Stealth Bodyboards

[mez unit]

I think they are too expensive.
When you are starting out as a board company nobody is sure how good the quality of the board is going to be. Whether or not they last. Even if you don't make much money at first, if you can put out good boards at a fairly cheap price then you will get your brand out there and a good reputation. Then people will be more likely to spend more money on a "higher quality" board.

Also, on a side note, you wouldn't happen to be working for the company/be involved because you seem quite interested in finding out our views...?

Not really possible. If you start out low priced then its hard to justify a price increase in the future. Not only that but there is a perception of quality based on price. Its just brand positioning.

totally agree high or level with your competitors price represents a premium product so its a good marketing move by stealth as well as the fact that most boards are coming out of the same few factories so of course the quality will be there

although a different example will show less than the desired result, around ten years or so ago "propel fins" were released on the market at a much higher price than other fins($95 or something and most other top fins were around $70) as a show of the product being premium, unfortunatley the fins were designed well but maufactured poorly and were either too soft or too brittle and snapped therefore leading the brand into almost obscurity(you can now find them on ebay in all sizes and colors for $30).the fins they produced after the initial mistake were heaps better but the market opinion had already been tarnished.

and another view would be that stealth already hold a major market share of the fin and accessory market by having cheaper and of similar quality product to most brands it could have been a good marketing move to do the same with their new boards although if we know that most board are coming out of the same factories it would be detrimental to other brands by being at a lower price point for the same thing, therefore causing the all manufacturers and brands make less money.

[Griff]

While Mez Unit raises good points about it being detrimental to the other companies coming out of the same factory I'm still stuck on Stealths advertising.

"Stealth has brought out a range of Bodyboards for the 2011/12 Season.
They've developed these boards for the rider who wants a quality board without the big wig rider signature attached.
All the features without the inflated pricetag!"

Their boards are only about $10 cheaper than the signature models of other brands. One of the reasons people pay for high end boards is the name on. The rider gets money from you riding a model with their name on it.

We all know that most of the boards come out of the same factories, made by the same people from the same materials. Its templates, brands, team riders and colours that sell the boards.

Stealth saying "all the features without the inflated pricetag" is false advertising.

ID and Found boards are more expensive because they are new, and made in smaller quantites. People that want something different might try them, or people who really like the riders.

Rawlins on VS was a top selling board and was in every shop. Found boards were in maybe 1 shop and his boards havent sold as much. It could be discussed on it was the fact his boards were made by VS compared with his name that sold them. Joe Clarks boards flew out the shops when he took over from Mitch on VS.

[caspian]

Part of why Found isn't in stores is because Rawlins had the temecity, the sheer crazy audacity to sell his boards himself and bypass the middleman, i.e the stores, who proceded to have a sad. Oh, the horror!!! [/sarcasm with a heavy dose of contempt]

[adam.s]

I understand where you're coming from with the "premium price, premium product" line, but the boards haven't been tested. Sure, you could take the word of Novy or Thurston but they say the same thing as everyone.

"After years of riding all different shapes and sizes of boards, I think I have finally found my dream board. It's great to know I can go down to my local store and the board in there is the exact same as what I ride. This shape is suited to all sorts of wave riding, from small wave techs spots like Blackrock, to riding big waves like Luna Park. From cold to warm waters, these are the best boards I've ridden."

You need to do something to get the attention. And maybe you don't have to put the prices up. Create a low price to start with, get a bit of good business, a good reputation and boards will move. Once you start making good boards, for a low price, you can keep it there.
This is all theoretical and it doesn't always go like this, but you are probably better off IMO. The younger guys just buy VS because it's Joe Clarke, it's expensive and therefore must be good. But most guys I know will buy a board because the shape looks good, the materials are good and, most importantly, the price is right.