What is the impact of the price increase of badminton on manufacturers?

Source: Workers' Daily

Badminton has exploded, badminton prices and venue rental fees have risen, and consumers have shouted "I can't afford to play badminton". Industry insiders said that the future development of the industry also needs to establish and improve the standard system for badminton and its production raw materials, standardized standards will help improve product quality, reduce market chaos, and promote the healthy and sustainable development of the badminton industry.

With only a net, a racket and a shuttlecock, the simple equipment and the flexibility of the court make badminton one of the most popular sports and can also be said to be a national sport. However, recently, badminton-related sports, whether it is the price of badminton or the rental fee of the venue, have ushered in an increase, and consumers have called "I can't afford to play badminton"; And the headache for some manufacturers is that because of the rising cost of materials, although the price of badminton has increased, their own profits have decreased.

Badminton prices have skyrocketed

"I didn't cherish a bucket of 99.9 yuan, but now I break my thigh." On social platforms, some consumers joked, "The price of badminton is really outrageous now." ”

Recently, major badminton brands have raised product prices, and the price increase is generally two to three percent higher than last year, and some models have increased by more than 60%. Taking the well-known badminton brand Yonex as an example, the AS-02 model badminton has risen from the original 165 yuan / play to 215 yuan / play; The retail price of AS-05 badminton balls has soared from 210 yuan per tube to 275 yuan per tube in just three months, an increase of 31%. Some media even said: "The price of badminton has risen, and the price of 3 cylinders is close to 1 gram of gold." ”

Not only has the price increased, but some popular models of badminton on the market have also been sold out. "We also bought it when the price went up, but it was really worrying to be out of stock." Badminton enthusiasts reported that some brand stores are now restricting purchases, "Yonex AS-05 is 139.9 yuan per tube, and each person is limited to one group." Some badminton enthusiasts posted relevant pictures on social platforms, and even if it was written that "purchase is restricted", many people still consulted "how to buy".

As for the reasons for the price increase of badminton, industry insiders believe that this is mainly related to the shortage of raw materials and the increase in market demand. The main raw material of badminton is natural feathers, and manufacturers generally only use dozens of feathers on the wings of specific varieties of geese and ducks to make badminton. According to the monitoring statistics of the China Animal Husbandry Association, the number of ducks slaughtered in the mainland has dropped from 4.878 billion in 2019 to 4.218 billion in 2023, and the number of geese slaughtered has also dropped from 634 million to 515 million, and the supply of geese and ducks cannot meet the market demand.

And in recent years, badminton has become more and more popular. The durability of badminton is already relatively low, and a single sport may consume multiple shuttlecocks, and the market demand is getting higher and higher, further pushing up the price of badminton products.

However, the explosion of badminton has led to an increase in demand for badminton, and some companies have also seen business opportunities. Tianyancha data shows that there are nearly 10,000 existing "badminton"-related enterprises, of which nearly 300 new registered enterprises will be added in January ~ June this year, an increase of 15% compared with the same period in 2023.

The venue is hard to find, and the sparring partner is popular

"Coordinates Beijing, the venue fee is 360 yuan for two hours, which is still the price of running to the fourth ring road." "Shenzhen Longgang, 160 yuan per hour." On social platforms, under the posts discussing the price increase of badminton, there are also many replies discussing the price increase of the venue. The reporter inquired and found that the Li Ning Badminton Hall (Chaoyang Park Store) was fully booked on July 26 ~ July 28. On other weekdays, the venue fee starts from 120 yuan per hour in the morning and lunch hours, and 200 yuan per hour in the evening hours.

Despite the increase in the price of badminton and the increase in venue fees, it is difficult to book badminton venues in Beijing, Shanghai, Jinan, Hefei and other cities. Mr. Li, a badminton enthusiast who lives in Pudong, Shanghai, said that some venues in Pudong basically charge more than 100 yuan per hour during prime time. Weekend and weekday evening sessions are generally booked about a week in advance. "If you want to form a temporary game, it can only be a morning session or a meal, but this time is also a robbery." Mr. Li said.

In this regard, data from the General Administration of Sports of China may explain why. According to the Survey Report on the Status of National Sports, badminton is the most popular sport in China, with 250 million people. In recent years, not only has the number of people participating in badminton increased, but the volume of badminton-related voices on social platforms has also increased significantly.

With the boom of badminton, sparring and playing services are also popular. "The coach of the badminton training ground charges 360 yuan for an hour, which is more cost-effective in comparison." It is understood that badminton sparring is 50~100 yuan per hour, which can basically meet the needs of badminton lovers to improve their skills, especially for novices. Hiring a sparring partner can improve your skills, and the price is right. ”

Sparring groups mostly post relevant information on Xiaohongshu, Xianyu, Douyin or some other part-time apps, and it is the summer vacation, and many college students and high school graduates have also begun to spar badminton to earn some pocket money. "The business volume is still very considerable, I have been a sparring partner for a month and have received more than 60 orders." Xiao Bao, a college student, told reporters that being a sparring partner can not only play badminton for fitness, but also earn pocket money, "It's more about increasing socialization, because playing badminton has made a lot of new friends, and I'm very happy!" ”

How to get out of the market dilemma?

The price increase of badminton is naturally not a good thing for consumers, and the impact on enterprises cannot be ignored. The rise in the price of badminton will inevitably reduce consumers' willingness to buy, which will affect the sales volume and market share of enterprises.

From social platforms, the reporter saw some badminton enthusiasts saying: "If you can't afford to play expensive balls, buy cheap ones." "The fact is that the sales of popular balls from some well-known brands have dropped significantly, despite the price increase. And the headache for manufacturers is that the material is rising, the price is rising, and the profit is decreasing.

In addition, due to the short supply, if consumers have to buy low-end non-standard balls, it will disrupt the competitive atmosphere of the market, and some small-scale enterprises may face greater operating pressure and competitive pressure. Therefore, how to find a balance between cost pressure and market demand is an industry problem that needs to be solved by all parties.

Actually, this is not the first time that the price of badminton has increased. As early as 2003, there was a big explosion in the sales of badminton-related supplies. In response to this situation, badminton manufacturers have long been exploring new materials. From the plastic nylon, which was fashionable in the past few years, to the man-made fiber badminton - the carbon sound ball, but the artificial ball is still far from the traditional hair ball in terms of feel and flight stability.

In this regard, some manufacturers believe that enterprises must step up the research and development of new materials, "this badminton price increase is also to accelerate the transformation and upgrading of related manufacturing enterprises, and enterprises should seize the opportunity." ”

Industry insiders said that the future development of the industry also needs to establish and improve the standard system for badminton and its production raw materials, standardized standards will help improve product quality, reduce market chaos, and promote the healthy and sustainable development of the badminton industry.

Reporter Xu Xiao