Too Many Commercial Plug Builders Now?

[fishweewee]

Interesting thing about the commercial WOOD plug building business.

* It's highly fragmented (a lot of small-scale builders).

* Very low barriers to entry. If you have a lathe, a paint gun and a booth, (and the requisite knowledge/skill), you can start building and selling plugs.

* It's hyper-localized. Stuff that sells well in Newport, RI won't necessarily fly in Oshkosh, WI.

* The business is extremely labor intensive and doesn't necessarily lend itself to manufacturing economies of scale.

* Protection of intellectual property is not practical. So it's easy for others to copy a plug-builder's work.

* True innovation is rare. Most plugs nowadays are based on older designs. Builders differentiate themselves on quality - of fit and finish (e.g., paint job), durabilty, and swimming action.