Recently I’ve talked to several whip makers about the price and availability of kangaroo in the USA. Recently due to many factors including:
- Export permits to get the kangaroo out of Australia
- Import permits to get the kangaroo into the USA
- Strong Australian dollar and weak USA dollar
- Increased shipping costs
- and other increased misc. charges (like bank fees on international purchases)
The price of kangaroo leather has gone up about 20% within the 6 -12 months! While I’ve notice that the retail price for bullwhips has remained the same…guess what…they are going to change. Right now most whip makers are eating the difference and haven’t raised their prices…yet.
All it’s going to take is one whip maker to raise their pricing and all the others will as well. No one wants to be the first to do it, but it something that in my opinion will happen. It not a matter of if but when price will go up.
I’m predicting you’ll see an increase by January.
What does that mean to the average whip cracker? Well it depends on your needs. If you don’t need a new bullwhip then it probably won’t matter, but if you are in the market for a new bullwhip sometime within the next 12 months it could mean a difference in price of about 20% or more!
Of course the price of Kangaroo Leather could drop, but honestly in my opinion it’s very unlikely that the Australian and United States governments really care that they are driving bullwhip prices up with their fees for permits to import or export kangaroo. One thing that would help is if the USA dollar would make a miraculous comeback within the next year, however I’m not holding my breath for that to happen.
So what I’m saying is if you’ve been thinking about buying a bullwhip, or are planning on getting one in the near future now is probably a good time to buy, whip makers prices probably won’t go down anytime soon!
Louie
http://bullwhips.org