Shuttlecocks are seriously overpriced?

[phandrew]

If you gave them mavis shuttlecocks it would probably last forever for them.

[Oldhand]

Cooler, are you trying to introduce Mavis plastic shuttles to them? Good try; let us hear what they have to say.

If you gave them mavis shuttlecocks it would probably last forever for them.

The gentleman is a senior champion.
It's unlikely that he will switch to plastic.
He has also mentioned his strong preference.

I like Hi Qua Red best, but not everyone provides these.

[taneepak]

The gentleman is a senior champion.
It's unlikely that he will switch to plastic.
He has also mentioned his strong preference.

I don't believe Cooler will be discouraged in trying to convince him of the goodness of Mavis, specifically Mavis 300.

[cooler]

when did i encouraged fourteen or that old lady to play plastic?

[jerby]

Guys please....
Is this going to be the fourth thread you're going to ruin by bringing up plastics, and then arguing the same argument and insulting the same people?

[taneepak]

when did i encouraged fourteen or that old lady to play plastic?

Since you believe that Mavis 300 is better than feathers and should be used in all Super Series and other BWF tournaments, I thought you were trying to "convert" a Senior citizen champion from feathers to plastics. You did sneak in "Mavis" in this thread, no?

[Oldhand]

[...]You did sneak in "Mavis" in this thread, no?

taneepak, that line will surely generate quite a few laughs

Allthesame, we will not pursue the plastic debate here

[terror]

The shuttlecock market can be grossly simplified to resemble an oligopoly. Yonex, of course, would be the market leader here, since they have the biggest brand name, and possibly, other advantages such as efficiency in shuttle production, access to cheaper sources of loans, geese, duck, whatever it takes to produce these shuttles.

They price their shuttles high, and their competitors have to raise their prices accordingly, to a certain level. They cannot raise it to Yonex's level, because that could mean a drop in demand and consequently, a drop in profit levels. Neither can they keep it too low; Yonex would take note if their shuttle sales drop because of such price competition, then use their price (cost) advantages to:

1 - force the competitor to raise its prices
2 - lower its prices sufficiently to knock the competitor right out of the market

I try to tell myself that bird flu, and other factors mentioned so far, contribute to the rise in shuttle prices. But I think the culprit which started it all is Yonex.

[Dreamzz]

i'm not sure i follow why or how yonex 'forces' its compretitors to raise their prices.

i still believe the rise in the price of shuttles is due to increased production costs (oil, food and so on) as well as an increase in demand as badminton becomes more popular.

the culling of geese due to bird flu doesn't help, of course.

[taneepak]

The shuttlecock market can be grossly simplified to resemble an oligopoly. Yonex, of course, would be the market leader here, since they have the biggest brand name, and possibly, other advantages such as efficiency in shuttle production, access to cheaper sources of loans, geese, duck, whatever it takes to produce these shuttles.

They price their shuttles high, and their competitors have to raise their prices accordingly, to a certain level. They cannot raise it to Yonex's level, because that could mean a drop in demand and consequently, a drop in profit levels. Neither can they keep it too low; Yonex would take note if their shuttle sales drop because of such price competition, then use their price (cost) advantages to:

1 - force the competitor to raise its prices
2 - lower its prices sufficiently to knock the competitor right out of the market

I try to tell myself that bird flu, and other factors mentioned so far, contribute to the rise in shuttle prices. But I think the culprit which started it all is Yonex.

Yonex is a small potato in the feathers shuttles market. Yonex does not produce feathers shuttles. All Yonex feathers shuttles are made by a dozen or more contractors in China who are the manufacturers. But Yonex has a brand name, which they use to great effect. Yonex's share of the feathers market cannot be even 1/2 % (less than 1 %). Just look around at the shuttles players use. You will see very few Yonex shuttles, and when you see them they are mostly fakes. It is easy to identify fake Yonex shuttles. Just get a good goose feather shuttle like RSL Classic or Aeroplane Black label and use your thumb and index finger to feel the thickness of their feathers and compare with Yonex's. If they are equally thick then it is a real Yonex. If not, then you have a fake duck feather Yonex shuttle. You can also compare the rigidity and thickness of the spines of the shuttles by feeling them.

[FOURTEEN]

oligopoly

Is that what you call 'Monopoly' in Singapore!??! We play that too! I love the little RED hotels on Boardwalk and Park Place!!



Maybe rather than steaming the Hi Qua Reds I'll just dip them in clear GE Silicone Rubber Cement. Would it then still be considered a feather bird, or a plastic bird, or a currently popular Hybrid?? I don't know how well it would play, but I should get better MPG!!


Imagine what a shuttlecock would cost if it was made in Detroit!! If it weren't for the Chinese, I would be sitting barefoot watching reruns on my 12" B&W TV while talking to you guys on my dial phone, after playing with my same old bird!!!!


Alright, I need to confess that I just ordered a short tube of Mavis 350 birdies to determine who's right in this feather/plastic debate! Stay tuned!! (I will accept bribes!)


Forget the GE Silicone! I just found out that it costs a lot more than the birds do!!

[silentheart]

Should I bring in Pam Anderson and the use of her Silicone? Remember, they are great during a frontal impact accident.
Sorry, i just have to bring it up...

[terror]

i'm not sure i follow why or how yonex 'forces' its compretitors to raise their prices.

i still believe the rise in the price of shuttles is due to increased production costs (oil, food and so on) as well as an increase in demand as badminton becomes more popular.

the culling of geese due to bird flu doesn't help, of course.

Yonex, in the badminton market, is the largest (arguably) firm with the strongest brand name. For sure, it will be able to sustain temporary losses if it should decide to cut its prices. Its competitors will have to do the same to maintain consumer demand levels. What happens here is that the competitors might (read: most probably) be forced out of business first.

Sure, these other companies may have cheaper shuttle production methods, but looking at a slightly broader picture, they will not be able to sustain the low prices for a long time, since they cannot(arguably again) compete with Yonex in other areas, for example, rackets.

Yonex know they have this advantage so they price their goods way above that of their competitors. If the other shuttle companies' prices should vary too much, Yonex will just use, or threaten to use such predatory pricing methods to force them into raising their prices.

[terror]

Should I bring in Pam Anderson and the use of her Silicone? Remember, they are great during a frontal impact accident.
Sorry, i just have to bring it up...

im not so sure about that, a leak would have potentially disastrous consequences

[taneepak]

Yonex, in the badminton market, is the largest (arguably) firm with the strongest brand name. For sure, it will be able to sustain temporary losses if it should decide to cut its prices. Its competitors will have to do the same to maintain consumer demand levels. What happens here is that the competitors might (read: most probably) be forced out of business first.

Sure, these other companies may have cheaper shuttle production methods, but looking at a slightly broader picture, they will not be able to sustain the low prices for a long time, since they cannot(arguably again) compete with Yonex in other areas, for example, rackets.

Yonex know they have this advantage so they price their goods way above that of their competitors. If the other shuttle companies' prices should vary too much, Yonex will just use, or threaten to use such predatory pricing methods to force them into raising their prices.

Yonex is the market leader in badminton racquets but not in shuttlecocks. FYI, Yonex does not have a single factory making shuttlecocks. It has no secured supply source of the best NE China goose feathers. Yonex is an OEM, like many other brands and OEMs, in the feathers shuttlecocks market. All OEMs, have contract manufacturers making shuttles to their required specifications. It is China's many massive and independent feathers and shuttles industries that are the big boys in feathers shuttles. For example, if you are interested I can arrange to make 10 boxes (500 tubes) of very high quality shuttlecocks as good as Yonex's best feathers specifications but with your own proprietary brand or name.
The recent increase in feathers shuttles prices is solely due to the appreciation of the Chinese currency relative to the US $.
Yonex would be foolish to price their feathers at predatory pricing-they will just lose more money and they will realize that their supplies from their contract manufacturer are not limitless. Feathers shuttles are not Yonex's strength like Yonex racquets and Yonex's willingness to sponsor a few select countries' badminton federations with multi-million deals.

[cooler]

Cooler, are you trying to introduce Mavis plastic shuttles to them? Good try; let us hear what they have to say.

Since u asked, Fourteen said he's ordering a 1/2 doz of MAVIS 350

[twobeer]

Since u asked, Fourteen said he's ordering a 1/2 doz of MAVIS 350

You mean the guy, who posted to a 2 year old thread, that it is OK to play with damaged shuttles, because "Everyone at the court is using the same bird"

/Twobeer