[SkyBuffalo]

If the only source I could find was overseas, then I might skip a model if the shipping prices got much higher. I could still take the lower U.S. & Canadian shipping.

[kabelace]

Right now shipping cost are not an issue, and if the price of gas keeps on going up that's what will be an issue. I live about a hour away from any decent hobby shops that carry a good amount of die cast, and I own a full size Ford pick up. So paying for shipping is generally a lot cheaper for me than jumping in the truck and taking a drive. If I could borrow the misses car, a Honda Civic ok. But if she found out I took her car to go get some planes ouch.

[Biggie]

Well said, could not agree more.

Biggie

Originally Posted by parsig9

It is an interesting discussion Gort and I've been following what the "experts" are saying about oil too.

Problem is, I don't believe it. I know, I know supply and demand blah blah blah....

40% of the oil prices we're seeing now is being driven by speculators and the futures market not by real demand.

It's (the phantom demand driving up the price artificially) going to tank (sorry). We're due for a 20% correction in the next 6 months IMHO. I do not expect ot see or pay $5/gallon for fuel.

If anything, we've seen the price of models decrease over the last few years. I'm not talking the $60-$70 jets, I mean FM/Armour and Corgi WWII models.

I.ve never paid less for planes than this last 12 months or so. Throw in HM which I find for less than $30 shipped all the time and it's still diecast heaven.

I don't care what shipping charges are. Now let's all go shop for an Escalade!

[RockJock]

Mailing charges are getting to be a problem for sure. I just received two FM B-17's that were packed in one box from my distributor. UPS freight was $44 dollars. Then I had to mail one out to a customer and that cost was $22 dollars. So the total for shipping for one of the big birds was $44.00. This is crazy,, or at least I think so.
With the continually raising oil prices for sure there will be an increase in shipping charges down the not to far road. And I'm sure that diecast will be taking a price increase along with everything else. My advice, if you can find diecast at a good price now, pounce on it. Because theres only one way it can go and thats up.

[timbo]

Originally Posted by wmosner

People keep saying that the oil companies are ripping us off, ever look at the side of a pump and see how much you are taxed?

In the States not a lot compared to the rest of the world - How does $8 - $10 a gallon sound. That's what they are paying in Europe, and the vast majority of that is tax.

Was reading something the other day, and apparently it's not al fun and games in the Oil industry. Refinary companies are not getting a great % return on investment due to the high basic raw material costs. The only people who are making out like robber barrons are the people who pump it out of the ground and the financial speculators who have driven this proce up in the first place.

IMHO if Wall St proves as they ususally do that they are a bunch of lemmings then I think a 20% drop in oil is the minimum it will go down. Once the house of cards starts to fall just watch them flee. There's a lot of money in that market currenty that is not form the "expert investors" who have a history of making a living from it, so I would say we have a major bubble on our hands.

[Biggie]

I dont have any issue with shipping cost from most vendors, I buy most planes on Ebay and my main guy there, has raised the cost for one model but if you add a 2nd or third the cost drops per model too cheap.

Example 1st model 8.95 F-14 by anyone around 4 lbs 2nd added model same size or close $1.50 3rd $1.50 so I end up at $3.98 a model.

I dont think shipping cost will ever affect my online purchases of anything as long as they are in line like above,

I have been to a site or two where I put 4 models in the cart and the shipping was over $25.00, just backed away real fast and never go back.

Biggie

[smartd]

Originally Posted by timbo

In the States not a lot compared to the rest of the world - How does $8 - $10 a gallon sound. That's what they are paying in Europe, and the vast majority of that is tax.

Was reading something the other day, and apparently it's not al fun and games in the Oil industry. Refinary companies are not getting a great % return on investment due to the high basic raw material costs. The only people who are making out like robber barrons are the people who pump it out of the ground and the financial speculators who have driven this proce up in the first place.

IMHO if Wall St proves as they ususally do that they are a bunch of lemmings then I think a 20% drop in oil is the minimum it will go down. Once the house of cards starts to fall just watch them flee. There's a lot of money in that market currenty that is not form the "expert investors" who have a history of making a living from it, so I would say we have a major bubble on our hands.

Of course we saw this week that all the major oil companies produced 1st quarter profits in the Billions. Most in the 60 -- 85 % increase over last year.

[timbo]

Originally Posted by smartd

Of course we saw this week that all the major oil companies produced 1st quarter profits in the Billions. Most in the 60 -- 85 % increase over last year.

They are the ones who pump it out of the ground - The refiners such a Valero are in the same boat as the rest of us rising raw material costs and cannot pass all these on so are having to absorb thus reduced profits.

ROI in the US refining industry is not as good as most people would expect at the moment. On the drilling side of the coin it's off the charts.

[SkyBuffalo]

Originally Posted by timbo

They are the ones who pump it out of the ground - The refiners such a Valero are in the same boat as the rest of us rising raw material costs and cannot pass all these on so are having to absorb thus reduced profits.

ROI in the US refining industry is not as good as most people would expect at the moment. On the drilling side of the coin it's off the charts.

While everyone is hurting from the high prices of food and gas, one winner group are the small farmers here in Kansas, with many of the farms dotted with small oil wells. The farmers are raking record profits from the high food prices, plus the small oil wells, hardly worth it a decade ago, are now bringing in the bucks. They definitely deserve the good times, since the farmers rarely have it this decent, even through the prices make it suck for the rest of us.