Inflation, Credit Crunch, fuel prices, brand cockiness...

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,

Kitehard said...


Bummer! Pray the Aussie Dollar climbs back up to a reasonable level rather than languishing down around 65c US today.

While you're at it, see if you can get metal prices to go back up a bit. If the dollar strengthens and the metal prices stay the same then a lot of mines will have to shut down, and in a commodity based economy... Well that's one of the main contributors to the weak dollar in the first place now isn't it.

Actually, I'm not going to comment on things I have a very mediocre understanding of. As you were...

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.

Paul1 said...

Kitehard said...

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,

I import from China in USD$ and set my prices around the 80c mark, so obviously I gain when the dollar goes up to 98c and lose when it goes to 65c, but all in all it averages itself out.

2008 prices were obviously set when the dollar was around 80c, so why were we not paying less for our kit when the dollar rose to 98c, and kite importers were raking in the extra profit?

When the dollar recovers, will you be dropping prices, or will you be like the fuel companies and leave them where they are and cream off the extra profit?

or you will see competition sort it out

General said...

Does this mean every one has to ride Australian branded kites this year

Na just Australian made boards..

Haven't heard much about Griffin kites ? Wouldn't mind finding out more ??????

Splaat said...


A griffin 2009 12m is still going for $1299 or less if you can squeeze the price down from your shop 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.

Does that include the bar? If not what is the price of the Griffin bar (and what's it look like)

Splaat said...

Hi, I am the Designer for GriffinKites.com.au an Australian kite company

I thought they were Monkey kites? Aren't you affiliated with them? I thought the Griffin was Monkey's BOW model???????

Slightly confused-but that's normal............

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 Here
http://www.griffinkites.com.au/image-gallery/343.html

Kite Detail Pictures Here
www.griffinkites.com.au/image-gallery/312.html

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.

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 aria, 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.

Wipika (M8) used to, Flexifoil do it now

Kitehard said...
Bummer! Pray the Aussie Dollar climbs back ...

Main problem is that most of the people who should think to prevent from these financial melt downs are "praying" instead of thinking.

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.