This is not acceptable…

[Super_Cuber903]

I agree, the problem is not that prices of gan cubes are high, but the main problem is that the other companies may also start increasing g their prices and this will be a serious loss to the cubing community. If such a thing happens, come on man, you cannot keep on paying 80 dollars for every cube.

 

[Thom S.]

I agree, the problem is not that prices of gan cubes are high, but the main problem is that the other companies may also start increasing g their prices and this will be a serious loss to the cubing community. If such a thing happens, come on man, you cannot keep on paying 80 dollars for every cube.

I've written 5 Paragraphs but nobody cares about me anyway, so.
1. That's not how the global market works.
2. Isn't it great if there are cheap cubes and expensive cubes. A current Pagani accelerates just .1 second slower than a current Koenigsegg but there is about a Million € difference between the two and my Hyundai drives just a well but cost me only 7k.
3. How often would you buy an 80£ Cube? There are only few instances where a cube broke/is too badly worn to be used anymore from just solving alone(my Qiyi Sq-1 that I keep repeating has over 40.000 solves on it and because there is no better Sq1 on the Market I still use it but it works just as great at with 1.000 solves.) So it's not like a cube is a consumable item.

 

[DuckubingCuber347]

Just don't buy GAN cubes.

 

[Kaiju_cube]

Hey everyone. Following the release of the Gan 13, I think that something needs to be done to keep these ever-increasing prices in check. The Gan 13 Maglev UV just dropped at 83.99 USD. In my mind, this is absolutely not okay.

We need to stop buying Gan cubes. I have been doing this since the release of the Gan 356 X, and I encourage you all to do it too. I understand that all the propaganda that Gan puts out may be tempting. I know that some collectors will want to add to their collection. I encourage you to refrain. I know that the fastest speedcubers in this community think it will make you faster. Even people my speed and slower think that it’ll make them faster. This is not true. There are plenty of cubes that arguably perform better than Gan cubes for about 25% of the price. (Weilong WR M 2021, Tornado v2, etc.) If you are my speed (to be blunt), your cube is not the problem (unless you’re using a very bad cube, in which case, please consider purchasing one of the cubes I mentioned above), your skill level is.

Even though our Speedsolving.com community may only make up a small part of the total cubing community, maybe, just maybe, we will be able to create a downwards curve in the prices of Gan cubes.

Thank you everyone for reading this rant (that would be labeled an “opinion article” on a news website), and I really hope that you all consider boycotting the new Gan 13s. Thanks again, and happy cubing.

I've boycotted the 12 Maglev for the same exact reason. I've bought every Gan cube (sometimes multiple copies) all the way up to Gan 11 which I have 2 UV editions of. But when the 12 Maglev came out and it was almost $80. I said 'enough is enough'.

I'm doing the same for the 13.

Yes I would love to add a Gan 12 and 13 to my collection and I'd love to have Gan Maglev editions, but i refuse to spend almost $80. on a single 3x3 cube.

It just encourages them to continue to raise prices every year and at this rate we'll hit $100. Gan cubes in 2-3 years.

 

[xyzzy]

My 20000 dollars from a while ago:

I don't think I've explicitly mentioned my stance on cube pricing before, so here's my two million cents.

If cubes were targeted solely (or at least primarily) at an adult audience, then it absolutely makes sense for companies to price their products as high as however much people can pay for. Go ahead and crank up the price until profit is maximised! But speedcubing also has a huge child audience, and it seems kind of predatory that the one company that sponsors a huge proportion of the most famous fast cubers (Feliks, Max, Ruihang, etc.?) is also the one company that has much higher prices than all the other brands.

(Note: I know jack about sociology or economics or child psychology. For all I know, maybe this is acceptable behaviour to most of the world.)

You can, and should, vote with your wallet if you don't like their prices, but that's largely only applicable if you're buying the cubes for yourself. When it comes to parents buying cubes for their children, that's where GAN's flagship pricing doesn't sit right with me.

 

[Super_Cuber903]

I've written 5 Paragraphs but nobody cares about me anyway, so.
1. That's not how the global market works.
2. Isn't it great if there are cheap cubes and expensive cubes. A current Pagani accelerates just .1 second slower than a current Koenigsegg but there is about a Million € difference between the two and my Hyundai drives just a well but cost me only 7k.
3. How often would you buy an 80£ Cube? There are only few instances where a cube broke/is too badly worn to be used anymore from just solving alone(my Qiyi Sq-1 that I keep repeating has over 40.000 solves on it and because there is no better Sq1 on the Market I still use it but it works just as great at with 1.000 solves.) So it's not like a cube is a consumable item.

You have a point but everyone has their own perspective and I just shared mine

 

[Mastermind2368]

Being a broke at thirteen back in like 2017, I never ended up buying a Gan cube, even though they were like only ~30$ or something, I just went for things like the Aolong V2, Thunderclap, and The Valk. I do think that there is and has always been a misconception that certain speedcubes will increase your speed on their own, and I think as a community we should discourage mindless consumerism of super expensive cubes. But with that being said, some people may genuinely want a premium customizable cube. If you're going to be doing lots of cubing, it makes sense that you would want to invest in a high quality product, as long as you're aware it is in luxury territory rather than an absolute necessity.

Remember that at the end of the day, these are businesses. They use supply vs demand principals to calculate how much their products should be sold for. If you could sell cubic pieces of plastic for 80$ and have the community surge out to buy it, wouldn't you? I think we do need to keep awareness that speed comes from skill, rather than a premium level cube. But as long as people do understand this, I feel as if there's no need to be personally upset with Gan. If they were really charging too much, their sales would decrease and they would make price cuts.

 

[PapaSmurf]

Fun fact: last 3x3 I bought was an RSM (the version that was around in 2019). I currently main a valk elite.
Another fun fact: I use an iPhone 7+ that I got from someone pretty cheaply when the iPhone 8 was released.
A third fun fact: you do not need to buy every new thing.
Fun fact number 4: you would probably be better off buying something that will last rather than replacing something that works fine, financially, personally and environmentally.
An extra fun fact: any flagship cube released in 2017 onwards will be good enough to allow you to get to the speed where you would start to be sponsored.
One more fun fact to round it off: you don't need to buy Gan cubes, not because they're evil for having high prices, but because you don't need a Gan cube (or any new flagship cube for that matter). Save your pocket and the world a bit of stress and use an older and cheaper cube.

PS. I'm not your dad, do what you want.

 

[Kaiju_cube]

If they were really charging too much, their sales would decrease and they would make price cuts.

Exactly. At the end of the day the Market will decide.

If people think Gan is worth an $80. cube they will sell thousands of them.

if people think Gan is not worth $80. for a cube they will not sell as many as they did previous cubes.

I'm sure like any intelligent company they keep a firm grip on watching their sales and if they continue to see sales rising while they raise prices, they will continue to raise prices until they hit a pain point where they notice sales are dropping off. Then they know at what price point the Market has decided their cubes to be worth.

And the end of the day the Market always decides. For a Chinese company I'm sure they're loving Capitalism because that's what's driving their prices up and up.

If everyone suddenly decided they would not pay more than $50. for a Gan cube then suddenly all Gan flagship cubes would be $50.

They WILL charge as much as they possibly can charge. That's just business. I don't fault them for that or hold it against them in any way. I love Gan cubes. I've just personally decided I'm not spending $80. on a 3x3 plastic cube; I think that's ridiculous.

But at the same time I've bought like five Gan 11's. A stickered one, a frosted one, two UV ones, and a Duo. So I'm obviously willing to spend money on Gan cubes, (and that's just the 11's, I have all the Airs, and all the 356 variants, Pyraminx, 2x2 and 4x4 (which aren't very good), the Megaminx).. I really like Gan and will spend $60. on a single cube.

So for me my price point I guess is $60. for a single cube,.. and I guess for big cubes and more extreme cubes like Teraminx my point is around $200. for a single cube.

Everyone has 'that point' in their mind, their budget, their wallet. Everyone has that dividing line between a price they will or wont spend on a single puzzle.

Gan as a business is just pushing the line and boundaries and trying to find where that point is for the entire Market. I don't blame them, it's just business.

But at the same time I totally understand and agree with the OP that maybe it's time we as consumers and cubers start saying, "No, $80. is too much to ask."

If nothing else it's good thing to think about and discuss. It's a fun discussion. At what point will the market say, "I don't care how nice, new, or flagship this new cube is, I'm not paying that much for a single 3x3 cube."

I suspect the Market will not tolerate a $100. 3x3 puzzle cube. But it will tolerate a $50. puzzle cube.

So the question is at what point in between those two price points will the Market say, "No."

That's what GAN is trying to figure out.

And if nothing else I'm enjoying watching it all play out. Because I'm curious myself at what point the Market will say, "No."

 

[Rubuscu]

Hey everyone. Following the release of the Gan 13, I think that something needs to be done to keep these ever-increasing prices in check. The Gan 13 Maglev UV just dropped at 83.99 USD. In my mind, this is absolutely not okay.

We need to stop buying Gan cubes. I have been doing this since the release of the Gan 356 X, and I encourage you all to do it too. I understand that all the propaganda that Gan puts out may be tempting. I know that some collectors will want to add to their collection. I encourage you to refrain. I know that the fastest speedcubers in this community think it will make you faster. Even people my speed and slower think that it’ll make them faster. This is not true. There are plenty of cubes that arguably perform better than Gan cubes for about 25% of the price. (Weilong WR M 2021, Tornado v2, etc.) If you are my speed (to be blunt), your cube is not the problem (unless you’re using a very bad cube, in which case, please consider purchasing one of the cubes I mentioned above), your skill level is.

Even though our Speedsolving.com community may only make up a small part of the total cubing community, maybe, just maybe, we will be able to create a downwards curve in the prices of Gan cubes.

Thank you everyone for reading this rant (that would be labeled an “opinion article” on a news website), and I really hope that you all consider boycotting the new Gan 13s. Thanks again, and happy cubing.

The main point is that what GAN is doing is legally right but ethically wrong.

 

[OreKehStrah]

The main point is that what GAN is doing is legally right but ethically wrong.

It is in no way ethically wrong. No one is forced to pay them any money. They are not obligated to sell a cube at a price anyone can afford. Gan cubes are a luxury not a necessity.

 

[Kaiju_cube]

yup it's just business. They could make the cube for $1. each and sell them for $100. each, that's just business. And $99. profit would be amazing for them.

Gibson sells $6,000. guitars. They could sell them much cheaper but why would they? If people have decided they're willing to spend $6,000. on a Gibson guitar why should Gibson sell them cheaper? Especially if they're a publicly traded company (I have no idea if they are), they're legally responsible to make as much money for their shareholders as possible since they have a fiduciary responsibility to do so.

Is Gan pubilically traded? I have no idea. I don't even know if the Chinese Market works like ours or others. But I do know businesses are in the business to make money. Period. They don't have to be nice, or ethical, or even moral. The bottom line flat out is, "make as much money as possible."

Gan will charge whatever people are willing to pay.

Every single consumer must and will vote with their dollars.

I play Fender Telecaster guitars because I don't want to spend $6,000. on a fancy Gibson guitar. That's my vote. I'd rather play a guitar that if I drop it it will dent the floor and I'll worry more about the floor being hurt than the guitar, lol.

The discussion of Cubes and Cube manufacturing as a business is pretty interesting though. I wonder sometimes about The Cubicle and SpeedCubeShop and wonder what their overhead vs profit really is. You wouldn't think a 'Cube Shop' would be a lucrative business but obviously they're succeeding in it.

I suspect buying in bulk like these shops do they get the cubes much, much cheaper than you and I do buying them from TC, SCS, or even Amazon.

.... I guess that's another discussion though. But 'The Cube Economy' does interest me.

 

[Thom S.]

I think this is a good thing to theorize about.

I do think that there is and has always been a misconception that certain speedcubes will increase your speed on their own

I think this is the worst in the Youtube Community. I think 60% of Edmarters comments tell them to buy a new cube when losening would make it just as good.

If you're going to be doing lots of cubing, it makes sense that you would want to invest in a high quality product,

That I think is a big point. If you are sub 15 or whatever, you may get .2seconds faster by switching to the GAN, but you have seconds to shave off everywhere. If you are sub 6 or whatever, need to do Ao100 every day to keep fresh, it makes sense that you take this seriously enough to get the best of the best.

Fun fact: last 3x3 I bought was an RSM (the version that was around in 2019). I currently main a valk elite.
Another fun fact: I use an iPhone 7+ that I got from someone pretty cheaply when the iPhone 8 was released.
A third fun fact: you do not need to buy every new thing.
Fun fact number 4: you would probably be better off buying something that will last rather than replacing something that works fine, financially, personally and environmentally.
An extra fun fact: any flagship cube released in 2017 onwards will be good enough to allow you to get to the speed where you would start to be sponsored.
One more fun fact to round it off: you don't need to buy Gan cubes, not because they're evil for having high prices, but because you don't need a Gan cube (or any new flagship cube for that matter). Save your pocket and the world a bit of stress and use an older and cheaper cube.

PS. I'm not your dad, do what you want.

Mine was a Thunderclap v2. Sure, it locks up, but is the cube the weak link in our relationship or am I?
Galaxy A5, made in 2015, wanted a J5 but they only had the more Powerful A5 in Stock. Didn't regret that.
Nothing to add.
Humans like shiny things. If your cube is a year old, you have gotten used to it and then you look at a brand new cube from all those reviews, which naturally say the best things and you want that shiny new thing. Human nature at this point, we've all been there sometimes.
Feliks and Lau did Sub 8 and Sub 7 Ao100 with both Zhanchis and Weilongs. Ju Nakajima did a 7(?) Second single on a sanded down Rubiks 1.0. Any speedcube that was 'Good Quality' at some point eill get you to your goal.
Not that I couldn't, I earn enough, but I don't think I need a new 3x3 when the old one still works. Same with probably over 99% of cubers.

The main point is that what GAN is doing is legally right but ethically wrong.

It was ethnically wrong when all dairy refiners decided to make butter 30c more expensive and give the farmers nothing more but tell the consumer it was the greedy farmers(happened in 2018, look it up)
You don't need a GAN. Even if you needed a cube to survive, you don't need a GAN.

 

[DavyP]

I think in the case of Gan it’s clearly not something you need. You could argue that about anything, do you need a flavoured bottle of mineral water or will the tap do the job. It’s about desire, Gan create a buzz with their marketing, throw in some sexy packaging, have the top cubers use their product and therefore create the desire to own a Gan Cube.

It also helps that the cubes (excluding as far as my experience the 12 Maglev which I didnt gel with) are really good to use.

Well I’ve bought into the hype and my pre order is placed

 

[NigelTheCuber]

The problem here is that some people (mostly beginners) are mistaken by the prices into thinking that the cube is good. As cubes are mostly bought online, you might say 'hey, this moyu cube costs $20 but this shiny and fast gan cube costs $80!' And they might watch people like Feliks and Tymon using gan cubes and think that gans can cut 5 seconds off your average, and end up buying the gan cube. This is what we need to change.

 

[PapaSmurf]

I agree, but that's just clever marketing. If you wanna put out the info against that, be my guest.

 

[EngiNerdBrian]

However, it doesn't matter if Gan wants to produce really expensive cubes. It's not like it harms you in any way. Just don't support their business if you don't like it.

This is sound life advice. It is often not the ACTIONS of others that harm us or cause stress but OUR JUDGEMENTS of their actions that bring us angst. Choose not to care about Gan and their products and you don't need to waste mental and emotional calories bantering over the ridiculousness of their prices.

That said, @BenChristman1 I do agree the best way for the community to vote against Gan prices is simply to not buy their cubes.

It's worth considering though that if you think the cost of their cubes is too high you aren't their target audience. Are you also upset about the high price of Lamborghinis or that dinners can cost thousands of dollars at high end 5 star restaurants? Those items have high prices and can be considered superfluous yet you aren't feeling angst about them. Those companies aren't after your dollars but someone else who is happy to pay the high price...same with Gan.

 

[Ander]

As I see it, GAN is trying to innovate and is pushing the other companies toward producing better cubes too, which is good because everybody can benefit: if you want the latest GAN and you are OK with spending more, you get it; if you don't, you are going to get something very very similar in a little while at way less. Win-win.
Also, improvements trickle down from flagships to other cubes, so some budget cubes of today are arguably better than the flagships of a few years ago... Without constant improvements, you wouldn't have this process.
Also, we should not forget two important points: first, R&D has costs. It's not like they are selling millions of cubes of their flagship, so this cost is going to be tangible. Second, the law of diminishing returns implies that to get something that is (or appears to be) just a little better you spend way more: this is just how the market works in general.
No, I'm not going to boycott GAN. I am going to get the 13 as soon as I can buy it from my usual online shop, because if anything I want them to create even better products, to stimulate other companies to do the same, and to make sure those cute features gradually appear in cubes that others are able to buy.

PS: we should count ourselves lucky; cubing is about as inexpensive a hobby / sport as you can find. Except for walking, maybe.

 

[Kaiju_cube]

As I see it, GAN is trying to innovate and is pushing the other companies toward producing better cubes too, which is good because everybody can benefit: if you want the latest GAN and you are OK with spending more, you get it; if you don't, you are going to get something very very similar in a little while at way less. Win-win.
Also, improvements trickle down from flagships to other cubes, so some budget cubes of today are arguably better than the flagships of a few years ago... Without constant improvements, you wouldn't have this process.
Also, we should not forget two important points: first, R&D has costs. It's not like they are selling millions of cubes of their flagship, so this cost is going to be tangible. Second, the law of diminishing returns implies that to get something that is (or appears to be) just a little better you spend way more: this is just how the market works in general.
No, I'm not going to boycott GAN. I am going to get the 13 as soon as I can buy it from my usual online shop, because if anything I want them to create even better products, to stimulate other companies to do the same, and to make sure those cute features gradually appear in cubes that others are able to buy.

PS: we should count ourselves lucky; cubing is about as inexpensive a hobby / sport as you can find. Except for walking, maybe.

Yeah I saw yesterday that TheCubicle now has the RS3M maglev with a magnetic core. Basically it seems like a (sort of) copy of the Gan 12. Didn't know it existed.

So I ordered it, just to see what it's like.

 

[Sion]

I say buy them if you like.

If you want GAN, you can get it.

GAN also has a lot of other puzzles and products, all of which have similar performance to one another.

GAN has the 354M V2 (Regular and Explorer), 356 Air M 3x3, Air SM 2019, the 356M (regular and lite), and the 356X v2, all of which are under $30.

GAN doesn't deviate heavily from generation to generation of hardware in terms of actual part strucutre, so you aren't going to be getting anything radically different from what is their current flagship outside of the technology itself.

If you want the latest and greatest, that's ultimately your choice to pay, but you aren't missing out on much other than the technology itself.

Is GAN going to make you faster? If it's what you look for in a cube, likely. If it isn't, probably not. It's up to the consumer to decide if the innovation is worth the price tag.