Boycott Wilson Rackets....

[tennisaskashad]

As much as I love Wilson, it's a shame to see them raise prices like this. I thought the only 250 dollar racket was going to be the federer one, but after the recent clash release with the 250 dollar price tag, it looks like 250 dollars is gonna be the norm for them. Honestly, who do they think they are selling rackets at 250 a piece with the kind of quality control that they have. As long as their rackets are that pricey, i'm never buying rackets from them again.

 

[sredna42]

As much as I love Wilson, it's a shame to see them raise prices like this. I thought the only 250 dollar racket was going to be the federer one, but after the recent clash release with the 250 dollar price tag, it looks like 250 dollars is gonna be the norm for them. Honestly, who do they think they are selling rackets at 250 a piece with the kind of quality control that they have. As long as their rackets are that pricey, i'm never buying rackets from them again.

Wonder how much they actually cost to make per unit...

Probably 34 cents or something

 

[shapovalovnextgoat]

$250 would be fine if they spent even a quarter of it on quality control. But with the horrible tolerances they have, it's ridiculous that they think the customers will be okay with such prices.

 

[Sardines]

Could the tariffs on Chinese imports have caused these price hikes? The world has shrunk and it's easy to buy from overseas. Unfortunately, the racquets I like seem to be sold only in the domestic market and nowhere else.

 

[Bartelby]

You can't blame Wilson for Trump's tax hikes. They have to pass price increases on. It has nothing to do with quality control.

 

[Nostradamus]

As much as I love Wilson, it's a shame to see them raise prices like this. I thought the only 250 dollar racket was going to be the federer one, but after the recent clash release with the 250 dollar price tag, it looks like 250 dollars is gonna be the norm for them. Honestly, who do they think they are selling rackets at 250 a piece with the kind of quality control that they have. As long as their rackets are that pricey, i'm never buying rackets from them again.

maybe they need to charge so much because they have such great quality control

 

[J B]

You guys are kidding me.... the tariffs arent even implemented and wilson upped the price before any tariffs and there is no tariff on what wilson is bringing in YET! Just like Babolat is trying to force someone to spend 500$ Wilson wants the same. If you want to blame someone blame the touring pros that have to get every racquet for free then paint their " pro only" racquet the latest paint color to see the stinkin racquet to us minions. The same thing happened in all sports. They build products and then up the price till people stop buying.

 

[Bartelby]

The first tariff round has been and gone already and the second one is soon to be upon us, so this is the only new factor that one can point to with regard to Wilson price rises.

 

[wings56]

The quality control is pretty awful.

 

[SeeItHitIt]

Politics on a friggin’ tennis racquet blog. This is t The Drudge Report. Oye vey, is there no escape? Go to the Onion to peddle the tariff connection to Wilson price hike theory, please.

And yes, for $250 (or $200?) you should expect more consistency in production. Given that tennis racquets come out of a mold using the exact same(?) layup, it would seem hard to have a +/-5g swing in static weight for example. Must be industrial sabotage by the Japanese...every Yonex pair I’ve ever bought weighed within 1g of each other.

 

[mhkeuns]

The prices aren’t bad, honestly, especially if you all knew how much the rackets went for in the 80’s. The K-Swiss shoes and the Levi’s 501’s were priced around $20, but the rackets cost anywhere from 150-200 dollars. I think the frames stayed relatively low in prices.

 

[Bartelby]

There are engineering-led companies like Yonex and then there are ones where marketing is perhaps more important such as Wilson and Babolat, but all this is hardly new so it's not relevant to price increases.

Politics on a friggin’ tennis racquet blog. This is t The Drudge Report. Oye vey, is there no escape? Go to the Onion to peddle the tariff connection to Wilson price hike theory, please.

And yes, for $250 (or $200?) you should expect more consistency in production. Given that tennis racquets come out of a mold using the exact same(?) layup, it would seem hard to have a +/-5g swing in static weight for example. Must be industrial sabotage by the Japanese...every Yonex pair I’ve ever bought weighed within 1g of each other.

 

[Bartelby]

If anyone has been following Apple, they seem to have taken the view that if we sell less then we need to up the price to compensate. Or at least that was their view until sales plummeted.

 

[weelie]

Boycotting some brand for being a bit more expensive sounds funny to me. Most brands are marketing driven anyway. Like: are the more expensive jeans (brands) better in some measurable way beyond brand perception and marketing effort? Is Gillette the ultimate superior producer of razor blades, or are they just overpriced? Do you appreciate the efforts of major candy bar producers in making the people more healthy by making ever smaller candy bars for the same price?

Why not ask for more, if people still buy it? I tend to buy 2 year old models of shoes and rackets etc. Actually, rackets last long (for many years) and I don't regularly buy them for more than $100. Somebody is buying them, which is fine by me. Wilson appears to be trying to invent something new as well, maybe, which is good, if it's true.

 

[J B]

The problem is people buying a new racquet thinking it will fix their game. As long as they get sales they will jack the prices up. It also allows retailers to drop the price making you think you got a deal. There is a reason some pros use the same racquet for years but we need to buy a new one every time it comes out.

 

[Bartelby]

Jeans are a fashion item so you are buying prestige with an expensive label. But expensive jeans aren't any better than cheaper ones.

Gillette razors are also clearly over-priced, but their pitch is that they are market-leader in the segment so it's your privilege to pay more.

As racquet prices go up, so too will price reductions of two year old products become less steep.

You are paying a higher and higher price for being first. Wilson tries to convinve you to do so by catchy new technologies.

Boycotting some brand for being a bit more expensive sounds funny to me. Most brands are marketing driven anyway. Like: are the more expensive jeans (brands) better in some measurable way beyond brand perception and marketing effort? Is Gillette the ultimate superior producer of razor blades, or are they just overpriced? Do you appreciate the efforts of major candy bar producers in making the people more healthy by making ever smaller candy bars for the same price?

Why not ask for more, if people still buy it? I tend to buy 2 year old models of shoes and rackets etc. Actually, rackets last long (for many years) and I don't regularly buy them for more than $100. Somebody is buying them, which is fine by me. Wilson appears to be trying to invent something new as well, maybe, which is good, if it's true.

 

[Chezbeeno]

I have no idea if this is true enough, but I was talking to a tennis shop owner this weekend and he made it sound like raw graphite prices are going up and that that's why Wilson prices are going up. If that were the case I feel like other companies would also be raising prices in a similar fashion, and that hasn't seemed to be the case so far, but I don't know. I'll be interested to see what the pricing on the new Head Gravity is, since it sounds like it should be a similarly high-profile release like the Clash.

 

[weelie]

As racquet prices go up, so too will price reductions of two year old products become less steep.

Yes, of course it creates inflation, but that happens all the time everywhere. I wish the same model was available year in year out, at the same price. But money is made in selling something new at premium. So, when I get new shoes, I need to change model and often brand, feels really stupid, but so it goes.

I have no idea if this is true enough, but I was talking to a tennis shop owner this weekend and he made it sound like raw graphite prices are going up and that that's why Wilson prices are going up.

But I would assume production cost is a very minor part of the price. It is rather that the demand of the market that the stock price should increase every year, more profit needed.

 

[J B]

I have no idea if this is true enough, but I was talking to a tennis shop owner this weekend and he made it sound like raw graphite prices are going up and that that's why Wilson prices are going up. If that were the case I feel like other companies would also be raising prices in a similar fashion, and that hasn't seemed to be the case so far, but I don't know. I'll be interested to see what the pricing on the new Head Gravity is, since it sounds like it should be a similarly high-profile release like the Clash.

FWIW i had access to buy a clash months ago via a Wilson site and it was listed at 250.00 for a while. Plan on a 225+ price point for wilson sticks. Even the gut went up and there are no tariffs on that. The point is they have it people want it they have to pay for it.

 

[travlerajm]

I’m in the camp that is quite content buying unused frames of last year’s model for under $100 whenever the next latest greatest paint job comes out to make it ‘obsolete’.

 

[jacob22]

I have no issues buying Wilson racquets since I'm able to get them at a healthy discount. But still, I prefer to buy my racquets used anyway.

 

[tennisaskashad]

Sometimes I wonder if Wilson even demoes some of the rackets they release.

 

[mpournaras]

I have no issues buying Wilson racquets since I'm able to get them at a healthy discount. But still, I prefer to buy my racquets used anyway.

Honestly that's it right there. Wilson GIVES/GAVE so many rackets away to any shop with even a little mustard and offers discounts out their butts (or at least to our shop). They may need to be selling them at a high price to the unfortunate people who do have to pay for them to recoup losses on these practices.

Part of why they were just giving out rackets to just about any shop and any decent (or not decent even) junior was to pry the junior/college market share away from Babolat. This started around 4 years ago. It worked... but it probably cost them a pretty penny... and so did the marketing most likely. I have NEVER seen a racket get as marketed as the Clash. ITS A DAMN RACKET FOR GOODNESS SAKE. They went hard and it worked but now they need to make money again off of the people who unfortunately DO have to pay full price for rackets.

Thats my best guess.

 

[SavvyStringer]

I’m in the camp that is quite content buying unused frames of last year’s model for under $100 whenever the next latest greatest paint job comes out to make it ‘obsolete’.

Unfortunately, Wilson no longer discounts that much. If I remember correctly the last round of blade discounts went down to $169-179. At this point I play head rackets or volkl because they're the ones with the steep discounts. FWIW one of my friends that is a teaching pro said their price on frames is like $120 which means markup is 200%. I'm sure this means Wilson is imposing a retail minimum.

 

[IowaGuy]

Unfortunately, Wilson no longer discounts that much. If I remember correctly the last round of blade discounts went down to $169-179. At this point I play head rackets or volkl because they're the ones with the steep discounts. FWIW one of my friends that is a teaching pro said their price on frames is like $120 which means markup is 200%. I'm sure this means Wilson is imposing a retail minimum.

Well, there are places on the internet where you can buy unused frames at places other than retail

That's how I stocked up on my current Wilson frames once they were discontinued...

 

[mpournaras]

Unfortunately, Wilson no longer discounts that much. If I remember correctly the last round of blade discounts went down to $169-179. At this point I play head rackets or volkl because they're the ones with the steep discounts. FWIW one of my friends that is a teaching pro said their price on frames is like $120 which means markup is 200%. I'm sure this means Wilson is imposing a retail minimum.

All major companies have retail minimums for all their frames for the entirety of their life.

They do not restrict things you can bundle with the rackets... but you must sell it for the retail price... 'officially"

We were very much restricted from ever discounting Babolat frames until they told us we could, even then we had to sell it at their discount. So we would include free strings and stuff like that to make a 18-20 buck discount possible. But it was 100% on us

 

[graycrait]

Imagine paying $500.00 in the early 80's for a Prince Boron. As far as the Clash goes I'll wait till 2025 to get one off the big auction site.

 

[TennisManiac]

As much as I love Wilson, it's a shame to see them raise prices like this. I thought the only 250 dollar racket was going to be the federer one, but after the recent clash release with the 250 dollar price tag, it looks like 250 dollars is gonna be the norm for them. Honestly, who do they think they are selling rackets at 250 a piece with the kind of quality control that they have. As long as their rackets are that pricey, i'm never buying rackets from them again.

I agree. The prices are getting ridiculous considering how awful their quality control is. I've been playing with the Wilson Pro Staffs for about 12 years. But I'm about to demo the Head 360 Speed Pro and then hopefully soon the new Babolat Pure Strike that's supposed to come out in a few months. If I really like either of those two frames I'm leaving Wilson.

 

[Harry_Wild]

As much as I love Wilson, it's a shame to see them raise prices like this. I thought the only 250 dollar racket was going to be the federer one, but after the recent clash release with the 250 dollar price tag, it looks like 250 dollars is gonna be the norm for them. Honestly, who do they think they are selling rackets at 250 a piece with the kind of quality control that they have. As long as their rackets are that pricey, i'm never buying rackets from them again.

My Ultra Tour was $249.00 too!

 

[nvr2old]

I guess I boycott all racquet companies in a way since I don’t buy new model sticks. Out of 40 or so I’ve bought in last 2 years (yes I have a problem) the most I’ve spent is 150-160 if I recall on an Angell from a TW poster. I’ve purchased new old stock sticks from websites closing out models that are a few years old however. These usually are 100-120. With a few exceptions the older models are just as good and even sometimes even better than the new sticks when I compare them during demos. IMO latest and newest is not greatest.

 

[Sardines]

A quick catalog browse of TW will show many of the major racket brands' top lines have creeped up and broken $200 MAP bracket in the last 2-3 years. Composite/carbon fiber prices have been on the increase year on year, with cars, and other industries now escalating demand of it. 2 years ago, Yonex had MAP of $179, and 2018/19 prices are up to MAP $219 for the VCORE line.

 

[TypeRx]

While I am always looking for sales/deals, I find it a bit laughable that any of us complain about a racket costing $250. Tennis equipment is SO cheap compared to most other sports...not to mention you can typically use the same racket for decades if you want. The difference between a $175, $200, or $250 racket when amortized over time is nothing. Especially if that racket allows you to play to your potential with reduced risk of injury or other similar benefits.

I also find it interesting that ProKennex rackets are considerably cheaper than comparable Prince/Wilson/Yonex/Head rackets. Yet at the same time, they are not really popular. Marketing matters, but even more important is what people are willing to pay. And it is pretty clear enough people are willing to pay $200-$250/racket, no questions asked.

I think calling for a "boycott" of any brand rackets is a pretty capitalistic way of telling the mfg. their pricing is out of line. Problem is that $50 when it comes a racket is almost splitting hairs....now, if a mfg. started charging $400+ I could understand a bit more. A better bet for the price sensitive is to simply buy used.

Final point -- I just bought 2 Wilsons (have had Prince, Babolat, Volkl, and Wilson rackets in the past) and was nervous by all the QC chatter around here. Luckily, the two Wilson rackets I most recently purchased (one from a local tennis shop and the other from the big auction site) came in at 312g and 311g when the spec was 310g. Not too bad IMO.

 

[JOSHL]

Who the F pays full retail?

 

[TforTommy]

No need to boycott. Noone is forcing you to buy anything.

Pretty cringe for someone to point out the obvious in a new forum post lol

 

[TforTommy]

\who do they think they are selling rackets at 250 a piece with the kind of quality control that they have. As long as their rackets are that pricey, i'm never buying rackets from them again.

Here's a simple answer - don't buy them.

 

[Bartelby]

Not buying them because of price is precisely ... what is meant by a boycott in the context of this thread.

The only significance to calling this a 'boycott' is to express one's concern about their 'excessive' price rises.

I can't see anyone actually going to the trouble of politically campaigning about this, but people are entitled to communicate concern beyond not purchasing.

 

[TennisManiac]

Final point -- I just bought 2 Wilsons (have had Prince, Babolat, Volkl, and Wilson rackets in the past) and was nervous by all the QC chatter around here. Luckily, the two Wilson rackets I most recently purchased (one from a local tennis shop and the other from the big auction site) came in at 312g and 311g when the spec was 310g. Not too bad IMO.

You got EXTREMELY lucky. It will never happen to you again in a million years.

 

[movdqa]

My current racquets were about $290. I got them in 2011. So about $120/year for the set. And that will go down over time. Balls should eventually cost more than the racquet anyways if you keep them for a long time.

 

[nvr2old]

Who the F pays full retail?

HAHA as your avatar attests!!

 

[JOSHL]

HAHA as your avatar attests!!

Oh yea. I pay full retail! Lol. Only once. Well twice. To get the PJ I wanted. Lol

 

[1HBHfanatic]

Imagine paying $500.00 in the early 80's for a Prince Boron. As far as the Clash goes I'll wait till 2025 to get one off the big auction site.

babolat now has the "matching racquet series",, u get 2x matched racquets for the low, low price of $500,,
when I heard you would get 2 identically matching babolat racquets, I tought it was a good idea,, but then I saw the price!?!?!,, no tnx, I rather match them myself
btw, I agree with you
if you want to pay less. you have to wait till the hype goes down!

 

[jmacdaununder2]

Plus only matched with each other, not necessarily target specs?

 

[Injured Again]

Plus only matched with each other, not necessarily target specs?

This is true. I was a playtester for the Babolat PDVS and my racquet was several grams lighter than spec.

I did buy two Wilson Blade SW104s at the beginning of this year and they were within 2 grams of each other, with the same balance point. I didn't measure swingweight until after they were strung and they were also comparable in that way.

 

[dnguyen]

Demand Wilson to reopen the factory in St Vincent for the rebirth of Pro Staff 85, 90, 95, and 100.

 

[snkypeat]

as mentioned above, the price increase is NOT due to the Section 301 Tariffs... YET. Tennis racquets/balls are on the 4th list that was proposed last week. Prices might even go higher if that goes through.

Maybe companies will shift manufacturing operations to even poorer countries with even worse QC?

 

[Wall Ball Wizard]

And if we weren't Racquetholics this wouldn't be a problem...

 

[Nav Dalmia]

Another reason I like using Prince, they have cheaper racquets compared to other brands with the same or better quality

 

[Ultra 2]

You guys do know that among other sporting equipment that the price of tennis equipment has not really changed since the mid 1980's.. apart from shoes.

1985: Wilson Ultra 2 MSRP $249 (may have been ever $299, not 100% sure)
2019: Wilson RF97A MSRP $249

There was also this thing called a Prince Boron that retailed $499 back in the 80's.

1985: Wilson Tennis Balls $1.99
2019: Wilson Tennis Balls $1.99

What is it that you want to boycott exactly?

 

[movdqa]

You guys do know that among other sporting equipment that the price of tennis equipment has not really changed since the mid 1980's.. apart from shoes.

1985: Wilson Ultra 2 MSRP $249 (may have been ever $299, not 100% sure)
2019: Wilson RF97A MSRP $249

There was also this thing called a Prince Boron that retailed $499 back in the 80's.

1985: Wilson Tennis Balls $1.99
2019: Wilson Tennis Balls $1.99

What is it that you want to boycott exactly?

I bought a Head Professional back in the 1980s for $35. I think that wood racquets were about $25 to $50.

 

[whorng]

I don't buy Wilson b/c of the ridiculous prices and poor quality control.
Only buy Yonex and maybe Prince.
Yonex = Quanlity. Made in Japan (for their top lines) and price is competitive.
Prince is usually cheaper and supports Tennis Warehouse.
But then I buy my racquets used...