The 9m is $200 more expensive than last years... What's the go?
2008 prices
9m $1699
12m $1899
2009 prices
9m $1899
12m $2075
That's almost a $400 difference on this 2 kite combo... that's stuffed the budget.
The wall ST crisis has left many companies with their pants down.
The Aussie dollar was so strong only a few months ago and now with all the commotion and shiz they have been forced to re-do their prices for 09 even tho they have been distributed. you mite get lucky
Reasons:
-Aussie Dollar
-Wall St crisis
-Recession
Hi Harks98,
Yep, it is the crashing Aussie Dollar. Prices on many of the brands have stayed stagnant at retail level for 2-3 years but prices on everything around you has been going up constantly, this was due to the strength of the aussie dollar against the greenback. Price rises were absorbed by importers and retail prices remained the same.
Now with the Aussie dollar losing more than 30% of it's value over the last 3 months, importers/distributors cannot maintain the same margins and make a living. So we get the price rises. Imagine, the kites now are costing 30% more for us to buy than they were 3 months ago.
I understand Naish, North, Slingshot, & Airush have all raised their prices last week and I'm sure others will follow. We have had to pass on the increase of our Airush gear this week for the first time.
Bummer! 
Pray the Aussie Dollar climbs back up to a reasonable level rather than languishing down around 65c US today. 
Good winds,
when everyone was ordering this years kits/sails and the ozi $$ was good , the prices went up a bit coz of the sail material prices all went up across the board from the main cloth manufacturers.
Now the ozi $$ has taken a dive all gear that has to be ordered in fron OS will go up again.
so buy up now before then new-new gear arrives.
Pray the Aussie Dollar climbs back up to a reasonable level rather than languishing down around 65c US today.
Come on Matto splash that cash out on a new kite you will love it , but I must say with a recession on its way and kites going up in price people are only going to think twice about buying a new kite.
See you next week Matto.
Pray the Aussie Dollar climbs back up to a reasonable level rather than languishing down around 65c US today.
Pray the Aussie Dollar climbs back up to a reasonable level rather than languishing down around 65c US today.
Nice to hear north put there prices up again, they upped the prices when the gear first came out in August.
Hi, I am the Designer for GriffinKites.com.au an Australian kite company
re "General" post
Does this mean every one has to ride Australian branded kites this year
A griffin 2009 12m is still going for $1299 + 250 bar and lines [Edited out - apologies] and shops make more margin/profit on a griffin than most other brands so it should be a win win for all. This may sound like a plug, but people should know there are alternatives and Australian kite companies with better prices and just as good product are out there.
ok you flaming bastard brand bashers, bring it on!
BTW the Griffin came 4th in the World Speed Cup.
I have to agree with Paul, I seem to remember this time last year when the AUD had risen we were told that kite prices would not be reduced because kites were ordered ahead of time (over the winter). This is a very valid explanation if you look at the graph below of Winter 07. However look at Winter 08.
Who is picking up the cream from this...I don't know. But someone is!!
re:
cRAZY Canuk Bar post above
Bar is +$250 and comes with 20 + 5 m extensions
Ronstan swivel, auto a just turn when unhooked, ball tucks into side pocked to be out of the way, donkey kick also tucks into side pocket to be out of the way. Fist company with no center strut, first company with "Wrong way" on the wrong side of the bar. ok enough pluging from me.
Re prices
12m 1299 + 250 bar
9m 1199 (you can use the same bar)
Total $2748 includes 6 month warranty
compared to $3970 thats 1200+ difference in price (or another kite)
I don't want to brand spam, but this discussion is about price of kites, hence above.
Bar Pictures Herehttp://www.griffinkites.com.au/image-gallery/343.html
Kite Detail Pictures Here
www.griffinkites.com.au/image-gallery/312.html
Splaat advertises his kites 12m for $1299 in a thread to make a comparison against North product.
Price Watch: Please be more up front and give the full price of $1299 + $280 + etc and the punters can add it up and compare.
To add: AS a wholesaler to suggest that the consumer should squeeze the shop down for better price. That is a great idea (as like it doesn't happen every day already) and hope you also offer that option for the retailers that you deal with so they can squeeze your wholesale price down and get at least a 100% profit margin for their hard work, overheads and risks of promoting another brand into the market place.
Remember retail is no monkey business as it takes a lot of hard work, dedication and effectiveness to suceed in the current kitesurfing market place.
Just my thoughts for consideration on this subject in this forum.
Regards
Glen
re Glens post
I think we are one of the only companies where if some one orders from our website, we put the sale to the local shop in that area, so they make the sale and the customer can pick up the kite from the shop instead of keeping the sale for ourselves. I don't know of any other brand that supports the shops this way.
Re squeezing shops for a discount or some thing extra, [Apologies for saying this, I should'nt have, should have put it by my copywriter first] [edited]. Yes shops have it tough and we support them + most of the time they make more money out of supporting an AUSTRALIAN company with our kites than the more expensive ones from what I have seen.
We support the shops more than most other brands I believe.
Pray the Aussie Dollar climbs back ...
Nah, NEW is an awesome product once you take your eye off the chicken loop that no one seems to be riding, one day people might notice this product maybe with the pressure on over seas companies that have to deal with the weak AU$ more people will give them a go.
It goes to show how little this forum makes a difference (doesn't surprise me)
Funny how the kite prices didn't go down when the Aus dollar was so good [}:)]. Now everyone has an excuse to put the prices up, just you watch and see.
yer but some companies have their designers and brand owners in america and to fund their lifestyle you got to coff up a lot more dosh.
meh, AU$ going down was needed anyway. it made our products too expensive for other countries to buy so they didn't buy many things meaning we didn't have a good manufacturing industry (cheaper to get it from over seas and they couldn't sell to anyone). Also we can get more for all that grain we are about to export.
