$50 bags. Seriously.

funklovesfootbag · Post by **funklovesfootbag** » 28 May 2008 15:29

I've retired from stitching but will make anyone who wants a bag one for $50. I would also recommend telling David to make you a funk bag for $40, since he can make them like mine. He should give me royalties on that though, so make sure you tell him that.

Pm me or David.

calemccoy · Post by **calemccoy** » 28 May 2008 16:36

i got a "DC funk" bag, as he calls it. it is an awesome bag, so id recommend either of these bags. this is cool fletcher, youre bags are definitely worth the price. im sure stanford crew just wet themselves.

acxel22 · Post by **acxel22** » 29 May 2008 13:05

50$ for a bag is trying to make too much profit out of this sport where most players are too poor to even afford to travel to a nearby tournament.

I'd pay you 35$ for a bag, but never over that. It's overkill at 35 as it is imo.

Sure some guys are ready to pay that much because they can afford it, I could too, but I rather think about the growth of the sport.

Then again, I don't stitch.

A customer and freestyler opinion.

sen · Post by **sen** » 29 May 2008 13:13

I have to agree to a certain extent. But at the same time, he doesn't really want to stitch anymore. I think this is like a service to repeat customers who love his bag's or others who have played them and really want one.

I wouldn't pay it, but I'm poor.

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 29 May 2008 13:22

I totally understand where funk is coming from, frankly, it's quite a bit of work to make a bag!

I think too many stitchers waaaay under price their efforts/craft and it's not a deal for the customer, it's an insult to the stitcher.

And to hear Mathieu saying that he wouldn't pay over $35, that sounds somewhat spoiled and unappreciative of what goes into making a good footbag.

I think the whole stitching community should raise their prices at the same time.

jon · Post by **jon** » 29 May 2008 13:31

I have always thought bags were pretty cheap and have paid $50 a couple of times for bags at worlds 04. 2 hours of work per bag I figure (skilled labour should command at least $12/hour) + material + fill >= $30

When I see people selling bags for under $30 bucks I am shocked. $50 is a lot but not crazy. Supply and demand I guess. Get what you can for your work.

Wasabi · Post by **Wasabi** » 29 May 2008 13:36

I just think it sucks when you tell a person on the street that a good 32-panel made for freestyle is about $35 USD, and they become astonished, maybe disgusted, by how expensive it is.

I bought a Funk bag at Worlds for $35 USD. Had I not bought one then, I would have gladly paid $40-$45 for one, because they play amazingly well. I think the price increase is doing a major service for him and the community in a way; footbag would be taken more seriously with better quality bags in the market that are worthy of the price. Personally, I haven't implemented this philosophy for myself, as I give out plenty of discounts as a service for my customers (due to my tardiness), but its good small step in advancing to a more serious market for footbag and footbag stitching.

I think I should retire after I'm done with my orders, and raise my price as well.

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 29 May 2008 13:41

Jon, it takes me about 4 hours to make one, I think fletcher is at about the same ish. So once that's factored in it really becomes clear that bags are too cheaply priced.

acxel22 · Post by **acxel22** » 29 May 2008 13:53

I`m in no point unnapreciative of the effort. Fletcher makes some of the best bags out there, nothing can go against that.

I simply think that asking more money for the same product that other stitchers make for the same price is ridiculous, because he is `Retired` from stitching.

I`ll retire from footbag and make a comeback, then say all my tricks are 1 add harder? It`s a dumb analogy, but it`s kind of what I relate to in this case.

Don't want to sound mean, just pointing out my opinion. If he can get that money good for him, but in the long run, if stitcher think they need more money for their bags, less players will get quality equipment, and we know where that leads.

If every stitchers would sell bags for 50$, I would still pay, I can afford it, I got a job and good life conditions. When I think of new players, under 16, who have no work, little money, and depend on their parents (the new players) well I know that getting just a quality bag can already be hard as it is right now.

I rather see encouragement to new players then to stitchers.

I've seen exemples of people trying to make too much profit on footbag in montreal *not a freestyler*, and it does'nt recruit many players, it just kills it.

Wasabi · Post by **Wasabi** » 29 May 2008 16:38

The art of making footbags is more materialistic than actually playing footbag. I don't deny the premise of how important it is to play more footbag rather than stitching footbags in general. In fact, playing footbag is what brings more players in; not many people care enough to stitch footbags for a living, or find much joy in making footbags. However, work should be compensated to an extent, and prices shouldn't stay within a fixed range - what with inflation and how capitalism works.

Also, there are stitchers, no matter what the conditions, who will stay at a fixed price range no matter what. I still see some really good footbags being sold at $20-25 USD. It just depends on the demand.

Muffinman · Post by **Muffinman** » 29 May 2008 16:55

I skimmed most of this, but I feel that I can appreciate both angles.

I started stitching because $35 was ridiculous to me. But at the same time, like it was mentioned, Fletch seems to only continue stitching due to crazy demand. (I have paid $60 for bags in the past when it was necessary (when the Canadian dollar was really weak)) If $50 is too ridiculous for you, there are MANY options these days for MUCH less, as Tom said. You can get wicked bags for $20, like Sergey Kozlov, Aaron Shepard I think, and a bunch of others... (me too

) So as much as I understand the complaining, it just seems like complaining when it's clear that you don't HAVE to pay that price...

brian relly · Post by **brian relly** » 30 May 2008 06:17

I think $50 is a decent price because half the people on here throw down that much for a bag of weed every week or two. If you just take a little break you have plenty of money to throw on a bag that will last a little longer

Guydro · Post by **Guydro** » 30 May 2008 08:13

brian relly wrote:I think $50 is a decent price because half the people on here throw down that much for a bag of weed every week or two. If you just take a little break you have plenty of money to throw on a bag that will last a little longer

A week? A day!!! Let me see.......Two big blunts of funk or a footbag of funk? I'll take both please!

funklovesfootbag · Post by **funklovesfootbag** » 30 May 2008 20:30

It takes me 4 hours to make
a bag. I make $16 at my day-job, so its not really worth my time to make <$10 an hour doing something which is somewhat torturous (I can't play right now because of injuries, so making a bag is depressing;that's mostly the reason I wanted to quit.

That said, its a free market, and I wholeheartedly support people buying other stitchers' cheaper bags (though I think mine are better, and worth the $12 an hour rate I charge.)

As far as supporting the sport goes, I fully endorsed David selling my style bags for cheaper, so I don't think anyone can accuse me of just doing it for the money. I love it that people like my bags and get so much enjoyment out of them, but I don't have the time to spend on it (unless I'm getting adequately compensated.

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 30 May 2008 23:52

Good word usage, adequately compensated.

Frankly if you want a cheap bag that you can shred get a fucking freedom, gahhh.

Like, the hypothetical poor 15 yearold that everyone keeps citing shouldn't be starting out on a 32 anyways.

LEGOMAN · Post by **LEGOMAN** » 31 May 2008 08:55

hay guys wuts goin on in dis topik

Jordan · Post by **Jordan** » 01 Jun 2008 11:41

any pics of the "DC FUNK BAG"?

JeffRichards · Post by **JeffRichards** » 01 Jun 2008 19:16

Laaaaaaaaaaaame

Glad i already have 2 in good shape

Sergey · Post by **Sergey** » 11 Jun 2008 09:30

If the majority of stitchers believe that current prices should be raised, I have no problems with that. Footbag is a self-supporting community, stitchers are a big part of it and should be supported by players.

mc · Post by mc » 11 Jun 2008 10:10

I've raised my prices by $5 recently, partially inspired by fletcher's logic, also inspired by gas prices. It takes me a while to stitch, I think I make bags that play great, and I need adequate compensation if I'm going to take my time to do it.