Is This Economics At Work?

[Rolief_Rechner]

My niece in US ask for help getting an HP35s for FE test.
Checking, prices new and used are now crazy high.
I ended up not buying, sent her an extra I had.

This NCEES that gives test has approved only two RPN calculators.
This drives the demand.
HP discontinued both, which drives prices.

Is this just economics at work?
Or is there more happening here?
Contacting HP on this has proved useless.

regards - RR

[zixingcheche]

Hi

it is really happend.
Dec 2021, I got one HP-35s new, it is around USD 80.
but now, the price of new one goes to USD 180.
and if you want to have the 2007 version, which is the 35th years anniversary edition.
the price is around USD 230.

the same thing happend on HP-50g too. (USB 450)

BR,

[Stevetuc]

In the UK its possible to find it for 53.50 GBP (~$70)
https://www.hazoo.co.uk/products/hp-35s-...tor-black?

[Maximilian Hohmann]

Hello!

(02-24-2023 08:03 AM)zixingcheche Wrote:  ...and if you want to have the 2007 version, which is the 35th years anniversary edition.
the price is around USD 230.

the same thing happend on HP-50g too. (USB 450)

The question is only, if anybody ever actually pays these crazy asking prices. With a little patience one can still find these calculators for decent prices on eBay in Europe. Last year I got one of each (HP-35s and HP-50) for less than 30 Euros. Bargains still exist :-)

What these prices really mean is that the end of RPN calculators for this kind of exam has drawn very close. Every other "NCEES approved" calculator (https://www.prepfe.com/fe-exams/resources/calculators) from Texas and Casio is in the below 50$ price range, some from Ti even below 10$ or actually free of charge if you use the digital version. Who would spend a multiple of that on an HP calculator unless he or she already has one? And all those who never used RPN, which must be a vast majority, will certainly not buy an overpriced RPN model just for one exam. This is also economics at work: When prices get too high, demand will just drop to zero.

Regards
Max

[rprosperi]

(02-24-2023 01:01 PM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote:  Last year I got one of each (HP-35s and HP-50) for less than 30 Euros. Bargains still exist :-)

The next time you see a 50g for less than 30 Euros, please purchase it for me. I'll be happy to also pay shipping to USA and a broker fee for you.

I have several already, but for this low price, I'd happily add another.

Thanks Max

[pier4r]

I have already 4 that I need to use, and more will likely end up being unused, but on ebay in europe or the equivalent version of "classifieds/craiglist" (kleinanzeigen in German, annunci in Italian) I saw in the last 6 months at least 2 for 50 € each.

Didn't buy them (as I said, I have enough) and I didn't link them here because I noticed it is not wanted. One has to be patient. Further making an announcement for "search" also works, as people wishing to give it away will contact you.

[Allen]

(02-24-2023 07:42 AM)Rolief_Rechner Wrote:  Is this just economics at work?

I suspect the cost of the calculators is often paid by a firm or business, rather than the FE applicant.

Even at a $100-500 it is still insignificant compared to 1) Cost of a college education 2) Cost of paying for someone's time to be an understudy for the FE exam for 5 years. 3) the cost of the exam itself. 4) the increase in revenue for the hiring firm (or independent consultant) once the FE has been granted and they are certified engineers.

[brouhaha]

(02-24-2023 07:42 AM)Rolief_Rechner Wrote:  Is this just economics at work?
Or is there more happening here?

If you are suggesting that it might have some cause OTHER than economics, you should give us a hint as to what you think it might be. A shadowy cabal conspiring to sabotage engineering testing? Laboratory mice plotting to take over the world? Malevolent aliens wanting revenge for Earth obstructing their view of Venus?

[Steve Simpkin]

(02-24-2023 11:20 PM)brouhaha Wrote:  

(02-24-2023 07:42 AM)Rolief_Rechner Wrote:  Is this just economics at work?
Or is there more happening here?

If you are suggesting that it might have some cause OTHER than economics, you should give us a hint as to what you think it might be.
1. A shadowy cabal conspiring to sabotage engineering testing?
2. Laboratory mice plotting to take over the world?
3. Malevolent aliens wanting revenge for Earth obstructing their view of Venus?

Great..
Three more things that I now have to think and worry about as if there wasn't already enough...

[rprosperi]

(02-25-2023 03:48 AM)Steve Simpkin Wrote:  

(02-24-2023 11:20 PM)brouhaha Wrote:  If you are suggesting that it might have some cause OTHER than economics, you should give us a hint as to what you think it might be.
1. A shadowy cabal conspiring to sabotage engineering testing?
2. Laboratory mice plotting to take over the world?
3. Malevolent aliens wanting revenge for Earth obstructing their view of Venus?

Great..
Three more things that I now have to think and worry about as if there wasn't already enough...

And thank goodness that they are now numbered, so I can worry about such things in a structured way. It's enough to fret about such threats to our daily existence without also having to keep track of their sequence, etc. Phew!

[Eddie W. Shore]

If nothing else, it shows that HP calculators, the RPN calculators, are still in demand. (sorry, HP 10SII)

[Thomas Radtke]

(02-25-2023 04:09 PM)Eddie W. Shore Wrote:  If nothing else, it shows that HP calculators, the RPN calculators, are still in demand. (sorry, HP 10SII)

Yes, by a few insane collectors.

Bummer, I brought the 35s to my office to save my 32SII from getting stolen. How low can I go now?

[Lukas]

(02-24-2023 12:24 PM)Stevetuc Wrote:  In the UK its possible to find it for 53.50 GBP (~$70)
https://www.hazoo.co.uk/products/hp-35s-...tor-black?

Have you bought a 35s from that website? If so, did it work out? The reviews for Hazoo that I found online rather suggest that the website is a scam.

[Martin Hepperle]

(05-04-2023 03:36 PM)Lukas Wrote:  ...
Have you bought a 35s from that website? If so, did it work out? The reviews for Hazoo that I found online rather suggest that the website is a scam.

You can easily look at the address given on their web site i.e.
https://www.google.de/maps/@51.541981,-0...384!8i8192

Looks like three small houses - no sign of a company. At least very suspicious.

[rprosperi]

This is a well-known scam site that collects data to sell to other email/scammers to spread advertising offers, etc.

Here are lots of comments from Trustpilot, a well-trusted source for these types of issues:

https://www.trustpilot.com/review/hazoo.co.uk

[John Garza (3665)]

Complaining about prices of HP calculators?
Oh My, what has the world come to...
Please tell that to those who spent the equivalent of $5,000 back in 1974 for an HP-65.

Serious professionals are attracted to good tools of the trade.
If they have to use a lesser machine for some arcane rules in an exam, so be it - likely temporarily.

What machine do you think they will choose for the remainder of their professional career?

-j

[nickapos]

(05-06-2023 12:26 AM)John Garza (3665) Wrote:  Complaining about prices of HP calculators?
Oh My, what has the world come to...
Please tell that to those who spent the equivalent of $5,000 back in 1974 for an HP-65.

Serious professionals are attracted to good tools of the trade.
If they have to use a lesser machine for some arcane rules in an exam, so be it - likely temporarily.

What machine do you think they will choose for the remainder of their professional career?

-j

I never thought I would have to use my non programmable calculators again and then I had to take a test and only non programmable were allowed. It was like going from a Ferrari to a Fiat cinquecento….
The price for most HPs is justified, not so sure about HP35 though but the rest, yeah
they still rock.

[Peet]

(05-06-2023 12:26 AM)John Garza (3665) Wrote:  Complaining about prices of HP calculators?
Oh My, what has the world come to...
Please tell that to those who spent the equivalent of $5,000 back in 1974 for an HP-65.

That's the point with equivalents.
An HP-65 in 1974 is equivalent to a $5000 PC or a MacPro today.
An HP35s today is equivalent to a slide rule in 1974.

The current prices of the HP35s are the result of a demand for a discontinued product (collectible prices).

[Stevetuc]

(05-05-2023 12:21 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  This is a well-known scam site that collects data to sell to other email/scammers to spread advertising offers, etc.

Here are lots of comments from Trustpilot, a well-trusted source for these types of issues:

https://www.trustpilot.com/review/hazoo.co.uk

Thanks for the head-ups, I should have looked closer before posting.