I went into a windsurfing shop today for a uni-joint tendon and came out empty handed. The shop is selling out, and is offloading its existing stocks at a discount. I asked about the other shop in town, and it had already closed its doors.

I was rather sadden by the news. The fact that now buying a small but essential bit of accessory will have to either go online or go to Perth ! I had always chose to buy bits and pieces from one of these shops believing that it is vital to keep them alive, despite the fact that they will charge more. But the fact that I can walk into a shop and try it out first, or more crucially, if I break something, I can get it from them.

So I am pondering whether the online sales killed these only 2 shops ? I would like to hear your opinion on this ?

A happy ending though. Knowing that it will be gone soon, I bought a waist harness as a spare. But it is too late to help the shop now.

I don't think it has anything to do with online sales and more to do with the declining market for windsurfing equipment and therefore the quantity of sales. I reckon the sport is not growing here in Australia and so if the demand declines then the prices fall and some business' simply are not viable any more. It's just harsh commercial reality. Diversifying into SUP and kiting are probably the only reason that most of the windsurfing shops have managed to keep their doors open.

I've mentioned this in other threads too OW. How many "industry" initiatives have you seen to get newcomers into the sport? How many shop or factory run "come and try" days have you seen being held? I think the other harsh commercial reality here in Australia is that the market has possibly become that small that the industry itself is down to targeting revenue out of existing windsurfers only. It's quite possibly already unsustainable for them commercially to try to build windsurfing back up again, so it's now down to clubs and organisations such as Yachting Australia to try to keep the sport alive. The motive of any business is purely to make profit, so if there's no money in windsurfing then any business will naturally shift it's focus to manufacturing or selling other products to generate that profit.

I don't consider it an expensive sport for anyone that gets into it and sticks with it. To get little Johhny into motocross would cost three times as much and you don't have to rebuild the engine on a windsurfer every few hours. We live in a 'we want it now' world. Young people flock to kiting because they can get going quickly. The majority ditch it and go on to the next box ticker soon after, throwing away most of the money they spent on the gear. They've got the money to spend on windsurfing gear but it's too hard because it may need them to commit to something for more than a few hours to get any enjoyment out of it.

When I started windsurfing, I went to the only shop in Esperance to get my start-up gear plus all the accessories. It was a rather cramped little shop but was run by a chap with a big heart. He himself is a windsurfer, and he was prepared to bring new comers into the sport by helping them learn the rope. I was lucky enough to know him and learn from him.

For him. the shop is more of a hobby than business. When I said hobby, quite often he was prepared to provide some services for free. For example, he would help me to change my uni-joint or trimmed a fin to fit into the box. An hour's work and he won't take any money ! I nearly had to force some money down his throat ! That was the kind of pure love for the sport. But I suppose there is a business reality which we all have to face up to.

So the reality is that I will need to double up on some accessories. Looking many years down the track, does it mean that windsurfing may die of a slow death by attrition, given the fact that not many new, younger hombres are taking it up ?

Mastbender said..

Orange Whip said..

Paddles B'mere said..
I don't think it has anything to do with online sales and more to do with the declining market for windsurfing equipment and therefore the quantity of sales. I reckon the sport is not growing here in Australia and so if the demand declines then the prices fall and some business' simply are not viable any more. It's just harsh commercial reality. Diversifying into SUP and kiting are probably the only reason that most of the windsurfing shops have managed to keep their doors open.

I agree. How many online shops are there in AUS? Bugger all as far as I'm aware and the couple that I've checked out couldn't be considered serious contenders based on their ****ty range of offerings. The market is shrinking in AUS unfortunately, that is the reason shop fronts will continue to dissappear unless there's an influx of newcomers to the sport.

Well no reason to be all that disheartened IMO, I just purchased a harness from a shop in your country, it's being shipped all the way to my house in California, and I couldn't be happier, it works both ways. There are shops here in the U.S. that will ship to anyone in AUS. or N.Z., the world is your oyster and online shopping is the reason for that.
My case, I've been a hard core Surf Seat (by DaKine) user for about 20 years, they stopped making those around 6 years ago, and no company in my country makes anything like those anymore, which I think is crazy. I hate waist harnesses, got one used it for a season, and now it just collects dust, went back to my old, often repaired, third Surf Seat. Then fairly recently I discovered the Transit harness (by Flying Objects) here on this website, it's exactly what I want and desperately need, I ordered one from SC Sailboards, and it's on the way.

That's great to hear. I don't consider SC Sailboards an on-line shop, sure they sell stuff on-line, but they have a shop front. On-line sales by this type of shop is only going to help them survive.

I bought a van to hold all the new kit I've been buying from zu Boardsports. They are a real shop. I'm happy to give them a plug. Picked up my new fanatic stubby FSW from them yesterday.

They lent me a big free ride fin to try.

They hosted an info night with beers and Ben severne a couple weeks ago.

I feel like they take care of us.

I buy all my windsurfing equipment from real shops. But buy my bikes online. It's something to do with service

MrCranky said..
I've been told that the average kiter is 35 years old. So they won't save the shops either.

I think that kiters and SUP riders have actually gone a long way to keeping waterspouts stores alive actually.

Von said..
$3500 for a board killed the sport many years ago, the only people that can afford that are not exactly young and it's way too expensive for the average family to ever think about letting little Johnny have a go, not exactly store owners fault more that of corporate greed cutting their own throats, I know the products are expensive to produce I have worked in a board factory but their markup is insane!!!

hit the nail on the head!

There comes a time when you know what you want in windsurfing gear, you know how to work it, you know how to repair it. When you reach this point online gear shopping makes sense. Pay your money recieve your stuff the next day, fit it, tune, sail it. You dont need anyone to hold your hand.

Shifu said..
There comes a time when you know what you want in windsurfing gear, you know how to work it, you know how to repair it. When you reach this point online gear shopping makes sense. Pay your money recieve your stuff the next day, fit it, tune, sail it. You dont need anyone to hold your hand.

After all these years of windsurfing, and have more gear than I really needed, I still consider paying a visit to a shop a pleasant experience. I suppose it is a bit like windows shopping, or equivalent to ladies cruising the shopping malls in their finest ?

Not in my finest, but I still like hanging around a shop, seeing and touching what is on offer. Have a chat with the owner to suss out what is going on. Despite the fact that I probably own twice as many sails and booms more than I needed, I invariably walk out with something in my hands. To me, that is a little treat for myself. May be a present for my birthday which quite often comes around a few times each year

Spare a thought for the gazillion mom and pop shops the internet and large chain stores have killed off.
Is it a good or bad thing?Dont know but it s change thats for sure.

Hi Barri,

I am in your similar situation. I live in Klamath Falls, Or. 5 minutes away from Klamath Lake, the largest lake in Oregon, one of the best places I have ever windsurfed so far. Klamath Falls is a small town with now about 6 of us that windsurf and kite. We all get along well, but the closes place to buy gear is along the Columbia Gorge, which is 5 hours away.

I ended up creating great relationships with the shops over their. They are very knowledgeable about all equipment and always try to find what your looking for. Most of my business with them is all over the phone, and I usually have gear shipped to me. Yes, it is nice to have shops like that.