2025 Table Tennis Equipment Market Observations, Part 2
4. People Still Pay Premium — and Now Even More Willingly
Once there was a new Fan Zhendong ALC special priced at 20,000 yuan in front of me. I didn’t cherish it; I only regretted it after it was gone. Yes, resellers made good money compared to the original order price, but the problem is that almost nobody could even get one. Scarcity drives value, and production has since stopped — so prices keep climbing, and that makes complete sense. At one point I started playing a Yoshimura Masaharu limited edition that cost around 2,000 yuan; now they routinely list for over 10,000. Not many buyers, but they don’t need many — just a few. I’ve always said the golden-label Viscaria isn’t worth the premium, and I’d personally rather play the regular market version, but that doesn’t stop players from paying for what they love. Even if the price is out of reach, even if it isn’t worth it — one trend among younger consumers is that they’ll readily pay a premium for the things they care about.
Another example: the Fan Zhendong Champions League jersey that recently went for over 500 yuan. No wonder Tibhar has been putting so much focus on apparel these past few years. Apparel margins are ridiculous. Other foreign brands have been doing the same — understandable when profit leads the way. But it also shows something: when people love something, talking about value for money becomes irrelevant. It’s unnecessary — but you love it.
5. Competing on Price Alone Has Largely Lost Its Meaning
If something is already popular — say, DHS Red V, Platinum V, Stiga DNA Dragon Grip, or D09c — then lower prices absolutely help. People who were on the fence will finally pull the trigger. But increasingly, people don’t try something new just because it’s cheap. That era is over. We’ll pay a premium for what we love, but we won’t buy something we’re not excited about just because it’s discounted. There are already cheap blades and rubbers everywhere you look.
6. The Gap Between New and Used Prices Is Widening
The price spread didn’t used to be this wide. But now, for higher-value items — golden-label Viscaria, Boll 70, Butterfly limited and special editions — many buyers purchase specifically to collect or hold for appreciation, not to play. In those cases, they want new, even if new costs significantly more.
For people buying secondhand just to try something, the options are overwhelming. They’re curious, they want a quick taste. For rubbers, Pinduoduo and secondhand platforms are competing hard on price, and new rubber for many popular models is already not expensive — so people don’t bother with used.
7. Intense Enthusiasm That Fades Fast
The Ma Long W968, Q968, and S968 dropped significantly in price over the past year — nearly cut in half at some points. Early on, enthusiasm was high. People who bought red-stamp versions at premium prices were initially thrilled. Then it cooled off quickly. Hot topics in this market shift fast. People are like scrolling through short videos — fascinated by this one minute, something else the next. Hard to sustain interest.
Patience is also in short supply. Take Stiga’s Fate Carbon: the feel is genuinely pleasant and vibrant. But if it keeps acting like a pre-order, buyers will lose interest fast. This is almost universal.