Bow Prices
 

Just curious to what everyone's take on the current bow prices is. Over the past several years we've witnessed a steady and hefty increase in price in our favorite bows. I for one am starting to lay off buying a bow as often as I did. I love to tinker and play with the new stuff, but its becoming increasingly difficult for me to warrent the 700+ price tag on these things. Most have no more machine work than those of a few years before. Where is all the added cost coming from? I realize that advertising money has to come from some place.

I remember, in 2001 I bought a Hoyt Cybertec for a price of 575.00. This year, the new Hoyts are in excess of 700.

When is the price going to top off for these things?

Whats everyone elses take on this?

RE: Bow Prices
 

I agree to some extent that a bow should not cost more than a good rifle. I do understand some of the cost increases. Anything that has a petroleum base (plastics and such) have had very high increases over the past year. The cost of tooling has also risen, strings and cables are different materials than before. Camo coverings are different than just spray painting and then you have to pay the use cost of Mossy Oak or Real Tree for the camo patterns. Many bows come with vibration damping and that is a bit more cost to the bow. So it guess it all adds up, somewhere there will be a back lash that people will not purchase bows as often as they did before, but then maybe we can trade inour present bow for a newer model, then in ten years the market will be flooded with used bows. Sounds a lot like the auto industry wouldn't you say.

RE: Bow Prices
 

The price isn't going to top off, with the market still paying the manufacturers and resellers will continue to raise them until the market pops. Add in market inflation for our growing economy and that will raise this stuff too.

If you like the toys, why not wait till a couple months for used new models to pop up? I would bet that if Bowtech for example starts shipping 07 product in November, you will see the first ones popping up in Dec/Jan timeframe in the archerytalk.com classifieds.

RE: Bow Prices
 

Alot of these companies have to pay PSE royalties, since PSE is the one that came up with, and patented, a lot of the newer modifications. Those companies can't eat it, so they pass the extra expense to the consumer.

RE: Bow Prices
 

So exactly what Month , day, hour, minute and second am I supposed be able to get myself a Bowtech Guardian? Or at least stand in what will be the longest line in history, to get to shoot one. I hope there will be enough to go around.


I have owned three PSE's in the last fifteen + years ( one was a x-bow ), and I might just have to jump on the Bowtech Bandwagon now. Or at least that's what I am planning.

RE: Bow Prices
 

you know what i think is really sad is the bow manufacturers that advertise half as much as the big 3 for 06 are still charging the hefty prices..no wonder why their(pearson,darton, pse,...alomost everyone but the big 3)sales are way down dispite putting out some great products(i think a price drop is necessary, maybe they will figure it out)...God bless america[&:]

RE: Bow Prices
 

Don't forget that you are also paying for customer service, warrantees, and research & development.

RE: Bow Prices
 

Some of the increase can be attributed to inprovements in design and improved quality and service. However, IMO the biggest part of the increase is simply because they can get it. They would be fools to charge $500 for a bow that they know they cansell for$800.

Simple capitalism and supply & demand.

I've bought 2 new bows in my life and probably won't buy another one. The AT classifieds and the used racks at the local shops have everything I need and if I wait long enough I'll get the price that I want.

I love the guys that have to have the latest and greatest. They drive the market and supply the used bows that I'm looking for.

Now if I can just get a Barnsdale Ultimate X with the bamboo limbs for $200 I'll be set.:eek:

RE: Bow Prices
 

What percent of people actually use their warrenties and customer service...those 2 contribute a very small amount into the price of a bow...imo. They are making bows faster and for less money than ever these days...but we are dumb enough to pay record prices(so they can have record earnings)for these products. some companies costomer service is almostnon existent...leaving the retailer to pick up the slack...with that in mind maybe the retailer is jacking up the prices.

RE: Bow Prices
 

Too many people are just willing to fork over the suggested retail. I bought my 06 Allegiance last year for $200.00 to $250.00 less than most people on the various forums were paying just by taking the time to shop around.

RE: Bow Prices
 

Wow, I've heard of many companies ready and willing to replace limbs or even a bow at no cost to the customer.

I had a Parker that went through two sets of limbs within two years, the company never blinked. I ended up getting rid of it not because of the companies customer service but I couldn't rely on the bow. Especially when packing it in miles in the mountains.

RE: Bow Prices
 

im sorry..... i classify that as warranty...(my fault for not explaining)..not costomer service. costomer service is them calling backand asking how you like your new bow...can we do anything else...answer the phonepromptly....ect ect... SOMETIMES THEY WEASEL OUT OFwarraty...sometimes not. customer service does'nt involve legal issues...WARRANTY does.

RE: Bow Prices
 

While I tend to agree with most statements made regarding warrenty and such, I guess I'm still not convinced about the ever increasing price hikes. The subject of petroleum products was brought up. I haven't recalled the prices of limb savers and such going up at all the past several years.

I guess I understand things go up in price, just hope it doesn't continue to climb at the pace it has been.

RE: Bow Prices
 

My Hoyt is 3 years old now. It has a 7 1/4" brace height and shoots 310 IBO. It is smooth and accurate. I can't see the new bows being that much better than the one I got - at least not $700 better!

I haveconsidered is selling my Razortec and getting a Bowtech Allegiance. I'd like to get parallel limbs and some more speed. Maybe in 2 years I'll buy a used Allegiance for 200 bucks on ebay!

RE: Bow Prices
 

In an industry as competitive as this, you can be sure that the price is as low as it can be. I'm not saying it can't come down, because it can if manufacturing efficiencies improve, or if they find new, cheaper materials. However, for the current state of affairs, the price is where it should be.

In a market economy, if there was room to make money and undercut the exising companies, someone would do it. In fact, it's done to a small degree, but the prices difference is almost always within 10-20% on bows made of similar materials and design. Established companies with cutting-edge designs can always charge more for some models. However, the competition on these top end bows is quite fierce by itself.

There have been plenty of bow companies going out of business in the past. If their profit margins were that high, they certainly would still be selling bows. Not a single one, would close their doors without lowering the price first, in an effort to remain viable. That is, if there was any room to lower. You can rest assured that in an industry where there are many competitors (the bow industry qualifies), their will be many fine products with the price about as low as it can be.

RE: Bow Prices
 

My take on bow prices? Haahahhhaahahahahahahaha!

New bow designs every year means a lot of research and development costs, and that has to be paid for by SOMEBODY. Used to be we'd expect something new every 3-5 years and prices were a LOT less.

Bow warranties that cover arrows down to 5 grains per pound? You, the consumer, asked for it because they advertised "IBO Speeds" to suck you in. Shooting arrows that light means more bows are going to need warranty work. Used to be warranties went down to only 6 gpp and bow prices were a LOT less.

Fancy film dipped camo in licensed patterns costs a lot! Back when we bought a solid color bow and camo'd it ourselves with a fewcolors of spray paint, prices were a LOT less.

Practically everyone hasbeen ledto the belief that they MUST have a fancy machined aluminum riser and that cast or forged risers are cheap junk.True to some extent with cast risers, totally false when talking forged risers. Those machined risers are pricey and forged risers are much less expensive but forged risers make a very good bow. IMO, every bit as good as a machined riser bow and even better than machinedin some ways. Anyway, before the consumer stampede to machined aluminum risers, bow prices were a LOT less.

There are other examples, but my fingers are tired.;)The basic idea is.... When you gripe about bow prices, you gotta remember that you asked for it. [&:]

Oh, and one other thing... I have to admit that Mathewswas the industry leader in this price hike business. P.T.Barnum would've been proud of their marketing strategy! They created a mystique around their single cam format, put a whopping price tag on it and people (or'the sheep-le" [8D])just flocked to it. "If it costs this much, it HAS to be the best!"Before the other manufacturers saw how much Mathews could get consumers to pay for a bow, bow prices were a LOT less.

RE: Bow Prices
 

Good post Arthur....I wonder how much Film dipped camo adds to the price of a bow? thats one thing i could do without. i kind of like the old bows with the stenciled leaf patterns on them....the bigger patterns break up the outline better...the new camos just look nice on the rack.

RE: Bow Prices
 

Hey how do we get Arthur P one of those bucky, stampy thingies on his post? Nicely written!