Paul Kelf said...


Sausage, 40% is a lot of difference & should be pointed out to the shop, they may be un-aware of current overseas pricing, they might even have a good look at their pricing before they go broke

Paul,
Shops not shop .............

I won't list all the items and their cost comparison but as an example;
Chinook Carbon SDM 28cm extension - $188.95AUD (from Aus retailer), $108USD from the US retailer.
It's approximately the same percentage for all the items I purchased except the Neil Pryde vest which cost me $90USD as opposed to $130 here in OZ. Next time I might just supply a quote from the US retailer to an Aussie shop and see what they can do. I won't be changing my buying methods due to some emotive stance that buying offshore will cruel Australian Retailers. Australian retailers only cruel themselves by arrogantly believing their customers will continually pay incredible mark-up on products they can buy elsewhere much much cheaper.

As a professional in my own business I only probably get 1 in 5 projects quoted for due to price alone. I do not get bitter if someone choses another supplier due to cost and understand that this to be the nature of a competitive marketplace. Retailers have to understand that there is a whole new world economy and marketplace out there that has come about with the advent of the internet. Local retailers either can bury their head in the sand or catch up with the demands of their customers.

PS - My gear was mailed from the US on Friday, passed through Australian Customs yesterday and is due here tomorrow. When I buy gear from WA it takes longer than this.

Paul Kelf said...

SWS said...

why pay $1000 for a new sail when you can buy one of a different brand for $700 which some would say a better sail from a online shop.

Here's one reason

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Gps/Help-2011-73-Switch-Blade/

Everyone will at some time take a chance & buy on the net, that's ok but don't complain when it goes pear shaped.

At the end of the day you decide if the retailer is fair with their pricing & whether you get the service to justify the additional cost.

So Kel found it hard to rig the SwitchBlade on his current mast, did he contact the supplier with regards to what options he has?
Without having a physical store as such the after market service( of windsurfing sales) is second to none and the ability to ask Monty questions directly about his sails goes without saying.
Seems that local shop owners are getting abit narky and try to make a big thing about any incident that involves gear purchased on line, i'm sure there are sailors out there who have had run ins with local shops and have never returned.
I purchase allmy gear on line and from Australian retailers;

Windsurfing sales
Surf Sail
Windsurfing Shed

These guys have great online stores which are easy to navigate and products which are in stock, being out in the country i'm not going to drive 2+ hours to my local shop with the odds that what I want isn't on the shelf.
Unless the current retailers come up with a better business model then the windsurfing side will disappear, no use in pointing the finger at the online resellers they are meeting the needs and expectations of todays sailors who are getting sick of paying over inflated prices on some goods.

Paul Kelf said...

choco said...

Paul Kelf said...

SWS said...

why pay $1000 for a new sail when you can buy one of a different brand for $700 which some would say a better sail from a online shop.

Here's one reason

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Gps/Help-2011-73-Switch-Blade/

Everyone will at some time take a chance & buy on the net, that's ok but don't complain when it goes pear shaped.

At the end of the day you decide if the retailer is fair with their pricing & whether you get the service to justify the additional cost.

So Kel found it hard to rig the SwitchBlade on his current mast, did he contact the supplier with regards to what options he has? Without having a physical store as such the after market service( of windsurfing sales) is second to none and the ability to ask Monty questions directly about his sails goes without saying.
Seems that local shop owners are getting abit narky and try to make a big thing about any incident that involves gear purchased on line, i'm sure there are sailors out there who have had run ins with local shops and have never returned.
I purchase allmy gear on line and from Australian retailers;

Windsurfing sales
Surf Sail
Windsurfing Shed

These guys have great online stores which are easy to navigate and products which are in stock, being out in the country i'm not going to drive 2+ hours to my local shop with the odds that what I want isn't on the shelf.
Unless the current retailers come up with a better business model then the windsurfing side will disappear, no use in pointing the finger at the online resellers they are meeting the needs and expectations of todays sailors who are getting sick of paying over inflated prices on some goods.

Exactly my point, why is the shop/supplier not sorting the problem for him.
Maybe he didn't ask the shop/supplier, I don't know but like I said that would be my first call before I started cutting cams etc.

I am not defending retailers, I am just saying that they should be able to justify the additional cost whether it be after sales service or the chance to demo gear or whatever.

I can see that they are probably caught out at the moment with stock they purchased at high prices, it's always hard to take a hit.
The shops would have to weigh that up against losing more customers because their prices are too high.

People should probably be more open with the shops & explain their reasons for buying elsewhere, surely it could only build a better relationship and you might get some bargains

Hopefully the problem has been sorted,
In regards to prices checking on line I can buy 3 - 2011 race sails online delivered to my door for $2587, buying the same amount of sails(same sizes well known brand) from a shop it would cost me $5,816 + delivery, the gap between the two is too great, there's enough info online to find what I need in terms of questions with regards to any rigging problems etc.

Anyway enough of this crap lets enjoy what we like and that is sailing wether you turn up in a ferrari with roof racks and have all the latest gear or rock up in an old Hk Holden we still have the same amount of fun!

sausage said...
Retailers have to understand that there is a whole new world economy and marketplace out there that has come about with the advent of the internet. Local retailers either can bury their head in the sand or catch up with the demands of their customers.

Unfortunatly it is not a level playing field through out the world, we have nearly killed off manufacturing in Australia now we want to stick the knife into retailers even the ones we love.

For the same reasons as above I am no longer going to speak English. There are over 250,000 distinct words in English but only 340 in Taki Taki.

Now that is a big difference and I don't know how English speakers justify the riducously inflated vocabulary.

Why should I put up with listening to Australians banging on in an increadible number of words when I can go phone Taki Taki land and listen to only 340.

Sorry, but the difference it too great. World communication is changing and I am going to change with it.

Kuneti

mi fadon gron lafu

Reflex Films said...

"Sailing gear from US"

Its a bloody long way to sail gear from the USA !

thats up there with

"us ships head to somalia"

and

"police cant stop gambling"

New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group

Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges !

Is There a Ring of Debris around Uranus?

Interesting thread guys, Being a shop owner you could say I am Bias, I too think that the RRP in Australia are too high, these are set my the importers who bump it up to try and "trick" the shops into the fact they we will make more money so therefore buy more of them. Personally next year I will be making a large change and not following these so called retail prices.

The main problem we have is winter, my business turn over after Easter drops by 80 % !!!!! until September so I loose money big time for 5 months

So this year I thought I would offer 40% off all items in stock , advertised this with the local club , made up vouchers . Sold One naish Hoodie !!!!!!!!

bc said...

Interesting thread guys, Being a shop owner you could say I am Bias, I too think that the RRP in Australia are too high, these are set my the importers who bump it up to try and "trick" the shops into the fact they we will make more money so therefore buy more of them. Personally next year I will be making a large change and not following these so called retail prices.

The main problem we have is winter, my business turn over after Easter drops by 80 % !!!!! until September so I loose money big time for 5 months

So this year I thought I would offer 40% off all items in stock , advertised this with the local club , made up vouchers . Sold One naish Hoodie !!!!!!!!

Simon at least your proactive! I thought you imported your own stock in from overseas?
ps love the Falcon 85

Simon at least your proactive! I thought you imported your own stock in from overseas?

Only boards and more stuff but now expanded to starboard servene, I just feel that you have to be competitiive and I do not believe any board is worth $3000 or any sail $2000 !!!! It looks like next year will be interesting

It seems prices are on the rise my guess is there may be as much as a 30% rise in the price of windsurfing gear over the next 6 months.

Just working on pricing now will be lower than last year

As mentioned in another thread I was speaking to Paul from 2nd wind the 100 rrd quad cult will be $2450 for 2012! prices will be less this year due to the good US dollar, the limited construction rrds will be $2150.
I don't think you could get a decent 2012 board from the US inc postage in one piece for that price.

R1DER said...

As mentioned in another thread I was speaking to Paul from 2nd wind the 100 rrd quad cult will be $2450 for 2012! prices will be less this year due to the good US dollar, the limited construction rrds will be $2150.
I don't think you could get a decent 2012 board from the US inc postage in one piece for that price.

Sweet, I have also noticed that windsurfsnow, according to website will match any price, if you provide you provide a quote that includes shipping, fees and so on. So clearly this thread is finished as the objections raised against national prices is moot.