What’s the deal with this practice that has started to become adopted in many surfshops … the withholding of removable fins/box fins … when making a surfboard sale?! Some shops actually have the gall to charge extra for the fins! I’m from Hawaii and live in the east for the past few years. I haven’t been home for a while and was wondering if they are pulling this in the 'aina as well as on the west coast. Of course, we thumb our collective noses at those who would do this, but what’s behind the (apparently {now} institutionalized) greed? greed alone, or is this some new dictate???
What’s the deal with this practice that has started to become adopted in > many surfshops … the withholding of removable fins/box fins … when > making a surfboard sale?! Some shops actually have the gall to charge > extra for the fins! I’m from Hawaii and live in the east for the past few > years. I haven’t been home for a while and was wondering if they are > pulling this in the 'aina as well as on the west coast. Of course, we > thumb our collective noses at those who would do this, but what’s behind > the (apparently {now} institutionalized) greed? greed alone, or is this > some new dictate??? Perhaps, buying $60,000 Mercedes and not getting floor mats is greed motivated. Its my understanding that the builder is no longer expected to absorb the cost of the fin - its been passed on to the consumer. Given its a rare builder with a $60,000 Mercedes (with floor mats, or not), I personally feel its a completely acceptable practice. Its money in the builder’s pocket, and occasionally, just maybe that includes the pocket of the journeyman.
Hmmm, Here is how it goes at my factory: A shaper brings in a twenty board order for a shop and they all get say, FCS. WE buy twenty sets of FCS plugs and fins. We then add the wholesale cost of said fin/plugs to glass job, adding only labor. We don’t add any extra markup on the set of fins. The boards are delivered to the shop with fins. If the customer wants a different template he/she has to buy them from the shop or from the internet, etc. Fin systems cost much more than glass ons, something most customers don’t consider. However, I believe that a board should be sold with fins, with the template the shaper wants. Shortboard tri-fins should be sold with a set of fins. Longboards are another deal in that center box fins can vary and be exspensive for the shaper to supply.
I think that it is extremely important to match the right board with the right fin. Although it’s fun to experiment with different fin sizes and templates, the shaper should have some concept of a specific fin that will work best with the shape that he is creating. I say give 'em a fin if you want your board ridden correctly (or at least make a recomendation about which fin to use). Maybe I’m just greedy but I like the idea of being able to ride a board the day I get it. That means no hunting around for wax, leash, fin, etc.
I think that it is extremely important to match the right board with the > right fin. Although it’s fun to experiment with different fin sizes and > templates, the shaper should have some concept of a specific fin that will > work best with the shape that he is creating. I say give 'em a fin if you > want your board ridden correctly (or at least make a recomendation about > which fin to use). Maybe I’m just greedy but I like the idea of being able > to ride a board the day I get it. That means no hunting around for wax, > leash, fin, etc. I at least fortunately have Fins Unlimited right next door, so I often purchase fins and include them with the shipment, but I also include the invoice with the shipment do that the dealer can see how much the fins have cost. I do include a glass-on fin at no extra cost, but finbox and fiberglass fin do cost conciderably more. Fins extra seems to be the norm or you get a $7.oo plastic fin, guaranteed to break. Jim http://www.JimtheGenius@aol.com
That is like selling a sailboat without the keel/rudder…errr can I interest you in a lovely set of foils. Pretty soon one will be haggeling with the sales manager over whether the invoice is real or not…
What’s the deal with this practice that has started to become adopted in > many surfshops … the withholding of removable fins/box fins … when > making a surfboard sale?! Some shops actually have the gall to charge > extra for the fins! I’m from Hawaii and live in the east for the past few > years. I haven’t been home for a while and was wondering if they are > pulling this in the 'aina as well as on the west coast. Of course, we > thumb our collective noses at those who would do this, but what’s behind > the (apparently {now} institutionalized) greed? greed alone, or is this > some new dictate??? I understand holding back fins, because they are easy to steal from a shop, there are also many sizes in say FCS that people in the know will want instead of the typical Al Merricks or Rusty templetes which are for powerful surfing from people over 150 lbs. My 15 year old only weights 120 so he’s getting G-3000 fcs fins made for his weight. I would say theft is the main reason for behind the counter stocking of fins.
The reason for doing it is to make more money per board. The fact of the matter is that surf shops don’t make a lot of money selling boards so in an effort to increase their meager profit margins on hard goods they have taken the opportunity that came with a design improvement (removable fins) to make more money. The cold hard fact of the matter is that surfshops continue in existence by making money. For long boards especially (where removable fins are nothing new) it totally makes sense because that is were you get more surfers that are prone to choose a different style, color, or shape of fin than the one the shaper might choose. If you disagree with the practice, open up your own shop and then tell us what you think in a couple of years.>>> I understand holding back fins, because they are easy to steal from a > shop, there are also many sizes in say FCS that people in the know will > want instead of the typical Al Merricks or Rusty templetes which are for > powerful surfing from people over 150 lbs. My 15 year old only weights 120 > so he’s getting G-3000 fcs fins made for his weight. I would say theft is > the main reason for behind the counter stocking of fins.
All valid points, the buyer wants to know what the board costs “ready to ride”, the shop owner is concerned over theft and profit margin and the builder is expected to provide fins that work with the design. I think most everyone here feels that surfboards are underpriced for the handmade nature of the product. (if you feel you are paying too much, try making a decent board sometime). I’ve been involved in lots of retail environments, some more similar to the surf retail than others. In the process of using raw materials and turning out a quality handmade product everyone in the chain has to get proper compensation. A compromise might be to have the builder include a label or “personal” note from the shaper with fin specs for that board.(you get one in the pocket of a new pair of jeans). Let the shop owner order and stock the fins and finally let the customer decide if they want to deviate the shaper’s reccomendations. The builder no longer has to deal with stocking merchandise that they don’t profit from. The shop owner needs to display the board inclusive of basic fin price. The opportunity for further profit is at the shop level as it should be, “how about a spare set of fins?”. If a shop owner is sending boards out the door without leashes, bags or extras they need to take a look at their sales staff. The buyer might find the “personal” note from the designer/shape on fin specs an added bonus to choosing that board. Value added doesn’t always have to cost anything more it just has to be perceived as such. It doesn’t take long for the buying public to accept changes in how a product is presented, they just want to feel it’s in their best interest. Do you still pound ketchup out of a bottle or squeeze it out of a plastic one? Bet you paid more for the plastic one. Tom>>> I understand holding back fins, because they are easy to steal from a > shop, there are also many sizes in say FCS that people in the know will > want instead of the typical Al Merricks or Rusty templetes which are for > powerful surfing from people over 150 lbs. My 15 year old only weights 120 > so he’s getting G-3000 fcs fins made for his weight. I would say theft is > the main reason for behind the counter stocking of fins.