I was wondering where most people like to buy their boards? On-line dealers or local shapers or surf shops ( if they sell them ) or? ?
What motivates your choice price,brand,shaper,local surf guru or your mates or online blog advice?
How often too do you buy a new board. ( personally not for ages )

before I started shaping my own I would buy 1-2 boards a year if the money was available mostly from local shapers or via the local shop...bought according to the type of wave they were needed for...example boards that I used to ride in WA had too much rocker for most of the waves around torquay...price never really factored into it too much

Direct from shaper. One or two boards a year. Most long time surfers I know buy direct from a shaper if they go custom or a mate who owns a surf shop if they go with stock models.

Local shaper now that I've found a brand of boards that I really like, and shaper who surfs waves I surf.

In the past I've done a mix of off-the-rack, local shaper(s), second-hand.

2nd hand from shaper for me!