Logman .. all points valid & respected from your perspective however it really pays to be understanding of R&D as it really is .. this does not refer to slapping a few ideas together on rail lines & taking it for a dig.. it refers to the tiny bits that mean stronger paint , more durable yet lighter materials , solid warranty programs & on & on.. unfortunately what many do not see is what matters so much .. the cheaper options tend to jump on to what has been found & milk that research & then fail to reinvest to assist all , so this again confirms that ideally supporting a knowledgable local retailer will save you bucks by buying from them & using their knowledge to buy the correct equipment for your intended use & then also the ability to if need claim a warranty etc ...
Online shopping has its place but it doesn't do much for your kids or others needing a job in the town, so I rekon it is a great thing to have information from a retailer that knows their stuff to sell product that is correct for you as a consumer & if this retailer makes a bit then hey hats off as that is what makes the world go round & also who knows he may turn out to be a good paddle buddy nice time out in the lineup , try doing that with the computer contact for your cheap online purchase..
log man said...
Maybe I'm just a cynical old focker but the Idea that you "get what you pay for" is sometimes true and often not. In the last few years it has been proven time and again that Aust. manufacturers and retailers have price gouged, and good on em, its up to consumers to scrutinize prices and quality. I buy most stuff these days on line and if the quality is there then the price is usually much better than the old retail shop. So the surf industry,( the industry that employs more people in China than it does in Australia) reaps the reward and good on em again, but to cry foul when consumers buy direct , and even worse when good old Aussie companies use mock patriotism to make us feel bad about our Chinese purchase, well that just drives me mad(er). East coast SUP, you said the good brands are the brands that support athletes, isn't this a market strategy, some brands feel they can penetrate the market by supplying the local hot shot surfer with a board or two but it's just business , isn't it?. It happens all the time on this site , but that's OK as long as we don't think that the surf industry is a philanthropic industry. Oh yeah R+D.......how long did it take the high profile companies to recognise they were putting they're hand holes in the wrong place so the arse of the board dragged along the sand?, peeling deck grips?, snapped boards?, plastic fins on $1800 boards? heel dents? cracking and lifting wood veneer?, chips?, etc etc . This isn't the fly by night brand or the shonky 2 dollar shop stuff here, its the big brands, the guys wearing the white hats. What I'm saying is, are these good quality products? and is that good R+D?
