Forums > Windsurfing   Western Australia

Prices on boards, why the huge difference?

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Created by BatKiter > 9 months ago, 10 Feb 2013
BatKiter
WA, 209 posts
10 Feb 2013 2:14PM
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Hi guys,

just wondering why the prices could vary around 800 dollars from store to store? I just bought a board and in one store got quoted 2500 for it, then went to a different shop and got it for 1700(both new).

Probably stupid question, but hey.. its not like when you buy computers that prices are around the same price mostly 100-200 dollars difference.

Cheers

P.C_simpson
WA, 1492 posts
10 Feb 2013 2:49PM
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freight is pretty expensive in perth you know..

jsnfok
WA, 899 posts
10 Feb 2013 2:53PM
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some shops realise that to sell boards here in wa you gotta sell em cheap, low profit high turn over, some charge RRP but most shops dont....

Windxtasy
WA, 4017 posts
10 Feb 2013 3:02PM
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Same year model, same construction?

BatKiter
WA, 209 posts
10 Feb 2013 3:33PM
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yep, same year same model same size same everything.

I know freight is expensive.. I know its stupid asking about this.. I guess just felt like the first shop was trying to rip me off or not still its an excessive difference.

Anyway Thanks for the Input.

Cheers,

Maddog49
WA, 102 posts
10 Feb 2013 3:48PM
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Which shop was the cheapest? We might be able to put on some customer pressure.
I am looking for a new board at the moment and would not pay over $2000 unless I was getting a free sail or mast with it.
What did you buy?
Some shops may buy in bulk and thus receive a discount for freight and bulk discount, smaller shops often can not afford to have too much stock on the floor and thus have to charge more. Though $800 is a huge difference.
I discovered similar variations when buying a bike last year and the guy at Balmoral bikes told me why there is such a variation. Small shops have difficulty affording the purchases of large amounts of stock.

Bertie
NSW, 1351 posts
10 Feb 2013 7:35PM
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Maddog49 said...
I am looking for a new board at the moment and would not pay over $2000 unless I was getting a free sail or mast with it.


Nobody gets anything for free in this world. Everybody has to make a living.

However $800 is a substantial difference. Lucky EternalNoob is a smart shopper! Good Job.

BatKiter
WA, 209 posts
10 Feb 2013 4:53PM
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Maddog49 said...
Which shop was the cheapest? We might be able to put on some customer pressure.
I am looking for a new board at the moment and would not pay over $2000 unless I was getting a free sail or mast with it.
What did you buy?
Some shops may buy in bulk and thus receive a discount for freight and bulk discount, smaller shops often can not afford to have too much stock on the floor and thus have to charge more. Though $800 is a huge difference.
I discovered similar variations when buying a bike last year and the guy at Balmoral bikes told me why there is such a variation. Small shops have difficulty affording the purchases of large amounts of stock.


Hey Maddog49,

I got a starboard Carve 121, Ill mail you the name of the shops, don't want to name and shame anyone because I don't know the real circumstances of why is more expensive. But one thing is for sure the expensive shop wont have my business ever. ;)

Jungo
WA, 7 posts
10 Feb 2013 5:14PM
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Don't need to look at it like you were ripped off in one location, Eternalnoob, just that you got a good deal.

the real retail price was no doubt $2500ish. Like all business sometimes you get a good deal as one shops wants to hold out to recover max profit whether it takes 2 or 10 months, while another needs to pay bills now and doesn't want to sit on the product for another 6 months in the hope of selling it later.

and before anyones starts on the why is it so expensive whinge, hands up any of you professionals out there that will work today for your 1997 wage level!
I was earning $350 a week when I had to find money to pay for $750 sails and $1500 boards in '92. My car cost $4000 2nd hand and my house in 2002 cost $79000. Easy to find a car for that but good luck finding a new home anywhere near that price.

Enjoy your board eternalNoob and ride well in the knowledge that you scored a bargain.

stehsegler
WA, 3549 posts
10 Feb 2013 5:32PM
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EternalNoob said...
just wondering why the prices could vary around 800 dollars from store to store? I just bought a board and in one store got quoted 2500 for it, then went to a different shop and got it for 1700(both new).


Why does one dealer sell a brand new car for $5000 more than a dealer in another town or state? Beats me... but perhaps they have more stock to move or simply need to pay some bills so require the cash flow.

BatKiter
WA, 209 posts
10 Feb 2013 5:37PM
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Jungo said...
Don't need to look at it like you were ripped off in one location, Eternalnoob, just that you got a good deal.



Enjoy your board eternalNoob and ride well in the knowledge that you scored a bargain.


You are right Jungo. Thanks and I will try to enjoy it

Mark _australia
WA, 23474 posts
10 Feb 2013 5:44PM
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Why buy new anyway?

Buy a 1y/o board in good nick and;
* if it was going to snap it probably would have by now
* you have a multitude of reviews available, not just what the company claims it does soooo well or what paid magazines say about it
* save $1000 and it is still almost as new! If not, 10mins with Jif and a sponge and then it is


FINMEISTER
WA, 45 posts
11 Feb 2013 9:34AM
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Mark _australia said...
Why buy new anyway?

Buy a 1y/o board in good nick and;
* if it was going to snap it probably would have by now
* you have a multitude of reviews available, not just what the company claims it does soooo well or what paid magazines say about it
* save $1000 and it is still almost as new! If not, 10mins with Jif and a sponge and then it is





Finally some very good advice from you. (Even gave you a green thumb to cancel out the red one you had) Plus with the lack of sailing over the last few years most 2nd hand boards haven't had that much use

Maddog49
WA, 102 posts
11 Feb 2013 10:58AM
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Yes I used Jiff and a high pressure hose to clean my 30 year old board and after replacing the footstraps it doesnt look too bad. I think if people look after their gear wash it in fresh water after every use and pack it away in a garage or shed , your gear will stay in good condition for many years to come. The second hand market is definately a cheaper option when you are learning or developing your skills. I am looking at a Starboard Carve 131 litre for my size.
Tell us how you go on your new board Eternalnoob.
Hope for some wind soon. Thursday and Friday is looking promising. If I can get away from work early. I will be sailing my retro board down at Melville waters and checking out all the other guys gear.

BatKiter
WA, 209 posts
11 Feb 2013 11:51AM
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Maddog49 said...
Yes I used Jiff and a high pressure hose to clean my 30 year old board and after replacing the footstraps it doesnt look too bad. I think if people look after their gear wash it in fresh water after every use and pack it away in a garage or shed , your gear will stay in good condition for many years to come. The second hand market is definately a cheaper option when you are learning or developing your skills. I am looking at a Starboard Carve 131 litre for my size.
Tell us how you go on your new board Eternalnoob.
Hope for some wind soon. Thursday and Friday is looking promising. If I can get away from work early. I will be sailing my retro board down at Melville waters and checking out all the other guys gear.



Hey Maddog49


True, my plan was to wait for something around 120ish to pop up in the second hand market, but... as many things in life my plan sucked. Couldnt wait .

I'm waiting for the wind to come back, I was planning to go on thursday to Melville.

Maddog49
WA, 102 posts
16 Feb 2013 11:48AM
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I got caught at work on Thursday and did not get a sail in.
I managed to get down to Melville on Friday. Sailed for an hour and then spent time talking to all the regulars. I am suffering from gear envy at the moment. The racing team with their $2000 sails and big boards were able to sail on barely a breath of wind. The equipment today has really gone high tech. I think I need to find some coin and buy me a piece of that action.
Where to start??? Sails with cams or without cams? Gust pockets? Different size fins? Wood board or carbon boards etc.
All the guys are really friendly and willing to give advice. One even offered me a try on his board. I declined due to my sailing ability/swimming ability saying that I managed to reduce my time in the water and increase my time above the water.
I am still looking for that second hand 130 litre board. I may have to bite the bullet and buy something new.

Gozzo
WA, 27 posts
16 Feb 2013 7:27PM
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Hey guys, just want to dispel the "freight is expensive" rumour that is the whipping boy for business in this state. News flash : freight is not that expensive. Most everything is carried on road trains around here, even stuff that comes from the east. That means less prime movers to pay for and more freight to fit on multiple trailers. The expensive freight is a con for business to jack up pricing. You can get stuff trucked around for about $80 a pallet, that's rated for two tonne. Cubic freight is dearer but still not worth $800 for a board. Check it out for yourself, we regularly get surfboards from east, 5 at a time and it costs us between $40- $50 per board, any business not buying in bulk is mad and we shouldn't have to pay for it.

Rant over

FlickySpinny
WA, 657 posts
16 Feb 2013 10:10PM
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Gozzo,

Please can you let me know who you use for freight?

If you can get a pallet from the east coast to Perth for $80 I would dearly love to know who you're using. If they're any good they'll get all my business. I pay minimum four times that.

Cheers,

Flicky

Wollemi
NSW, 350 posts
17 Feb 2013 1:34PM
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Chatted with a guy at Rodd Point (NSW) a few weeks back. He had a new Starboard with centreboard.

$1800 at a shop in Sydney, $1100 for the same product delivered to his door - from a retailer in Perth.

Gozzo
WA, 27 posts
17 Feb 2013 11:30AM
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FlickySpinny said...
Gozzo,

Please can you let me know who you use for freight?

If you can get a pallet from the east coast to Perth for $80 I would dearly love to know who you're using. If they're any good they'll get all my business. I pay minimum four times that.

Cheers,

Flicky


Hey Flicky, slight clarification. The $80 per pallet was within WA, (Esperance to Perth), still equivalent to interstate distances on the east coast, 700 k's plus. I did get a pallet of the mother in law's stuff brought over a while ago by WA freightlines though they aren't owned in WA any more, some yank investment mob bought them out, so probably won't have the flexibility to price "backloading" any more. Bottom line is shop around I guess, you may be just what someone needs to fill a truck and get a cheaper rate. Star Trak brought over our last lot of surfboards, 5 of for $350, you'd probably equate that to a couple of windsurf boards so still not an $800 difference in the shop. Getting stuff picked up adds cost and is probably disproportionate to the rest of the charge, take it to their depot if you can. Other than that you could pretend you're from another freight company, you'll definitely get a better rate but you didn't hear that from me
It surprises me that people just accept the "freight costs" story so readily but I guess if you don't know, you don't know. Hope you get a better deal

P.C_simpson
WA, 1492 posts
17 Feb 2013 12:11PM
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Gozzo said...
Hey guys, just want to dispel the "freight is expensive" rumour that is the whipping boy for business in this state. News flash : freight is not that expensive. Most everything is carried on road trains around here, even stuff that comes from the east. That means less prime movers to pay for and more freight to fit on multiple trailers. The expensive freight is a con for business to jack up pricing. You can get stuff trucked around for about $80 a pallet, that's rated for two tonne. Cubic freight is dearer but still not worth $800 for a board. Check it out for yourself, we regularly get surfboards from east, 5 at a time and it costs us between $40- $50 per board, any business not buying in bulk is mad and we shouldn't have to pay for it.

Rant over


Um seriously? i was joking, as if a $800 difference would be freight, every shop in perth is in a 10km radius of each other.. i'm no genius but pretty sure frieght would be exactly the same for all the shops..

FlickySpinny
WA, 657 posts
18 Feb 2013 8:34AM
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Cheers Gozzo. Good to know. Thanks for the tip as well.

stehsegler
WA, 3549 posts
18 Feb 2013 9:21AM
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Mark _australia said...
* save $1000 and it is still almost as new! If not, 10mins with Jif and a sponge and then it is


Actually often you can save $1000 by buying a brand new board at the end of the season.

Gozzo
WA, 27 posts
18 Feb 2013 9:22AM
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Select to expand quote
Um seriously? i was joking, as if a $800 difference would be freight, every shop in perth is in a 10km radius of each other.. i'm no genius but pretty sure frieght would be exactly the same for all the shops..


Hey P.C. I wasn't having a go at you mate, I get you were joking, it's just that I've heard that line heaps in the past and people just nod, smile and accept it. Classic price gouge strategy for WA

stehsegler
WA, 3549 posts
18 Feb 2013 9:24AM
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Jungo said...
...and my house in 2002 cost $79000. Easy to find a car for that but good luck finding a new home anywhere near that price.


you can't even buy a garage for that price these days. As a matter of fact I recently worked out that in the centre of Berlin you can buy a 2 bedroom apartment that needs renovating for less than what a garage costs in Sydney.

FINMEISTER
WA, 45 posts
18 Feb 2013 10:04AM
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stehsegler said...
Jungo said...
...and my house in 2002 cost $79000. Easy to find a car for that but good luck finding a new home anywhere near that price.


you can't even buy a garage for that price these days. As a matter of fact I recently worked out that in the centre of Berlin you can buy a 2 bedroom apartment that needs renovating for less than what a garage costs in Sydney.


I'd rather live in your garage and go windsurfing, than live in the centre of Berlin

Paul Kelf
WA, 678 posts
18 Feb 2013 10:53AM
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EternalNoob said...
Maddog49 said...
Which shop was the cheapest? We might be able to put on some customer pressure.
I am looking for a new board at the moment and would not pay over $2000 unless I was getting a free sail or mast with it.
What did you buy?
Some shops may buy in bulk and thus receive a discount for freight and bulk discount, smaller shops often can not afford to have too much stock on the floor and thus have to charge more. Though $800 is a huge difference.
I discovered similar variations when buying a bike last year and the guy at Balmoral bikes told me why there is such a variation. Small shops have difficulty affording the purchases of large amounts of stock.


Hey Maddog49,

I got a starboard Carve 121, Ill mail you the name of the shops, don't want to name and shame anyone because I don't know the real circumstances of why is more expensive. But one thing is for sure the expensive shop wont have my business ever. ;)


So without finding out why you wipe the shop
It might be the only item they are more expensive on but you will never know now
There will be a logical reason why, maybe ask them why & explain the issue.
It doesn't change the pricing & where you choose to buy the board but it might be totally different for another brand or item at that particular shop.

Mark _australia
WA, 23474 posts
18 Feb 2013 9:58PM
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FINMEISTER said...
stehsegler said...
Jungo said...
...and my house in 2002 cost $79000. Easy to find a car for that but good luck finding a new home anywhere near that price.


you can't even buy a garage for that price these days. As a matter of fact I recently worked out that in the centre of Berlin you can buy a 2 bedroom apartment that needs renovating for less than what a garage costs in Sydney.


I'd rather live in your garage and go windsurfing, than live in the centre of Berlin


Bloody oath

stehsegler
WA, 3549 posts
18 Feb 2013 10:19PM
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FINMEISTER said...
I'd rather live in your garage and go windsurfing, than live in the centre of Berlin


Of course that always depends on what your priorities are in life. Remember Klitmoller, Baltic, Sylt, Norderney, South Africa, Canary Islands are all within reach for a quick weekend trip. As a matter of fact flights to the Canary Islands cost less then what you pay in petrol to up North from Perth.

Sadly during the week you'll have to make due with the Berlin nightlife.



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Forums > Windsurfing   Western Australia


"Prices on boards, why the huge difference?" started by BatKiter