I picked up a 2015 Obsession Knightmare GT. love it so far. I didn't feel like waiting for the 2016 bows and going by specs I liked the 2015 Obsessions more. Shot many of the other company's 2016 bows and none jumped out like Obsession to me.
I get this...but still why the large discrepancy in the Mathews line to the Mission...operating running costs of the business is the same for the most part as same driving force behind...research and development costs is the only thing that maybe ups the Mathews line as perhaps that is where they charge for that as it is the line to get the newest tech thrown on it. Who knows. I just have yet to shoot a bow and say, "Dang....I gotta have that even if it means not getting a couple cameras, stands and maybe a blind this year as well as a new Mission (or insert lower cost bow)." I hope it happens, my budget doesn't though. Like a brand new truck. Sorry but base prices are ridiculous anymore and no truck is worth their starting point brand new, NONE.
Marketing??? I dunno but I can tell you this if you knew the material cost on a bow vs the price you'd crap yourself lol. Not sure where the margins truly lie once you factor overhead, G&A, etc but..... Oh and because people continue to pay it
Biggest reason there I think. Yeah marketing would be bigger for the main line than the sub-line no doubt. If it is anything like the cost to build and retail in any other business I could venture some solid guesses on true cost of the bow without factoring in overhead, marketing and everything else.
I'm tempted to go finally shoot bows this offseason, but who knows. I'm hopefully going to be pulling the trigger on my own hunting land this year or next, so priorities are a little different right now.
That is another factor, I've started pumping aside as much money as possible. Instead of spending $500-$1200 on a bow...I could save some money for land in the future....
Doubt I'll ever get serious again for the bigger events or anything competitive archery related unless my son wants to start. I loved it, but now theres just not enough time in the day and I'd rather spend my spare time with my kid, hunting, or preparing for hunting. But...............I still have that itch bad. I'm going to shoot a local indoor 3D league this winter with a couple of buddies just for fun. I figured I'd get a bow setup for that. I also have another rock to win at the GTG this summer. I'll only shoot hunter class but it should be fun.
Just buy a year or two old bow if cost is an issue. I personally do not like when a brand makes a sub brand or watered down version I feel like it cheapens the entire line. I would rather see a company offer the previous flag ship models for a short run at a discount after the new flagships are rolled out.
It shouldn't cheapen the entire line though one bit and I've never thought because I've never seen two identical bows on each line...otherwise I'd agree whole heartedly with ya there. As much as I would buy a used bow, I hate to buy from an unknown person though, have to be someone I know how they treated the bow, stored the bow and such...otherwise new is the only way to go I feel. Hence why I bought my Venture when I did, I shot a bunch of options but never held and shot a bow that made me think it was worth doubling the price...let alone adding a couple hundred. Just me personally though. I still think some day I'll end up with a used Elite though...
I think a company only has so much capital to those around for R&D and if they are trying too revamp two lines/brands of bows yearly I think in the long run something has to get watered down. I have yet to see a bow company get better when they create a second no frills brand. I should clarify what said about a used bow, or rather add to it. For example I just bought a new in the box 2015 bow for 600 shipped to me. the bow retails everyplace at 850-950. I would buy a new left over flagship way before I looked at bargain line bows. Onto used bows. honestly I dont see the stigma or worry about buying one. Other then strings with are easily replace there really isn't any item on a bow that degrades. Limbs, cams, risers either they are intact and working or there not for the most part. yes you will have cosmetic stuff, dings and flaws however that isnt anything you wont do on your own soon enough if your hunting.
What I mean by better is that the sub brand has direct a positive impact on the main line. By either positively effecting the market share verse the competition. Or even making the company seem more innovative verse the competition for larger margins from the same share of the market. Three examples. Hoyt with Reflex( late 90's) this was mostly a flop and took Hoyt a few years to recover from it. They created a bow with Hoyt like features that resembles and performed more like the competition then Hoyt. How do you market that? You don't. And they dumped it and since they did they became even more of a power house then ever. Bowtec and diamond (2002ish) Bow tech was marketing cutting edge high performance bows and carving out a market in that niche. Then they lay out diamond in box stores. Diamond was nothing but a flattering copy of Matthews solo cam at the time. How do you market the need for speed and performance above your competitors on one page and then copy your competition on the next page? I think part of this is what lead to the late 2009 -2013 ish Plateau that bow tech is just getting over. The last is Mathews and mission. This is my most obtuse example. Of all the sub companies mission most resembles its parent company. The reason I think it hasn't made Mathews better is because I feel that it takes from the parents companies table. I would argue that Matthews is and was a better marketing firm then it was ever a bow manufacture so with that in mind I wouldnt want any of that marketing dollars to pull weight for any other brand except my own even including my own sub brand. Now someone can say, Trial that makes no sense they are the same company with maybe a different set of books? The reason I think it hurt Matthews is because their advertising and sponsoring has hasn't slowed while their market share has. This kills marketing dollar value because you have to spend more to keep the same market share. So what is a better model? I honestly think PSE, and Hoyt currently( along with some smaller companies that are seeing growth) has a more sustainable model. They have a main line then a sub line of lesser bows all pushing the brand name. Every advertising dollar goes towards the brand. Hunters and shooters see only PSE they recognize and register it as a PSE and it fortifies margins for their brand. Your never competing against yourself.
Didnt realize they halon 7s were getting to the dealers yet. Had my halon 6 tactical on order since release date. Hoping next 2 weeks it will show up Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
