Look at guys who are doing well … there are many. Their doing something different, something to make them stand out. I competed for years with other manufacturers and every successful one had something they did better than most anyone else. Natural Art (Pete Dooley) had excellent retailers and serviced them with more regularity than anyone else. Ocean Avenue, had the best surf team. Fox had a strong retail presence in S. FL. Quiet Flight also had strong retail. Spectrum had good price and good service. My brand I always focused on tech. Kechele always focused on strong artwork. We were all competing for the same market all with something different than the other guy.
Business is constantly changing and to remain successful you have to change. If I were making boards right now they’d be Timberflex. I’d probably be selling everything I could make just like all the years I was making boards. Business is tough sometimes but there are always ways to compete. Whinning about the way it is isn’t going to make you successful. Positive strategic moves will. Worry about what your doing, not what their doing.
Too many surfboard businesses have made it through the years competing on price alone. Well that day is gone. This is the real issue to many. The one thing they could always grasp at is no longer an option because someone who lives a simpler life can do it cheaper. Therefore, you must play the hand delt , be creative. Or not and do something else. Things are different now and you have to understand it and come up with a way to be in it.
Nothing is selling in this market right now but custom. The imports are getting exactly 0% of that pie. The domestics are getting nearly 100%. Now, how could I get a bigger slice of that pie? That’s the question and within that question lies the answer.
Again, we are selling a service, not a product. So are they. Think about it.
LOL
