Sales are part of practically any consumer sector. However, when price differences are particularly pronounced, the perception of the product can change. Those who have bought a racket find that the same model later appears considerably cheaper; while clubs and physical stores end up competing with online prices that make it impossible to maintain the margin with which they acquired the product.
It is precisely on this problem that UNPUNTO, a Spanish brand specializing in padel rackets, has decided to build part of its business model.
The company is committed to a stable pricing policy and to controlling where and how its products are sold. Its objective is simple: for the price of a racket to reflect the product behind it and not depend on a constant succession of promotions, liquidations, and collection changes.
“"We don't want someone to buy a racket and weeks later feel they paid too much because they find it with a huge discount elsewhere. For us, taking care of the product also means taking care of the value of what the customer has bought."
A new racket doesn't automatically make the previous one old
One of the most visible examples of this philosophy is in how UNPUNTO approaches its new padel racket models.
In much of the sports industry, the arrival of a new collection is usually accompanied by heavy discounts on the previous one. In the case of padel, this is even more noticeable with very large discounts. It's a practice that allows inventory to be cleared and new sales to be stimulated, but it also causes a product that had a certain commercial value to lose a good part of it in a very short period.
For UNPUNTO, launching a new racket must respond to the existence of a different proposal or a real improvement, and not to the need to annually replace a product whose performance has barely changed.
This means that the arrival of a new model does not imply liquidating the previous one at half price. The idea has a direct consequence for the player: being able to buy a racket without assuming its value will drop simply because a new collection appears.
Not selling anywhere or at any price
To sustain this policy, UNPUNTO has made an unusual decision in a market where practically all brands seek to be present in as many channels as possible: not distributing their rackets on platforms where they cannot maintain control over how they are marketed.
Currently, the brand concentrates its distribution on its own website, padel clubs and coaches, and selected physical stores.
The decision means voluntarily giving up some of the immediate reach offered by large e-commerce sites, but it avoids a situation that UNPUNTO considers particularly detrimental: a racket being launched at a certain price and then, shortly after, becoming a permanent sale item, with discounts of 40% or 50% that the brand has not decided upon.
Along with the impact on the end customer, the goal is to prevent different sellers from entering into a discount race where the price of the racket ends up having less and less relation to the value with which it was launched. UNPUNTO wants to position itself outside of this dynamic.
“"If a customer buys a UNPUNTO racket today, they will have the peace of mind that tomorrow it won't appear discounted because another channel has decided to make it a sale item. We simply won't be on that channel. And if a club or store invests in us, the value of that investment is protected."
This philosophy seeks to align the interests of the manufacturer, the distributor, and the player: a coherent price for the buyer and a defensible margin for those who decide to sell the brand.
In short, UNPUNTO does not give up on growing or expanding its distribution channels. It gives up on losing control over the value of its rackets to do so.
A padel racket design without large logos
There is another decision that is noticeable even before hitting the first ball. While many padel brands use large logos in the center of their rackets, UNPUNTO has opted for the opposite approach.
Its visual identity is integrated through much more discreet elements, letting the materials, shapes, textures, and small details define the product. This is not just an aesthetic decision. It is part of the same idea that guides the company's commercial policy: to reduce what it considers noise around the racket and give the product more prominence.
The result is a deliberately minimalist image in a market characterized by designs with a huge logo in the middle of the racket like a banner.
Carbon and Kevlar padel rackets between 150 and 200 euros
Price stability does not mean positioning at the high end of the market.
UNPUNTO padel rackets start at approximately 150 euros and remain below 200 euros. The company aims to compete by focusing on the racket's construction and materials.
Instead of the fiberglass commonly used in certain market segments, the brand opts for carbon and kevlar fibers, materials used for their mechanical properties and resistance. The philosophy is the same: concentrate a larger part of the value in the product itself.
UNPUNTO also does not intend to justify higher prices through a succession of technological designations or constant updates. Its proposal seeks for the differences between models to be explained through their performance, construction, and on-court feel.
A different proposal in the padel market
The growth of padel has attracted numerous brands and has greatly expanded the available offerings for players. Today, it is possible to find everything from beginner rackets for under a hundred euros to high-end models priced over 300.
Added to this is a notably active promotional market, with models and collections that can end up being sold at very high discounts.
UNPUNTO aims not to compete in this race. Its commitment is to stable prices, controlled distribution, rackets made with quality, resistant materials, a minimalist aesthetic, and prices between 150 and 200 euros.
It is, to some extent, a decision of renunciation: renouncing indiscriminate distribution, extreme discounts as a recurring sales tool, and launching new products solely to feed the commercial calendar.
In return, the company wants customers to be able to look at the racket they bought months ago without discovering that practically the same product now costs much less simply because the market has moved on to the next collection or because another channel has decided to apply a large discount.
An idea that UNPUNTO summarizes in a simple philosophy: put the value in the racket and keep it even after selling it.
