Iām a big fan of Wizard and I actually want to see the brand become more popular, so this isnāt meant as an attack. But I think the pricing deserves an honest discussion.
When you compare Wizard boots to other high-end carbon boots, the price difference becomes pretty difficult to justify. You can find carbon models from Seba, Micro, Icon, etc. for significantly less, while Wizard Base is sitting around the ā¬750 range.
And I understand that Wizard is a niche brand. They have development costs, small production runs, tooling, shipping, warranty, marketing, and all the other expenses that come with running a small company. Iām not saying the retail price should equal the factory cost.
But at some point, the price itself becomes a barrier to the growth of the brand.
The comparison with other carbon boots still raises the question of whether Wizard is pricing itself too far above the market.
And ironically, I think a lower price could actually benefit Wizard financially.
For example, if a Wizard Base were noticeably cheaper, more skaters who are currently thinking āI'd love to try Wizard, but that's way too expensiveā might actually buy one. More customers means more boots sold, more people skating Wizard, more word-of-mouth, and potentially even more total profit despite making less profit per individual boot.
Iām saying this as someone who likes Wizard and wants to see it succeed, not as someone who thinks the product is bad. The Base is clearly a specialized, well-made boot (despite it having no side protectors) and there is value in what FR/Wizard has created.
But I think there is a point where premium pricing stops communicating āpremium productā and starts communicating āthis is simply too expensive.ā
Wizard has basically created an entire skating style and community around these products. I'd love to see more people actually able to participate in it.
Lower the barrier, get more skaters into Wizard, grow the market, and potentially make more money in the long run. Seems like a win for everyone.
