ULS laser prices just jumped!

[Paul Phillips]

Just called ULS for a laser cartridge exchange, I just did one 6 months ago, (I have a dual 60w cartridge system) it was $1200, a reasonable price compared to most others I've heard about, they just quoted me $2150! Anyone know why the price has gone up so much? Sucks for me, he said they just changed the pricing too. :eek: Something to consider for the new laser buyer.

[Samuel Espy]

Paul, I have no info. to offer, but is the $2150 quote for the combination of the two 60W cartridges or per cartridge? I am trying to determine if the price has essentially doubled. When I bought my used VLS, I first checked to see what a tube replacement/refurbishment would cost for when the tube died. I think the quote was roughly in the $1200 range. As you alluded to, ULS previously had one of the best replacement costs for western lasers. I sure hope they have not doubled that cost.

[Paul Phillips]

So i just talked to Mike McKenzie my distributor, (I was told by ULS I have to go through my distributor now), he says there was such a huge problem with people not returning their old tube that it was costing them millions so they had to raise their prices and put the burden of any lost tubes onto the distributors. It's hard to believe that there are enough dishonest people out there that the rest of us have to pay the price! :mad:

Samuel, yes $1250 was the price for a single 60w refurbished replacement tube, the price was increased to $2150 in April.

[Samuel Espy]

Thanks for the clarification Paul, but that was obviously not the answer I was hoping for. ;-) I think it is a poor business decision on their part. If the real motive was to deal with people not returning the old cartridge, a deposit would take care of that easily. They are negating one of their selling points (reasonable tube replacement costs) as far as I am concerned.

[Scott Shepherd]

Thanks for the info Paul. I'm not sure I believe that explanation. I thought you had to give them a credit card that would cover the amount if you didn't send it back. If you did send it back, then they didn't charge you the full amount. For instance, they might be a hold on your card for $2,500. Once they got the tube back, they ran the card for $1,200.

If they aren't getting tubes back and it's costing them "millions", then it's their procedures failing, not the cost. That's a really, REALLY poor excuse to blame the customers.

[Dan Hintz]

Thanks for the info Paul. I'm not sure I believe that explanation. I thought you had to give them a credit card that would cover the amount if you didn't send it back. If you did send it back, then they didn't charge you the full amount. For instance, they might be a hold on your card for $2,500. Once they got the tube back, they ran the card for $1,200.

Agreed... something sounds fishy about that explanation.

[Bruce Wernow]

Check on Ebay. Their is someone doing it for a lot less. I hear good things about him. I forget his name but I understand he has been doing this for a long time and is reliable. I have not used him because I have not had the need to. I think his name is Vincent Fazzini or something like that. He does other Brands of Lasers
eBay item # 121750840880

[Paul Phillips]

I think you guys are right, it doesn't seem possible to have that many people failing to return the old laser tube that it would justify a 72% increase in cost, I can understand a slight bump, and then a change in the way things are done, but that much of an increase seems to be just punishing the loyal customers, AND disregarding one of your major selling points, IE one of the most affordable tube replacements in the industry- not any more!

[Paul Phillips]

Check on Ebay. Their is someone doing it for a lot less. I hear good things about him. I forget his name but I understand he has been doing this for a long time and is reliable. I have not used him because I have not had the need to. I think his name is Vincent Fazzini or something like that. He does other Brands of Lasers.
eBay item # 121750840880
Bruce, thanks for the info, $850 seems much more reasonable, has anyone else had any experience with these guys, this could turn out to be a huge deal for Universal if they lose much of their repairs to someone like this! I will check into it more.

[Kev Williams]

I've noticed that ebay ad for a long time, and so far I've found no one on this forum who's used him...? But know this, when I need a tube charged, he's getting it. I see no reason not to give 3x less money to a guy with no negative feedback to do a simple recharge...

[Steve Morris]

Sounds like they decided the profit (if any) at $1200 wasn't enough. If their competitors are charging much more then a business case can be made to be in that ballpark.

[Ross Moshinsky]

Well that's settled. 100% can't recommend ULS anymore. Why buy a laser that needs a tube every 3-5 years, needs bearings/belts/tensioners every 1-3 years, and does just an average job of engraving both in speed and quality?

[Paul Phillips]

Sounds like they decided the profit (if any) at $1200 wasn't enough. If their competitors are charging much more then a business case can be made to be in that ballpark.
That may be true but as was stated, it seems like a 72% increase is a bit much when that is one of your main selling points, and the reasoning seems questionable.

Ross, I'm starting to lean more toward that same opinion.

Bruce, I think I'm going to give the guy from ebay a try, his name is actually Phil Fostini, he responded to my email saying "I'm surprised universal has gone up so much. I work my pricing structure as time, material and labor. For 34 years I have always tried to be fair and take the black magic out of lasers. It also explains why I am receiving a large influx of ULS 50/60 and ULR 60's"
here's the actual website www.evergreenlaser.com
If this works out it could be a very reasonable outlet for many of us. I will post my results when it's done.

[Joe Hillmann]

I'm in the same boat. I priced a replacement tube at the end of last year and I think with shipping it would be right around 1400. That was 1200 for the tube and 200 for shipping.

I just had to replace it last month and it was exactly $2000 and that included shipping.

The funny thing is in the same time the price of the a 60 watt laser has dropped about $6000. Both times when pricing the tube I also asked how much for a new laser.

[Scott Shepherd]

I talked to a ULS rep today and they told me that the price increase happened a couple months ago and I was told that it was because they now included next day shipping costs too and from in that, and they even said that what was $1,400 is now about $2,100. They didn't mention a single word about people not returning tubes, and said it was a documented policy change from ULS.

[Steve Morris]

Sounds like a crock of a reason to me, so its the same cost for shipping 20 miles as it is 1000 miles - yeah right!
If you collect/deliver yourself or arrange your own courier will it be $1400 --- hmmm unlikely.

If its been that price for a long time I don't see an issue with being open that costs have risen and need to be reflected in the selling price.
What I don't like is feeling that I am lied to coz they don't have the courage to be honest.

[Lee DeRaud]

I agree the price jump was a shock when I got mine last month. (Sad bit is, it was starting to fade before the new prices took effect, just wasn't using it enough to really need the new tube.)

But I seem to recall ULS being (much) cheaper on tube replacement than Epilog et al...did they just come up to market level?

[Lee DeRaud]

Just called ULS for a laser cartridge exchange, I just did one 6 months ago, (I have a dual 60w cartridge system) it was $1200, a reasonable price compared to most others I've heard about, they just quoted me $2150! Anyone know why the price has gone up so much? Sucks for me, he said they just changed the pricing too. :eek: Something to consider for the new laser buyer.I was told the new prices were effective in April, so it sounds like you actually got lucky with your previous exchange.

[Bill George]

The deal is, it looks like these name brand laser makers and I own a ULS I would not give up, are going the wrong direction. With the Chinese laser and tube makers already taking a larger share of the market every year these name brand people are shooting themselves in the foot.

They should be thinking about value for the dollar, pound or franc and not price gouging loyal customers.

The chickens will come home to roost and the US mfg will start asking for trade protection when it does.

[Nicolas Silva]

Just got a quote from my distributor for a 45W replacement. Cost is $1750-$1850 shipping included.
No real wait time on a 45W. All the backlog seems to be in the 50 and 60W range.

[Scott Marquez]

(I was told by ULS I have to go through my distributor now).
It looks to me like ULS is giving the distributor a piece of the pie. It makes sense because now you have to call your local distributor more often and while he has you on the phone, if he is doing his sales job he will also keep you abreast to their latest and greatest machine.
Scott

[Paul Phillips]

It looks to me like ULS is giving the distributor a piece of the pie. It makes sense because now you have to call your local distributor more often and while he has you on the phone, if he is doing his sales job he will also keep you abreast to their latest and greatest machine.
Scott
Scott, I think that ULS are trying to shift the burden of lost laser tubes to the individual distributors who will now have to come up with their own return policies if they don't already have them so that they don't suffer the same fate.


The deal is, it looks like these name brand laser makers and I own a ULS I would not give up, are going the wrong direction. With the Chinese laser and tube makers already taking a larger share of the market every year these name brand people are shooting themselves in the foot.

They should be thinking about value for the dollar, pound or franc and not price gouging loyal customers.

The chickens will come home to roost and the US mfg will start asking for trade protection when it does.
Bill, i hope that's not the case but seems more likely than not.


I was told the new prices were effective in April, so it sounds like you actually got lucky with your previous exchange.
Lee, I checked the date, it was actually back in February, time flies by faster than you think I guess.


Just got a quote from my distributor for a 45W replacement. Cost is $1750-$1850 shipping included.
No real wait time on a 45W. All the backlog seems to be in the 50 and 60W range.
Nicolas, I wonder if that price reflects an increase as well?

BTW, I sent the bad tube to http://www.evergreenlaser.com/ so i will give them a try and post the results here when it's done, sounds like a good company so far.

[Scott Shepherd]

Paul, the rep I spoke to said he had never heard of anyone not sending a tube back. If that rep has "never" heard of it, I'd be surprised if that's the issue. He also hadn't heard that from ULS. ULS told him it was a normal price increase to cover next day air shipping both ways.

To me, that's stupid too. Why would you need to next day air a dead tube back? They should next/2nd day the tube depending on the circumstance, then do ground on the way back, making the customer cover the entire cost on a hold on the credit card, then once the tube gets back, process the transaction.

I know the tubes I sent back to Epilog were done that way. Even under warranty you had to pony up a credit card number until they got their tube back.

Someone's not being honest in this mess.

It's not going to make people stop getting tubes recharged, it's going to make people stop getting tubes recharged by ULS, which is exactly what you did. So their new policy has now taken a very loyal ULS customer and sent them out into the market place because they felt they were being ripped off. How's that feeling going to carry over when that customer needs a new laser, or an additional laser? (hint to ULS : Not very well)

I've always liked ULS machines and liked their company and the way they did business, but if this is the direction they are going, it's going to change a lot of opinions on them from a lot of people in the industry.

[Paul Phillips]

Steve, My rep did say that he had seen it happen where he had a customer actually throw away the old tube in the trash! What bothers me most about the increase is that if they are just trying to cover their shipping charges like you said, then a $900 increase seems way over board, like you said, something else is going on, it doesn't seem right and it's turned me off to them.