Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Pads => Topic started by: EaglesCC on September 22, 2014, 09:05:31 AM
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Some of the forum sponsors have softs which look like they’re produced by SS/ RS.
Can anyone share experiences (good and bad) with using these companies to produce your softs?
How have they been to deal with?
What are their prices like compared to others in the market?
All advise welcome.
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My advise is to not bother .... Minefield
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Would you care to elaborate please?
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Not with those two particular suppliers but suppliers in general.
I'm pretty sure unless you know someone at SS minimum order is £15,000
In general softs producers are very slow, communicate when it suits them and never stick to timescales. They also tend to do your designs to what suits them easiest so sometimes they aren't quite right.
Then you get unknown suppliers claiming to do Newbery or xyz company when in fact they don't.
I found it very interesting that Mongoose had their softs done in China!
Who is RS ... Robinsons?
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Listen to Garrett - unless you're in it for the long haul just steer clear of softs altogether, I'm looking at leaving the softs market it's that much of a hassle. If I did Neon full time then it wouldn't be a problem but only having evenings and weekends spare leaves little time to ensure everything is completed correctly (apart from taking 5 mins on here during the day!). You'd be amazed at how many people don't actually care about having matching softs to go with a bat - outside of this forum of course!!!
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Pretty sure the Mongoose softs are still made by SS, with bags possibly China
Lots of money in softs, but you have to order enough and early enough so they've can be shipped across in a container. Also difficult to work out how many you need of which size and dexterity.
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Not with those two particular suppliers but suppliers in general.
I'm pretty sure unless you know someone at SS minimum order is £15,000
In general softs producers are very slow, communicate when it suits them and never stick to timescales. They also tend to do your designs to what suits them easiest so sometimes they aren't quite right.
Then you get unknown suppliers claiming to do Newbery or xyz company when in fact they don't.
I found it very interesting that Mongoose had their softs done in China!
Who is RS ... Robinsons?
Yes Robinsons.
Wow really?! £15000?
I've not been looking into this for very long but I agree, it's not easy having non face-to-face discussions with people who don't really understand foreign markets.
Hence wanting to take the easy route by choosing a supplier with a proven track record. Albeit £15000 minimum order would blow that out the water for most start up brands. :(
Listen to Garrett - unless you're in it for the long haul just steer clear of softs altogether, I'm looking at leaving the softs market it's that much of a hassle. If I did Neon full time then it wouldn't be a problem but only having evenings and weekends spare leaves little time to ensure everything is completed correctly (apart from taking 5 mins on here during the day!). You'd be amazed at how many people don't actually care about having matching softs to go with a bat - outside of this forum of course!!!
Are you suggesting you have problems with establish relationships or just with start ups?
Pretty sure the Mongoose softs are still made by SS, with bags possibly China
Lots of money in softs, but you have to order enough and early enough so they've can be shipped across in a container. Also difficult to work out how many you need of which size and dexterity.
I have a few suppliers who are willing to be flexible on order sizes.
But the bottom line is I'm looking to start up more as a hobby than for it to relace my day job. I would eventually like to have a buinsess (not necessaily cricket related) and feel this would be a good way to learn without expecting it to make big profits.
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Suppliers can be flexible on order sizes. But due to the way volumetric shipping works with the likes of DHL it's very cost to airfreight anything. Which is why I said you probably want enough to order a container.
It's cheaper to ship 600 pads via boat, than it is to ship 60 by air. Air freight seriously eats into any profit margin and whilst you might not be looking to make masses of money, you don't want to be making a loss.
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Neon hit the nail on the head
99% of cricketers don't want their bat, pads, gloves, thigh pads, trousers, box, socks and underpants to be from the same brand like most on here so you can be lumbered with 50 pairs of gloves and 25 pairs of pads.
I would think 3000 would be ok with smaller softs manufacturers
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Some sound advice there - much appreciated.
I guess the usual way to go is to start with bats (which is currently in progress) before making a bigger commitment.
Out of curiosity are there any UK based softs makers? Feels like a gap in the market to me - although I suspect there is a reason for that. Can't meet the economies offered by sub-continent?
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Unit cost would be £40 plus I reckon, English wages are too high
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I think the only way a uk softs maker would work would be for it on a similar set up to b3/stretton fox.
I.e everything is custom, you design and build your one set of gloves/pads with the maker and he makes them to that spec.
This would charge a premium on the product, but people would pay for a one of set of softs.
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I think the only way a uk softs maker would work would be for it on a similar set up to b3/stretton fox.
I.e everything is custom, you design and build your one set of gloves/pads with the maker and he makes them to that spec.
This would charge a premium on the product, but people would pay for a one of set of softs.
Would dread to think how much a one off pair would be - it's hard enough getting good samples from India! You're definitely right though, I'm sure there would be many willing to cough up for a set
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I can help any small company wanting softs just drop me email
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I can help any small company wanting softs just drop me email
I would like to explore this option please - albeit for a small start up this is very much going to depend on unit cost. I've dropped you a PM.
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I started to look into this as well.
Neon's point about companies saying they have provided to xyz brand is completely correct.
The particular company i'd started conversations with indicated they had supplied to a smaller but know brand here in Australia.
After reaching out to them, the softs manufacturer was actually telling stories.
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xyz company.. never heard of them are they any good??