sonos is entitled to list its products at any prices it wants, and if it gets it wrong, it will suffer. That is commercial reality. It doesn't HAVE to justify its strategy to anyone. Nobody HAS to buy the products.
There is no inalienable human right to buy Sonos at a particular price. To read the nonsense written by so many people on this thread you'd think there were.
And as for those who have never even run a whelk stall but think they are better judges of Sonos' business strategy than the entrepreneurs who have built a multi-billion dollar business... well, the arrogance is staggering.
And one final point for all those saying the increases are suicide. Denon, Yamaha, Bluesound, Bose.... which of these competitors has its costs denominated in sterling? They are all feeling the currency pain in the UK. Will their strategy be to absorb the currency losses to steal market share? Or will they follow with their own price hikes? I have no idea - this is business and it is tough and competitive. But let's see how competitive or otherwise Sonos' prices look in a few months.
For avoidance of doubt I'm am not trying to defend the price increase, nor criticise it. I have no idea if it is a good or bad decision. It's the spectacular ignorance of business and the stupidity of so much of the comment as a result, that makes me want to scream.
Rant over.
Sonos wants to maximise its profits in the UK (as everywhere), as it should do. The new prices are those at which it thinks it will do so, in the current situation. It makes not a blind bit of difference whether or not this is really currency / Brexit related. Sonos is entitled to list its products at any prices it wants, and if it gets it wrong, it will suffer. That is commercial reality. It doesn't HAVE to justify its strategy to anyone. Nobody HAS to buy the products.
There is no inalienable human right to buy Sonos at a particular price. To read the nonsense written by so many people on this thread you'd think there were.
And as for those who have never even run a whelk stall but think they are better judges of Sonos' business strategy than the entrepreneurs who have built a multi-billion dollar business... well, the arrogance is staggering.
And one final point for all those saying the increases are suicide. Denon, Yamaha, Bluesound, Bose.... which of these competitors has its costs denominated in sterling? They are all feeling the currency pain in the UK. Will their strategy be to absorb the currency losses to steal market share? Or will they follow with their own price hikes? I have no idea - this is business and it is tough and competitive. But let's see how competitive or otherwise Sonos' prices look in a few months.
For avoidance of doubt I'm am not trying to defend the price increase, nor criticise it. I have no idea if it is a good or bad decision. It's the spectacular ignorance of business and the stupidity of so much of the comment as a result, that makes me want to scream.
Rant over.
The price rise is ridiculous. At least keep it constant across the board Sonos. I certainly won't be adding to my system anymore and will look to other streaming solutions. It's a shame, but I can see a lot of shops stopping to stock Sonos as demand falls.
Product is made in Malaysia where the ringett has devalued against both sterling and US dollar. Old fashion price hike hiding behind "events outside our control". Absolute rubbish marketing but great products.
Price rise isn't really related to currency movements as products are made in Malaysia where the ringett has devalued against both sterling and the dollar. This is an old fashioned price hike hiding behind a poorly constructed story to appease the U.K. consumer. I prefer to buy from more authentic sellers but the product is good so ignore the rubbish marketing if you can.
This ship has sailed... 😉
Userlevel 4
+8
Someone had to pay for the new TV commercial.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bFrEdgoX6-E
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bFrEdgoX6-E
£1800 for a 5.1 system that doesn't work properly unless you have a passthrough Tv ?
Glad i already have it, paid about £1300 and thought that was top end! At least i can show off to my friends about how expensive it is!
Hopefully the sales will get them back to a normal price, was hoping for a few more rooms set up one day but no I'm not so sure
Glad i already have it, paid about £1300 and thought that was top end! At least i can show off to my friends about how expensive it is!
Hopefully the sales will get them back to a normal price, was hoping for a few more rooms set up one day but no I'm not so sure
Ha Ha .. the forum has gone nuts ... refuses to post (whilst they moderate?) and then posts the original and all the repeat "WTF" button pressing and rewrites. Excuse my second iteration of my original post ..
Well, that's SONOS finished in the UK then.
Can't compete on price with the usual far east suspects. Can't compete on sound quality with the likes of Naim and Linn.
It's a shame but not unexpected; though the differential in price rises is rather odd: +16% for Play 1 etc but +25% for connect and connect amp. This may confirm my view that sonos don't really want to sell connects and connect amps any more as they really want you to buy their speakers too (which I wouldn't touch, myself).
I guess there is more to come as the pound continues to crumble (ie "we haven't left yet!") and if Trump persuades them to bring manufacturing back to the USA prices will doubtless soar (unless the US workforce settle for Chinese wages and conditions). Our only hope is that Trump's incompetence causes the dollar to collapse .. upon which SURELY the prices will fall again :¬) ... as if.
Meanwhile, Superfi have a Sonos sale on (can't sell it full price) so get in now if you're expanding.
Can't compete on price with the usual far east suspects. Can't compete on sound quality with the likes of Naim and Linn.
It's a shame but not unexpected; though the differential in price rises is rather odd: +16% for Play 1 etc but +25% for connect and connect amp. This may confirm my view that sonos don't really want to sell connects and connect amps any more as they really want you to buy their speakers too (which I wouldn't touch, myself).
I guess there is more to come as the pound continues to crumble (ie "we haven't left yet!") and if Trump persuades them to bring manufacturing back to the USA prices will doubtless soar (unless the US workforce settle for Chinese wages and conditions). Our only hope is that Trump's incompetence causes the dollar to collapse .. upon which SURELY the prices will fall again :¬) ... as if.
Meanwhile, Superfi have a Sonos sale on (can't sell it full price) so get in now if you're expanding.
Don't worry, Trump is a bombastic, incompetent fool, who will destroy our economy before bringing any jobs back home. Dollar will tank, then your Pound will buy more Sonos. At least until his base finally wakes up and realize they've been conned, and he's impeached. Two years, worst case.
Well .. that's Sonos dead in the UK then.
Shame, but not a huge surprise. Though the range in price hikes (16% to 25% depending on component) is a bit odd. Presumably the UK market is too small for them to be bothered and, as I've suspected for a while, they don't really want to sell connects and connect amps any more as they'd rather sell you the speaker part too (which I wouldn't touch, personally).
The pound has further to fall ("we haven't left yet" etc) and once Trump brings all manufacturing back to the US, the cost will soar some more (unless Americans are willing to work for chinese wages). Our only hope is that with the current incompetent incumbent in charge .. the dollar will soon collapse and prices will fall again.
Hey ho.
Sonos was getting uncompetitive anyway ....
Shame, but not a huge surprise. Though the range in price hikes (16% to 25% depending on component) is a bit odd. Presumably the UK market is too small for them to be bothered and, as I've suspected for a while, they don't really want to sell connects and connect amps any more as they'd rather sell you the speaker part too (which I wouldn't touch, personally).
The pound has further to fall ("we haven't left yet" etc) and once Trump brings all manufacturing back to the US, the cost will soar some more (unless Americans are willing to work for chinese wages). Our only hope is that with the current incompetent incumbent in charge .. the dollar will soon collapse and prices will fall again.
Hey ho.
Sonos was getting uncompetitive anyway ....
Certainly seems to be a tune we've heard before. 😉
As a US resident, I couldn't care less about a price increase in a country my hometown bounced out exactly 242 years ago.
Nice try, though. :P
Userlevel 7
+22
As a US resident, I couldn't care less about a price increase in a country my hometown bounced out exactly 242 years ago.
Nice try, though. :P
We're coming to take America back - "Make America Great (Britain) Again"!
I'll sell you some pounds too
As a US resident, I couldn't care less about a price increase in a country my hometown bounced out exactly 242 years ago.
Nice try, though. 😛
Userlevel 7
+22
Forget Hi-Res
Sonos have already announced Echo support is on the way
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/feb/13/sonos-hikes-uk-prices-by-25-due-to-brexit
"Some of the company’s products are increasing in price by up to 25%, as a result of the collapse in GBP induced by the Brexit vote of June 2016.
“We pay for everything we make in US dollars,” the California-domiciled Sonos said in a statement. “Over recent months, there has been a significant change on the US dollar to GBP exchange rate. As a result, our existing pricing has become unsustainable and, like many other companies, we have to increase prices for all products priced in GBP.”
Sonos joins a growing list of technology companies announcing significant price increases following the vote to leave the EU."
"Some of the company’s products are increasing in price by up to 25%, as a result of the collapse in GBP induced by the Brexit vote of June 2016.
“We pay for everything we make in US dollars,” the California-domiciled Sonos said in a statement. “Over recent months, there has been a significant change on the US dollar to GBP exchange rate. As a result, our existing pricing has become unsustainable and, like many other companies, we have to increase prices for all products priced in GBP.”
Sonos joins a growing list of technology companies announcing significant price increases following the vote to leave the EU."
If there is a statement to the effect that HiRes and Echo voice support will be added in line with the price increase then that may make it easier to swallow. However, a 25% hike when inflation is running at very low levels will make many prospective buyers rethink.
if the reason for the increase is down to USD/GBP exchange rate changes, then why do the prices not drop when the exchange rate goes the other way? Also why is the increase ranging from 15% to 25%, surely the increase would be the same for all products?
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