Most Ridiculous prices for discs....

[snap7times]

Last week on the way to Rocklin DGC down here in Rocklin *near sacramento*... I see the new gas station has a discraft sign out front. I pull in to see what they have just for kicks. The first disc I see on top is a Innova Star Destroyer and a Champ Valk next to it. They got like 4 different companies on 8 racks with a total of about 30-40 discs. I look at the prices on the destroyer and the valk and just about voiced outloud, 'OMFG are you serious'? I turn to the lady at the front and ask her if these prices are for real? She nods her head like "omg he just found a good deal", i was like, "lady, these discs sell for $12-$16, maybe as high as $18 if you really want to rip your customers off". She just got all firm on me "no, that is recomended price"... I laughed, "NO, this is not recomended price" looked through the rest of the discs and left... Some people really make me sick trying to rip people off.
So here are the prices.
Star Destroyer - $25.99
Champ Valk - $23.99
ESP Avenger - $18.99
X plastic*forgot which disc it was* - $13.99

Anyone else have a story like this?

[Ol' Bob]

I guess the barrel of oil just went up again.

[Adam Schneider]

Wow. And I thought $18.99 for Star plastic at DeLaveaga was bad.

[Iowa]

Never go to Dick's Sporting goods. There prices are not nearly as bad as that. But DX cost 13 bucks. Champion is 18. And that is the only plastic they have. I went there and was very disappointed.

[SMOKIN JOE]

yeah, most every tournament, I get plastic from the depot mark it up 2.00 for the club and still beat the price of discs at the big tournaments by 2.00 on discs, the last one was at star was 17.00 for script, champion 15.00, pro 12.00 , dx was 10.00 wow, I get dx for 5.00 , does that much money really need to be made off the players, what was the script prices for the classic this weekend, I've seen prices that are really high too. most of which paid what we do and then have to mark them up 50% to put on the shelf, and quick stop stores are always high on everything, :cool2:

[Sam]

I got a first run Champion Groove for $15 and a Star Monarch (Kansas City Open fundraiser) for $17 from the Albany club last night. Good prices, I thought. I was so pleased with the tournament and the hard work the club put in to making it a great weekend, I joined.

[Scott]

Last week on the way to Rocklin DGC down here in Rocklin *near sacramento*... I see the new gas station has a discraft sign out front. I pull in to see what they have just for kicks. The first disc I see on top is a Innova Star Destroyer and a Champ Valk next to it. They got like 4 different companies on 8 racks with a total of about 30-40 discs. I look at the prices on the destroyer and the valk and just about voiced outloud, 'OMFG are you serious'? I turn to the lady at the front and ask her if these prices are for real? She nods her head like "omg he just found a good deal", i was like, "lady, these discs sell for $12-$16, maybe as high as $18 if you really want to rip your customers off". She just got all firm on me "no, that is recomended price"... I laughed, "NO, this is not recomended price" looked through the rest of the discs and left... Some people really make me sick trying to rip people off.
So here are the prices.
Star Destroyer - $25.99
Champ Valk - $23.99
ESP Avenger - $18.99
X plastic*forgot which disc it was* - $13.99

Anyone else have a story like this?

I don't understand how anybody was "ripped off". How much of your money did she take? Was a gun used in this alleged robbery?

I have heard countless times that so and so is ripping people off because they charge too much. Guess what? We live in a free economy. Sellers are free to choose their price and buyers are free to choose where they want to shop. Another basic philosophy of our economy - Caveat Emptor (let the buyer beware). It is the buyer's responsibility to know what the fair price is for what he is buying, not the seller's.

Let's assume that your seller continues to sell Star plastic for $25.99. Here are the possible outcomes to that scenario:
- Shoppers buy discs at that price and the seller becomes successful and keeps prices at that level (or raises them). This proves that the market in that area is able to bear these prices.
- Shoppers find the price too high and refuse to buy discs from that seller (The market cannot bear the sellers prices). The seller is forced to lower his prices.
- Shoppers find the price too high and refuse to buy discs from that seller but the seller does not lower his prices. The seller eventually goes out of business.

Don't we have any Economics teachers on here? Somebody back me up, please.

[Brian]

I agree, the prices are too high, but I also agree with Scott that if anyone buys at that price then they are fine, if they do not buy at that price then they will have to lower it.

[Adam Schneider]

Okay, sure, it's the free market at work. But for people who don't know any better, it's a rip-off.

Also, if someone goes in there having never played before, they're not going to think disc golf is as affordable as it really is.

[Brian]

Then it might be better stated that they are giving a bad impression of the costliness of DG.

[KenGilmore]

Perhaps it is the person selling the discs that doesn't know any better.

[Sam]

Okay, sure, it's the free market at work. But for people who don't know any better, it's a rip-off.

Negative. A rip off implies something shady or illegal. Anyone making a purchase without doing their research first deserves what they get.

Also, if someone goes in there having never played before, they're not going to think disc golf is as affordable as it really is.

Again... research is key. Even at those prices, DG is WAY cheaper than ball golf.

[Brian]

I don't know Innova's SRP, but could it be possible that it is like $25 for a star disc?

[keys]

I'm sure the people at the gas station aren't trying to rip people off. They probably don't play disc golf and have no idea that most vendors don't sell near msrp. They are probably also adding a convenience percent on top of the msrp. When was the last time you found anything in a gas station cheep? They will find out their prices are too high when they see people browsing the discs, people laughing at the prices, and not purchasing the discs.

[Tim]

Negative. A rip off implies something shady or illegal. Anyone making a purchase without doing their research first deserves what they get.


Ironic, coming from an Innova fanboy. :wink2:

[Brian]

Ouch, the gloves come off!

[Sam]

Ironic, coming from an Innova fanboy. :wink2:

Except... I did my research and went with the superior disc manufacturer and left the wannabe discs for the wannabe disc golfers. :D

[LJ Jubner]

Okay, sure, it's the free market at work. But for people who don't know any better, it's a rip-off.

So What does it say when a retailer who knows the game and it's players still over charges for payout?

The good news is If I were pitching a course or getting crap about ..."How the the Tax payers are footing the bill", you would put these two together and then discuss the DG realities both as consumers (supporting the local economy) and park users (users and stewards).

So The conclusion here is this type of business model "gouging" is acceptable just not very ethical.

[Tim]

Except... I did my research and went with the superior disc manufacturer and left the wannabe discs for the wannabe disc golfers. :D

Hmm, sounds like you're operating more on faith than the scientific method. :biggrin2::nahnah:

[Sam]

Tim, I am moving my damned goat. :laughing:

[Scott]

So What does it say when a retailer who knows the game and it's players still over charges for payout?

The good news is If I were pitching a course or getting crap about ..."How the the Tax payers are footing the bill", you would put these two together and then discuss the DG realities both as consumers (supporting the local economy) and park users (users and stewards).

So The conclusion here is this type of business model "gouging" is acceptable just not very ethical.

I had a hard time understanding what you are trying to say here, so I'll take my best guess.

If you are a TD then feel free to gouge away. The market will either support you, or not. If people stop coming to your events then you will either change your ways or stop running tournaments. If people continue to come to your events then you aren't really gouging them because it's clear that is what the market will bear.

[Ol' Bob]

In Sam's "free market," there is only one brand.

[Bruce]

I honestly wish more retailers would charge those prices. Yeah it would be tough to buy discs as often as most of us do, just for the higher prices. However, I and many other people believe it is what our sport needs for real growth. Sure nickles and dimes of profit add up over time, but for major sponsors of our wonderful sport, dollars add up much faster. We don't get sponsors for free, they too are hoping for a return on those invested dollars into our sport.

RAISE YOUR DAMN PRICES!

[snap7times]

Okay, economics ehh?
Cheaper prices = more purchased discs = more rookies trying out the sport = more return on investment from those players... which also = more lost discs = rookies finding lost discs and joining the sport based on found discs or player who lost disc buys more discs

Expensive prices = few to none purchased discs = lost chance of introducing rookies = lost ROI = no one finds potential lost disc or player who could have lost disc dosen't buy more discs...

That's the simply put bad english version...
However, if raising the prices of discs up a few dollars means more money to the sport and it's major tournaments then great, but if it's going straight to the vendor's wallet with no ROI to the sport then booooo, and guess what, Chevron ain't anywhere close to sponsoring anything Disc Golf related anytime soon.... *oops I said which gas station it was*.....

[Scott]

Okay, economics ehh?
Cheaper prices = more purchased discs = more rookies trying out the sport = more return on investment from those players... which also = more lost discs = rookies finding lost discs and joining the sport based on found discs or player who lost disc buys more discs

Expensive prices = few to none purchased discs = lost chance of introducing rookies = lost ROI = no one finds potential lost disc or player who could have lost disc dosen't buy more discs...

That's the simply put bad english version...
However, if raising the prices of discs up a few dollars means more money to the sport and it's major tournaments then great, but if it's going straight to the vendor's wallet with no ROI to the sport then booooo, and guess what, Chevron ain't anywhere close to sponsoring anything Disc Golf related anytime soon.... *oops I said which gas station it was*.....


You make a lot of assumptions, such as if the prices are too expensive then people will not buy discs at all. The will, but they will just choose another vendor. This is not a new concept - it has worked in economies around the world for several hundred (or thousand?) years.

And I'm not sure if peppering the courses with lost discs in hopes that a new player will find them is really the most effective way to grow the sport. :rolleyes2: I'll have to assume you were kidding on that one.

[Leftybagger]

FYI... Standard price for a Star disc in JNU is 21.99-23.99 and Champion is 19.99-20.99... I believe it is about the same in Anchorage as well.

[snap7times]

You make a lot of assumptions, such as if the prices are too expensive then people will not buy discs at all. The will, but they will just choose another vendor. This is not a new concept - it has worked in economies around the world for several hundred (or thousand?) years.

And I'm not sure if peppering the courses with lost discs in hopes that a new player will find them is really the most effective way to grow the sport. :rolleyes2: I'll have to assume you were kidding on that one.

I meant from that specific vendor and since they are the only vendor in the area........ also as for lost discs, you would be suprised how many people pick up the sport from lost discs finding their way into their hands, but yes i was kidding sort of...

And as for Alaska prices, ouch.... You get free money every year from the oil, so just use that money...

[motherhucker]

You're also forgetting something here. Location is everything. Rocklin, outside of Sacramento, is in Kalleeforneeya. The recommended price there might not necessarily be the recommended price here.

As I recall, we went into a small sporting goods shop in Santa Barbara and the prices were a fair amount higher than they were here. And that's not even counting in sales tax....

[snap7times]

LOL... california is not as expensive as they claim... only thing that is slightly higher is rent and it's only maybe $200 more a month than Portland or Salem... everything else is basically the same. Now if it were the Bay Area then that place is ridiclous and I would never live there...

[LJ Jubner]

Almost Scott, The only difference is If the market remains stable (no pun intended) That is enough new players either don't start and/or the established ones stick around.

[RonTheWhip]

Except... I did my research and went with the superior disc manufacturer and left the wannabe discs for the wannabe disc golfers. :D

Harsh

[chanman]

A bit harsh yes, but true:)

[JMan]

Discraft bashing aside, Scott is correct Caveat Emptor There is a small store right by Hoover Park, same thing, big prices. I asked if they ever sold any, and she said all the time. Folks see the course, want to play, and don't quibble over price as it is a product they want. No consumer is ever ripped off if they get what they want; if they could have gotten it cheaper they should have known, again, not the retailers problem. I used to work retail, a guy came in, saw what he wanted and brought it to the check out. He complained it was almost ten dollars more than one he saw online. I gave it to him at that price and placed it in a bag and put it on a shelf behind the counter. "WTF," he asked. I told him that if he'd ordered it it would take at least a week to get here, so I'd hold it for him for one week, then he could come and get it, he paid the ten bucks. Sometimes what you're paying for is not just the product, but the connivence.

[Eric Olson]

connivence.
;)

[motherhucker]

LOL... california is not as expensive as they claim... only thing that is slightly higher is rent and it's only maybe $200 more a month than Portland or Salem... everything else is basically the same. Now if it were the Bay Area then that place is ridiclous and I would never live there...

Having visited California twice this year, I'd disagree. Gas is higher in California. Sales Tax is much higher. Day use fees are a lot more than $3. And I don't even want to think about how much it costs to see a movie there...

[Scott]

Discraft bashing aside, Scott is correct Caveat Emptor There is a small store right by Hoover Park, same thing, big prices. I asked if they ever sold any, and she said all the time. Folks see the course, want to play, and don't quibble over price as it is a product they want. No consumer is ever ripped off if they get what they want; if they could have gotten it cheaper they should have known, again, not the retailers problem. I used to work retail, a guy came in, saw what he wanted and brought it to the check out. He complained it was almost ten dollars more than one he saw online. I gave it to him at that price and placed it in a bag and put it on a shelf behind the counter. "WTF," he asked. I told him that if he'd ordered it it would take at least a week to get here, so I'd hold it for him for one week, then he could come and get it, he paid the ten bucks. Sometimes what you're paying for is not just the product, but the connivence.

You da (J)man!
:cheers:

[snap7times]

LOL, I've been to the store next to Hoover plenty of times, their Champion is 15.99, which is not bad at all for a conveince store, but 23.99 heck yeah bad... and remember california is broken up into many different regions. The Bay Area like I said is yes indeedy marked up on everything, but where I am, same prices as Oregon for just about everything except a few things. Movies are like 8.50, same as Salem last time I checked. Anyways, i guess 25 dollars for a disc is not bad for most of you, so those selling discs, mark up your prices! I was gonna bring a whole bunch of discs to Eugene Celebration and sell them for $10, but now it's $30! yeahhhh...

[Scott]

LOL, I've been to the store next to Hoover plenty of times, their Champion is 15.99, which is not bad at all for a conveince store, but 23.99 heck yeah bad... and remember california is broken up into many different regions. The Bay Area like I said is yes indeedy marked up on everything, but where I am, same prices as Oregon for just about everything except a few things. Movies are like 8.50, same as Salem last time I checked. Anyways, i guess 25 dollars for a disc is not bad for most of you, so those selling discs, mark up your prices! I was gonna bring a whole bunch of discs to Eugene Celebration and sell them for $10, but now it's $30! yeahhhh...

You're missing the point. If this seller is the only game in town, or at least the only one near the course, chances are they will do OK. It doesn't matter at all if prices for other goods and services in the area are comparable to Oregon. If they are able to sell Star discs for $25.99 then the maket has shown that that is a fair price for that area.

With increased competition and a more informed consumer, you likely won't do as well selling your $10.00 plastic for $30.00 at the Celebration.

[snap7times]

yeah, i know, that's why i'll have a "Oregon 65% off sale"... anyways, my point is, the prices were ridicilous, especially with final 9 sports a few miles away... but if they sell discs then whatever...
Anyways, how much is gas in Oregon now?

[Ol' Bob]

Park the Deals on Discs van out front of that store on weekends.

[Scott]

Anyways, how much is gas in Oregon now?

Looks like about $2.60 up here and getting more expensive as you go south. Up to $2.99 in Ashland.

http://www.oregongasprices.com/

[Iowa]

It's only 2.44 in Iowa. The least expensive is 2.36 and the most expensive in 2.69.

[snap7times]

not bad, it just finally went back up to 3.00 recently... but don't matter to me, I ride a 125cc scooter that gets 90-100 mpg... yeah baby... Brand new 2009 yamaha scooter only cost me under $3k... and insurance is only like $25 a month...

[Swampthing]

I say support Jerry at "the Depot" if you want disc prices to stay low in the Portland area. Jerry's prices for champ plastic $13, and Star $14 are unbeatable. i was at REI over at Clackamas and they had Innova Star discs for $20 each. If Jerry wasn't around I think disc vendors all over town would hike up their prices. My 2cents... (and I don't work for Jerry...)

[snap7times]

I buy from him all the time, he did fork over 14 baskets for the disc golf course that will be opening soon...

[Greg_R]

When REI or Dick's starts supporting disc golf then I will start supporting their DG stores. Until then, I'll buy from tournament sponsors (Next Adventure, Jerry, Huk Lab, etc.).

[Eric Olson]

When REI or Dick's starts supporting disc golf then I will start supporting their DG stores. Until then, I'll buy from tournament sponsors (Next Adventure, Jerry, Huk Lab, etc.).Hasn't REI helped organize course maintenance or improvement efforts at Orchard? Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Scott]

Hasn't REI helped organize course maintenance or improvement efforts at Orchard? Correct me if I'm wrong.

You are not wrong. They have done this at least twice that I know of.