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?
They have moved to a Direct to Consumer sales channel. As a result, they have been able to significantly reduce prices.
Select to expand quoteWindy2 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 .
They are still shipping a lot of the product from Asia. Lowering prices, but holding their margins by cutting out the distribution network, and trying to increase market share. From what I can tell they are trying to gain market share in the surf market. They have also stated they can do some more niche products with limited run with this new business model, which should be interesting. I used to ride on Uni and they are great foils - particularly at this pricepoint.
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
Indeed, it does have a little bit of a Takuma feel to it. Highly rated foils and then something 'snapped' and the price dumping started. Makes you wonder if to buy now that the platform still exists in a year.
I just checked the price at a German retailer where the price of an evolution front wing is still considerably above the direct price. That's bad news for the retailers that took on stock.
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.
Lift is another company that has been dumping foils and boards at ~50% discount DTC.
Select to expand quotejdfoils said..
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
Yeah dealers now stuck with stock they can't shift , shot themselves in the foot IMHO. Don't know what's going on with Lift as well people seem to be moving away , I struggled to get half price for my mint Lift gear second hand.
Select to expand quotejdfoils 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 .
Lift Aus web site has been shut down . Looks like the 50% off is if you order direct , Black Friday Sale .
What is also weird the new foil aggression is directly out of order!?
