Product description
The surfboards Rusty wants to market in Australia reflect the unique and cherished concave design the company has offered for years. Unlike other designers who emphasize on the rocker, Rusty designs emphasize on intermarrying all curves in the hope of producing a magic experience.
The products will come in two varieties: the wide board and the narrow board. The wide boards are targeted for recreational surfers while narrow boards are designed for high-speed surfers such as sportsmen. The success of the surfboards in the Australian market lies in their unique designs that accommodate different kinds of surfers by enhancing the benefits sought by Australian consumers such as speed, safety, and convenience.
Market description
The surfing market in Australia is characterized by long stretches of beaches that surround the entire continent. These beaches stretch from the north to south and from east to west and are connected by road and railway infrastructures that pass through beautiful sceneries. These beaches have produced some of the world’s surfing champions and are a unique attraction to international surfers.
Crown lands located along the coast of NSW province are some of the best surfing regions in the world. Along the western coastline are numerous beaches reserved for recreational surfers. The country is also adjacent to New Zealand which has numerous surfing reserves.
Environment analysis
Political analysis
With the central role that surfing plays in the Australian economy, culture, and social life, the industry is controlled strictly by government entities. All companies that operate within the industry are expected to adhere to the set rules. Safety is a priority in Australian and Rusty as a maker of surfboards is expected to observe safety when designing its surfboards.
Protection of surfing reserves is also important in the Australian market, and any firm involved in the business is expected to participate. In addition to regulations, the political relation between the US and Australia does not work to the advantage of Rusty.
Economic analysis
The surfing industry in Australia is far much developed when compared to other markets in the world. The industry is worth billions of dollars, which guarantee firms a share of the revenue. However, this industry is characterized by stiff competition from home and foreign companies.
Indeed, the surfboard manufacturing is dominated by Australian and Chinese firms. While the Australian firms are firmly established, taking the large share of the market, the Chinese firms are penetrating the market with cheaply priced surfboards. This is a big threat to Rusty considering their premium-priced, hand-made skateboards.
Cultural analysis
According to Farmer and Short (2007), Australians remain the leading country interacting recreationally with surfing and surfing reserves are compared to cultural sites, sporting arenas, heritage, and religious locations. More than a hundred years, surfing has been part of the Australian culture and cultural celebrations. People respect and cherish those who enhance the success of the activity, including surfboard manufacturer. People seek new experiences in surfing as a way of enriching their culture. In that respects, the introduction of Rusty products is guaranteed to face a positive welcome in the country.
Demand estimation
The demand for a surfboard is very high in Australia, especially when we consider the surfing events that take place annually. Surfing Australia (2009) statistics show that 2.5 million recreation surfers visit the Australian beaches annually. On average, 201 events are held annually and attract about 12,000 participants across the world. Most of the male and female world surfing sports figures come from Australia, making surfing a national sports activity.
References
Farmer, B. & Short, A. D. (2007). Australian National Surfing Reserves-rationale and process for recognizing iconic surfing locations. Journal of Coastal research, 50, 99-103.
Surfing Australia (2009). Surfing Australia statistics.