Thoughts on YETI

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Yeti has done a great job of marketing their brand and their expensive product, and their customers are paying for it. Their lower priced competition has really stepped up their game too, including Coleman, Igloo and Ozark (Walmart). I think they timed their public offering based on slowing sales due to "heated" competition (pun intended). As someone said, the moat is small, not much of a barrier and not much tech either. I'm more of a Big5 type and not really bothered if my ice only last 2 or 3 days, especially this time of year.

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[FIREd]

Yeti products used to be "status symbols" when I lived in the south. I have a cup (which does an excellent job of keeping beverages cold) and a cooler. I am generally happy with their overpriced products (happy enough to take both the cup and cooler with me when I moved overseas). But as far as the stock goes, I would not touch it. There are plenty of competitors making products that are just as good or better. There are even YouTube videos showing that Yeti coolers don't perform any better than many other brands. So it is all marketing.

 

[MichaelB]

[mod hat on] There’s been some discussion on Yeti stock and Second Amendment issues. To avoid the risk of drifting into a thread on personal views or advocacy, let’s please put the Second Amendment discussion behind us and move back to Yeti. [mod hat off]

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Yeti? Pfft. We have the Ozark Trails and Rtic versions and guess what? Work just as well and cost a WHOLE lot less. BUT...Rtic and Ozark Trails doesn't come with a sticker you can put on your car/truck windshield.

 

[Looking4Ward]

Someone I know recently bought a Chanel purse for his girlfriend. I thought he was a victim of superb marketing to pay $6000 for a purse. Apparently there is no shortage of victims since Chanel has been around for almost 140 years and they are a big hit with the Asian crowd (his girlfriend is Asian). I suspect Yet's recent expansion into Japan will help sustain sales growth, a country the CEO describes as ""another premium-performance, design-driven market that recognizes and values brands."

Translation: They will pay ridiculous prices for a name.

 

[target2019]

Yeti? Pfft. We have the Ozark Trails and Rtic versions and guess what? Work just as well and cost a WHOLE lot less. BUT...Rtic and Ozark Trails doesn't come with a sticker you can put on your car/truck windshield.

That's a pretty good experiment. The tests should be run several times, so the sample size is larger. Still, it shows there is little difference in the how cold how hot characteristics.

One thing I wonder about, is how well the tumblers will age. One concern would be cleanliness, another is durability. You'd have to purchase all three and test under similar circumstances. It looks like the RTIC would fit better in more cup holders. The acid test would be the top, and how well that holds up in the dishwasher, and after a few drops on cement.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

That's a pretty good experiment. The tests should be run several times, so the sample size is larger. Still, it shows there is little difference in the how cold how hot characteristics.

One thing I wonder about, is how well the tumblers will age. One concern would be cleanliness, another is durability. You'd have to purchase all three and test under similar circumstances. It looks like the RTIC would fit better in more cup holders. The acid test would be the top, and how well that holds up in the dishwasher, and after a few drops on cement.

My DW has an Rtic and I have an Ozark Trail version. We have had both of them for more than 3 years and use them on a daily basis. They pretty much go everywhere with us and look like they are brand new. We haven't washed them in the dishwasher, so that could add to the longevity. They are washed out every night w/ Dawn and we have yet to get sick, so I suppose they are clean enough.

 

[jimnjana]

some of yeti competitor products are built in the same factory Yeti used in China. Yeti made mistake not getting chinese factory to sign off on not making competitor products. While they may have their own production now... Besides the sticker, Yeti doesn't appear to have much of a Moat. Yeti released one of their best distributors for discounting the product...yes margins are good at Yeti.