pow_hnd wrote: Wed Oct 26, 2022 5:25 pm
C.Fuzzy wrote: Wed Oct 26, 2022 8:26 am
Considering the people at the helm here I don't think they'd tarnish their position in snowboard history for a cash grab.
IDK, when you only have two decks, its direct to consumer only, and you have just a ton of softgoods and stickers for sale, its hard no to see it as a cash grab.
There's a lot of things people do for money and nobody does anything for free.
At this time the only thing good I can say is at least they're made at the Mothership.
I'd suspect the high prices actually have to do with not meeting the minimums that the Mothership requires to OEM for other brands and being charged a higher price on the production side.
Plenty of brands have left Mothership production since they couldn't meet the minimums those guys want brands to hit to make OEM production worth their while.
I was thinking the higher price of these initial decks would have several factors:
1. Placement / Price anchoring: Sets the brand up as a premium board brand (if they came in cheap they're just another middle tier cost competitor) / this still gives room for entry level products down the line.
2. Capitalizes on the excitement of the brand's return and those consumers that still have brand loyalty AND acts as a barometer to the overall interest in the brand. How many true fans are really out there?
3. Margins are the most important when a brand begins. Provides the best chance for early revenue to have a self sustaining brand and grow the brand / product line
4. Soft goods are easy to get made and have a better margin and sell through easier... Also, get people to for a brand loyalty due to self identity by wearing it.
To me, the fact that reboots of brands like Sims and Kemper didn't go hard with the soft goods was a mistake. (most) People aren't just picking a snowboard, they're buying into a brand. There's a reason brands use to give stickers away. When someone chooses to stick a sticker to something they own they're making a subconscious emotional commitment ... a free sticker that is stuck to a water bottle or something can turn a non-customer to a customer.
Anyhow, my thoughts are that soft goods don't necessarily equal a cash grab.
I could be wrong on all of it and maybe it's not as I see it. But if I put myself in their shoes I can see reason for what they're doing.
And as I've said previously, if they aren't preparing to tell the Forum story in the form of a docu or web series, they're making a big mistake. The story of Forum is way more compelling than their boards ever were good. Doing Bombhole podcasts is one thing... but putting that footy together with rider interviews and showing the ups and downs of that brand, imo, would be a must watch and at least shine a light on the importance of that lightning in a bottle they had at one time.
