Now that the Surfboard industry is shaking off the dust, it will now be open to an amazing amount of Blank choices that will place the manufacturer in more control than ever. Imagine the selection of leashes, traction pads, boardshorts etc. that the end user has to choose from. Now you will be able to cherry pick, from a number of P/U foam suppliers, blanks with the right amount of flex, bouancy, stringers, rockers etc.
Regarding FINS, there needs to be the same type of change when it comes to buying them. Therefore I ask the following Questions, why do Surf Manufacturers have to buy the fins? Can we as an industry, in the midst of a revolution, change this process once and for all?
Benefits: The Manufacturer will not have to pay for and tie up alot of additional cost , just to transfer them at a later date.
The retailer will not have to store and pay for all of the same fins they have displayed on their shelves.
The shaper will write his preferred fin template on the blank for reference
Reduce theft and loss
Beginning Febuary 1st, The Surf Source will launch a new “STANDARD twin tab fin box”. It will be as easy to install as a F/U box and sold in single units, with the efforts to promote a new way of buying that will benefit everyone.
Benefits: The Manufacturer will not have to pay for and tie up alot of additional cost , just to transfer them at a later date.
The retailer will not have to store and pay for all of the same fins they have displayed on their shelves.
The shaper will write his preferred fin template on the blank for reference
Reduce theft and loss
Beginning Febuary 1st, The Surf Source will launch a new “STANDARD twin tab fin box”. It will be as easy to install as a F/U box and sold in single units, with the efforts to promote a new way of buying that will benefit everyone.
So if the board manufacturers don’t ship fins with boards and the retailers aren’t storing and displaying fins on their shelves, where are you proposing the board buyer gets his fins?
Don’t most board manufacturers buy fins wholesale and in large lots with better discounts than the customer could do at the retail end?
i think what might be happening ??? just a theory …
is the boxes will except fcs fins …
fcs dont sell plugs without fins , (well they do but the price doesnt warrant it )
most customers have fins already that work well and they transfer from board to board …
this means that every board sold automatically comes with a set of cheap plastic fins , the manufacturer is basically forced into the fins if he wants the plugs …
if a manufacturer could get the plugs without the fins he would , then the customer just buys the board , if he wants fins ,he buys a good set that make his board actually work , rather than the cheap plastic set that make the board go like crap …
in theory its a good idea , but with fcs now realeasing there new range of standard foils , that are stiffer and there new plugs , people would be happy with them …
but it still doesnt solve the problem of collecting another set of fins with every new board …
maybe they should make boards that last longer ???
then we would be replacing our fins and not our boards …
I think we have time to go back to quality of product for boards that last and get a fair price for the products we sell. For to long custom boards have been selling for much less than they worth. Hand made product to a customers request - come on. Time for the customer to start paying.
I guess I didn’t understand your first post. I thought you were saying retailers wouldn’t have to have fins on their shelves.
Check out ProBox Hawaii for an adjustable box that will accept their handmade fins or FCS tabbed fins. The boxes are adjustable, easy to install and can be bought for the same price with or without fins. Maybe surf source could be a distributor.
Hmm! This sounds remarkably like the same concept we have with ProBox.
Some manufacturers liked the idea but others did not. I still think it is a great idea but it might take time to get people to adjust.
We have a number of manufacturers that no longer supply fins with their boards, either relying on the fact that the customers already have fins or the can readily buy them at their local surf shop. But we have an equal number clamoring for inexpensive fins to accompany their boards!
Most of our boxes are sold without fins!
We are certainly going to continue pushing the idea as we have from the beginning!
Howzit Surfsource, Interesting idea bit manufacturers can buy fins for about half the price of retail, so the customer would pay more for a set of fins. Alos what about glass ons, somebody has to fin the board. I think it should be up to the buyer, I get customers that say they already have fins and only need plugs, but the plugs only costs $15 for FCS plus $10 for install so I tell them that for an extra $10 they get the fins so pick a set they don’t already have. This is due to the FCS pricing where you get a production set for about $25 but if you bought the plugs separate they cost $2.50 a plug and a set of fins cost about $ 20 so the package deal is better for the customer. Aloha,Kokua
Howzit Kokua, all epoxy and no poly talk here making you start to answer fin questions now…must be sways withdrawal setting in…good luck with getting some blanks soon.
The High price of plugs is about to change with the new standard “Twin Tab” fin box, $3.50 each or $10.00 per tri set. Manufacturers can now eliminate hundreds of dollars off of their fin bill per month without ordering fins. The retailer is happy because he has the chance to sell-up from a wide range of retail fins, eliminating Hundreds of dollars of excess, unpackaged fins stored somewhere in a box. The retail customer can now buy the board A. without fins for a lower price. B. Buy any selection of fins the shop has to offer. C. Who uses glass-on’s? You can’t argue it, everyone wins.
Howzit Surfsource, Even with the cheaper plugs/boxes the fins will still cost about $50 retail for fins for the customer.As for me I will continue to sell a complete board with fins. In the end the customer gets the screw and why make them pay more when boards are going up already.Aloha,Kokua
Howzit native, I am still getting shaped blanks in my shop and one of my shapers called yesterday to ask if I want to order materials from the company in Aust. that is sending him a container of blanks since materials are cheaper in Aust and the shipping would be almost nothing since it would be in the container. Yeah with all the epoxy and styro posts there's not much for me to add.Aloha,Kokua
Kokua, what about all of the customers that want to buy your boards and already have fins?, You are then forcing them to buy fins that they don’t need. Why not stick a traction pad and a Nose cone on the board as well. The whole concept is FREEDOM of Choice. Now is the time!
First What fins fit in your plugs? or did I miss that post
Second as a manufacturer The 10.00 spread is a good option My customers are usually cool with getting a new set of fins to try. especially with how many fin systems you can offer them.
Your plugs would be great if they fit all 5 major fin systems but im sure thats not the case.
Look at the big picture
lokbox sells just boxes, and will allow fcs fins
Probox the same,
futures boxes are reasonable.
and anything else it is cheaper for manufacturers to buy complete kits anyways.
well other than a possible conflict of interest in advocating such a change, since you seem to be representing the manufacturer…
how about anyone with a set of extra junky fins they don’t want just mail them to John Mellor…
He can make good use of any extra’s people don’t seemt owant and it’s for a good cause. Instead of just finding a way to stick a couple of bucks back in you pocket selling them…
Anyway one good reason to get junk fins is that when you take you board down to consignement or sell it. You’ll definitely need a set of fins to go with the board or they won’t take it. I use most of my junky fins to go with boards I’m selling and keep the ones I really like that cost me anywhere from $60 to $100 for a set of vectors, carbons or H2s anyway… I’d never sell a board with a $100 set of fins on them it would be worth it…
Oh yeah the proboxes are great but we doid have a bunch of failures putting them in EPS with the Epoxy pools melting the surrounding foam. But the probox guys are really cool and great guys to work with… and you should always support the local small business guy when you can…
I’m for that. A more universal standard is good for the customer and it makes since to let them use their old fins. End user can then decide on fins and amount he wants to spend.
Howzit Surfsource, If a customer wants just plugs I will sell them the board that way but since it costs me $2.50 a plug to replace the plugs, it costs them $15 for the plugs I just suggest that for $10 more they can get fins, like a set they don’t already have then they can try another fin set up. I don’t force anybody but just tell them the alternative. But if they don’t want fins then decide at a later time they want different fins to try they will pay the full price ( around $50 )at a surfshop. I’m helping them by offering the fins not forcing them into taking them. A lot of manufacturers add on extra $ for a fin system and that’s bunk since it takes more time and sanding hassle for glass ons. Example FCS system $25.00 plus $ 10 for plug install. Glass on $ 15 for fins and $ 20 install fee, in the end it’s the same. Aloha,Kokua
Oh yeah the proboxes are great but we did have a bunch of failures putting them in EPS with the Epoxy pools melting the surrounding foam. But the probox guys are really cool and great guys to work with… and you should always support the local small business guy when you can…
Point to consider – in the R&D of a standard box configuration is a product designed to minimize the amount of epoxy needed to set up the plugs to minimize the effect of exothermal melt. Who in the current market fits this profile?
Sounds to me like you have been doing too many rails with your good mate Geoff from that other failing fin system. Now you’ve decided to bring in blanks with him to the US it sounds like another one of Geoffs ideas that won’t work as he just doesnt understand us. He hates surfers and thinks were all dumb, were smart enough I might add to not buy stuff from him.
Do you really expect us to re-work our whole wholesale structure to sell to retailers without fins?
Retailers pay $X wholesale for a finished product, this includes fins. As Tom said Red-X has done this for years and it never worked for them either. People still get the cheaper set with the board, upgrade of they can afford it at time of purchase or keep them and get a better set later then give back the fins when they trade the board. Simple. Not expensive, not complex, just Simple. With the recent developments to FCS also people are ordering boards just to get the new plugs and the new composite. People have told me the new standard M5 feels better than glass ons.
Good luck with Geoff, his attitude and his Asian imported surfboards. Talk about kicking a gift horse in the mouth.