bounce houses, inflatable obstacle courses and slides for sale.
Check out our start up and business builder packages. They are a popular money-saving options for starting or growing your amusement business. Today’s inflatables offer the latest in innovative, interactive recreation. From the time-honored castle bounce house to multi-featured obstacle courses, combos and 25 foot water slides!
All of our prices include blower(s), entrance ramp(s) or cushion(s)*, stakes, straps, repair kit and storage bag, game accessories* and built-on business card holder!
*If applicable and included by manufacturer.
Made In China -- What the Informed Consumer Needs to Know.
This is a very common question. And rightly so! Everyone wants the best deal which, for many, starts with seeking out the lowest price. Labor is cheaper in China so the products usually cost much less however, consumers (especially US consumers) have a negative impression of the quality of Chinese-made goods and feel guilty about not "supporting" US manufacturers.
What do you, as an amusement business owner, need to know about China-made inflatable products vs. inflatables made in the US? As I see it, if you are purchasing a commercial inflatable play structure, there are five key ideas to consider; ASTM compliance, Warranty, Insurance, Quality and 'Ready-to-Ship Inventory -- and all bear equal weight. There are 3 main groups of manufacturers; manufactured in China by a China-owned company, manufactured in China and US by a US-owned company and manufactured in the US by a US-owned company. I understand that there are manufacturers in other countries. When we defined our manufacturer groups, we referred to manufacturers that would be most common to the Buy A Bounce reader. I will cover the key ideas as I understand them and then show you how the manufacturers stack up in each area.
ATSM Compliance. ASTM International is one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world. They have become the go-to for technical standards on materials, products, systems, and services. ASTM International standards have an important role in the information infrastructure that guides design, manufacturing and trade. Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), was formed over a century ago when engineers and scientists got together to address frequent rail breaks in the burgeoning railroad industry. Their work led to standardization on the steel used in rail construction, ultimately improving railroad safety for the public. This is their role in our industry. Much like the infancy of the rapidly growing railroad industry 100 years ago, the industry of "Amusement Rides and Devices" is also young. The niche market of the inflatable play structures is even younger and has experienced a recent explosion of new and innovative inflatables into the marketplace. That explosion of air-inflated rides here in the US received worldwide attention especially from the manufacturing giant -- China.
Hence, ASTM Committee F24 on Amusement Rides and Devices was formed. They are engineers, ride designers, manufacturers, park owners and operators as well as other industry parties representing some of the largest names in the global amusement business. They work cooperatively in the development of F24 standards that are the foundation for safety in the global amusement ride industry. F24 standards guide design, manufacturing, testing, operations, inspection and regulations across a broad spectrum of attractions, including traditional amusement rides, water slides, and newer classes of specialty rides, such as inflatable amusement devices and go-karts.
As a former sales and marketing director of one of the largest inflatable manufacturer, I had the honor of sitting on this committee and participating in the process for 2 years. The committee meets a few times a year to analyze current standards against current market activity. Armed with this snapshot the group reviews the standards and suggests revisions and measures that will maintain and increase the foundation for safety. This is a critical function across all industries. So, for patron safety and reduced liability, you want to know that the inflatable product you are buying is ASTM-compliant. In fact, as industry operators, YOU should participate in the F24 committee!
Even though ASTM is a global organization, the inflatable products being manufactured in China by a China-owned company do not adhere to ASTM standards nor do they participate in the ASTM F24 committee (at least not while I sat on the committee). However, the inflatable products manufactured by a US-owned company, whether the plant is in China and/or the United States are more likely to be ASTM-compliant due to their access to the standards and their industry colleagues and partners' knowledge and adherence to the ASTM standards. This was the case with the manufacturer I worked for. But it is not a 'given' with all US manufacturers. You need to do your homework. Know thy standards. They are available from the ASTM (http://www.astm.org/). I suggest contacting the committee and ask which manufacturers actually is or has been a participating member of the F24 committee. That speaks volumes!
Product Warranty is the next consideration. As you probably know, a warranty is a guarantee given to the purchaser by a company stating that a product is reliable and free from known defects and that the seller will, without charge, repair or replace defective parts within a given time limit and under certain conditions. Obviously, it is difficult to invoke your warranty on a product that needs to be sent back to China for repair. In fact, long before I was in the channel or manufacturing side of this industry I was investigating products for an indoor facility I wanted to open here in Los Angeles. I found some great prices on inflatables from a company in China. I contacted the company via email and asked them about warranty. They told me directly that they could not provide warranty or repair but that they would include a repair kit with my unit which was not the assurance I was looking for so purchasing inflatables manufactured in China by a China-owned company was not even an option for me. Most US-owned manufacturers, both those that manufacture in China and US or both, have repair facilities here in the states. The larger manufacturers' repair facilities are full-time, dedicated repair facilities. The value of this is that you won't have to wait in the main production line to get your unit serviced. And remember, manufacturers can quote any time limit on their warranty but whether they will actually honor it or even be around long enough to support the equipment is another question. If you keep your ear to the ground you will find that, again, the larger manufacturers are very responsive to warranty issues.
At the time that I was looking into equipment for an indoor facility I still didn't think about the potential discrepancy in quality or safety and was operating under the premise that inflatable play structures were generally manufactured equally. On that point, I was very misguided.
Product Quality is quantifiable! It is in the number of seams and stitches as well as many other engineering formulae. Again, the US-owned manufacturing groups are the undisputed leaders in quality over the Chinese manufacturers. And between the two; US-owned companies manufacturing in the US only and US-owned companies manufacturing in the US and China, there will be differences in quality in both manufacturer methods and materials used. Do not be mislead in thinking that all US-owned manufacturers automatically produce high quality products. In fact, the companies that are larger and capitalized enough to own and operate manufacturing facilities in both China and the US tend to produce higher quality products. Why would that be? Capital. They have the capital to use the better materials, the staff to oversee the operations and they are able to afford employees with more experience. They pay fair wages and get quality workmanship. There are only a few US-owned manufacturers that are strategic enough to have major manufacturing facilities in both the east and the west. The recent explosion of inflatable manufacturers into the US marketplace are generally smaller operations that have not been in business for more than 10 years some not more than 5 years.
Ready-to-Ship Inventory really separates the wheat from the chaff. Forget China altogether. Even if they ship immediately, it could take weeks. And, frankly, they can mislead you on inventory. But once they have your money it will be difficult to cancel the transaction or invoke consumer laws to help you fight fraud and bad business practice. There is honestly only one manufacturer that has thousands of Ready-to-Ship items. Buy A Bounce works with this manufacturer almost exclusively. Ninja Jump has spent years researching the need and developing a solid in-stock inventory to meet the industry's demand. It is such a pleasure to sell Ninja Jump products. The products our customers need are generally in stock and ready to ship on any given day -- even in the busy summer season. Ninja Jump is the largest manufacturer in the industry and they have the financial muscle to accomplish this. I know of no other supplier with the extensive quantity of inflatable units on the shelf. The 'in-stock and ready-to-ship' factor alone will clear the floor of contenders for your business. Just ask how long you will have to wait to receive your product. If it's 8 weeks, your summer rental season is over before you even get your product into the warehouse. The US-only manufacturers are smaller facilities (some are mom n' pop) that are run from garages and small warehouses. In the busy summer season, they generally take 8 weeks or more to produce your inflatable. 'Ready-to-Ship' inventory means revenue can be generated almost immediately!
Insurance is critical. Before an industry insurance provider such as the Inflatable Industry Purchasing Group (http://www.insuremybounce.com/) quotes you, one of the questions they will ask you is who manufactures your inflatables. If the manufacturer is China-owned and based I can guarantee, because of issues like ASTM compliance, that your rates will go up on products manufactured in China if they will even insure the product at all. So, in the case of insurance, buying from China is a big disadvantage. Most US-based manufacturers' products pass the insurance test. Again, Ninja Jump products lead the pack and usually cause your rates to go lower. I don't toot Ninja Jump's horn because we represent their products. It's the other way around. We represent their products because they are a superior product.
Let me end by circling back around to consumer protection. As I was writing this article it occurred to me that, as far as the "built in China by a China-owned company" question, consumer protection and peace of mind is a very important distinction. Fighting bad business and fraud with a Chinese manufacturer when you are sitting in the United States is impossible.
The bottom line is, when you are buying commercial inflatable play equipment for your amusement business you need to know who you are partnering with. It affects patron safety, product quality and business liability - you need to mitigate all three.
By Lisa Gerr
lisa@buyabounce.com
What do you, as an amusement business owner, need to know about China-made inflatable products vs. inflatables made in the US? As I see it, if you are purchasing a commercial inflatable play structure, there are five key ideas to consider; ASTM compliance, Warranty, Insurance, Quality and 'Ready-to-Ship Inventory -- and all bear equal weight. There are 3 main groups of manufacturers; manufactured in China by a China-owned company, manufactured in China and US by a US-owned company and manufactured in the US by a US-owned company. I understand that there are manufacturers in other countries. When we defined our manufacturer groups, we referred to manufacturers that would be most common to the Buy A Bounce reader. I will cover the key ideas as I understand them and then show you how the manufacturers stack up in each area.
ATSM Compliance. ASTM International is one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world. They have become the go-to for technical standards on materials, products, systems, and services. ASTM International standards have an important role in the information infrastructure that guides design, manufacturing and trade. Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), was formed over a century ago when engineers and scientists got together to address frequent rail breaks in the burgeoning railroad industry. Their work led to standardization on the steel used in rail construction, ultimately improving railroad safety for the public. This is their role in our industry. Much like the infancy of the rapidly growing railroad industry 100 years ago, the industry of "Amusement Rides and Devices" is also young. The niche market of the inflatable play structures is even younger and has experienced a recent explosion of new and innovative inflatables into the marketplace. That explosion of air-inflated rides here in the US received worldwide attention especially from the manufacturing giant -- China.
Hence, ASTM Committee F24 on Amusement Rides and Devices was formed. They are engineers, ride designers, manufacturers, park owners and operators as well as other industry parties representing some of the largest names in the global amusement business. They work cooperatively in the development of F24 standards that are the foundation for safety in the global amusement ride industry. F24 standards guide design, manufacturing, testing, operations, inspection and regulations across a broad spectrum of attractions, including traditional amusement rides, water slides, and newer classes of specialty rides, such as inflatable amusement devices and go-karts.
As a former sales and marketing director of one of the largest inflatable manufacturer, I had the honor of sitting on this committee and participating in the process for 2 years. The committee meets a few times a year to analyze current standards against current market activity. Armed with this snapshot the group reviews the standards and suggests revisions and measures that will maintain and increase the foundation for safety. This is a critical function across all industries. So, for patron safety and reduced liability, you want to know that the inflatable product you are buying is ASTM-compliant. In fact, as industry operators, YOU should participate in the F24 committee!
Even though ASTM is a global organization, the inflatable products being manufactured in China by a China-owned company do not adhere to ASTM standards nor do they participate in the ASTM F24 committee (at least not while I sat on the committee). However, the inflatable products manufactured by a US-owned company, whether the plant is in China and/or the United States are more likely to be ASTM-compliant due to their access to the standards and their industry colleagues and partners' knowledge and adherence to the ASTM standards. This was the case with the manufacturer I worked for. But it is not a 'given' with all US manufacturers. You need to do your homework. Know thy standards. They are available from the ASTM (http://www.astm.org/). I suggest contacting the committee and ask which manufacturers actually is or has been a participating member of the F24 committee. That speaks volumes!
Product Warranty is the next consideration. As you probably know, a warranty is a guarantee given to the purchaser by a company stating that a product is reliable and free from known defects and that the seller will, without charge, repair or replace defective parts within a given time limit and under certain conditions. Obviously, it is difficult to invoke your warranty on a product that needs to be sent back to China for repair. In fact, long before I was in the channel or manufacturing side of this industry I was investigating products for an indoor facility I wanted to open here in Los Angeles. I found some great prices on inflatables from a company in China. I contacted the company via email and asked them about warranty. They told me directly that they could not provide warranty or repair but that they would include a repair kit with my unit which was not the assurance I was looking for so purchasing inflatables manufactured in China by a China-owned company was not even an option for me. Most US-owned manufacturers, both those that manufacture in China and US or both, have repair facilities here in the states. The larger manufacturers' repair facilities are full-time, dedicated repair facilities. The value of this is that you won't have to wait in the main production line to get your unit serviced. And remember, manufacturers can quote any time limit on their warranty but whether they will actually honor it or even be around long enough to support the equipment is another question. If you keep your ear to the ground you will find that, again, the larger manufacturers are very responsive to warranty issues.
At the time that I was looking into equipment for an indoor facility I still didn't think about the potential discrepancy in quality or safety and was operating under the premise that inflatable play structures were generally manufactured equally. On that point, I was very misguided.
Product Quality is quantifiable! It is in the number of seams and stitches as well as many other engineering formulae. Again, the US-owned manufacturing groups are the undisputed leaders in quality over the Chinese manufacturers. And between the two; US-owned companies manufacturing in the US only and US-owned companies manufacturing in the US and China, there will be differences in quality in both manufacturer methods and materials used. Do not be mislead in thinking that all US-owned manufacturers automatically produce high quality products. In fact, the companies that are larger and capitalized enough to own and operate manufacturing facilities in both China and the US tend to produce higher quality products. Why would that be? Capital. They have the capital to use the better materials, the staff to oversee the operations and they are able to afford employees with more experience. They pay fair wages and get quality workmanship. There are only a few US-owned manufacturers that are strategic enough to have major manufacturing facilities in both the east and the west. The recent explosion of inflatable manufacturers into the US marketplace are generally smaller operations that have not been in business for more than 10 years some not more than 5 years.
Ready-to-Ship Inventory really separates the wheat from the chaff. Forget China altogether. Even if they ship immediately, it could take weeks. And, frankly, they can mislead you on inventory. But once they have your money it will be difficult to cancel the transaction or invoke consumer laws to help you fight fraud and bad business practice. There is honestly only one manufacturer that has thousands of Ready-to-Ship items. Buy A Bounce works with this manufacturer almost exclusively. Ninja Jump has spent years researching the need and developing a solid in-stock inventory to meet the industry's demand. It is such a pleasure to sell Ninja Jump products. The products our customers need are generally in stock and ready to ship on any given day -- even in the busy summer season. Ninja Jump is the largest manufacturer in the industry and they have the financial muscle to accomplish this. I know of no other supplier with the extensive quantity of inflatable units on the shelf. The 'in-stock and ready-to-ship' factor alone will clear the floor of contenders for your business. Just ask how long you will have to wait to receive your product. If it's 8 weeks, your summer rental season is over before you even get your product into the warehouse. The US-only manufacturers are smaller facilities (some are mom n' pop) that are run from garages and small warehouses. In the busy summer season, they generally take 8 weeks or more to produce your inflatable. 'Ready-to-Ship' inventory means revenue can be generated almost immediately!
Insurance is critical. Before an industry insurance provider such as the Inflatable Industry Purchasing Group (http://www.insuremybounce.com/) quotes you, one of the questions they will ask you is who manufactures your inflatables. If the manufacturer is China-owned and based I can guarantee, because of issues like ASTM compliance, that your rates will go up on products manufactured in China if they will even insure the product at all. So, in the case of insurance, buying from China is a big disadvantage. Most US-based manufacturers' products pass the insurance test. Again, Ninja Jump products lead the pack and usually cause your rates to go lower. I don't toot Ninja Jump's horn because we represent their products. It's the other way around. We represent their products because they are a superior product.
Let me end by circling back around to consumer protection. As I was writing this article it occurred to me that, as far as the "built in China by a China-owned company" question, consumer protection and peace of mind is a very important distinction. Fighting bad business and fraud with a Chinese manufacturer when you are sitting in the United States is impossible.
The bottom line is, when you are buying commercial inflatable play equipment for your amusement business you need to know who you are partnering with. It affects patron safety, product quality and business liability - you need to mitigate all three.
By Lisa Gerr
lisa@buyabounce.com
* added March 17, 2011
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