At surfride I’ve heard the boards have gone up $100 and may increase also heard surfride help put clark foam out of business
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Again, it’s the shop’s prerogative to set it’s own prices. It is just my own opinion that raising the sale price on items, like jeffrey said, that were not negatively impacted by Clark Foams closure (i.e. existing stock, Surftechs) is exploitation.
My local newspaper quoted Steve Walden to the effect he was raising board prices $100 based on his guess that any new blanks he will be ordering down the road will probably cost him at least $50 more than he was previously paying. Keystone that (cost plus 100% - this is basic retail markup outside of surfing) and you get the $100 increase. I have to say that makes sense - unfortunately. Surftech price increases may be based on guesstimated supply and demand problems, but that seems a stretch to me. Smaller shops wanting to maintain customer base should think carefully about price increases, and all retailers should think carefully once the projected shortage abates. Education of consumers about real costs of production/business will mitigate sticker shock. If a huge percentage of board making goes offshore the shops better make sure they can justify price hikes, or a new backyarder cycle might kick back in.
My local paper also quoted a local pro surfer who said he goes through about 60 boards a year. That’s lunacy. Consumers just need to relax for a couple of months. The hardship on this one is on the people who make boards for a living. 99% of all surfers won’t shrivel up and die if they don’t get a new board in the next 90 days, no matter how much they desire one. It might be tough on touring pros, but from the sound of it they ought to have loads laying around their mansions.