Topic: Bat weight reduction gone wrong. (Read 1471 times)

Chad · « **on:** October 29, 2020, 04:15:44 PM »

Hi folks, thought I'd get some thoughts on this/some advice on what to do. (And genuinely appreciate any advice)

I had a cricket bat, which was purchased for �400 during a visit down south about 2 years ago. I noticed that it had gained a fair bit of weight, it weighed around 2lb 10.5oz at the shop, and then went up to 2lb 12.7oz over here after some scuff sheet, and a good bit of Scottish air moisture content. I decided to send it for a weight reduction (Hasn't been used) and asked for it to be 2.10, so around 2.5oz off.

Now, this bat was pretty big, with 40mm edges and around a 65mm spine, with no concaving. What did it end up at after the weight reduction?

Under 2lb 7oz. The edges are 30mm, spine is 60mm, and toe looks like it would snap if I tapped it on the ground.

Now I'm not the world's greatest batsman, nor am I very sensitive to bat weights - but for someone who has chopped and changed bats a lot - I didn't buy a 2lb 10oz bat, to have it reduced to 2lb 7oz. Naturally, I refused to pay for the weight reduction, asking the retailer to enquire as to why my bat has ended up more than 3 oz lighter than requested. (I was actually very angry - I had purposefully visited this shop to see bats and picked this one out. It was a lovely bat, and although it had put on weight without any use, I was willing to spend some coin in getting it right.) This was the response from the Batmaker's customer service:

(Batmaker) has asked me to ask whether you could get your hands on another bat of that type and take and send him a few pictures, and added that obviously, when dealing with different brands, it will never be as straight forward as dealing with one of ours, as the original equipment will be so different. Even though the outcome is less likely to as precise than with a (Brand) bat, up until now, we have had a 100% success rate with all customers being delighted with the way their bats were returned to them. (Better handle shape, better pickup/balance, improved performance etc)
Customers have got to accept that the original specifications will change as soon as a refurbishment/weight reduction is involved. If they don't, then perhaps they should send their bats back to the original manufacturer.

Naturally, I kind of hit the roof. This kind of a response from a VERY reputable company was not what I was expecting. Almost as if I was being blamed for expecting them not to remove more than double what was asked.

My question is - what the heck can I do? The bat is still with the retailer. Are there any legal routes I can go through? The retailer refused to pay for the service as it was not what was requested. Do I just accept that I've had a �400 investment absolutely butchered by (arguably) one of the most capable podshaving hands in the country, and just throw shade at them on social media, being petty in response to their (imho) distasteful response?

I never want to post threads like this, but it's dragged on and on, and to be honest, I'm a little disappointed with the retailer as well. It feels as if I've had to chase up on them to chase up on this case. The response I got from the retailer after waiting a month after receiving the email from the batmaker was 'No change with your bat, and tbh I am not sure what can be done now.'

Kulli · « **Reply #1 on:** October 29, 2020, 04:38:09 PM »

That�s a tough one. I�d maybe be pushing for a bat from them as a replacement if you feel it�s really ruined. Either that or if it�s just that�s it�s too light for you then sell it on and accept you�ll have to take a hit 🤷

Mel Jessop · « **Reply #2 on:** October 29, 2020, 04:49:43 PM »

Do you have an email trail of requests? Of so I'd say you have a legal case, probably with the retailer as you are there customer. Don't know what the monetary maximum is on small claims, but think that is the route I would be taking, after requesting money/new bat if that's what you want.

I wouldn't go down the route of shaming on social media just yet, but deffo keep that in your bag.

LEACHY48 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 29, 2020, 05:38:04 PM »

I�d be telling the retailer that the service wasn�t provided as described, I�d want a full refund on the weight reduction, and I�d be seeking a replacement bat if it was never used. Failing that, if there is a paper trail, I�d be going to a small claims court.

I have a sneaking suspicion that I know who the retailer is based on your previous posts @Chad and if it�s who I think it is, unfortunately there is a history of refurbs/repair services going wrong through then - a couple have been posted on here previously too. I�d be seething at 5 and a bit oz of wood being taken out of a bat when I asked for 2, especially given how much wood that is.

Jimbo · « **Reply #4 on:** October 29, 2020, 05:43:57 PM »

Second a lot of what has been said. Imagine you sent in a piece of high quality wooden furniture to be varnished and they instead painted it with cheap white paint, anyone would be fuming. They've not provided the service you paid for and have left you with a product you didn't want and cannot use. I'd be expecting them to either provide a suitable replacement or reimburse you in full for the bat.

SD · « **Reply #5 on:** October 29, 2020, 07:41:30 PM »

The small claims court limit is 10k and you fee filing online for a claim of up to �500 is �35.

The success of any claim will rely turn on how clear your instructions are as to what you wanted from the weight reduction and what if any limits the retailer placed on their ability to guarantee this

Buzz · « **Reply #6 on:** October 29, 2020, 08:18:39 PM »

My problem with this is that you bought a 2lbs 10 bat
It gained a bit of weight in Scotland.
You then sent it back to where it came from and it had some weight taken out (to a shape you don't like) but has also lost some weight.. Probably dried out a bit too.

The problem here is your bat has had the weight removed and lost weight because of the climate.
Plus you don't like the new shape.

Honestly I have no idea what to do here but I sence there needs to be a bit of give on both sides here.

t2ylo · « **Reply #7 on:** October 29, 2020, 08:25:34 PM »

Do you have any pics or would that give too much detail around brand?

ppccopener · « **Reply #8 on:** October 29, 2020, 09:52:17 PM »

If I've read correctly it was not the brand of bat originally from the batmaker, so another make weight reduced by another company-not their bat. Not that that should make much difference.
bit of an unusual situation but I wouldn't post anything on social media myself much as the temptation would be if you are getting no where.
Agree with Buzz their has to be some negotiated solution but I would say that is with the shop not the batmaker as Dorset mentions.....presuming you don't know exactly what the shop told the batmaker doing the weight reduction, and your 'contract' is with the retailer.

If it was me, the actual bat if you can't use it at that weight I would have to(reluctantly) put that down to experience as I cannot see what can be done to make it right.so is sell it to recoup some costs.

The cost of the refurb, 40 or 50 pounds or whatever I would stick to my guns with the retailer and not pay-if things needed to be taken further I would consider it.

But I guess your issue is not with the cost it's the fact the bat is hugely different, huge sympathy for that but it may be one to chalk up to experience...

Hindsight is 2020 of course but in your situation I would of tried to sand of some weight on the face and maybe put In an airing cupboard for a while-I wouldn't get any bat changed that was just a couple of ounces out.

Hope you get a solution.

LEACHY48 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 29, 2020, 10:32:52 PM »

Quote from: Buzz on October 29, 2020, 08:18:39 PM

My problem with this is that you bought a 2lbs 10 bat
It gained a bit of weight in Scotland.
You then sent it back to where it came from and it had some weight taken out (to a shape you don't like) but has also lost some weight.. Probably dried out a bit too.

The problem here is your bat has had the weight removed and lost weight because of the climate.
Plus you don't like the new shape.

Honestly I have no idea what to do here but I sence there needs to be a bit of give on both sides here.

Not sure 5oz is �a bit of weight� it�s over 10% of the mass of the bat. It�s really really difficult to overshoot a weight reduction by an ounce, so to do it by 3oz is absolutely criminal as a bat maker - I also don�t buy that, in the time it�s taken for the weight reduction to occur, the bat has lost weight due to climate, it�s been astoundingly wet for the last month across the U.K. if it was going from South Africa to Scotland and back then it�s understandable.

billyb · « **Reply #10 on:** October 30, 2020, 03:19:11 AM »

That is a really shoddy response from a customer service standpoint. I wouldn't do business with them again.

Kulli · « **Reply #11 on:** October 30, 2020, 09:55:28 AM »

Is there a reason you went through the retailer to get this done, rather than straight to the original maker or a maker of your choice? I don�t see any real benifit to doing so and just adds one more comms loop but guess there is something I�m missing.

Possible to see before and after shots without giving the bat let that did the work away?

Author Topic: Bat weight reduction gone wrong. (Read 1471 times)

Chad

Bat weight reduction gone wrong.

Kulli

Re: Bat weight reduction gone wrong.

Mel Jessop

Re: Bat weight reduction gone wrong.

LEACHY48

Re: Bat weight reduction gone wrong.

Jimbo

Re: Bat weight reduction gone wrong.

SD

Re: Bat weight reduction gone wrong.

Buzz

Re: Bat weight reduction gone wrong.

t2ylo

Re: Bat weight reduction gone wrong.

ppccopener

Re: Bat weight reduction gone wrong.

LEACHY48

Re: Bat weight reduction gone wrong.

billyb

Re: Bat weight reduction gone wrong.

Kulli

Re: Bat weight reduction gone wrong.