Hmmm. I wonder if the cost of his parts went up. Maybe the machining for the new casework is higher. Perhaps, a different design and production run of modular circuit boards. He doesn’t have the same purchasing power for volume discounts as his bigger competitors.
Is it possible that Billie’s cost-of-living has gone up? Car insurance? Health insurance? Business liability insurance? How about the rent for his shop? I’ve used the same independent auto mechanic for 10 years. His shop labor has risen from $70/hr to $140/hr. I suspect he’s using the same socket wrenches.