Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Companies => Off-the-shelf companies => Bellingham & Smith UK => Topic started by: GDP1964 on February 18, 2018, 05:20:46 PM
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Can your Brand be looked at or portrayed as Cheap and not taken seriously if your Pricing is Competitive I often wonder if it's over looked by the Public because they sceptical of the Price
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I think it's more based on how much the brand is in the public eye - unfortunately appreciate the giant sportswear companies have large marketing / sponsorship budgets
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Yes pretty sure it happens buyers believe you get what you pay for many think if you pay top dollar you get the best but with cricket kit like most things it's not always true.
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All depends what market you’re trying to attract. Some will only want to spend peanuts on a bat but want a good one.. some will always want to spend top wack because then people see they are rich..
I’m asked regularly for a ‘good bat’ for £150-180. A lot don’t see the value in £200+ but know that sub £120 is usually crap, doesn’t go and won’t last.
Pads and gloves.. well, just look how popular Online Stockist pain pads and gloves are with the masses if they are bale to get them easier than ordering online via India.. most people again just want a good glove/pad but don’t have any interest in spending £40+ for a pad or glove
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Yes pretty sure it happens buyers believe you get what you pay for many think if you pay top dollar you get the best
Cricket must be a real catch 22 for brands when trying to decide their prices.
As you say people think paying more means better quality, but I've heard so many people claim "I'd never spend over £300 on a bat".
Let's take New Balance and Slazenger as an example, as they're made in the same place.
New Balance throw money around to sponsor big names and people will look at their kit. They offer a "Limited Edition" model of their bats with an RRP of £650 (the can be bought for a mere £500). The perception is then "*insert sponsored players name here* uses these and there's a Limited Edition model, they must be decent"
How many people do you know who would actually drop £500 on a bat though (excluding the owner of two GN Pro Performances)?
Because there is a silly priced model their lower grade bats priced between £140 and £300 look a bargain, and a lot of those sell, as they are still perceived to be decent.
Would the people who buy these New Balance bats even look twice at the cheaper Slazenger in the same (or possibly a better) grade of willow? I doubt it as Slazenger is seen as "a Sports Direct brand" these days. It's amazing that people will pay a lot more for stickers on one bat than another when they both came from the same factory, but that's just how it is with cricket these days I guess.
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I think all you can do is work out what your margins need to be add a bit more so you can offer the occasional discount and try and price fairly.
Branding and reputation is key.
People seem to be prepared to pay higher prices these days than in the past. But I think bats in the £150-220 range will sell well.
Of course having a few ultra premium bats at silly prices can always be advantageous
Kippax seem to be doing well at a price level up from this. H4L seem to too.
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I find it interesting some of the brands in the past who have been considered elitist and who price out the club players are now in 2018 nothing of the sort.
Salix is a good example now have been comfortably overtaken by new balance,gray nics, and the like
On the Salix website a top of the range POD has a suggested selling price of under 550
A similar argument could be made for everyone favourite Millichamp and Hall, still expensive but not in the stratosphere of other brands any longer, and their branding has always been aimed at the well to do, or those with a lot of money.
Not wishing to put a downer of the expensive bat buying often seen on the forum because you can spend your own money how you wish, but most club players are not good enough in ability to notice any playing difference between a good grade 2 and a limited edition grade 1. It will simply not make you any better
You are better off having coaching or spending more time practising.
There must be people on here with 400 quid bats who average 8.
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Can your Brand be looked at or portrayed as Cheap and not taken seriously if your Pricing is Competitive I often wonder if it's over looked by the Public because they sceptical of the Price
As someone who has used a full B&S kit for the past three years, and who would almost certainly do the same in 2018 if Vitas get around to existing again, I'd say keep doing what you are doing.
There are effectively two markets for cricket equipment - the one in which companies exist by getting big name players to use their equipment, and the one in which quality and common sense pricing are key. The kind of person who wants a New Balance because Joe Root uses one, or a Gray Nicolls to mimic Chris Woakes will not take a brand like yourselves any more seriously if your prices were twice what they are - they'll take it seriously when "the stars" use your gear, and *because* of that fact.
For brands who don't want to punt at that market - and lets face it, there are very few companies who have made it to that level sustainably/profitably outside the big three - it makes more sense to price at a level that more people can afford, and focus on service and quality. I doubt many people buy a Kookaburra because their teammates off-the-shelf Kahuna is that impressive, but probably a third of our side bought bats based on ones I've had in the last three years...
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Pricing will depend on the business model as if factoring in retail (B2B) prices RRP’s will need to be higher than if selling B2C as otherwise there is no point in shops stocking the kit if there is little to no margin for them to justify the cash outlay in stock.
Bats are like Card IMO, a cheap runaround will do the same job as a supercar but people will buy what they can afford to ultimately do the same task.
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Stupid cheap seems somehow suspect to the average buyer . Super expensive compared to everything else seems ridiculous to all buyers .
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The kind of person who wants a New Balance because Joe Root uses one, or a Gray Nicolls to mimic Chris Woakes
@Seniorplayer
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Stupid cheap seems somehow suspect to the average buyer . Super expensive compared to everything else seems ridiculous to all buyers .
. All posts so far have been correct in every way but the above quote is one that's simleyfied my thinking
Many Thanks
Gary
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The best bats and the best value for money bats both are made in India. But then the prices there also have risen rapidly. The Ton reserve edition has a RRP of GBP 420 roughly. But you can still buy a good grade 1 bat for around 150 GBP.