Need to buy 6 new boards. Local retailer is unreliable. Can anyone recommend a shop that is reliable and willing to do a deal for 6 new boards?

SurfFX. Super deals on new gear even with freight and FAST

Support your local retailer . Shop dropping from other states is killing the Trade.!!
If he ( the local retailer) is a Fanatic retailer then i am sure he will be able to sort something out,
If you want six boards from a Fanatic retailer in SA then i would guarantee they would be more than helpful.
If not PM me and we can get in contact to Fanatic importers.
Six boards ??, should be a nice order for someone.
cheers

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geared4knots said..
Support your local retailer . Shop dropping from other states is killing the Trade.!!
If he ( the local retailer) is a Fanatic retailer then i am sure he will be able to sort something out,
If you want six boards from a Fanatic retailer in SA then i would guarantee they would be more than helpful.
If not PM me and we can get in contact to Fanatic importers.
Six boards ??, should be a nice order for someone.
cheers

I believe you should only support your local retailer if they are worth supporting. If it takes an order of six boards before you get some decent service then forget it. You should be getting decent service if you go into a shop to buy a downhaul rope.
Just ring Surf FX as stated before if you are not happy with the service you are getting locally.

they have new staff if that helps.
I'm sure they would help you out....

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geared4knots said..
Support your local retailer . Shop dropping from other states is killing the Trade.!!

Sounds like you are trying to avoid competition. It is not a good idea to post these comments on a public forum. Watch out for the ACCC.

I can see why the OP may have a problem.

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geared4knots said..
Support your local retailer

Just saw the Fanatic slaloms retailing now for $3,199!?

Is there any limit to money the importers & retailers want to make?

Let me guess .. the AUD dollar dropped 10% so prices have to go up, although when the dollar was equal or above US$1 for the past 3-4 yrs, the RRP prices never dropped.

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wind012 said..

geared4knots said..
Support your local retailer

Just saw the Fanatic slaloms retailing now for $3,199!?

Is there any limit to money the importers & retailers want to make?

Let me guess .. the AUD dollar dropped 10% so prices have to go up, although when the dollar was equal or above US$1 for the past 3-4 yrs, the RRP prices never dropped.

from what I understand prices have been increasing on some gear because the manufacturers have put up the prices. I know a couple of shop owners who have dropped certain brands because if they kept their pricing the same after expenses, taxes, duties etc they were looking at 5-10% profit and that is not sustainable for them.

other gear not so much the case.

also trade doesn't just occur in US dollars, go and check out the EURO.

I'm not sure if you've noticed but there has been a paradigm shift in windsurfing brands in the last few years.

@wind012 - just to add,

I've never paid full retail on any piece of gear other than the occasional bit of ancillary equipment in the last 15 years. there at least 3 shops in qld I buy gear from and used to be one in NSW.

build a relationship.

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Gestalt said..

I know a couple of shop owners who have dropped certain brands because if they kept their pricing the same after expenses, taxes, duties etc they were looking at 5-10% profit and that is not sustainable for them.

Let's just make this clear to avoiding misleading anyone .....

It is not simply ..... sale price to customer subtract cost of board = 5-10% profit .. (we all know the margins are much much higher).

Your 5-10% profit also includes all the business overheads including big salaries and flashy company car 4WDs then = 5-10% profit.

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Gestalt said..
I've never paid full retail on any piece of gear other than the occasional bit of ancillary equipment in the last 15 years. there at least 3 shops in qld I buy gear from and used to be one in NSW. build a relationship.

I guess the OP will just need to put out a tender to every Fanatic shop in Australia and see how it all compares.

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wind012 said..

Gestalt said..

I know a couple of shop owners who have dropped certain brands because if they kept their pricing the same after expenses, taxes, duties etc they were looking at 5-10% profit and that is not sustainable for them.

Let's just make this clear to avoiding misleading anyone .....

It is not simply ..... sale price to customer subtract cost of board = 5-10% profit .. (we all know the margins are much much higher).

Your 5-10% profit also includes all the business overheads including big salaries and flashy company car 4WDs then = 5-10% profit.

i'm not misleading anyone, if it's all so easy and cost effective then you go and do it.

and for record, the people I am referring to are not driving big flashy cars or paying out big salaries. if they are then I guarantee windsurfing gear is only one stream of their income.

the 5-10% I suggested is a direct result of manufacturer costs increasing, freight costs increasing and exchange rates on particular brands of gear which is why those brands were dropped.

Ask one of the retailers to show you the direct cost price of a board from the distributor or if the costs if they are buying direct from overseas, then you'll see the real issue.

I don't think you read my post properly.

a couple of retailers I know, stopped selling certain brands of gear because the "direct from overseas price" was too high for them to maintain a competitive retail price in Australia and still make a profit.

Ive bought more stuff from my local shop than probably anyone in the state over the years. Now when I put in an order I usually have to wait between 3 and 12 months for the gear to arrive. This is with things like Gaasta sails and Fanatic boards. I keep having trouble sailing because I can't get the gear before my other stuff breaks.

I have had a quiver order in for 3 months now and it still hasn't turned up. Ive holed quite a few of my old sails. I would love to keep supporting the local shop but the gear just doesn't turn up in a reasonable time at the moment.

+1 to supporting local retailer/people if the price is right.
But 6 boards, i would be talking directly to the manufacturer if possible. Maybe be the 'dealer' option, small business tax incentive etc. if feasible

Just like to add a classic post changed slightly from boardboy Lol
'First rule about factory board prices -we dont talk about board prices
Second rule about factory board prices - when people ask about board prices, tell em to bugger off'

If I was buying 6 new boards it would be ones that have a rep for longevity
Just a thought.

But if one must have Fanatic, why not go interstate? Considering many shops offer free freight on decent orders (ie only ONE board) , they'd be bending over backwards to give you SIX boards - surely!??

All the Australia dealers are listed here .... about 15-20 dealers.
http://www.fanatic.com/dealer-finder/

I'd give it some thought as to whether this tender should be verbal or via email.

I'd probably lean towards a verbal commercial-in-confidence discussion. Call the 20 dealers on Monday and tell them that you will be calling back on Friday for their price.

I would get in writing via email the responsibility of freight costs for warranty issues (minor fault vs major fault) - both to them and back to you.

Sounds like you also need coverage in the contract for the delivery date (as this is important to you).

Are Fanatics imported by each store or is there a Aus distributor? If the latter, the only problem with this is that they are all going to just call the distributor asking about stock availability for the 6 boards and I hope there wouldn't be any collusion to reduce competition.

Hmm .. maybe a commercial-in-confidence discussion with the distributor is better start.

Tricky.

edit: of course these discussion shouldn't need to be commerical-in-confidence, but we know the reality of competition unfortunately.

Properly supporting your local would be getting 6 OES boards made in this very state to a very high quality and comparative price!!!

Ended up going with surffx. So far so good but I have not received the boards yet.

How much

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gmitton said..
Ive bought more stuff from my local shop than probably anyone in the state over the years. Now when I put in an order I usually have to wait between 3 and 12 months for the gear to arrive. This is with things like Gaasta sails and Fanatic boards. I keep having trouble sailing because I can't get the gear before my other stuff breaks.

I have had a quiver order in for 3 months now and it still hasn't turned up. Ive holed quite a few of my old sails. I would love to keep supporting the local shop but the gear just doesn't turn up in a reasonable time at the moment.

Why would you go back and buy stuff that breaks and sails that get holes in?

Graeme if you have a quad that is 90 - 110L and is destroyed I'll have it.
Your new boards won't be far off..

The Fanatics have served me well except for problems with footpads lifting. All other damage would have been normal with any board. Same goes with the Gaastra sails. I understand its not everyones cup of tea but I prefer the performance compromise this combination gives me for the type of sailing I do. I understand that what works for me would not work for everyone....

a trip to Noumea will start to make one suspicious about pricing, especially considering its only 1.30mins away from aus. why is new gear significantly cheaper over there?

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wind012 said..
Ask one of the retailers to show you the direct cost price of a board from the distributor or if the costs if they are buying direct from overseas, then you'll see the real issue.

sounds like you have?

whats the issue?