What's going on at Unifoil and why is everything being advertised at super low prices? Is this a fake shop? uni-foil.com

Or is the brand in trouble? I remember a setup like this going for 2000+ eur.. maybe 2200 or 2400. Weird? Strange? Suspicious?

Windy2 said..
They have moved to a Direct to Consumer sales channel. As a result, they have been able to significantly reduce prices.

Ufff price reduction by nearly 50% sounds a lot. Did they go philanthropic too? If customers willing to pay 2000+ eur for a Unifoil setup why then to offer prices in the 1200 eur range.

Anyway happy for those jumping on these now. They always struck me as super good foils!

Regularly looked at them. Never went for them as there is no obvious EU online shop. Prices were quoted in EUR but shipment would be coming from far Asia and (when I asked) they reduce the stated value of the product to 'help' with import duties. That sounded a bit tricky to me. Last thing I want is gamble on paying a hefty import duty.

I did see actual shops in EU selling them at Armstrong level pricing .

Went direct to consumer and is now dumping product below the previous dealer cost -burning their bridges to their biggest supporters.

Looks very much like an act of desperation by a brand that is swirling the drain. I'll be surprised if they are still in business at the end of '26

Hard to make a clean break from the retailer network to DTC. Once you make the break you can't go back. They have openly acknowledged that the break would be kind of messy before they hit their stride. There are two possible outcomes here - it works and more brands follow suit, or it fails and Uni goes under. I could definitely see them gaining market share at these prices and if I was just getting into the sport without an ecosystem, it is what I would buy.

Yep, feels like something is going to break.

jdfoils said..
Lift is another company that has been dumping foils and boards at ~50% discount DTC.

I can't seem to find discounts on lift foils .

Thanks

I'm confused

camerongraham said..
I'm confused

JK was on Unifoil and now on Code. Confusing indeed

I don't understand the negativity here. I am stoked that a reputable brand is going to be more affordable. I was just about to switch to the code s but am most likely going to the evolution now. The code is now twice as expensive for the system.
how is this bad for us riders?

I don't think there's significant negativity here. Totally fine for you and many others to be stoked about the lower prices. Also totally normal for people to question the stability of a company that's going through a big change in a strange economic situation.

I can see your point. My first reaction was just that they're trying anything they can to move old stock which doesn't bother me.
I expect social media to be about the new and shiny stuff though. It doesn't draw me into the brand when I see outdated stuff from ex riders. Maybe they have a marketing plan/angle that works for them and doesn't click for me though.

eppo said..
Direct to customer model has never worked well with the water sports industry - that being said who says it won't work this time. Have a few key guys to demo gear locally, conduits to unifoil - it's just the warranty issues that could be a problem. But hey it's a brave new world.

Gong is direct to consumer and huge in Europe.

Just the space center as far as I've heard. But it looks pretty epic for a shop!

-BT

eppo said..
Direct to customer model has never worked well with the water sports industry - that being said who says it won't work this time. Have a few key guys to demo gear locally, conduits to unifoil - it's just the warranty issues that could be a problem. But hey it's a brave new world.

Gong and Takoon to name two are booming in Europe. Unifoil are ahead of the curve with direct to customer sales imo. The market is getting ever crowded, most people order online, direct to customer seems the obvious route imo..

Hydro craft is also going to be direct to consumer I think as well.