Price of Sony VTC5A?

[aLyr]

Hello all,

I noticed that the price of Sony VTC5As has markedly risen during the last few months.

Here some prices of my preferred seller for comparison:

• LG HG2 3.0Ah 8.90€
• Sony VTC5 2.6Ah 8.90€
• Samsung 30Q 3.0Ah 8.90€
• Sony VTC6 3.1Ah 10.90€
• Sony VTC5A 2.6Ah 11.90€

Today, the price of the VTC5A exceeds that of the VTC6.
Other sellers are even asking higher prices for the VTC5A.

I wonder how this came.
Do you have an idea?
Is this the same in your country?

Best regards,
aLyr

 

[mimöschen]

NKon.nl has the VTC5A for 5,75€ (special price), and akkuteile.de for 7,95€.
Overall their normal prices stayed quite constant.

Looks like it's time for you to change your preferred shop.

 

[Baditude]

It could simply be a "supply and demand" issue. According to a recent poll by Battery Mooch, Sony is the preferred battery manufacturer by far. His most recommended battery ("best all around 18650") is the Sony VTC5A.

“Favorite Battery Company” Poll Results

 

[mimöschen]

But why is there a pricedrop at nkon?
Come on. Some shops just think, that they can get away with overpriced stuff, as long as the "stupid" customer is willing to pay for it, or doesn't want to compare prices from other sellers.
So shop smart. shop S-Mart.
Or something like that.

 

[Baditude]

But why is there a pricedrop at nkon?
Come on. Some shops just think, that they can get away with overpriced stuff, as long as the "stupid" customer is willing to pay for it, or doesn't want to compare prices from other sellers.

I went shopping for a ~40 inch size~ flat screen tv a few months ago. I knew I wanted an LG, Sanyo, Samsung, or Sony brand. The Sony's were way over my expected budget. I "settled" for the Sanyo. No complaints so far.

I don't know if that is a pertinent anology or not, but apparently the huge price difference for the Sony TV's hasn't affected their popularity or sales.

Some vendors will charge a premium price for the most coveted items, and know that they can get away with it. The Sony VTC5A is the most coveted 18650 battery at the time, so they can and will get a premium price for it if the shopper doesn't shop around.

Could be that some customers will purchase all of their gear from whomever they consider a trusted vendor, regardless of price.

 

[mimöschen]

Sure they can. But only if you don't compare. If there's a cheaper and reliable alternative seller, that offers the exact same item at half the price, you should know, that the more expensive shops are essentially ripoffs. And if you still want to spend your money there, you either have too much money, have your heart bound to a specific shop for whatever reasons, or you are just comfortably dumb.

 

[Baditude]

@mimöschen Hey, people are free to spend their money how they want as far as I'm concerned. It's their money.

I buy all of my batteries at RTD Vapor. I don't shop around, because I like the vendor and have supported him for several years. I know he sells authentic and has always had competitive pricing.

Sometimes I enjoy being "comfortably numb".



I bought this DVD after seeing the concert on PBS.

 

[mimöschen]

I never said anything else.

That means you're bound to the shop for a (good) reason.

Pompeii is nice. But Pulse is even better. I still get goosebumps when that flower opens. Shame on me.

 

[stols001]

I feel the same way about IMRbatteries.com. I don't price shop, I use them (unless they don't have the battery I want) always, and the reason for my customer loyalty is, they're fast, they really are inexpensive, they include free wraps and also battery containers along with it, when I've messed up an order in the past, they go out of their way to make my mistake right (at no charge whatsoever I may add, even if they've had to pay shipping costs twice, and they are consistent, and just all around awesome.

There are certain vendors I will support (like HOH, if I'm buying from the US) because they are simply businesses I WANT to stay around.

You can't put a price on customer loyalty, and for those extremely excellent vendors, I am going to spend some time supporting them, simply because I want them to exist in the vaping world and etc.

Anna

 

[mimöschen]

Loyalty to a specific shop is a good thing imo.
But when prices double for no reason, there's something wrong. Sure, the VTC5A is on the wishlist from a lot of vapers out there, but when I see, that the price policy can go the other way round, it'd make me think, if the loyalty is 100% justified.
But everyone has to decide that for himself.

 

[quechucha]

Something is going on with this model of batteries, i usually buy them in lots of 24 and since a couple of week the price at imrbatteries and liionwholesale jumped to ~usd$7.5-8 and they are not offering wholesale discounts (qty discount) anymore in this model, last time i bought them at $6.25 each.

 

[stols001]

What is going on is that more people are learning about batteries and that your current model is the "best" one. It's called supply and demand.

And, it's still worth more people learning about batteries. Of course I say that from the lowly position of not needing more than a Samsung 25 battery. It's "my" best battery and I can get one for five bucks. Etc.

Anna

 

[aLyr]

Well, I saw that the cost of several LiIon cells has risen very much looking at the sites of suppliers in my country.

Thus, I decided to order 2x LG HG2 @akkuteile.de, though I have to pay for shipment. But this is still cheaper than what I'd have to pay in a local shop.

And the VTC5As cost far too much, wherever I find them.