FORUM : about new 2018 surf boards range !!!

“Hello,
You have probably noticed the Boards in the 2018 Line-Up. For me the biggest injustice perpetrated on the Shapers is to sell mass produced Boards, made by non surfers, at the price of specialists and with the giant marketing machine. In my mind, their must be a significant difference in price between made by non passionate workers and the work done by artist artisans how live only by the means of what they produce. 20 years ago, de-localization started in order to insure more volume. Then to widen the margins.The industry was augmented to include marketing in the final price. Then we find out that some Boards made in low cost countries were being sold at higher prices than the local artisans. Switcharoo!!! A slight of hand in the deck of cards that does much harm to the artisans. There need to be Boards for everyones budget, but to see a Board made in Asia sold with a co-efficient of 6 sometimes 8, is a real bad sign of what has become of our ability to inform people of the value of things. Let’s understand each other : whether under the contract of the Chinese or wherever, it doesn’t matter. We are not talking about a people, we are talking about a passion and henceforth a culture. At GONG, we have always proposed a low price and a clear relationship.
Our principal marketing tool is truth.
The truth in and of itself is not expensive. To diffuse it costs a fortune.
Conspiracy ‘friends’ move along, lobbyist ‘friends’, Hello we’re still here ;). For GONG and me, ‘Made in Asia’ has its place. But only if it is offered at the correct price : which is a low one.
Because not everyone has the budget to dedicate whole heartedly to their passion, we mousy have lox prices that allow a large number of people to surf and to begin surfing. And because there are those who do have the budget and/or passion, there needs to be production from exceptional artisans, capable of leading the market and always have an advance over mass production, in R&d terms, their must be nobility. Because it is surely nobility that we speak of when we talk about the truth behind our Boards.
All the Boards int he world are capable of surfing. And for 95% of Surfers, made in Asia will suffice.
But in order to make our passions live, the price is not enough. For there must be nobility. So GONG offers a truth in the value ladder of nobility of our Boards, for example : – Made in Asia Shortboards at 299€. – Made in Portugal Shortboards at 399€. – Made in France Shortboards at 649€. Each one of you is free to choose the source. Only you make the value judgement concerning your value of your purchase.
The only thing important to me is that not one Surfer is left to sit on the beach due to the fault of budget constraints. With this approach, I intend to restore a truth concerning the value of the components of each Board : – The Idea. – The materials. – The sweat. – The precision. – The cost. – The consciousness of ecological consequence. – ….. To give you an amusing example of the aberrations that we live, one could think that the cost of transport from Asia is expensive. In fact it is nothing compared to the costs of the components of Boards Made in France, over very short distances, is much more expensive than the price of a container coming from China.
It is insane but it is true. If we look into the proposed near future, we can see that the industry will offer Boards more expensive than those of true craftsmen and we will see that the cheap Boards are vulgar copies, often made by low skilled, unqualified opportunists.
In that world you will be able to begin on a shit Board and end up on a Board that is composed of 80% Marketing!!
Not very joyful to think about……… So each one of you will have an idea of the alternative that I am proposing : 1/ Boards of passion, with a strong culture behind and supported by serious technology. 2/ My quality requirements are always at the highest level, whether in China, Portugal or in France. The components always form the best available. The attention to detail is always at its possible highest when local. 3/ Nobility ; composed of multifaceted know-how, precision, conscience ; which is not equal or identical in all that the Market is offering you, and neither in what we offer. Thanks” Shaper : Patrice Guénolé et GONG Surfboards. Source : Team GONG Surf, we share what we love.
Tags : Surf, surf board, GONG Forum, about production, stand up paddle, paddle, paddleboard, surf shop, SUP shop, kite shop, promotion, bon plan, pas cher, GONG SUP, tomo SUP, stand up carbone, paddle carbon.