Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Forum News and Suggestions => Forum Announcements => Topic started by: SurreySam on March 02, 2020, 11:57:03 PM
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In the interest of transparency and reading between the lines.
Can the users of this forum please have an up to date list of Administrators and Moderators?
Thanks.
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Go to forum main page, scroll down to the bottom where you will see “users online“Section. At the bottom of that section, you should see “Administrator” written in red and “Moderator” written in blue ink. Just click on that and you should see the list of admins and mods. :)
(https://i.ibb.co/YdvDnXX/8-F21469-D-F665-48-E8-B7-D4-A3-AA1-E496-F3-E.jpg) (https://ibb.co/B684WGG)
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Thanks, I have done that before posting this topic and believe it to be inaccurate.
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Either that, or forum privileges have been diluted beyond the traditional forum nomenclature.
What defines a Premium Member?
Maybe someone whom posts about 5 times daily and gains empathy of the empowered to rescue them, when the proverbial hits the fan?
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Premium member was an old level I introduced back in the day for those who donated for the upkeep of the forum (pre-advertising days).
Don't think it's used anymore, but used to give access to a part of the forum with some discounts with forum partners/retailers like Redback and Fusion.
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Cheers Tom.
I was being a tad facetious with my Premium Member remark, but the 'contributor' who brought this all about, was duly noted as having viewed this topic.
However, as a newcomer I do appreciate the history of how things come about. Thank you.
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Thanks, I have done that before posting this topic and believe it to be inaccurate.
Morning
I am very sure the list of Admin's and Mods is right. If it wasn't the people who do the job wouldn't have the access rights they need.
Separately, we have a bit of a change up on the admin team front where a number of mods who have had the position for years have "retired". I am enormously grateful for them as is the forum owner.
@edge has joined the Admin team in Feb.
I note there is nothing in it for those who do the job, we certainly don't get paid.
I have a broader view that we need to do some different things to improve the content and enjoyment of the forum, but I personally don't have the capacity to do that.
If there is someone who does or who has some ideas to do things better, please drop me a pm and let's chat.
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Thanks Dan
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I’m fairly new to this forum, but I don’t think there’s too much wrong with it. There was one member (a certain Bond villain) where I had to bite my lip whenever he posted, but thankfully that issue has now been dealt with.
I guess the only thing I would do would be to try and find ways to increase the number of active members. There are more than enough registered, but I reckon there are less than 50 who post on what could even remotely be called a regular basis.
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Participation of sponsors must be at an all time low this would really improve the forum for me, more insight, products, comps offers etc but can’t think of one that posts regularly
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@SOULMAN1012 - interesting point. I've heard anecdotal evidence from more than one sponsor that they simply drifted away or lost interest due to forum members fannying them about, asking for extra discount, badgering for sponsorship and making unreasonable returns requests. Couple this with a lack of sales and repeated championing of sources such as Online Stockist and Crown cricketer and some simply felt it wasn't worth it.
However, contradicting myself a bit, there is also a huge lack of input from some sponsors on here - forum offers, press releases, competitions, flash sales, new product PR, samples sales or trials, visit the bat-maker, club days, raffles - anything really.
To me, it feels like a bit more effort could be made from both sides - we could be a bit more loyal with our purchasing from sponsors, trumpet our success stories, make more of an effort to visit and interact with these guys.
And they could make more of an effort to pique our interest and keep us aroused.
They would all like some more money and most of us are willing to spend it on kit - it should work.
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If any topic doesn't interest members they simply don't bother with their input.
If you bother to read at least give your opinion. But don't take it personal.most of us don't k ow each other face to face so don't have beef with each other.
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@SOULMAN1012 - interesting point. I've heard anecdotal evidence from more than one sponsor that they simply drifted away or lost interest due to forum members fannying them about, asking for extra discount, badgering for sponsorship and making unreasonable returns requests. Couple this with a lack of sales and repeated championing of sources such as Online Stockist and Crown cricketer and some simply felt it wasn't worth it.
However, contradicting myself a bit, there is also a huge lack of input from some sponsors on here - forum offers, press releases, competitions, flash sales, new product PR, samples sales or trials, visit the bat-maker, club days, raffles - anything really.
To me, it feels like a bit more effort could be made from both sides - we could be a bit more loyal with our purchasing from sponsors, trumpet our success stories, make more of an effort to visit and interact with these guys.
And they could make more of an effort to pique our interest and keep us aroused.
They would all like some more money and most of us are willing to spend it on kit - it should work.
@FattusCattus i hear all your saying and I guess that’s a wider issue but one that would be very annoying for sponsors etc. I totally understand the annoyance of people are asking for pics all the time and that not leading to a sale as that’s a waste of there time etc.
However we have nearly all sponsors that don’t post at all throughout the year and this certainly didn’t used to be the case, I remember fantastic forum days visiting Choice, H4L to name a couple and meeting other members and seeing bats being made, tours of workshops etc but that’s all stopped now. We don’t even get new kit pics or updates now.
However we do have a couple of Batmakers on here now that are happy to share and post what they are up to which is great to read and see.
Just a bit disappointing that we also lost sponsors that are now quite forward on social media that haven’t been asked to come back or don’t want to come back.
Final piece is the amount of negative and argumentative posting, baiting is becoming annoying and think a few must just like to get a reaction from others at time’s and I guess that puts people off being an active forum member.
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Its quite a juggling act now though compared to 4/5 years ago, Personally as a one-man business I have to juggle phone calls, texts, whatsapp, instragram, twitter, facebook, emails and the forum all as sources of potential customers getting in touch to ask about kit.
The fact you need to try and keep your social media channels busy with content to remain 'interesting/relevant' chews up a huge amount of time before even getting around to processing any orders.
Its also far easier to post images onto the aforementioned platforms that it is to upload pics and a topic on here. Having been on here now for whats prob the best part of 16 years ive always tried to use the forum as the first call for innovation and feedback as its a great resource to reach a wide demographic easily to gain opinions for feedback.
Sadly given the fact im now juggling a young family, 3 businesses and cricket club responsibilities as well time is a scarce commodity to come on here and spent as much time as I used too.
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@Ayrtek Cricket Do you think an easier method of image sharing would encourage more sponsors to engage a bit more often?
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I think the issue is they are already having to share images of their wares via Instagram/Facebook/Twitter without having to upload them via postimages on here as well.
Granted they can use something like Hootsuite to do it in one click via social media but if people want to see images of the kit then they can choose to follow them on social media whereas on here its prob seen as more of a place for discussion with the odd pic thrown in.
The forum members are also very savvy on their buying as bats change hands-on here for less than trade prices at times which are BN still. This obviously isn't the ideal market for sponsors who are looking to sell at their RRP in order to make a margin to survive as a business so IMO I think this will have driven some sponsors away.
Its obviously a bit different for me as bats and softs arent my main market so to speak but its a pretty saturated market if everyone posts pics of bats as a sponsor in various grades/weights and it comes down to competing on price for business.
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No excuse Tom your not allowed a life now get back in your shed and sew until your fingers bleed......
Admins are all corrupt vive la revolution!!!!
On serious note plenty been and gone and chat not as lively as it once was as the characters have moved on which is why it’s a little bland at the moment but still good source of info
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Come on Tom you know your not allowed a life so go back to your shed/man cave and sew until your fingers bleed
Admins are corrupt vive la revolution
On serious note takes a lot to look after this place and people move on to new things. For me it’s not as lively as before as characters have moved on so chat not as lively and went through a stage of “experts” jumping on anyone and rows not banter.
Still a good place for info but not sure how to get that fun lively debate back
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f*ck me @roco - you're back!! when did the Millenium Falcon drop you off?
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Ehemmmmmm I ride with captain Scarlett thank you
Been busy but been watching just not joining in as much
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Now then. Long time no post!
I was a fairly regular poster on the forum during around a year long sponsorship period however dropped off due to trying to compete with OLS and other companies that seemed to be championed on here. I found that although what I do should be right in the sweet spot for the forum that other companies and non forum sponsors were pushed more.
I fully understand that people have their loyalties and what I do doesnt appeal to all however as a forum sponsor I would have liked to have seen a little more buying loyalty, feedback and promotion from forum members.
As also mentioned, the time it took to post images (and very long bat descriptions) on here was quite extensive and didnt really offer a good enough ROI.
Im sure forum sponsors would be more active if the ROI both in a time and monitory sense was greater but as most are either 1 person bands or dont have designated media execs they have to put their time where they get most back.
I know the forum is more than about sales but those who used "advertise/sponsor" on here may not feel the same.
I hope my little insight helps.
Cheers
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Serious question and not ill intentioned. Why do businesses expect loyalty for the sake of it? Consumers always look for deals... unless there's brand loyalty.. mainly for the following reasons: price/value, service, quality of product or it's in vogue.
Whether you are a single brand or a retailer selling several brands you will need to leverage one of the above.
Am sure each factor will have a different level of importance for each CBF member.
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Ps it's a commercial venture unless you are passionate and it's a hobby like for some..
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My two penneth, for what it's worth, having been on here since 2012 I believe is that now the landscape of the forum is very different. Previously when we had the likes of black cat, fat bats, laver and wood etc etc we would have competition's, Q and As, bat reviews and the like and that in turn would drive brand loyalty. If James laver came on here answered shed loads of questions it would obviously peak interest in the brand. Now, it appears as though the sponsors focus their energy into more effective marketing such as Instagram. We need to realise that as a forum we are a tiny microcosm of the cricketing world, and for that reason people wont spend their valuable time posting on here when they could reach millions of people.
I personally think there is a culture of attacking brands on here too, I think that we jump to conclusions and tear people down unnecessarily and in doing so have driven people away - it's just cricket to name just one example, aldred as another. We can have our cake and eat it chaps.
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My two penneth, for what it's worth, having been on here since 2012 I believe is that now the landscape of the forum is very different. Previously when we had the likes of black cat, fat bats, laver and wood etc etc we would have competition's, Q and As, bat reviews and the like and that in turn would drive brand loyalty. If James laver came on here answered shed loads of questions it would obviously peak interest in the brand. Now, it appears as though the sponsors focus their energy into more effective marketing such as Instagram. We need to realise that as a forum we are a tiny microcosm of the cricketing world, and for that reason people wont spend their valuable time posting on here when they could reach millions of people.
I personally think there is a culture of attacking brands on here too, I think that we jump to conclusions and tear people down unnecessarily and in doing so have driven people away - it's just cricket to name just one example, aldred as another. We can have our cake and eat it chaps.
Top post that mate! Sums it up perfectly...
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I personally think there is a culture of attacking brands on here too, I think that we jump to conclusions and tear people down unnecessarily and in doing so have driven people away - it's just cricket to name just one example, aldred as another. We can have our cake and eat it chaps.
Agree with the post up to this point. I think the majority on here are sensible, and also reasonably clued up about kit. Some suppliers and retailers have behaved oddly in the past, and said some (very) questionable things. We are not mugs, and have every right to challenge something we believe is not right.
Factual situations such as where a certain brand is made, and supplying of bats at the requested weight are points worth raising and totally justifiable - perhaps sometimes it is how it is raised that is the issue.
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Premium member was an old level I introduced back in the day for those who donated for the upkeep of the forum (pre-advertising days).
Don't think it's used anymore, but used to give access to a part of the forum with some discounts with forum partners/retailers like Redback and Fusion.
Don’t forget the custom bats bat sticker ;)
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In my first season of club cricket, I bought two bats. I broke after a few matches, other one lasted. I googled information about bats and found CBF. Later on, I signed up as I had had collected a few nice bats before I joined and needed to discuss more.
Here are some of Pros and Cons:
1. In terms of media and features, sponsors and posters share the same challenges. Uploading pics is done thru a third-party app. Same for vidoes. The forum could use an upload feature that'd make everyone's life easy.
2. Regarding tough comments and Q&A, that's just life. Same thing could happen on twitter or instagram. Until we have standardized specs for bats (dead weight, swing weight, balance point, location of node of percussion, density, etc.), there will always be a debate when buying bats online or thru post/mail. The reality is that not everyone can buy a bat from a shop. First vendor who solves the problem of standardization (and patents/trade-marks it), will win lot of business. GM to a degree do that and they have built an enormous reputation because of it. Personally, I have never owned a GM (don't like handles :D ) but love their quality standards!
3. What ultimately makes the forum is the quality of information people post and also the members. Many members here are influencers in their respective cricket circles. I personally have introduced many people to brands that I saw here. MG2, Keeley, SK/Mueleman, #FoxIt - you name it. Good ones have been embraced, bad ones are rejected. There is still value for sponsors to engage directly with members here. I found CBF because of google search which pointed me to some posts. More product information sponsors/brands leave in the forum, more accessible it is thru google search.
4. The area where CBF is lacking is coaching information. PitchVision never refunded my money for courses I paid for which they later removed - Michael Bevan and Graham Gooch. They are unreliable. There is a market and need for coaching information. CBF admins/owners should look into this as this could benefit members and coaches. Maybe once a quarter Q&A session with coaches who comment on posted videos. Same for fitness and nutrition.