Any business is run with the idea of profit and viability first. No one is clocking in everyday to break even or loose money.
They may have good intentions but at the end of the day they want to get paid.
Yes there are companies out there who stick to there guns and still try and do things the right way, not giving in to the masses but when you look at your numbers and you know that break even point is getting closer and closer ,sometimes lines are blurred just so you can stay around and do things you want. As a shop worker i know that we have a few questionable things in stock but we do it so it allows us to buy other things.Plus it brings a few extra people through the door and at the end of the day it pays my bills.
Do I feel like a sellout?
No.
Do i wish I could have a shop full of stuff I like?
Yes.
Billabong bought Element based purely on the brands logo and name appeal. The hardgoods were incidental to them, if it was up to them it would only be element soft goods(or so i assume).I have no doubts people that were on in the early days saw the changes immediately after Billabong bought them, hence oconnor,forbes and others bailing out because they saw how bad it was getting. Yes you get paid more when the bigger corporations get involved but who wants to deal with all the other shit.
As for girl/choc or anyone cutting costs by using china wood, they have some serious bills to pay, and if they can create some higher margins by lowering production costs then by all means do it, Sadly it seems to have compromised their quality in some peoples eyes but it allows them to have one of the deepest teams in skateboarding.2-3 dollars a board cheaper doesn't sound that crazy but on paper when the numbers get high it could pay your lease for the warehouse.
A lot of companies come off as being strictly for the love of it but all we get is a one sided view, get behind some closed doors and then see how you feel about your favorite underground collective. I have no doubts ISUCK has had to make some choices about his brands that didn't sit well with him. Sometimes you have to sacrifice something to just stay alive.
Topic: off element!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????? (Read 5256 times)