How many of you guys ordered from the Aero sale?

[ton312]

I get it, but find it really sad that a quality leather jacket, once a staple of a blue collar worker, has now become accessible only to well-to-do.

But I guess it goes hand-in-hand with starter homes no longer being accessible to the young, and even groceries being too expensive.

Not good.

Fortunately people F' up Aero orders fairly regulalry so the pre-loved market is pretty deep with options. A pre-owned Aero will always struggle to sell for more than $600 with most ending at auction around $550 or less. I fully agree with your sentiment.

 

[58panheadfan]

I just configured a Rockafella in Badalassi with lochcarron lining and one inside pocket. Price ex VAT is £1175.

View attachment 634663

Shipping to Europe used to be £30, not sure what it is today but let's assume it's still £30. That would make it £1205 total. Importing it into the EU adds another 30% which means £1567 all in. That's €1840 (ignoring the currency conversion fee which actually adds another 2%).

A Thedi jacket in Badalassi costs €1750 +€50 shipping = €1800

Which means Aero is now more expensive than Thedi.

With the recent price increase of Aero we are getting closer to the premium brands from Japan (RC, DH etc.) due to the current low yen. No question for me if I had to choose, made in Japan 100%.

 

[onstar]

With the recent price increase of Aero we are getting closer to the premium brands from Japan (RC, DH etc.) due to the current low yen. No question for me if I had to choose, made in Japan 100%.

What are the Japanese brands?

 

[MrProper]

With the recent price increase of Aero we are getting closer to the premium brands from Japan (RC, DH etc.) due to the current low yen. No question for me if I had to choose, made in Japan 100%.

I still tend to stick with Aero. I can get the jackets the way I want them without having to go to a tailor after buying them. What's more, the price is only relevant if you want to sell it straight away. If you want to pass it on to your children, it doesn't really matter whether it cost 100 more or less.

 

[58panheadfan]

What are the Japanese brands?

e.g. Rainbow Country & Double Helix...

 

[58panheadfan]

I still tend to stick with Aero. I can get the jackets the way I want them without having to go to a tailor after buying them. What's more, the price is only relevant if you want to sell it straight away. If you want to pass it on to your children, it doesn't really matter whether it cost 100 more or less.

I can understand that... although DH also offers a custom service. On the other hand... once you've tasted blood with made in japan jackets and know what fits you... there's no going back, at least not for me.

 

[mihai]

Aero is one of the few niche manufacturers of high quality outwear, that offers comprehensive customization services and is nice to deal with. They deserve to continue existing and be supported.

However in this unstable economic context, inflation, stagnating wages I find harder to afford spending well above 1000 GBP for a jacket. I wish I could.

 

[onstar]

I can understand that... although DH also offers a custom service. On the other hand... once you've tasted blood with made in japan jackets and know what fits you... there's no going back, at least not for me.

I kinda agree, I owned a few Japanese made baseball gloves in the past. Their leather is far better than any brand name American. Only issue is the fit..

Do you have any other Japanese brand that you can recommend

 

[Guppy]

I kinda agree, I owned a few Japanese made baseball gloves in the past. Their leather is far better than any brand name American. Only issue is the fit..

Do you have any other Japanese brand that you can recommend

Freewheelers, Real McCoys/Joe McCoy/Toys McCoy, Iron Heart, The Flat Head, West Ride, Fine Creek...

 

[mihai]

With the recent price increase of Aero we are getting closer to the premium brands from Japan (RC, DH etc.) due to the current low yen. No question for me if I had to choose, made in Japan 100%.

Personally I find the Japanese jackets cuts are too much altered for their demographic (slim and long) not very true to the originals. Not working for me. Also their leathers look a bit flimsy and have some artificial look I don't like. Also the communication barrier, distance, logistics makes it too much of a hassle in case something doesn't work out.

 

[58panheadfan]

Personally I find the Japanese jackets cuts are too much altered for their demographic (slim and long) not very true to the originals. Not working for me. Also their leathers look a bit flimsy and have some artificial look I don't like. Also the communication barrier, distance, logistics makes it too much of a hassle in case something doesn't work out.

Absolutely, so if you've found what you're looking for, you couldn't be happier with leather jackets made in Japan. But as always, that's a matter of taste.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Japanese jackets in larger sizes are at least ¥240,000 plus right now, that's just under $1,650 before you have to add the import cost.

American jackets, for the most part, are still $1,200 to $1,600 for the ones made with premium leather. Although they're also increasing prices too so that may change soon.

Aero jackets are about £1,000 after the price increase. That's $1,350.

Aero truckers are under priced before by quite a bit, but is over priced now after the adjustment. I hope they can re-look at this particular model again. There are certain things Aero do well with this model, but the post price increase price is a bit high by comparison. Generally speaking Xzips are the most expensive regardless where it is made. Longer coats are always expensive new but biggest depreciation on used market. And trucker jackets, even Japanese made ones, are not priced at the top of the line up, usually mid tier pricing. Even from over priced brands like RMC, their current Type I jacket is ¥264,000 and their current J-24 jacket is ¥330,000. Either the Vincent is under priced by £100, or the trucker is over priced by £100, that's just my personal opinion, seller always has the right to sell at whatever price they'd like.

In my closet right now, I've got equal amounts of Japanese jackets and American jackets, and half that is UK jackets, so 40%/40%/20% mix. I'd like to think that I am only keeping what I perceive to be the best in each individual design category. My advise is not to limit yourself at the start, Japanese/American/European. But instead look at the same design from all over, compare prices, get the most you can for your money.

 

[Leather_nube]

Aero (Holly) has be very gracious and allowed me to order a western shirt in unfinished horsehide, even though it has been recently discontinued. I'll likely have the last in the line, I think it should get a special stamp

The base price in 500 GBP. There will be a 15% discount on this. The unifinished HH costs 75 pounds which isn't included in the sale. We're waiting for the production manager to return to clarify some further details but let's do the calcs with these prices. 500*0.85 + 75 + 50 (postage) = 550 GBP. This is ca. €650. Add 30% (I think it'll be closer to 24% in Germany) = €845.

A similar shirt, the Iron Heart * SB Pale Rider, if it were available, would cost €1344 (https://www.ironhearteu.com/tops/IHSB-PR-NAT.html). That's the lowest price I can see. Thus, I'm saving €499 theorethical eurons with Aero. Put another way, the IH*SB products costs 59% more than the Aero offering. Ignoring the sale discount I arrive at an all inclusive cost for the Aero of €958 which puts the IH*SB product at only 40% more expensive. Clearly, for this product at least, a 40% increase in price from Aero simply brings it inline with IH*SB pricing.

Also notably, most of our UK counterparts don’t remove UK sales tax from their prices for international purchases while we have and still do.

UK sales tax is another very valid point, hats off to Aero here. Over the previous number of years I have corresponded with both Aero and SB about this. I told both companies I will not be ordering anything until both UK and non-UK customers pay the same price. I'm not a fan of discrimination and vote with my money. Admittedly, I did buy a second hand HWM which I love. Aero have since addressed the issue and I'm very happy and excited to place my first order with them. SB informed me in 2023 that they have no intention of addressing the discrepancy in price between what UK vs. non-UK customers pay ("we have no plans to change our pricing policy"). The price differential causes me an odd, uncomfortable feeling; SB make either more profit from non-UK costomers or give a discount to UK customers. That's a deal breaker. I'll thus continue not purchasing their products. As an aside, I should note here that the correspondence with SB was enjoyable, quick, and thoroughly friendly.

Can't bloody wait for my Aero Western Shirt!

 

[LukeST]

SB informed me in 2023 that they have no intention of addressing the discrepancy in price between what UK vs. non-UK customers pay ("we have no plans to change our pricing policy"). The price differential causes me an odd, uncomfortable feeling; SB make either more profit from non-UK costomers or give a discount to UK customers. That's a deal breaker. I'll thus continue not purchasing their products.

Most likely it is because the criteria for retaining evidence of export, how long you have to keep it for, and how you account for this sale in order to zero rate goods for VAT in the UK is a bit onerous.
As you say, hats off to Aero for putting the effort in for their customers here

 

[Marc mndt]

This is ca. €650. Add 30% (I think it'll be closer to 24% in Germany) = €845.

In the Netherlands it would calculate like this:

€650 is >€150 so import duties of 4% need to be paid. This amounts to €26

Then VAT of 21% needs to be paid over the base sum + duties. This amounts to €142.

In total I'd be €650+€26+€142= €818 which is about 26%.

On top of that DHL will charge handling fees of €17,50 (which is criminal imo).

Edit: calculation adjusted according to @Harris HTM feedback that duties are 4% instead of 12%.

 

[Harris HTM]

In the Netherlands it would calculate like this:

€650 is >€150 so import duties of 12% need to be paid. This amounts to €78

Then VAT of 21% needs to be paid over the principle sum + duties. This amounts to €153.

In total I'd be €650+€78+€153= €881 which is about 36%.

On top of that DHL will charge handling fees.

If I am not mistaken for leather jacket the import duty is 4%. If I remember well from the last time I received a jacket from Aero, a year ago. And indeed extra 17,5 euros for DHL.

 

[LukeST]

Hi folks,



Just dropping a post to explain the reasons for our pricing restructure.


For many years, we’ve worked exceptionally hard to keep our prices as accessible as possible, even as the costs of materials, labour, and operations have continued to rise. We’ve always charged what we think is fair, not what we can get away with. However, as a company that prides itself on uncompromising quality, we reached a point where maintaining our previous pricing structure was no longer sustainable without sacrificing the very elements that make our jackets exceptional – elements that we refuse to make our jackets and run our business without.

Guided by that same philosophy, we’ve done our best to limit price increases over the last few years when prices have sky-rocketed around us and this has made this adjustment larger than it would have been had we spread this out more evenly like many of our competitors have (which was a costly mistake on our part).

From our research, the average ballpark base price of our competitors is now around the £1,250-£1,300 mark (some exceedingly higher) with relatively high customisation upcharges (or limited options). Also notably, most of our UK counterparts don’t remove UK sales tax from their prices for international purchases while we have and still do. At the same time, we were still maintaining an average base price point of around £750 ex VAT with comparatively low customisation upcharges. Our material, wage and overheads costs are at least the same and in many cases exceed those of other manufacturers in our market, as is the case with the quality of our final product… and yet we have been selling our jackets at a price point around 40% lower than the average for our market.



Even after our recent price adjustment, we remain amongst the most accessibly priced within our market - our average base price ex VAT is now £825-£925. Some styles are more depending on their manufacturing complexity, but the majority of our popular styles fall within that bracket.



Regarding the Chromexcel Horsehide surcharge, horsehide and especially that of the quality needed for Chromexcel which is carefully graded and selected and only skins of a certain quality make the grade for Chrxl,skins that don't make the grade are used for other Horween products. Horween have been working very hard to secure a regular supply of raw hides but by its nature it is far rarer and more difficult to manage than any of our other leathers and the new surcharge is to cover the higher costs we absorb in sourcing/managing it. We also face increasing costs in importing from the US.
Chromexcel Steerhide is still available as a default with no upcharge as its much more readily available and easy for us to manage.



We hope this explains why this price increase has been higher than we’ve done in previous years and explains that this isn’t a greedy cash grab, it’s an absolutely necessary adjustment to align our prices with our costs and continue to sustain our business. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that the level of price difference and subsequent direction we were headed was no longer viable and we really have done our best to maintain the accessible price point that we’re so proud to have offered our customers for so many years.

Thank you @Hide'n'seek for taking the time to give such a full explnantion.

I hope you did not think many of the comments above implied greed on your part - we are all conscious of significant cost pressures over recent times, including some that are industry specific, and you've obviously outlined some of those in far more detail than many of us could have.

I think the biggest reason this change caused so much comment was a combination of size and surprise.
I would personally urge you to consider that the next time you have a price restructure of this size, to try to let customers know beforehand (even if only to email subscribers). Change is always easier to accept with some forewarning, likewise no-one really wants to find out that CXL HH as an option now requires an additional surcharge (albeit for the good reasons you've outlined) at the moment they go to customise thier jacket, when they could have read before that the change was incoming.

Anyway, I will stop banging this drum now.

Many of us know the value of the Aero offering, and your longstanding price competitiveness vis a vis other benchmark competitors.
And I look forward to the next jacket...

 

[Marc mndt]

If I am not mistaken for leather jacket the import duty is 4%.

Good to know, I've read that the maximum for clothing is 12% but not sure how much the actual percentage would be.

 

[Hide'n'seek]

Japanese jackets in larger sizes are at least ¥240,000 plus right now, that's just under $1,650 before you have to add the import cost.

American jackets, for the most part, are still $1,200 to $1,600 for the ones made with premium leather. Although they're also increasing prices too so that may change soon.

Aero jackets are about £1,000 after the price increase. That's $1,350.

Aero truckers are under priced before by quite a bit, but is over priced now after the adjustment. I hope they can re-look at this particular model again. There are certain things Aero do well with this model, but the post price increase price is a bit high by comparison. Generally speaking Xzips are the most expensive regardless where it is made. Longer coats are always expensive new but biggest depreciation on used market. And trucker jackets, even Japanese made ones, are not priced at the top of the line up, usually mid tier pricing. Even from over priced brands like RMC, their current Type I jacket is ¥264,000 and their current J-24 jacket is ¥330,000. Either the Vincent is under priced by £100, or the trucker is over priced by £100, that's just my personal opinion, seller always has the right to sell at whatever price they'd like.

In my closet right now, I've got equal amounts of Japanese jackets and American jackets, and half that is UK jackets, so 40%/40%/20% mix. I'd like to think that I am only keeping what I perceive to be the best in each individual design category. My advise is not to limit yourself at the start, Japanese/American/European. But instead look at the same design from all over, compare prices, get the most you can for your money.

Part of the repricing was to look more carefully at labour involved in its construction and the materials used etc..... the Jean jackets actually have a lot of work not just in the initial construction but also in the finishing. The jacket is double topstitched throughout and this is done on a single needle machine not a twin needle, something as "simple" as the sleeve vent is actually quite time consuming. We then have the finishing which if a button front involves 12 button holes and 14 buttons, the finishing is done by myself so I know how long this can take. (Usually the Jean jackets have a contrast stitch so the button hole machine needs to be rethread )
We have looked similarly into all of our styles some of which were underpriced in comparison to the labour involved. You will notice that our simpler styles have had less of an increase.

Hope this helps

 

[Harris HTM]

Good to know, I've read that the maximum for clothing is 12% but not sure how much the actual percentage would be.

I couldn't find any receipt, however I checked the amounts in euros spent in my credit card: In june 2023 I spent 1324e for ordering a Barnstormer and a waistcoat; I received them in September when I paid DHL 339e. Subtracting the 17e fee, customs was 322e, or 24,3% of the original amount. I guess import duties are indeed 4% and the small differences are due to slightly changed exchange rates between June and September.