Bong in big trouble

[spork]

Hooters, now here's a retail experience for ya

[Natho]

Spot on Spork. The burgers may be crap but it is the experience of a nice set of titties in your face that keeps people coming back.

BTW in general A & F/ Hollister only hire good looking staff. It's all part of the ' experience'.

Steve, see you do get it now. Next time you go back to trendy Byron for your trendy latte at the trendy cafe think about the experience. As an example do you get a free Tiny Teddy with your trendy latte? All part of the experience.

[Nick Carroll]

Humanity is fcuked.

Why, because people buy and sell things?

Ha ha trade is the best hope of humanity, always has been.

Exchange of goods tends to prevent exchange of gunfire.

[Nick Carroll]

Although some retail experiences do leave one vaguely considering some sort of violence.

[steve shearer]

Yes , and I'm happy to report the VSTR shop in Byron now has surfboards on display.

Look I'm a firm believer in commerce. Love the shitt. It's just all this marketing speak is turning us into inhuman androids afraid of our own shadows and increasingly defined by purchases.

[swvic]

So, aside from a pair of diamond dobbys, what are your aspirational products? I ask seriously because I like to think I'd not be too fcuked up by copious amounts of money. I don't want a flash car, boat, house. I'd be happy to blow heaps on travel though. Even then, I'd travel as I do now, just a whole lot more

[ric_vidal]

Although some retail experiences do leave one vaguely considering some sort of violence.

I ain't shopping with you.

Why are sales through the Genius stores going up and up?

No idea, never crossed the threshold, but having all their products under one roof in conjunction with people who are trained about it should sh*t on anyone else's ability to sell, no?

Still think they are fair testament to products that just 'work' and are well designed from the packaging up, but I am totally biased. In my game, it was all you bought.

Funnily enough Apple have been more in the news for their sliding share prices. Wouldn't mind a fraction of their cash.

[spork]

Funnily enough Apple have been more in the news for their sliding share prices. Wouldn't mind a fraction of their cash.[/quote]

I wonder if its because they are not seen as the inovators anymore? That small ipad they just brought out seems like a marketing grab to me, whereas previous new products moved the goalposts.

[diggerdickson]

Funnily enough Apple have been more in the news for their sliding share prices. Wouldn't mind a fraction of their cash.

I wonder if its because they are not seen as the inovators anymore? That small ipad they just brought out seems like a marketing grab to me, whereas previous new products moved the goalposts.[/quote]

I dont believe the iphone 5 moved ground either, in the industry we were expecting so much more, either apple comes out with something big next time or samsung really have taken on the innovators market

[ric_vidal]

Shifting it back to the Bong…

Was reading the NRMA Open Road yesterday and their 'Volt' article went into a bit of detail about the previous woes of GM, seemed they were pretty close to self destruction and 'seem' to be travelling fairly well now.

I understand they were extended a lifeline but irrespective, they have turned their business around.

Just what could Bong do given the right stewardship?

[collnarra]

One for all the surfwear / ASP / haters out there.

Looks like Nike's pulling back from surfing - according to no less an authoritative source than STAB, Nike team riders are getting rebranded as Hurley. Kinda makes sense to me.

http://stabmag.com/nike-downsize-involv ... n-surfing/

[collnarra]

That was a constructive comment, Fong.

If I worked for them - and I am not silly enough to do that - then I'd add a disclaimer. It's what one does.

I posted the link because I thought it was interesting, nothing more.

You never did tell me if you have a beavertail wetsuit. Apparently they're still available.

josh

[Nick Carroll]

Shifting it back to the Bong…

Was reading the NRMA Open Road yesterday and their 'Volt' article went into a bit of detail about the previous woes of GM, seemed they were pretty close to self destruction and 'seem' to be travelling fairly well now.

I understand they were extended a lifeline but irrespective, they have turned their business around.

Just what could Bong do given the right stewardship?

I truly reckon there are some interesting parallels between the big surf cos' travails and those of the US car industry.

If you were taking GM as a model of recovery, you would: clean up all the supply chains and distribution so it wasn't fcuked up and all over the shop; reduce your product lines and step up the ones that sell; tighten everything; continue to focus on improving all aspects of the business bit by bit rather than blowing everything up or trying to frantically expand.

Also just set the share price aside for a while and stop making it the main issue.

It can be done, hell it is in Billabong's DNA, after all that's pretty much all the Merchants did when it was a private co.

But to do all that, Bong has to at some point put aside the fractious battles over ownership which prevent any of the above from being put into gear. The more the focus is on ownership battles etc, the less it can be on actually doing the job.

[steve shearer]

Maybe, but it seems to me, from observations in the heartland (Ballina to Coolangatta) that the old business model is broken.

IE, people are no longer prepared to pay massive mark-up on cheaply made asian clothes to advertise a brand that is "cool".

And volumes aren't available due to economic conditions.

Therefore the companies must colonise new markets or see a reduction in profits.

[ric_vidal]

Maybe, but it seems to me, from observations in the heartland (Ballina to Coolangatta) that the old business model is broken.

How far back do you go look, Steve, with this 'old business model'?

The more things change the more they stay the same… no?

IE, people are no longer prepared to pay massive mark-up on cheaply made asian clothes to advertise a brand that is "cool".

I thought that was across the board. Meaning most products are massively marked up. Not as though it is confined to the 'surf' industry.

And volumes aren't available due to economic conditions.

Volumes, collectively, much still be huge. It's getting your slice that is important.

Therefore the companies must colonise new markets or see a reduction in profits.

Ever watched 'The Corporation', I haven't but think it might be time.

Hey kNicknaCk, you'd make a decent CEO with that vision, pity you are otherwise so wayward.

[steve shearer]

IE, people are no longer prepared to pay massive mark-up on cheaply made asian clothes to advertise a brand that is "cool".

I thought that was across the board. Meaning most products are massively marked up. Not as though it is confined to the 'surf' industry.

I can buy a T-shirt off the internet for ten bucks.

Why would I pay 50-80 for one with a logo on it?

[ric_vidal]

IE, people are no longer prepared to pay massive mark-up on cheaply made asian clothes to advertise a brand that is "cool".

I thought that was across the board. Meaning most products are massively marked up. Not as though it is confined to the 'surf' industry.

I can buy a T-shirt off the internet for ten bucks.

Why would I pay 50-80 for one with a logo on it?

Yes, but you know the official line, Steve, no one buys any branded t-shirts at those prices. Sheep abound.

Everyone wants to be aligned with something.

[alakaboo]

IE, people are no longer prepared to pay massive mark-up on cheaply made asian clothes to advertise a brand that is "cool".

I thought that was across the board. Meaning most products are massively marked up. Not as though it is confined to the 'surf' industry.

I always get concerned when I see places having 30% off sales for most of the year, ala DJs and Myers.
It tells me a few things:
a) they can afford to
b)they can't afford to, but are forced to due to a change in the market they didn't see coming, or have inefficient and inaccurate ordering processes
c)they think we're stupid.