Rob, I love the idea because it would certainly be cheaper and therefore good for the class, but I can't see it happening. The manufacturer, distributor, retailer food chain is a standard for most types of mass produced goods - cars, food, clothes, sails, whatever. I'm not sure why - I've always assumed that manufacturers want to concentrate on their core business and not worry about the distractions of retailing. For the most part, sails for other classes are custom made, so dealing directly with the loft is necessary.
It isn't really something the class can mandate but I'm sure that if North and Hyde were willing to sell direct, there would be no objections from the class or sailors - only the dealers would be upset because they would have to find other ways to squeeze us dry . But at the end of the day, North and Hyde would only do this if the benefits to them outweighed the difficulties. It is certainly a win for the sailors and the class, but where is the win for the manufacturers? More money maybe, but more headaches too. They are both successful businesses, so I am sure that they are smart enough to have considered this type of model, and done their sums and found out that it isn't worth their while. How do we sell the idea to them?
I suspect that if Intensity's sales continue to grow, they will reach a point where they either have to cease selling direct, or increase the price to cover the increased costs of running fully fledged marketing, sales, manufacturing and distribution operations. With the demand that they have, price rises are inevitable anyway, unless they really are in it just for the love and not the money.
It isn't really something the class can mandate but I'm sure that if North and Hyde were willing to sell direct, there would be no objections from the class or sailors - only the dealers would be upset because they would have to find other ways to squeeze us dry . But at the end of the day, North and Hyde would only do this if the benefits to them outweighed the difficulties. It is certainly a win for the sailors and the class, but where is the win for the manufacturers? More money maybe, but more headaches too. They are both successful businesses, so I am sure that they are smart enough to have considered this type of model, and done their sums and found out that it isn't worth their while. How do we sell the idea to them?
I suspect that if Intensity's sales continue to grow, they will reach a point where they either have to cease selling direct, or increase the price to cover the increased costs of running fully fledged marketing, sales, manufacturing and distribution operations. With the demand that they have, price rises are inevitable anyway, unless they really are in it just for the love and not the money.