The Rising Yen

[bill937ca]

Oh, the rising Yen is killing us.  I have a habit of printing off HS or other dealer listings before I buy a model.

The Micro Ace A1070 Series 371 Limited Express Asagiri has been restocked at HS.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10044787

 

The Japanese Yen price is currently 16,640 Yen. It was higher in the past. Here is a history of the model's US dollar price by date.

 

A1072 7/22/2008 Plaza Japan $188.00

A1070 8/6/2008  HS $173.88  18,720 Yen

A1070 12/28/2009 HS $205.31  18,720 Yen

A1072 4/5/2010 HS $175.94 16.640 Yen

A1070 4/9/2010 HS $178.18 16,640 Yen

A1070 10/20/2010 HS $204.00 16,640 Yen

 

Although the Yen price has not changed, this model today costs almost $30 more than last April when I got my A1070.

 

As far as I know the only difference between the two models is that the A1070 has a diamond pantograph and the A1072 has a Z pantograph.  The prototype was changed from diamond to Z pantograph during a general inspection between October and November 2006 according to Japanese Wikipedia.

[to2leo]

This is all relative of course.  To the Australians, this is the other way around.  As a Canadian, I am just glad I visited Australia last year and not this year. 

[harukablue]

A worthy web site

 

http://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/

[The_Ghan]

.... er .... I think it is actually the sinking US$.  Down here in Australia we are still getting $1 = Y80.  From memory, that's a better rate than we were getting 6-12 months ago!

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[Kabutoni]

Aye, the Euro is also rather expensive, but quite stable in comparison to the US Dollar atm. The prospects say that the Euro is even on the rise again against the Yen if I understand it correctly.

[Guest ___]

The rising yen is killing the Japanese. Well, not the tourists from Japan to the US, they love it, but as for companies over there, they are taking a beating in selling everything from cameras to cars in the US. It's also hurting foreign tourism to Japan as visitors spend less. Tourism is a major part of Japan's' GDP.

[spacecadet]

It's really hurting my business too, which is selling clothes from Japan in the United States.  When my wife and I first started planning to open our store, the dollar was still at around 110 yen, and Japanese clothes were consequently relatively cheap here.  Now we are having to get more and more creative in trying to play up the "designer clothes" angle, even though we're a small store that doesn't look high end at all.  We used to be able to sell a t-shirt for $30 or a dress for $250... now it's more like $40 and $350.  It's a lot harder sell.

 

I'm sure the guys at HS and other Japanese hobby shops aren't happy about it either, since it means they sell fewer items too.  I have been holding off on pulling the trigger on a Yamanote line train over the past few weeks because every time I go to checkout (which I've done three times) it just ends up seeming ridiculous to me to pay $200 (with shipping) for an 8 car train.  

 

Also, I've known from afar how ineffectual the Japanese government usually is, but this is the first time I've personally felt it.  It is really maddening to see them first basically say "oh, there's no problem!" and then finally do a few ridiculous half-measures that actually end up making things worse simply because people expected more and had already built stronger measures into the price of the currency.  I mean I know they can't directly control the currency, but they could be doing more and the fact that they aren't is directly affecting my business, along with anyone else who sells Japanese products to Americans (including large corporations).

 

My wife (who is Japanese) is always telling me it's because the people in government just want to be able to take vacations in America and buy stuff here for cheap.  I'm starting to think she's right.

 

Also... Worst.  Chart.  Ever!

[to2leo]

Well Japan can start doing what the US is doing...bring out the printing machines!

[clem24]

You're all wrong.. It's both the sinking US dollar and the strong Yen! The Euro is actually quite weak right now, though it's starting to climb back up...

[Kabutoni]

Nyeheheheh

 

The Euro to Yen seem over its peak now, but you never know what's going to happen in the future...

 

The Pound Sterling however... Does anyone know an online and internationally shipping company that does Tomytec items from the UK? Seems like now is the time to order some from the UK.

[bill937ca]

Nyeheheheh

 

 

The Pound Sterling however... Does anyone know an online and internationally shipping company that does Tomytec items from the UK? Seems like now is the time to order some from the UK.

 

Try Wellington Models.

 

http://www.wellingtonmodels.com/10440/info.php?p=11&pno=0

[Scaper]

I live in Canada. So I'm kinda happy as the Canadian Dollar is pretty much par with the U.S. Dollar now. So I'm getting things way way cheaper than I could have 5 years ago. Speculation with oil prices have suggest that the Canadian Dollar could go as high as 1.20 U.S. It's bad for Canadian Exporters, but awesome for us Canucks buying stuff from our Neighbors. :D

[Mudkip Orange]

Yeah with the yen going UP and the pound going DOWN I've switched from designing layouts around Tomix geometry to designing layouts around Peco geometry.

 

That 9" radius stub turnout is going to show up in a lot of trolley scenes...