16,000 Popouts
There are 16,000 popouts sitting in a warehouse in Brevard County Florida, retailers can’t sell. I’d laugh but they can’t sell them because all board sales are down, not just the fake ones.
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March 24th, 2008 at 9:43 am
I heard there are more than that our there. When those guys finally give up and decide to dump all that stock at cost it will completely destroy the surfboard market for 2008/2009. Support your local board builder in these strange times.
March 25th, 2008 at 6:31 am
You have to remember also that there are 2 HUGE mega-retail surfshops in Cocoa Beach (Brevard County), Ron Jons and Cocoa Beach Surf Company, that order Chinese boards by the container load just for their private-label stock. I have a friend who was a manger at one of those stores and said it was insane when the board shipments would come in. They would have to stock/inventory the warehouse. He said he’s never seen so many surfboards in his life.
We’ve had a shocking winter surf-wise also, so most boardbuilders are hurtin’ from that anyway with the lack of surf not doing any favors for their business.
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Interesting.
Do we really want 16,000 more pop-out surfers in the line up? This sudden inability to sell cheap plastic crap doesn’t seem like a bad thing to me at all!
Maybe our sport is no longer the fad of the second and we can all get back to normal again?
Who knows.
In the mean time, I’ll get back to shaping a few wood boards for a few real surfers.
16,000! Amazing.
Thanks for all your work!
Lars
42 Surfboards
April 10th, 2008 at 8:56 am
I heard a rumor that some major popout manufacturer is offering surf shop owners a deal that if they buy a 2008 model the manufacturer will throw in a 2007 model for free. Now the consumers need to go in to the shops and ask for there 2′fers also. I think some shops will not weather the storm so well.
Embrace The ConSOULidation.
The tree can never sever from its roots.
Full Circle Family ClanDestination.
April 10th, 2008 at 11:18 am
polvorin, I’m not sure if most shops even rely on board sales for their “making it”… much more cash to be made on clothing and accesories (wetsuits, fins, leashes, etc.).
A possible reason for them to begin closing down would be that surfing might have “jumped the shark” (thank god) and will have less consumers who would rather purchase their Buildabong or Ripneill trunks at Marshals than a trendy “surf shop”. People are hurting financially right now and I’m sure that the closeout and discount retail clothing shops are seeing a boost. This means not only a lack of surfboard sales, but their bread and butter sales are also shopping elsewhere.
April 12th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
It’s hard to say that boards are a loss leader. They don’t sell alot of them but they do have enough markup in them to justify the real estate they take up. Apart from the profitability of that big ticket item , surf shops must consider that surf culture is, as you pointed out, the surf shops reason for existence. Mom and dad in these hard times don’t care about the clicky influences at their kids high schools. They will buy billabong on sale at some discount clothes market rather than pay the premium to be cool and shop at a mega-surf store. Billabong is Hollister in my eyes and they are both Abercrombie Fitch. Bring on the Pro-Shops and T-shirt fashion. I heard from Hurley once that all his business really consists of is a multi-million dollar per year T-shirt business since that makes the most profit for him. So time to start selling 70percent.0rg T’s.
April 12th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
I’m allergic to money.
April 13th, 2008 at 6:51 am
Wow I wrote that last comment and didn’t realize that it sounded like I was talking to Bob Hurley. Actually I meant to say that he said to someone. I need to reread and edit with more care. Still, the point remains bring on the t-shirts.