Original Blue Whale Blue Whale News
Blue Whale News March 31 (Reporter Tang Shiyun) The trend of rising badminton prices continues into this year. “Basically, there are no balls that cost less than 100 yuan now that can be played,” a badminton enthusiast told the Blue Whale reporter. Since the beginning of the new year, many badminton manufacturers have raised their prices, and Victor and others will increase their prices again tomorrow (April 1). Is a new round of badminton price increases coming?
Badminton prices outperformed gold: many brands increased prices again, with some models doubling in price in two years
Recently, a price adjustment notice about badminton head brand Victor has circulated on the Internet – due to the continued increase in raw material costs, our company will adjust the price of badminton from April 1. In this regard, Blue Whale reporters asked Weike's sales staff for verification and learned that the price increase announcement was true.
The specific price list shows that the recommended retail price of Master ACE is 337 yuan per dozen, and the price of Master No. 1 is also 280 yuan. Compared with a year ago, carbon sound balls have maintained their original prices, while Victor goose feather and duck feather series badminton products have increased in price almost across the board, with an increase of about 15%-50%.
Online price adjustment notice
In addition, the price of Yonex badminton and uniforms in Japan has increased again and will be implemented from April 1. The reporter learned from the customer service offices of Yonex Tmall and JD.com flagship stores that no price adjustment notification has been received in China. Since the beginning of the new year, many brands such as Lingmei, Xunfeng and Kongfengkong have announced price increases. Industry insiders told Blue Whale reporters that almost all brands of badminton have generally increased in price this year, with an average increase of about 10%.
In a consumer environment characterized by price wars, the continuous price increases of badminton are particularly noticeable. In July last year, a new round of price increases by badminton manufacturers such as Yonex, Double Happiness, Lingmei, Victor, Super Brand, and Asia Lion caused heated discussions. Compared with 2023, the price increase of badminton head manufacturers has exceeded 20% on average, and the price increase of some models of badminton has exceeded 60%.
Take Yonex, the "King of Price Increases", as an example. The retail price of its mainstream high-end AS-05 badminton model has increased from 210 yuan/dozen to 225 yuan/dozen before April 2024. After July, the price soared further, reaching 275 yuan/dozen. Chen Zui, a senior badminton enthusiast, told Blue Whale News that he bought this ball from a wholesaler for 95 yuan per dozen more than two years ago, but now the price of the product has risen to 190 yuan. Based on this calculation, the price of this model of badminton has increased by 100% in two years, which is higher than the increase of gold in the same period.
The reason for the price increase of badminton is one of the focuses of discussion. Blue Whale reporters learned from industry insiders and senior fans that the logic of the new wave of price increases is basically the same as last year. Market demand continues to grow, but the imbalance between supply and demand for pornographic films has not improved. In this wave, some people raised prices to collect profits in an attempt to form a monopoly situation, and badminton prices continued to rise.
It is worth noting that not only badminton, but the price of badminton strings has also increased. Recently, many stringers and studios have announced new racket stringing price lists online. Some stringers revealed that the price of Yonex threads has increased, with the price of a single piece rising by RMB 1-8. In addition, there are also domestic brands such as Sakura Feather Products that have issued feather line price adjustment notices. Some people believe that the increase in the price of badminton-related products is a manifestation of the explosion of this sport.
Pingtai is popular: Sales of second-hand old balls are booming, and one online store has sold more than 50,000
The topic "I can't afford to play badminton with a monthly salary of 20,000 yuan" was a hot topic at one time. Badminton is a consumable, and the second-hand ball business is attracting increasing attention due to the continued price increase.
Blue Whale reporters searched and found that there are currently a large number of second-hand badmintons for sale on e-commerce platforms, which are basically used for training. The quality is mainly 8-95% new, and the price of a ball generally ranges from 20-100 yuan. In terms of brands, some stores will sell a mix of them, while others will specifically select them. For example, 95% new yy05s are sold for 95 yuan per dozen, which is probably less than 1/2 of the regular price.
Some stores told reporters that badminton balls that are 80% to 90% new may have broken hair, while balls that are over 950% new will be sorted out without broken hair. For ordinary training enthusiasts, second-hand balls are very cost-effective, and some online stores have sold more than 50,000 pieces.
The reporter learned from stores and badminton coaches that these second-hand badmintons are usually recycled from gymnasiums, and the vendors who collect them will repair them and sell them. "A badminton that has become 9-8 new can still be played, but it is definitely not comparable to a brand-new one."
The profit from second-hand badminton is not low. According to the second-hand badminton purchase price list provided by the coach interviewed, even if the price is 30 yuan per bucket, there is still a profit of more than 10 yuan, with a profit margin of over 60%.
Although the topic of rising badminton prices has been a hot topic, badminton enthusiast Peter believes that badminton is generally a less expensive sport, and equipment such as rackets and sneakers are very durable. The rising price of badminton consumables may dissuade some newcomers, but it will not have a great impact on organized golfers and club operations. Because clubs generally have hundreds to thousands of people, you can get relatively low prices when purchasing in bulk.
On the other hand, the material of badminton may change, and its cost and selling price will not remain high. Peter said that as the texture and craftsmanship of imitation balls gradually improve, badminton will also develop in a more sustainable direction.
"For example, the current natural badminton is more susceptible to wind interference when played outdoors. If badminton develops towards outdoor sports in the future, then a ball made of feathers will not be suitable. Therefore, the future development of badminton will depend to a certain extent on what the ball will look like in the future.
