One of the things that bugs me the most about Nike. Is that their shoes are the least costly to shops and sell for the most. I have talked to owners of skate shops, and they have told me that they pay around $15 dollars a pair. Then Nike makes them charge $100/$100 plus. That is just ridiculous.
Nike in BMX
- Thread starter jonKranked
- Start date
There are differences in even the big companies.
I used to buy Nike b-ball shoes to actually play b-ball. I had a pair which I bought for $110 which a Foot Locker employee told me he got for $40.
I realized then you are not buying a quality product at a fair price. You are paying for Michael Jordan's salary, Tiger Woods' endorsements, etc. I'm not sure how much they put into cycling.
I noticed someone mentioned Specialized as one of those evil big companies. I know they make all their bikes in Taiwan and China, which most of the industry does. I have also been to the Xmas party at the main office, sponsored races, and several dealer demo events, and I know most of their employees (and their owner) ride bikes.
P.S. Specialized revenue 20 mil, Nike revenue 17 billion
I think its a safe assumption to say that had to resort to these tactics... see my next point...
Not the business, not the government, but... (wait for it)... consumers. American consumers to be specific. The vast majority of them seem to think that they are entitled to low priced consumers products. Part of this is due to the fact that the average US consumer is very ignorant as to how much it actually costs to manufacture items.
Case in point... last year when Mattel made recalls because of lead paint in some of their products, a lot of people were up in arms to bring the toy manufacturing back to the United States. Great! I'd love to! I'd fully support this move, and I'm sure a lot of people would too. But here's the catch... by bringing production back to the US, you have to worry about pesky things like minimum wage laws, a 40 hour work week, paying overtime, labor unions, facility inspections, regulations on manufacturing conditions, etc. All of a sudden your $10 Barbie doll jumps to $40 - a price increase most consumers would feel to be outrageous. That's why consumer products from overseas are less expensive. Its the labor that's cheaper, and its not gonna stay that way for long.
Ok, I've just decided that the world is a fscked up place because of ignorant people. In a world full of dip****s, you can't trust them to make good decisions, and you can't get anyone in government to regulate them, because the governments in cahoots with the corporations use their ignorance to further their evil, money grabbing agendas.
Go ahead and get yours while you can, don't have kids, and rest assured that the next good ice age will wipe the slate clean once again.
I'm off to the local Nike store to shoplift a few pairs of 6.0s, wish me luck!
Go ahead and get yours while you can, don't have kids, and rest assured that the next good ice age will wipe the slate clean once again.
I'm off to the local Nike store to shoplift a few pairs of 6.0s, wish me luck!
Are you guys this bored on a Fri to drag the discussion this long are you? Not that's it's not an interesting and stimulating topic, but it's been argued many times over. That and none of what has been brought up is new, this has been going on for a good long while.
The only thing I haven't heard mentioned, or might have missed it is... I wouldn't blame consumers for feeling entitled to low prices, consumers I feel were led in this direction. I believe it's the companies that got competitive with their prices which lead to outsourcing to accomplish this. Basic business IMO, they as a business naturally need to compete and this is the result. Not saying the route they chose was right. So consumers are always gonna look for the good deal (atleast I do) which forces the other like-minded companies to follow suit.
The only thing I haven't heard mentioned, or might have missed it is... I wouldn't blame consumers for feeling entitled to low prices, consumers I feel were led in this direction. I believe it's the companies that got competitive with their prices which lead to outsourcing to accomplish this. Basic business IMO, they as a business naturally need to compete and this is the result. Not saying the route they chose was right. So consumers are always gonna look for the good deal (atleast I do) which forces the other like-minded companies to follow suit.
Very good point jonKranked. We as consumers are the ones to blame. I'm very interested to see how the cost of fuel rising will impact the cost of goods sold. Labor rates overseas will still be cheap but getting product here from there might not be. I just starting reading this book: http://www.billmckibben.com/deep-economy.html and it's makes you think. A more localized economy seems so much better. We can buy cheap stuff at Wal-Mart but there is a much great overall expense than buying it from a local retailer.
I try to buy US goods myself and will pay extra. I searched for weeks for a new snowboard shell. Each time - made in China. Finally found a dope one from Arcteryx - Made in Canada but that's close enough for me. I'll also look into local companies or a company that will try to give back. Patagonia seems like they do some positive and I have a few of their softgoods.
As I was reading this thread I though a cool concept for a shoe company (and I think Simple might have this in place) - make US made shoes that are recyclable. BITD, I would rock the canvas Vans. The was nothing to them and I'd be patching the canvas up when they split. For school and stuff I used LL Bean shoes. Leather with rubber bottoms. Once the bottoms got snotted up, I'd send them back to Maine and they would fix them back up and ship them back. I had a pair of LL Bean hunting boots that went back and forth about a half dozen times for new soles. Granted, shipping stuff brings up another issue but being in MA, it wasn't that far away.
With a well made upper and a properly designed bottom, a BMX/skate shoe should be able to be reused with new bottoms. You could use a softer sole that wears quicker but is better for gripping pedals. Even better, have the soles shipped to you and have a local shoe cobler sew them on.
But for the cost and the ever changing styles I don't think this will ever happen. For now I feel good using Orchid. They have a good sole for gripping pedals and when I used them for digging they seem to keep the dirt out of my socks better than any other brand. I have a new pair for looking good and an older pair for trails/digging duties. I also dig Etnies and the new Duff's look good too.
I try to buy US goods myself and will pay extra. I searched for weeks for a new snowboard shell. Each time - made in China. Finally found a dope one from Arcteryx - Made in Canada but that's close enough for me. I'll also look into local companies or a company that will try to give back. Patagonia seems like they do some positive and I have a few of their softgoods.
As I was reading this thread I though a cool concept for a shoe company (and I think Simple might have this in place) - make US made shoes that are recyclable. BITD, I would rock the canvas Vans. The was nothing to them and I'd be patching the canvas up when they split. For school and stuff I used LL Bean shoes. Leather with rubber bottoms. Once the bottoms got snotted up, I'd send them back to Maine and they would fix them back up and ship them back. I had a pair of LL Bean hunting boots that went back and forth about a half dozen times for new soles. Granted, shipping stuff brings up another issue but being in MA, it wasn't that far away.
With a well made upper and a properly designed bottom, a BMX/skate shoe should be able to be reused with new bottoms. You could use a softer sole that wears quicker but is better for gripping pedals. Even better, have the soles shipped to you and have a local shoe cobler sew them on.
But for the cost and the ever changing styles I don't think this will ever happen. For now I feel good using Orchid. They have a good sole for gripping pedals and when I used them for digging they seem to keep the dirt out of my socks better than any other brand. I have a new pair for looking good and an older pair for trails/digging duties. I also dig Etnies and the new Duff's look good too.
As far as the Nike in BMX thing. I'm definitely not into it and I hope the team riders for Nike are getting as much money from them as possible right now because there is no guarantee it will last long.
The Nike ad's look cool with the drawings of sick street, park and DJ spots but they are just drawings. Lets see them actually put spots like that together and have a contest or jam? And putting money in the publications hands? I'm sure a 2 page spread in Ride BMX is nothing for Nike price wise. I can only imagine the price tag for the creative team to come up with that ad campaign and it will be a LOT more than running that ad in all the BMX pubs for a year.
I've heard comparisions with RedBull. Look at the contests and events RedBull does. It's making money for RedBull but it's giving a venue for riders as well. Didn't RedBull have a mtb contest in downtown Boston some years ago (as well as many other spots)? That was bringing riding and showing it to many others beside bike riders.
With the amount of money Nike has I think they could give a lot more to the sport. Is Nike marketing to BMX becuase they want to? Or because the have to?
The Nike ad's look cool with the drawings of sick street, park and DJ spots but they are just drawings. Lets see them actually put spots like that together and have a contest or jam? And putting money in the publications hands? I'm sure a 2 page spread in Ride BMX is nothing for Nike price wise. I can only imagine the price tag for the creative team to come up with that ad campaign and it will be a LOT more than running that ad in all the BMX pubs for a year.
I've heard comparisions with RedBull. Look at the contests and events RedBull does. It's making money for RedBull but it's giving a venue for riders as well. Didn't RedBull have a mtb contest in downtown Boston some years ago (as well as many other spots)? That was bringing riding and showing it to many others beside bike riders.
With the amount of money Nike has I think they could give a lot more to the sport. Is Nike marketing to BMX becuase they want to? Or because the have to?
yes, I am that bored. i'm at work. I get out at 1pm then I'm going riding.
On your second point, I agree that they were definitely led in this direction, but its been going on for so long that now it has created a sense of entitlement. Look at gas prices. People are freaking out that prices are over $4, but its been that way in the rest of the world for how long now? Interest and inflation on consumer products has been kept to a minimum in the US for decades now. And price increases are starting to increase substantially. Within our lifetimes we are going to see the end of cheap third world labor. And its starting now.
Its more the prices of crude oil that are affecting things.
Such a large majority of products are created using plastic (which is made from crude oil) - which is increasing in price.
Fuel (also produced from crude) is rising in price so its going to cost more to get products from manufacture to retail shelves to consumers.
The labor isn't going to be cheap for long. China has implemented a minimum wage law for factory laborers. They are starting to increase regulations on manufacturing. Both of which are going to cost a LOT of money.
Very good point. What has Nike sponsored, besides a few riders?
Hopefully they are not just jumping onto the bandwagon and trying to cash in...
Hopefully they are not just jumping onto the bandwagon and trying to cash in...
That's been my point the whole time! At least sink some sweat and money into skateparks, trails, and contests, and maybe even some camps...AT THE LEAST