Steel prices. Ugh Options

[mb911]

Been fighting this all year and it's getting worse. The stainless I use in my products is mostly out of stock until the end of the year. The prices have gotten out of control and it now costs me to sell anything I sell. I have filler metal on order that has been on order for 24 weeks now. I am going to be forced to raise prices but I am fearful that will be the end of my business as that will likely price most folks out of my products. I even considered doing a hybrid muffler with steel internals and I can't even get that. I am fortunate to have some inventory for quiet mufflers but my cheaper mufflers are likely a thing of the past. The quiet mufflers at current inflation rates will be over $1000 to even make 5%.

What is everyone else seeing? I hope to weather the storm but wow crazy times.

[wonkipop]

steel, timber, construction commodities similar story in aus.
.....but i don't know if this is happening in usa.
the price of second hand cars has gone through the roof.
you can't buy a new car. 6 month waiting list minimum on anything.
(all cars are now imported into aus since closure of local manufacturing 5 years ago).

with covid nobody will travel on mass transit.
everybody wants a car, or a second car or a third car.

person i know had the foresight to put in an order for a new range rover last year during the mother of all the big lockdowns here. it took a while for the order to be filled and he took delivery of his new range rove about 3 months ago. he sold his old range rover (less than 2 years old) for more than its purchase price and for more than the price of his new range rover making a handsome profit.

i see junk cars getting sold for crazy money. cars that would barely be worth anything a year ago.

[StarBear]

steel, timber, construction commodities similar story in aus.
.....but i don't know if this is happening in usa.
the price of second hand cars has gone through the roof.
you can't buy a new car. 6 month waiting list minimum on anything.
(all cars are now imported into aus since closure of local manufacturing 5 years ago).

with covid nobody will travel on mass transit.
everybody wants a car, or a second car or a third car.

person i know had the foresight to put in an order for a new range rover last year during the mother of all the big lockdowns here. it took a while for the order to be filled and he took delivery of his new range rove about 3 months ago. he sold his old range rover (less than 2 years old) for more than its purchase price and for more than the price of his new range rover making a handsome profit.

i see junk cars getting sold for crazy money. cars that would barely be worth anything a year ago.

Yep; the same here. Plus appliances.