Disc Prices Out of Control

[BillFleming]

I've been running my store for close to 10 years now. There is no contract about how high you can sell a disc for. Only how low you can sell it for.
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I'm usually pretty open about my business so if you have any related questions, feel free to ask. I try to get on here a few times a week to lurk around.
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Thanks for the response. I hope you start getting more product and get back to having more product available. It's a rough time for disc golf specific stores. I would think that selling lots is awesome for business (you don't have money just sitting on shelves), but it's awful that you aren't getting what you need to replace what you are selling or what the customers want.

 

[BillFleming]

Here's a current relative chart of how many discs I've been able to order from the manufacturers in 2021

Nice list.....I don't see DGA or Legacy on the list. Do you just not provide those (I'm sure it's near impossible to carry every brand, especially if local disc golfers don't buy them) or are they not providing discs at this time?

I throw both DGA and Legacy, but have been finding them harder to get. My local disc golf store quit carrying Legacy because they don't sell well - but are finally carrying Kastaplast; which I'm starting to throw.

 

[kw83028]

Nice list.....I don't see DGA or Legacy on the list. Do you just not provide those (I'm sure it's near impossible to carry every brand, especially if local disc golfers don't buy them) or are they not providing discs at this time?

I throw both DGA and Legacy, but have been finding them harder to get. My local disc golf store quit carrying Legacy because they don't sell well - but are finally carrying Kastaplast; which I'm starting to throw.

I used to carry both of them but over a 5 year period they only accounted for maybe 1% of my sales, each. They both just sat for months on end. Expanding other company's shelf space was better for us.

It would be interesting to see how well DGA would do now that Discraft is ultra popular. Not many dealers talk about them. I have talked to numerous dealers about Legacy and they continue to tell me that they're not worth getting into again. Even in the disc boom, they're apparently still just super low on the list.

 

[ray1970]

And no Prodigy. I guess having a 2x FPO champ on the roster still doesn't move product. Wonder if KJ winning a title would boost sales? Or maybe cool disc names instead of the logical letter/number system?

 

[BillFleming]

And no Prodigy. I guess having a 2x FPO champ on the roster still doesn't move product. Wonder if KJ winning a title would boost sales? Or maybe cool disc names instead of the logical letter/number system?

I don't know what it is with Prodigy. Here in Arizona there are players sponsored by Prodigy...heck, Prodigy has supported/sponsored some local tournaments (there's two tournaments this year that show "Powered by Prodigy). But the discs don't sell....the local disc golf store finally quit carrying Prodigy for that reason (along with Legacy).

It's making me lean more to Innova and Discraft for my bag because I know I can get those discs. But I really like some of the smaller companies discs.

 

[biscoe]

And no Prodigy. I guess having a 2x FPO champ on the roster still doesn't move product. Wonder if KJ winning a title would boost sales? Or maybe cool disc names instead of the logical letter/number system?

I think it is largely regional. Prodigy sells fairly well in our area.

 

[biscoe]

Pricing discs is a tough line to walk. In the past 2 years, EVERY manufacturer has raised wholesale prices. Wholesale pricing has been about the same for at least a decade. Not sure why prices never inflated. Maybe the plastic supply/costs never fluctuated much, and now it is. My prices have gone up $2-3 per disc in the past 18 months, just to keep the same profit margin that I've always had.

I'm usually pretty open about my business so if you have any related questions, feel free to ask. I try to get on here a few times a week to lurk around.




Lack of product has definitely had a negative effect on my sales. The Trilogy brands have given dealers next to nothing for the past 12+ months. Innova and Discraft heavily limit how much we can order. I need 5X more from them than what they allow. It's nuts.

My experience as well on pretty much all counts.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

Damn, good to see the sellers here.

Just going to toss in a plug for KW's Discgolf... He's always done me right and it's tough shipping to Canada.

Don't know who biscoe is with but he seems cool too..

 

[autocrosscrx]

If you aren't sponsored by someone else, I don't even think you are allowed to play in TN without something Prodigy in your bag.

 

[seedlings]

For the last year, the local Dynamic Discs brick and mortar in Kansas City has always had a solid stock of trilogy (most DD, less L64, least Westside), solid Innova stock, decent MVP stock, decent Discmania (Evo/Active), sparse Discraft, always Wizards and Voodoos. I was in the store just two days ago (bought a L64 Trust First Run mid for $20 because it felt and looked so nice). Normal prices are $16.99, 14.99, 12.99, 8.99 DX/Prime (I think - haven't looked base plastic in a minute)

Best though, is the used discs. They have mountains of lost discs, and spend a lot of time calling owners at the front desk while I'm browsing aisles. I guess they notify everyone, and after some amount of time, if the disc is abandoned, it goes up on the used rack.

 

[ru4por]

And no Prodigy. I guess having a 2x FPO champ on the roster still doesn't move product. Wonder if KJ winning a title would boost sales? Or maybe cool disc names instead of the logical letter/number system?

I think it is largely regional. Prodigy sells fairly well in our area.

I am not a dealer, and certainly not speaking for KW. I don't see much Prodigy in the SE Michigan area. Don't hear much talk about them either. I suppose it is not that surprising, being nestled it the heart of MVP, Discraft country.

 

[kw83028]

And no Prodigy. I guess having a 2x FPO champ on the roster still doesn't move product. Wonder if KJ winning a title would boost sales? Or maybe cool disc names instead of the logical letter/number system?

Carried Prodigy since their beginning. The best year accounted for 6% of my sales. The last 4 years have been 1-2%. Definitely regional for in-store shopping since Discraft and MVP run hot here, but 60% of my sales are worldwide. I could type a book about Prodigy numbers, breakdown per state and country shipped to, surveys I've ran, etc., but that's boring. Long story short, the numbers made it easy to drop them. Secondary was when they told me that I don't do enough for their company (like they pay me or something) and that they're fine without me. Great service lol (supposedly that guy got fired). Talked to Will after that and he was really awesome. Convinced me to stay and buy into the new Ace line. Unfortunately had to sell them back at a loss after a year of sitting on ebay, the website, and on the shelf.

 

[_.-Dut-._]

30 dollar discs and courses have 60 people there by 7 am on a Wednesday. This grow the sport thing is fantastic

 

[TiltedFlipCurves]

30 dollar discs and courses have 60 people there by 7 am on a Wednesday. This grow the sport thing is fantastic

Huh. Went to 3 courses last weekend and I saw maybe 2-3 other groups total.

But yeah there are crowded courses near me too.

 

[art_vandelay]

I feel like ragging on Innova at the moment so here goes. Why is it that every disc I've gotten in Champion plastic is way more overstable than it should be. ALL OF THEM. And, why does newer runs of star (bless Kona's heart) plastic feels suspiciously like Discraft ESP? Are they copying it or is that the direction for modern star like plastic i.e., more stiff.

 

[@CD-]

They have mountains of lost discs, and spend a lot of time calling owners at the front desk while I'm browsing aisles. I guess they notify everyone, and after some amount of time, if the disc is abandoned, it goes up on the used rack.

To my knowledge, DD KC donates the unclaimed discs (local schools/charities) after 60 days and only discs traded in for store credit go on the used shelves. They probably have more lost discs sitting around than new stock on the shelves right now.

In addition to running the lost disc returns (collection drop bins at a few courses around town, text/call people with phone #s inked), they often are one of the options for AM payout at local tournaments/leagues so their stock has pretty high turnover. Used racks have been pretty sparse since early 2020.

 

[seedlings]

To my knowledge, DD KC donates the unclaimed discs (local schools/charities) after 60 days and only discs traded in for store credit go on the used shelves. They probably have more lost discs sitting around than new stock on the shelves right now.

In addition to running the lost disc returns (collection drop bins at a few courses around town, text/call people with phone #s inked), they often are one of the options for AM payout at local tournaments/leagues so their stock has pretty high turnover. Used racks have been pretty sparse since early 2020.

Ok, that's very cool! I guess their used stock is all trade-ins then. There has been 20 or so used discs every time I go in, which is 2-3 times a month. Yes, there are sooooo many boxes of lost discs.

 

[_.-Dut-._]

I have a few courses that aren't too bad, especially larger gold layout type courses

 

[captain jack]

New Sextons down to 35 bucks and dropping, how low will they go......

 

[dekdo]

Carried Prodigy since their beginning. The best year accounted for 6% of my sales. The last 4 years have been 1-2%. Definitely regional for in-store shopping since Discraft and MVP run hot here, but 60% of my sales are worldwide. I could type a book about Prodigy numbers, breakdown per state and country shipped to, surveys I've ran, etc., but that's boring. Long story short, the numbers made it easy to drop them. Secondary was when they told me that I don't do enough for their company (like they pay me or something) and that they're fine without me. Great service lol (supposedly that guy got fired). Talked to Will after that and he was really awesome. Convinced me to stay and buy into the new Ace line. Unfortunately had to sell them back at a loss after a year of sitting on ebay, the website, and on the shelf.

i remember prodigy being bigger in michigan when they first came out, but yeah seems like its more of a regional preference for them. Im definitely a fan myself.