We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Muscleback Irons and their Pricing

SuperStroke
fupresti

fupresti

Former Big Deal
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Messages
23,139
Reaction score
1,106
Location
Mesa, AZ
Handicap
Marriage
With the Callaway Apex MB and TaylorMade P730 dropping soon, as well as other OEMs offering some variation of a blade I was curious about pricing. There type of irons typically carry a healthy premium over their normal SGI and GI offerings so I am curious about how pricing is dictated. Is the higher price related to lower volumes produced? I can speculate R&D costs are minimal compared to their more forgiving options so I am curious what goes into pricing them. I imagine working with carbon steel is a more costly process then casting.

But the realist in me wonders if pricing is more related to intended market. Are the people purchasing less likely to consider a muscleback iron if it is priced too low? Is there a perceived value to these types of clubs and the market responds by making sure a premium price comes with a perceived "premium iron"?
 
I say intended market.

First thought before reading all of your post was that the audience for MB’s is a serious golfer and with that comes the willingness to pay more?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
My guess is strictly based on volume. There are less sets produced to offset the tooling costs.
 
#Cookie said:
I say intended market.

First thought before reading all of your post was that the audience for MB’s is a serious golfer and with that comes the willingness to pay more?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Same thought I had when I started reading first post.
 
wubears71 said:
My guess is strictly based on volume. There are less sets produced to offset the tooling costs.
Click to expand...

This exactly. Tooling costs recovered on low volume would be my guess. R&D doesn't significantly change model to model, material is same (within reason)...
 
I would have to think it's market related. You'd have to think more R&D, time and money goes in to the SGI and GI irong than the MB's, which should make the mb's cost less. I'm sure the R&D costs are shared throughout the line which drives the mb cost up. But I don't know if that justifies it by itself, or if the fact that it's their premium offering drives the prices up.
 
I think there is perceived value with the "players irons". As far as construction costs, I am sure some of that goes into it, but I think price is dictated more by supply and demand. That IMO gets driven through proper marketing and inventory controls.
 
I’d have to think it’s 100% intended market.
 
I'd have to say the intended market also. I would think the tech is so minimal that the R&D costs can't be massive like other profiles. When it boils down to it, it a chunk of forged steel...

I'm sure the volume isn't there like other lines also, but I don't really think it dictates the price as much as the market does. It would be interesting to find out what the cost to make a bladed iron versus a SGI iron is. I'm betting even just the production cost is quite a bit different, even without R&D taken into account.
 
Agree with others about the intended market. Plus with everyone on the internet thinking they can play blades and be successful don't you think if they were priced lower more people would buy them :angel:
 
wubears71 said:
My guess is strictly based on volume. There are less sets produced to offset the tooling costs.
Click to expand...

Cobra mentioned this when they talked about designing a set of irons. I definitely think this is a big part of it, as well as R&D still has to be there as the market for these is going to be very particular in what they are looking for. Shape/sound/feel will have to be spot on, so while there are less materials to work with, there is also pretty limited tolerances on what they can alter and still be appealing to the target market.
 
jdtox said:
Agree with others about the intended market. Plus with everyone on the internet thinking they can play blades and be successful don't you think if they were priced lower more people would buy them :angel:
Click to expand...

If they were a cheaper option I would probably have a set hahaha.
 
i'm not able to confidently say it's 100% intended market, but i would think it leans heavily that way. what does today's blade offer that yesterday's blade couldn't? i don't think very much, tbh.

and this is a great thread, because it's always rubbed me the wrong way that the least technology advanced iron is often priced so high.
 
Manufacturing usually gives pretty good sized price discounts with larger orders. I'm guessing that the total number of sets they have manufactured pales in comparison to other types of irons/clubs.

That's my guess anyways.
 
Intended market, low volume, supply and demand. Probably in that order. Seems like there might be a trend of high price SGI like the new epic irons though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top