ROD Bags: Spanish artisan backpacks priced at 29.90 euros spark debate
ROD Bags sells Spanish artisan backpacks between 29.90 and 41.90 euros. The project, presented in a forum, has yet to take off due to lack of visibility and design issues.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
ROD Bags: Spanish handmade backpacks nobody knows how to sell
A brand of backpacks manufactured entirely in Spain, with prices between 29.90 and 41.90 euros and a 20% discount for readers arriving from an investment forum, marks the starting point of a discussion that has lasted for several years. The founder presented his project with a simple argument: all components are national and so is the labor. What seemed like a statement of intent turned into a battleground over design, pricing, and business viability.
The product is a drawstring bag, not a conventional backpack. This detail, which the creator did not hide but also did not emphasize, sparked the first criticisms. "That's not a backpack, it's a bag."
, summarized one of the earliest comments. The confusion was significant: the chosen name, ROD Bags, refers in English to cases for transporting long objects like fishing rods or golf clubs, complicating any Google search.
The problem of the name and search engine visibility
A participant pointed out the problem with the name: "Rod bag is the name for bags carrying long items.". In any search engine, references to fishing cases appear before the backpacks. A positioning problem that no Instagram campaign can fix on its own.
This is compounded by the price. For a fabric bag with drawstrings, 29.90 euros seems high to part of the audience, who compare it to bags given away with advertisements in the 1980s. Others, however, defend that artisanal and national production justifies the cost. The brand does not produce large quantities nor has economies of scale, argued its creator.
Design: between souvenir and survival backpack
The design generated division. A majority considered it unattractive, with comments ranging from "ugly" to "looks like a beach bag". Another part saw potential if oriented toward a specific audience: young people, tourists, or buyers of exclusive products. "They have an advantage: they are exclusive and handmade.", noted a participant.
The most repeated proposal was to create a men's line in muted colors, durable fabric, and wide straps, like a Norwegian backpack, that fits a laptop. The founder did not close that door, but also did not present a concrete plan. His strategy was to reinvest everything generated and not take money out, something several considered insufficient to take off.
The bottleneck: traffic and advertising
The discussion shifted to marketing. The creator relied on organic traffic, but several interveners insisted that without advertising investment there are no sales. "If the idea is to put 100 euros into AdWords and post photos of friends with backpacks, this will stay as it is.", summarized a comment. The recommendation was clear: professional photographers, models, Instagram campaigns, and contacts with influencers.
The founder accepted the criticisms and thanked the support, although he admitted he did not expect so many negative comments. He announced new models and limited units, and kept the BURBUJA20 discount code for months, even during Black Friday. The conversation shifted to long-term viability: "One of the main errors of an entrepreneur is not knowing when to close.", someone pointed out.
Made in Spain: added value or burden?
National manufacturing was the most repeated argument by the founder and the most debated. For some, it is a real differentiator in a market dominated by Asian production. For others, it is not enough: "How will this differ from others? From what I've read, by Made in Spain. I don't know if that is enough for a business angel to invest.".
The comparison with Hawkers appeared several times. The sunglasses brand built an empire selling a cheap product with an aspirational image. The parallel suggests that the problem with ROD Bags is not the product, but the lack of a narrative to make it desirable. The founder still has not found that narrative.
The business remains open, with sales that have not been made public. The founder's last update was a thank-you for a purchase with the discount code. Several years after the launch, the question remains the same: can a fabric bag manufactured in Spain compete with the rest of the market without serious advertising investment?
A brand of backpacks manufactured entirely in Spain, with prices between 29.90 and 41.90 euros and a 20% discount for readers arriving from an investment forum, marks the starting point of a discussion that has lasted for several years. The founder presented his project with a simple argument: all components are national and so is the labor. What seemed like a statement of intent turned into a battleground over design, pricing, and business viability.
The product is a drawstring bag, not a conventional backpack. This detail, which the creator did not hide but also did not emphasize, sparked the first criticisms. "That's not a backpack, it's a bag."
, summarized one of the earliest comments. The confusion was significant: the chosen name, ROD Bags, refers in English to cases for transporting long objects like fishing rods or golf clubs, complicating any Google search.
The problem of the name and search engine visibility
A participant pointed out the problem with the name: "Rod bag is the name for bags carrying long items.". In any search engine, references to fishing cases appear before the backpacks. A positioning problem that no Instagram campaign can fix on its own.
This is compounded by the price. For a fabric bag with drawstrings, 29.90 euros seems high to part of the audience, who compare it to bags given away with advertisements in the 1980s. Others, however, defend that artisanal and national production justifies the cost. The brand does not produce large quantities nor has economies of scale, argued its creator.
Design: between souvenir and survival backpack
The design generated division. A majority considered it unattractive, with comments ranging from "ugly" to "looks like a beach bag". Another part saw potential if oriented toward a specific audience: young people, tourists, or buyers of exclusive products. "They have an advantage: they are exclusive and handmade.", noted a participant.
The most repeated proposal was to create a men's line in muted colors, durable fabric, and wide straps, like a Norwegian backpack, that fits a laptop. The founder did not close that door, but also did not present a concrete plan. His strategy was to reinvest everything generated and not take money out, something several considered insufficient to take off.
The bottleneck: traffic and advertising
The discussion shifted to marketing. The creator relied on organic traffic, but several interveners insisted that without advertising investment there are no sales. "If the idea is to put 100 euros into AdWords and post photos of friends with backpacks, this will stay as it is.", summarized a comment. The recommendation was clear: professional photographers, models, Instagram campaigns, and contacts with influencers.
The founder accepted the criticisms and thanked the support, although he admitted he did not expect so many negative comments. He announced new models and limited units, and kept the BURBUJA20 discount code for months, even during Black Friday. The conversation shifted to long-term viability: "One of the main errors of an entrepreneur is not knowing when to close.", someone pointed out.
Made in Spain: added value or burden?
National manufacturing was the most repeated argument by the founder and the most debated. For some, it is a real differentiator in a market dominated by Asian production. For others, it is not enough: "How will this differ from others? From what I've read, by Made in Spain. I don't know if that is enough for a business angel to invest.".
The comparison with Hawkers appeared several times. The sunglasses brand built an empire selling a cheap product with an aspirational image. The parallel suggests that the problem with ROD Bags is not the product, but the lack of a narrative to make it desirable. The founder still has not found that narrative.
The business remains open, with sales that have not been made public. The founder's last update was a thank-you for a purchase with the discount code. Several years after the launch, the question remains the same: can a fabric bag manufactured in Spain compete with the rest of the market without serious advertising investment?
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (166 replies).
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