"Support your local surf shop"...

Why not find a shop with decent people and at least give them the option of matching prices? Find a suite you like and give them a chance to match the online price? I'd rather give my money to a local guy if all else is equal.

And I'm a cheap bastard.

 

global sales really , do you know what it costs to ship global , thru the roof grom , maybe national but too cost ineffective to go global unless you are a mmm or ge

 

Interesting. I have love-hate relationships with my local surf shops. One of them gives me a great hook up and they are generally good human beings, acquaintance/friend hybrids. I would bail them out of jail. But they flood my break with rentals in the summer. And one of the dudes that works there looks like Tom Hanks in the 80s and I wanna punch him in the cock and spit on his life. My other shop has a lot of Global stuff and I'm not really digging the selection of sticks, but I get my skate stuff there when I can. If I can buy it there as opposed to online, I will. I once called and asked if they could order me a pair of vans I was looking at online---they said no. So I bought em online. Great story. But anybody that can make money and stay humble and walk the line between too commercial and unsuccessful... and hook up the non-kooks... ill throw em a few bucks.

Warm Winds... dude has to be raking it in. Told me I had to finish my ice cream cone outside... that makes you a clothing store with boards in the basement.

I say this every time, and then I have a lousy session and my blood sugar is low I walk into the shop and see what I should've had that day and say fugget and end up with a new board. I spontaneously buy surfboards, and that puts a damper on me finances.

 

Who you calling grom? Grom! HAHA

I hear what you're saying, mostly nationally yes, but i'm sure there is a way to go global without going the GSI route, as time goes on global e-commerce is more and more common and the costs of this will go down. It's not the primary objective to go global, i'm much more concerned about the good ole U. S. of A., but my point was that there is no reason to only focus on the local zip code, that limits your business incredibly when you could be selling a brand new board to a kid in CA or NY or TX, wherever! It just makes sense and not enough shops or shapers are doing it. Whoever wants to sponsor me so I can show everybody how it's done PM me and we'll work out a deal

 

Sounds like you need SBA, Surfboard Buyers Anonymous

 

Buying on craigslist is the way to go. It's good for the environment, there is such a wide selection if you are patient enough or looking for something unique and its full of good deals on boards that are only a few years old and ride like new. And yes if you are handy with fixing dings you can even find a bargain.

Supporting your local shop is tough when everything is full price or slightly discounted. Buying last year's high-end wetsuit online at 1/2 price on whiskey or others is really the way to go. The incremental improvement in wetsuit construction in the last 2-3 years is marginal.

From my experience most (not all) surf shop employees do not have the combination of a knowledge, perspective or interest to properly help you make an informed decision when picking out equipment. They might have one or maybe two, but its not enough.

Regarding supporting your local shaper. What can you say for those shapers that offer "their version" of a popular brand name board for less?

 

There is no such thing as intellectual property in surfboard design. Good ideas get stolen all the time. And they should. You'd hope that your local guy is up front about who's design ideas he's using, and you also hope "his version" has subtle improvements tailored to the rider or local break. For less? good for him and the buyer. For more? good for him. If he did his homework and the local version is better for the local surf, good for the rider, too. He shouldn't balk at paying a slightly higher price for a slightly better board.

 

you sounded like a grom the way you said that someday you will do this , ok then you better hurry cause your time is running out maybe go on shark tank with your idea hahahha you might get a stop the madness , you like bobby at mar Azul pretty good huh or is Rachel the one you really like

 

I'm thinking that the shops don't make much money on selling an actually board compared to clothes and gear

Idk

Go down to eastern lines in Belmar NJ and spend all your Christmas money

 

If IP doesn't exist how can it be "stolen" - that was just a lame joke

My point is that by referencing a popular model as example the "CI biscuit" the local shaper is doing 2 things (1) Linking the performance of an award-winning model to his own model which may be better or worse. and (2) Using the brand recognition of CI to create perceived value in his own model

 

funny.... I buy tons of boards on CL. Probably 15 in the last year. Never once did I stop to think one would be stolen until reading this.

 

for technical gear , wetsuits , boards , and kites i will always go to my local shop . On a occasion i will buy online . But if you get to know the owner and take time to make friends (if the owners not a Douche pickle ). Down the road you can get a few buddies that are interested in the same kind of purchase . Have the owner/friends order a few for you and your friends, 99.9 % watch that price drop . As long as their end is covered their happy to help out on gear and prices Wether its a wetsuite , clothing , gadgets , snowboards , skis , etc . Plus if your ever in a bind out in the surf and break something , most likely if you stop by that local shop and up ask to help a fella out , they'll do it with no issue. May even get a laugh out of it . Maybe its me but technical gear i need to rub and fondle get a feel of what kind of rails , flex , construction , stitching , etc . Make sure it can handle a long time of beatings

 

Nah, i'm 33 and started surfing when I was 14-15 years old and then got into sales as a career and gained a lot of skills that could help me in starting my own business. I am not the first person to think about doing some of the things I would wanna do, but the difference between me and a lot of people that end up getting that opportunity is I didn't come from money, haven't really gotten rich or made enough to set aside and start my own up, and don't have any ties or connections to anybody important that could help get me any close to my goals. I'm not a user anyways, so even if I did know them, I wouldn't ever beg or ask for any favors, just not my style.

I know I must seem really amped about this topic, and it came across like a grom, but that's what life is about, getting fired up and excited about something you are passionate about. I would definitely be successful given that chance. I know time is running out like you said, i've been wanting to do this or a few other ideas I have. So it's just a matter of time and money honestly. Right now we're saving money to move to the Melbourne area. Should be there in a year hopefully.

Thinking once we're settled in and are putting money away is when i'll start putting some wheels in motion. Till then, I tell myself "one day". One thing about me is if I put it in writing or tell others i'm going to do something. I will. May not happen as quick as I like, but I eventually get there. Sorry to ramble, I just got this new bag of Xmas Bud and it's the t*ts

 

Not sure what that is supposed to mean haha, I think they're both great people. What you know them personally or you've stayed there?

 

I know bobby yes and if you keep smokn that bud you wont save a dime hahahah

 

X2, if you wanted to be "millionaire" wouldn't own a Surf Shop, some Shop's business models/marketing better than others yet this thread picking on the wrong end of the food chain. If I'm a "KooK" for supporting my local shops who one way or other does support local surfing community then should support their bottom line.

I was shocked to learn how very little National/Imported Surfing "Brands" other than select sponsorships/contests support Surfing organizations to battle threats to surfing. Topics we discuss here time to time, loss of surf break, better engineering of beaches for surfing ... etc. Whether those "Brands" are public or private the CEO's are paid/earn nearly millionaire incomes, while less than 1% net is returned to benefit Organizations of rank & file surfing. Your local shop is not a problem considering the "BIGGER" picture of those "Brands" who contribute little to nothing to support our sport like other "Brands" of other sport industries.

 

Touche, I get it on a discount i'm not blowing through too much but you're right. Cool so we may have crossed paths at some point?

 

support your local shop, that is a local shop that needs support. Ron Jons, brave new world, etc.. are not local shops in need of support.

 

Good point... So I wonder- is Ron Jon now a millionaire? I use to rock a ronjon wetsuite back in the day... 3/2

 

I support my local Shapers , but for good like wetsuits , clothing and ect . Ill shop online mostly cause none of the local shops have what i need ever or its more than ordering online . Ill try something on then go online and order ii if its more money in the shop . Ill mostly buy from shops like Heritage , Inlet Surf Ect.