Yoyo Prices

General Yo-Yo
41

Industries boom when there is money to be made.

If nothing above $60 could sell anymore, we would only see yoyos from a few top companies. YYF, Duncan, maybe OD and YYJ.

I can see it now: No one buys yoyos over $60, and with only a few companies left, no super high end bi metals are produced, designs are made for their ease of machinability rather than play, and innovation stifles.

As much as I love those companies, the variety and innovation of smaller companies is not to be over looked.

So keep buying those high end yoyos with crazy eight color splashes. It’s good for the community.

1 Like
42

Really? If you know so much, how much do you think it costs to make one?

43

keep in mind upkeep on machines, electricity, new tools, paying workers, he knows what he’s talking about, companies know what they are doing and are trying to give people budget options, so just back off, quit complaining, if you want something cheaper go to the bst and buy something there.

44

Anyone that has tried making a yoyo themselves will realise that it usually costs at least $100+ per yoyo to get a small run made, and even more for initial prototypes. The bigger companies can get discounts by doing large runs, which is all well and good for them, but then like Jake said, you would eliminate the small companies (and a degree of innovation) all together.

The reason why companies like YYR, Turning Point and Oxygene are still in business is because there are lots of people that are willing to pay the price they ask for them. If people weren’t, then they’d fall apart as a company.

The yoyoing world has something for everyone. You want a competition worthy throw for under $50? You can. Nobody is FORCED to pay more than $40-$60 bucks for a Championship worthy yoyo (insert the oh so famous example of Jensen Kimmitt @ Worlds 2010 here
) these days, so you aren’t desperately missing out by not being able to afford an Anglam or Draupnir.

However, for those who want lé best of lé best, and like shiny expensive yoyos, then there are also more expensive and fancier models to choose from. :slight_smile:

If ALL yoyos were $100+ then maybe I’d be inclined to join in with the protests, however nowadays you can pick up some sensational throws for remarkably low prices. (Speedaholic anyone?)

45

I think throw prices are fine.

We have a HUGE range of options when it comes to price. We have $1 Dollar Tree yoyos up to $500+ with crazy materials such as titanium/gold/unobtanium. To rule out the crazy expensive yoyos and the “dirt cheap might break if you look at it too hard” yoyos we’ll put the price of a budget throw at between $30-$60.

For a “budget” yoyo what do you get? You get an extremely well performing product from a reputable company that goes up and beyond their call of duty of just producing yoyos. Some companies sponsor events, have promotions, give us this forum, etc. etc.

All that for $30-$60.

“High end” throws are more about giving back to the companies (imo). Sure I can get a yoyo that will handle all I’ve got for $50 but that one throw from that company I really love just put out a new model with so many colorways my eyes are bleeding from being exposed to something so gorgeous. Yeah, I’ll fork over a few more greenbacks for that experience.

High end throws encourage competition, growth, and confidence in manufacturers. This is good for us. Not to mention, some of the high end throws are basically works of art, as well as a functioning yoyo.

How much does it cost to produce a yoyo?

I’m no expert but if you think about what goes into a throw, this is my quick list.

Man power, tools, prototypes, raw materials, cad programs, freight, a building to take care of, electricity to run said building, deviation in finished products, anodizing, packaging, etc. etc.

Even the budget metals have to go through the necessary design and machining steps to get to the final production stage.

Yoyo prices are right where they should be, complaining about high prices just puts off a vibe no one wants to hear about, especially when you would be just fine with a $10 classic.

46

Alright, let’s break it down

At a run of 200 aluminium yoyos, the cost is going to be anywhere from $20-35 a piece, depending on the material and shape. The price could go lower depending on the shop making the yoyo.

Add on anodizing costs, finish/blasting cost, packaging costs, matching halves cost, and bearing, string, and response cost.

So on top of your $30, let’s just day you’re adding another $15 to each yoyo, for a total of $45/piece.

Now the yoyo company raises the cost to $55 a piece so that they can make a $10 profit.

Then the yoyo company sells the yoyo to a retailer for $55. The retailer, also having to generate a profit, doubles the price to $110.

This process doesn’t take into account prototyping costs, which can be very expensive and time consuming.

47

Not to mention the money these companies pour into marketing, sponsoring players and events, scrapping/discounting b-grade and sub-par throws, cost of shipping to retailers, etc. At the end of all, most of the cost of the yoyo goes towards the things that made it possible for the yoyo to be in your hands rather than the actual yoyo in your hands.

Yuki

48

Why do retailers bump it to 110. They should bump to 70 at most. Period.

49

It’s a store dude, they have to make profit on what they sell to earn a living, since you’re so smart why don’t you start a company and sell us high end cool color way metals for $35.

50

Retailers have space to pay for, wages, insurance, restocking
 Etc. they have to make money too.

Reselling something at double what you paid for it is common, at least at the prices we’re talking about. Not always, though.

51

Who is to decide what limit a retailer can tack on?

If you decided to not go thru a retailer (from a manufacturing standpoint) and try to take on all the advertising, monetary transactions, and everything else that goes along with a retailer you would be tasked with basically funding a whole different company. Going thru a retailer saves money.

In my line of work, we usually tack on 15%-30% of what it costs us to produce our goods, regardless of if we made it, or bought it from someone. So for a retailer to just double the price of something sounds a little extreme, at least to me. I could be wrong, so take that with a grain of salt.

Even if the retailer did double the price, maybe the work they put into what they do is worth that. Business has to have these markups to get the product in our hands, it would be way too expensive and time consuming to buy/sell direct from the machining floor.

To say a retailer can only add $XX to a price of the product solely on the opinion that they are overpriced as it is is a laughable premise.

It’s like that insurance commercial where Lucy tells the Metlife guy that insurance should only be 5 cents. Not everything can be 5 cents.

52

I disagree, they should just give them away so that even the starving children can have yoyos. It’s not fair that some people can have yoyos and other people can’t. That’s not how the real world works and it’s definitely not how yoyos should work.

Oh wait.

53

You missed his point.

1 Like
54

It was not much of a point. He’s talking about restructuring economics to almost a communist sort of way.

55

With keystone the company doubles their cost to come up with the wholesale price.

56

I would, if I had the money for a metal lathe. :smiley:

and,

57

Name another hobby or sport where you can have a complete set of the most high-end gear for less than $200.

58

Not to mention paying employees (to assemble, match halves, tune, and package) and any advertising that could be done.

59

Wouldn’t most high end be the Dazzler? Yoyos don’t go on sale much either.

60

I think the Dollar Tree yoyo is overpriced.