FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Designing the most cost-effective polycarbonate suitcase (Need your help!)
Old Feb 11, 2019, 6:20 pm
  #9  
Friendly Traveling Deathmerchant
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: CONUS
Programs: HHonors, United, Delta
Posts: 828
The important thing not called out in your post: What's it weigh?

I'm not your target market, as I onebag travel with a backpack / duffle 95% of the time, but when I have a need to bring or check a firearm, I use a Stormcase 2500 or Pelican Air carry on. (Pelican is 8.69 lbs empty for the carry on size). Those are bombproof, sleek, maximize internal dimensions, very quiet and smooth wheels, fits in overhead bins when necessary, locks very securely when I need to check it. I've had hundreds of trips with these bags with no breakage.

If I'm going to get a plastic shelled rolly, it's got to compete with those models. I assume you'd be less weight, but in exchange for what features?

Battery? Gimmick. I don't care about a built in battery. I think they're useless. If I'm sitting in my airline seat and need to charge my phone, I need to take down my bag? If I'm sitting in a lounge or lobby, I need to be chained to my bag? No thanks, I'll just take out my little brick (Fluxmob, Ravpower) and charge my phone while I'm using it, untethered to a bag.
Brake? Gimmick. Useless feature to me.
Built In Scale? Gimmick. Maybe useful to someone on the largest bag, like you say. But most people will never go over 50lbs on a carry on. Or if they're flying RyanAir, they won't be the type to buy expensive bags.

It sounds like the brand's most "distinguishing feature" that folks above have made call for is that yours don't have zippers. That's a good thing, I suppose - "more secure" is the tagline and pulls people from comparing with eBags and Amazon basics zippered models.
So, if that's the secret sauce differential, that puts your brand mostly up against the Samsonite bags that are in that class: F'lite for larger bags, Cruiseair DLX or Framelock series in carryon ($197), other brands like the Enkloze X1 (more expensive and has same brand wheels, etc.), Andiamo Elegante ($129 on Amazon), and assumedly some other brands I don't know about. Then there's things like my Pelican Air or Stormcase 2500, the TravelKing (aluminum) type bags, etc. that aren't polycarb, but probably even more durable and lockable. So you'd hope to weigh far less and cost less. Features like a battery are gimmicky and drives that price up.

Ultimately, potential customers that google for that feature set are going to get results from other vendors, and are going to ask "how does this compare to the 8-wheel, polycarbonate, TSA-locked, zipperless, aluminum-magnesium frame, $129, 8lbs 3oz, Andiamo?"

It seems like it's been done.

But, there's always room for chocolate and vanilla in the same space. Looks, colors/patterns, that adjustable handle height, etc. might be enough. I'd stick to that stuff vs. gimmicks like batteries. A lot of luggage is chosen by color and fun patterns, or conversely - avoiding weird fashion textures and ribbing. Some people like sleek and plain. I wouldn't buy the zigzag ribbed Rimowa and Andiamo, for instance...


TDM

Last edited by Friendly Traveling Deathmerchant; Feb 11, 2019 at 6:33 pm
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