OK to sell stuff here?
Online shopping is going to keep on growing. Why don’t these companies get competitive? Why don’t they create online shops that compete with overseas online retailers. Better to make some money than no money? If they just keep on talking about how online shopping is going to ruin them, then of course they are going down.
Wetsuits are debatable in my opion, they have been listed as hardgood accessories, to my mind if you can go surfing without it, it’s an accessory or a softgood. Surfboards yes, fins yes, wax and to a lesser extent grip yes. Anyway I see what you’re saying but I doubt that second hand wetsuits really have much of a following considering everyone knows what people do to make themselves warmer in them, as a result I don’t think it effects Billabong, people buy wetsuits new.
Skipp and Byrne have or had manufacturing as their backbone, increasingly they will have been relying upon retail of softgoods to keep them afloat as the margins on boards is shit in this country. Now that you have the plastic popout board generation manufacturing in China and the online onslaught of softgoods retailing companies, Byrne and Skipp and many others like them will probably fall. The only “shopfronts’ I see surviving are the shapers like Hayden Shapes and Warner to name a couple who have a loyal following, sell only boards and in a quantity that allows them to make money.
I fail to see the value in shopping only with Surfstitch, there are plenty of other sites where the same gear can be attained cheaper, it won’t be long till the general population catches on and the majority of retail goes offshore. The only thing that will stop this from occurring is for the manufacturers and distributors to realise that it’s a world market now and they are killing retail in this country by continuing to see just how long they can squeeze the Australian market for top dollar.
It’s very similar to Woolworths havin self checkouts!!!!!
If more people use these things, it will be inevitable that they will employ less people, and in return that will mean that when you have kids and they need/want a part time job while they are at school, and they are told that they no longer employ people at the registers, you can look back and see where it all began!!!!!
If you do not use these self checkouts, then you are ensuring that ya kids will have a better chance at gettin a part time job!!!!!
It’s the same principle with buyin stuff online!!!!! The more people that do it, the more likely you are gonna see the local industry lose jobs or even close down!!!!!
And when ya want to wander into a Snow Store and check out all of the latest gear, talk over some pros and cons with the crew on the shop floor about the latest and greatest, ya might just find that the door will be locked and a website address on a sign!!!!!
I’m definitely not sayin that I have never purchased anythin online before either, as I have!!!!!
But if it is not an opion for me in the first place then I just simply can’t do it!!!!! That is what the industry and is tryin to do, and what Jez is assistin in also and I for one don’t blame them!!!!! They want to make money and be a part of this sport, as much as you want to save it and participate in it!!!!!!
But no matter what you do online shops are going to grow, so you need to look at it differently.
Wetsuits are debatable in my opion, they have been listed as hardgood accessories, to my mind if you can go surfing without it, it’s an accessory or a softgood. Surfboards yes, fins yes, wax and to a lesser extent grip yes. Anyway I see what you’re saying but I doubt that second hand wetsuits really have much of a following considering everyone knows what people do to make themselves warmer in them, as a result I don’t think it effects Billabong, people buy wetsuits new.
Skipp and Byrne have or had manufacturing as their backbone, increasingly they will have been relying upon retail of softgoods to keep them afloat as the margins on boards is shit in this country. Now that you have the plastic popout board generation manufacturing in China and the online onslaught of softgoods retailing companies, Byrne and Skipp and many others like them will probably fall. The only “shopfronts’ I see surviving are the shapers like Hayden Shapes and Warner to name a couple who have a loyal following, sell only boards and in a quantity that allows them to make money.
I fail to see the value in shopping only with Surfstitch, there are plenty of other sites where the same gear can be attained cheaper, it won’t be long till the general population catches on and the majority of retail goes offshore. The only thing that will stop this from occurring is for the manufacturers and distributors to realise that it’s a world market now and they are killing retail in this country by continuing to see just how long they can squeeze the Australian market for top dollar.
It was more in the context of swappin somethin will then prevent a sale from a retailer!!!!! Along with the more general concept of trading anythin online that has an impact on the industry!!!!!
Years ago, if ya wanted a new board ya would take ya old one to the shaper as a trade in!!!!!
Now people are buyin and sellin their boards on eBay, and yet they wonder why their local guys are closin up!!!!!
When a guy used to buy their board from their local, they were also more likely to buy their clothes, footwear, sunnies etc etc at some stage also!!!!! This creates jobs in the industry and keeps it alive and well!!!!! What the online system does is cuts out the middle man!!!!! I’m pretty sure that the real winners are the freight companies rather than the surf industry in this modern age of trade?????
And as I said before, I can completely understand Jeremy’s stance in helpin the snow industry take a stand as they are only protectin their own arses!!!!!
There’s always Macca’s Mizu or packing the shelves!
Everyone wants to save their money and if they can’t see any added value in going to the store vs buying online you tell me what they are going to do? Only the best retailers are going to survive, the rest of also rans will fal by the way side. I forsee that the retailers will get their way with the GST on all imports but that will just be stalling the inevitable.
But no matter what you do online shops are going to grow, so you need to look at it differently.
They only grow if their respective industry lets them grow!!!!! If you can’t buy somethin online, then you have to get it from a local retailer!!!!!
There’s always Macca’s Mizu or packing the shelves!
Everyone wants to save their money and if they can’t see any added value in going to the store vs buying online you tell me what they are going to do? Only the best retailers are going to survive, the rest of also rans will fal by the way side. I forsee that the retailers will get their way with the GST on all imports but that will just be stalling the inevitable.
Even places such as CostCo will dent the need for shelf packers!!!!!
Maccas also have a system in place where ya can order ya coffee via ya mobile phone!!!!! No need for an employee to take ya order!!!!!
To be honest I don’t buy into the doom and gloom predictions about what online shopping and technology will do to the jobs market, that mindset has been around since the industrial revolution and yet the world and the economy continues on in a state of constant change with ups and downs but it continues. It has yet to end and I don’t see it ending anytime soon. The jobs will change in nature but they will still be there.
But no matter what you do online shops are going to grow, so you need to look at it differently.
I agree. I think the industry is coming to terms with it. We are seeing legit stores like Board Supply Co pop up, brick and mortar stores running bigger online stores, and even brands like Quiksilver opening their own online stores.
I am all for online stores. Boardworld is even going to have an online store. However, I want to make sure we sure we support the right people. I want to support stores that are authorised retailers for all the brands they sell. I want to support brick and mortar stores that support the local industry by sponsoring riders and giving Boardworld members discounts etc.
What if someone comes on Boardworld only to sell their snowboard which they purchased from an overseas online store, only because they later found out it wasn’t the right size or whatever. I don’t want Boardworld to be responsible for supporting that process.
I completely understand where you guys are coming from and it’s a debate that will continue for years to come. I need to know that Boardworld is doing the right thing by the Australian boardsports industry. I feel we have a responsibility to the industry that has supported us since day one.
That’s my view on it anyway. 
The horse may have bolted a little I think but I understand the sentiment. The consumer being what they are today has become incredibly savvy when it comes to the value proposition posed these days by by online retailers.
But no matter what you do online shops are going to grow, so you need to look at it differently.
They only grow if their respective industry lets them grow!!!!! If you can’t buy somethin online, then you have to get it from a local retailer!!!!!
Redjames’ point is that it is too late for worrying about letting things grow or not - it is inevitable that these online shops ARE going to grow and the retailers should be adapting and changing as necessary, or be left behind.
But no matter what you do online shops are going to grow, so you need to look at it differently.
They only grow if their respective industry lets them grow!!!!! If you can’t buy somethin online, then you have to get it from a local retailer!!!!!
Redjames’ point is that it is too late for worrying about letting things grow or not - it is inevitable that these online shops ARE going to grow and the retailers should be adapting and changing as necessary, or be left behind.
Legislation changes everythin!!!!! It can definitely stop the demise of our retail industry if anyone really cares about it that is!!!!!
The public took the same view when Banks got rid of jobs and replaced them with ATM’s!!!!! Now everyone whinges that the Banks are makin too much money!!!!! The public are the ones that let it happen in the first place!!!!!
The oil companies charge what they want for fuel too, so why do we bother complainin when we support the monopolies that control it??????
If the Australian Gov’t hadn’t imposed tariffs on cars for instance, then there would be no Australian Car Industry!!!!! Why do we bother with that industry????? Why don’t we just scrap the tariffs and all drive cheap Chinese cars?????
I even hear that School Teachers went out on strike today because the Gov’t wants to give principles full control of their own budgets!!!!! All the Gov’t is doin is tryin to be more competitive and save money!!!!! Did you support the strike action today, cords?????
I would just like to voice an opinion. I would like to have a section to sell old gear. Im all for the thread to give things away if you wish but no offense i work hard for that 600-800 dollar board or those 400 dollar bindings and dont exactly want to give it away but would like to sell it to somone that cant afford a new board after 1 season or missed out on buying the bidings from last season. I know stores sell last season stock but rarely is much left or in the size or colour you want.
Im not telling you how to run your forum but suggesting an idea from the people that use it.
Cheers.
I reckon you guys need to do an honest role reversal, and apply the same principles to the industry that you work in!!!!!
Ya might see things from a slightly different viewpoint then?????