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LWCG Ambush Platform

Flee said:
This is the same with anything that is bought. Ultimately the consumer can control the price. If no one buys a product the price has to drop. Look at new trucks. The prices are ridiculous but remain high because people keep buying them. If everyone got together on social media and so forth and stood together to protest the prices and quit buying I’d bet within a couple months the prices would drastically drop. As long as we buy they can sell.
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I disagree. The price wouldn't drop, the production of them would cease.
 
okccj said:
So are you thinking they've stopped producing their trail cameras since they dropped the price?
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I don't think you can compare a trail cam manufactured from cheap parts, that can easily be replaced with cheaper or more expensive ones, with a custom water jetted piece of aluminum like the platform.

If people were able to get together and not purchase them(what my reply was about), then yes, I do believe they would stop producing them.
 
DanielB89 said:
If people were able to get together and not purchase them(what my reply was about), then yes, I do believe they would stop producing them.
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This hypothetical, fortunately or unfortunately, is not the world we live in.
 
DanielB89 said:
I don't think you can compare a trail cam manufactured from cheap parts, that can easily be replaced with cheaper or more expensive ones, with a custom water jetted piece of aluminum like the platform.

If people were able to get together and not purchase them(what my reply was about), then yes, I do believe they would stop producing them.
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There's basically minimal tooling or economies of scale. Just whatever design/licensing/marketing/testing costs. There is absolutely a minimum price/margin that they'd have no interest to go below.
 
okccj said:
Have you actually used an Assassin because it's hard for me to imagine any human saying that its material and craftsmanship is on the same level as a Predator.
I'm usually a guy that tries to find a good deal, but when there is such a disparity in products, I gotta bite the bullet.
Remember, buy once cry once (advice I don't always follow)
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I know this wasn't directed at me but I think this is worth discussion.

I have not used the Assassin (would love to have one) but that was manufactured by Lonewolf, not LWCG. Assuming that the Ambush is going to be the same quality as the Ambush might not be a good idea, especially with what I've seen from some of the other LWCG products.

Hopefully I'm wrong.
 
robertreed711 said:
I know this wasn't directed at me but I think this is worth discussion.

I have not used the Assassin (would love to have one) but that was manufactured by Lonewolf, not LWCG. Assuming that the Ambush is going to be the same quality as the Ambush might not be a good idea, especially with what I've seen from some of the other LWCG products.

Hopefully I'm wrong.
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don't you dare speak evil of the $300 platform I just purchased!
 
robertreed711 said:
LOL, like I said, I hope I'm wrong but if I bought a set of their sticks and they looked like this I'd be more than a little disappointed.



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Yeah, my sticks looked rough. Not a concern from a use point of view, but I gotta admit it's less than impressive.

It all boils down to this. They're offering stuff nobody else is offering. It's no like the guitar industry, where you can buy a "les paul" knockoff that looks just like a $4,000 Gobso. And plays 90% as well.

They can unfortunately get away with a less than stellar product until competition crops up.
 
With the quality of the Predator and Ridge Runner I have no idea why anyone would pay double. The craftsmanship on my ridge runner is awesome.... I'm very impressed so far.
 
Nutterbuster said:
They can unfortunately get away with a less than stellar product until competition crops up.
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Right. I hope some of these other companies come out with larger and better quality products that can drive the price down across the board. I have no brand loyalty, simply want what works best for me based on the experiences I've had.
 
robertreed711 said:
LOL, like I said, I hope I'm wrong but if I bought a set of their sticks and they looked like this I'd be more than a little disappointed.



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The other big complaint was the weight. I know they have since changed it on their web site but a lot of people were upset when they first got them in an the sticks weighted more then expected and also looked like poor craftmanship.
 
robertreed711 said:
I have not used the Assassin (would love to have one) but that was manufactured by Lonewolf, not LWCG. Assuming that the Ambush is going to be the same quality as the Ambush might not be a good idea, especially with what I've seen from some of the other LWCG products.

Hopefully I'm wrong.
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I hear ya. Personally, yes, I would like the product to be aesthetically flawless, however, so long as it functions as good as the Assassin is ultimately all I really care about.
 
okccj said:
I hear ya. Personally, yes, I would like the product to be aesthetically flawless, however, so long as it functions as good as the Assassin is ultimately all I really care about.
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Serious question - Why not just continue to use the Assassin you had?

Also, I am all for function over anything else but with that price tag it really should come with both in my opinion.
 
DanielB89 said:
don't you dare speak evil of the $300 platform I just purchased!
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Not like they are giving Predators and RRs away for free.
Seen many posts from folks questioning how such a small product can cost nearly $200. These questions/complaints seem to come from guys that have never used a platform.

On the front end, saddle hunting is not for the financially faint of heart.
 
IMHO there is a price that LWCG has to sell their products at to remain a viable company in lieu of the costs to bring those products to market. What similar products offered by other companies sell for is surely part of their calculus, but its not the only determinant. There's an old accounting joke, we lose money on every sale, but make it up in volume... No company can stay around long with that business model.

I'm guessing LWCG is bootstrapping each run with the proceeds of the prior run as opposed to some more elaborate price/availaibility/competitor marketing strategy. I haven't researched it either, but I suspect they farm out the manufacturing too. So they have less control over per unit cost other than shopping around or by ordering higher quantities. Either way I doubt any of the founders are eye balling summer homes on the Mediterranean from the sale of this stuff.

In terms of the platform itself, its bigger and heavier than what we have now. So there isn't any break through technology going on here. Maybe their strategy is to appeal to conventional lock-on and climber users looking to try saddle hunting. In that context their platform is roughly half the weight and size of what these users are used to so the transition is easier.

I would confess there are times when I wish my predator platform was bigger, but generally that's only when I'm perched high in the tree already. Otherwise I want it lighter and smaller. :)
 
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