DUO BOARDS SUP 2025 PREVIEW
Retail Buyers Guide: SUP 2025 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Duo Boards
Interviewee: Markus Mueller - Owner
In our previous S/S 25 SUP Buyer’s Guide, most indicators showed the 2022-23 overstocks were mostly cleared out. Did 2024 ended on the same note with a better demand vs. offer balance?
We have completely discontinued the inflatable SUP boards
Cheaper entry-level iSUPs represent the bulk of the sales but the segment is flooded with brands and products, whereas more advanced SUPs offer better margins. How do you intend to position your brand on the market spectrum in 2025?
We completely distance ourselves from cheap SUPs. With the DUO Board, we have a unique selling point on the market. The concept is patented and unique.
Which are your key inflatable models for 2025 in the Allround/Cruising segments?
DUO 9`6 / 8`6 and 7`6
(hardboard brands only) The opportunity for hardboard sales seem to be whether in the school/rental area or in the high-end performance models. Do you cater to this demand?
Yes, at I-99 we have the Play SUP, a model specifically designed for schools and rentals. Thanks to the windsurfing option and center fins, it’s also suitable for teaching windsurfing sails. https://www.i-99.it/play-school-boards-sails/
How are you supporting retailers through this difficult period?
Well, we manufacturers are going through a tough time too. Retailers’ pre-orders have plummeted, and the question is more how manufacturers and retailers can work together better again. As a manufacturer, you naturally want to sell primarily to shops. The shops provide customers with advice and service. As manufacturers, we need pre-orders to get a preview of the upcoming season. We mustn’t forget that we sometimes have to plan and commission production four to six months before the season begins. So if the customer is in the shop and does not get the product he wants, it is usually not only the fault of the manufacturer, but also of the shop if he has not placed a pre-order or has placed an insufficient order. We always try to keep as many products as possible in stock for our shops. But we need to work with the shops. For pre-orders, we then support the shops with good and sometimes high (depending on the order volume) discounts in order to increase the margins for the shops enormously.
Key Products:
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Duo Top Bottom sup:
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