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[Edward Lowy]

I am shocked by this - everyone thought it was confusing enough with two face profiles to choose from, but three? Even if one of the models has three options and the rest has two, it's still a joke.  This is the most confusing range I've ever seen.

In my humble opinion, GM have lost the plot! Their branding remains uninspiring too.  I predict they will have another bad year...

Most interesting comments from you. Tell me, when did you see the full GM 2014 range presentation?

Kind regards

Edward

[SaadIjaz]

Massive Like on your comment there Paul, totally agree. Getting bored of GM's repeat re-branding of the same old bats again and again..

What GM badly need is a young, vibrant and creative marketing manager to take the brand forward and stop confusing and boring the marketplace. It's a shame that they keep falling behind every year as they are the last of the big brands to manufacture in England and have so much heritage behind their name.

[Edward Lowy]

the only thing i understand is the codes

F7 = traditional face with a 7mm curve from middle to edge, ie the pressing machine has a 7mm curve
F4.5 = slightly flatter face as the face has a 4.5mm curve from middle to edge due to a pressing wheel having the same specs
F2 = means there is a 2mm curve from middle to edge and therefore the face looks flatter

in terms of the actual bats it makes absolutely no difference apart from the edge looking bigger but the middles are the exact same distance from the outside edge.

just a fad about big edges.

Ah right. Will bin the research. And the 128 years of know how. And the continuous development with our players.

Kind regards

Edward

[Edward Lowy]

Massive Like on your comment there Paul, totally agree. Getting bored of GM's repeat re-branding of the same old bats again and again..

Each to their own. What repeat branding are you referring to?

Kind regards

Edward

[mattw]

As a representative of your brand, I would suggest you take these comments on board. It seems that you are offering too many options and thus it becomes confusing to the end customer, the majority of cricket players do not care about a flat face, rounded face or so on - it's only the real cricket bat geeks and professionals that really take an interest in this and then go about selecting their cricket bats due to this. This is coming from two successful retail shops and also market research I did for a brand that I was involved in - too many options confuse customers, why not make each model the same then if a team mate likes a GM that's being used then he can be assured that he's going to get the same bat as his team mate for example.

At the end of the day you are a retail brand, not a custom brand.

[GarrettJ]

Ah right. Will bin the research. And the 128 years of know how. And the continuous development with our players.

Kind regards

Edward

Im not doubting the research im merely saying that there are different presses used to create different faces which match the code given. Im also saying that if youu get calipers and measure from dead on the centre of the face to top of the spine on an identically sized bat from each range F7 F4.5 qnd F2 they would be the same measure. However if you measured the edges the flatter face (f2) would come out with bigger edges if you measured them in a traditional way using a tape measure. The last time i batted i was trying to use the middle and not the edge hence my comment it makes no difference if you are using the middle as the measurements are the same ...... i hope that made sense!?!?

I'll give you the chance to back up your comment so ............

What is the research that you have come up with to support that there is a need for a flatter face and does it make a difference? If you were saying a flatter face is better why no just do all flat face bats???

Look forward to your reply.

[ItsJustCricket]

Most interesting comments from you. Tell me, when did you see the full GM 2014 range presentation?

Kind regards

Edward

All I will say is that I've seen photos of two different "retro" bats that are about to be relaunched on the market.  I look forward to seeing them both in person at Windsor in two weeks time - my opinion may change a little then, but a picture paints a thousand words, and I know which one I prefer at the moment...

[Edward Lowy]

All I will say is that I've seen photos of two different "retro" bats that are about to be relaunched on the market.  I look forward to seeing them both in person at Windsor in two weeks time - my opinion may change a little then, but a picture paints a thousand words, and I know which one I prefer at the moment...

We look forward to seeing you at Windsor and to hearing your thoughts when you have had an opportunity to actually see the range.

As for your derogatory comments about our staff, let me just say that it is an honour and a pleasure for me to work with the ladies and gents that we employ. I know them well and have absolutely the highest regard for them.

Kind regards

Edward

[Edward Lowy]

As a representative of your brand, I would suggest you take these comments on board. It seems that you are offering too many options and thus it becomes confusing to the end customer, the majority of cricket players do not care about a flat face, rounded face or so on - it's only the real cricket bat geeks and professionals that really take an interest in this and then go about selecting their cricket bats due to this. This is coming from two successful retail shops and also market research I did for a brand that I was involved in - too many options confuse customers, why not make each model the same then if a team mate likes a GM that's being used then he can be assured that he's going to get the same bat as his team mate for example.

At the end of the day you are a retail brand, not a custom brand.

We try and listen to all feedback, good and bad.

Have you seen the range? Do you know what "options", as you say, we are offering?

Kind regards

Edward

[Edward Lowy]

Im not doubting the research im merely saying that there are different presses used to create different faces which match the code given. Im also saying that if youu get calipers and measure from dead on the centre of the face to top of the spine on an identically sized bat from each range F7 F4.5 qnd F2 they would be the same measure. However if you measured the edges the flatter face (f2) would come out with bigger edges if you measured them in a traditional way using a tape measure. The last time i batted i was trying to use the middle and not the edge hence my comment it makes no difference if you are using the middle as the measurements are the same ...... i hope that made sense!?!?

I'll give you the chance to back up your comment so ............

What is the research that you have come up with to support that there is a need for a flatter face and does it make a difference? If you were saying a flatter face is better why no just do all flat face bats???

Look forward to your reply.

Thanks for your comments. A substantial part of our observations is that working with our pro cricketers, 50% opted for F2, 50% opted for F7. F2 is not "better" than F7 or vice versa. We aim to offer a range to provide choices for players.

Kind regards

Edward

[toenails97]

Also Edward, obviously GM opted for a retro range....but why have you not used the same shape as the old purist or the same stickers on the maestro vice a versa?!!!
Gray Nicolls and now kook have done the right thing in my eyes and have done retro stickers and basically the same shape with a tiny modern twist, ie the bubble will have a decent edge
Just really looked forward to seeing the purist if it was the non concaved beast it was back then but it isn't, which has led me to be very disappointed at GM to be honest

Cheers
Tony

[GarrettJ]

Thanks for your comments. A substantial part of our observations is that working with our pro cricketers, 50% opted for F2, 50% opted for F7. F2 is not "better" than F7 or vice versa. We aim to offer a range to provide choices for players.

Kind regards

Edward

I think you offer a good choice, but maybe people think its going a little to far with messing around with names and numbers. For me I dont really care about the name or range of a bat as long as i can pick it up and it feels right and the willow is good quality.

I dont mind the stickers on GM bats either, the stickers are better than GN for me (apart from Legend) as they arent as loud and brash.

Would have like to have seen an old school GM Diamond or GM Maestro but please dont ever bring back the GM Skipper!!

[Butterfingerz]

Thanks for your comments. A substantial part of our observations is that working with our pro cricketers, 50% opted for F2, 50% opted for F7. F2 is not "better" than F7 or vice versa. We aim to offer a range to provide choices for players.

Kind regards

Edward

Ed - When you have your release day and then dont release anything more than a couple of photos and a terribel 'we make bats' video people are going to offer their opinion based upon what youve released. If you want them to make their opinion based upon facts then give them them some or none at all!

The original Purist didnt have an offset edge either but seems to be a shape I've seen somewhere else recently!!

[Kulli]

I think the main reason for the 'backlash' on here is the (on initial glimpse anyway) half hearted look to the 'retro' offering, which seems to most just to be a newish looking bat shape with newish looking stickers and the name Purist slapped on it. Maybe this isn't the case, time will tell.

The comments about branding are probably more aimed towards the Zona style stickers from last year. compared to the usual Gm stickers which usually mix fashion and tradition pretty well those were fairly ugly.

I quite like that a few of the bats are offered with flat or convex faces, but I think a 3rd option might be a bit over kill, and I'm not a fan of the FX parts added to the names, maybe I'm just a bit too much of a traditionalist for bat names that sound like fighter jets.

[Edward Lowy]

I think you offer a good choice, but maybe people think its going a little to far with messing around with names and numbers. For me I dont really care about the name or range of a bat as long as i can pick it up and it feels right and the willow is good quality.

I dont mind the stickers on GM bats either, the stickers are better than GN for me (apart from Legend) as they arent as loud and brash.

Would have like to have seen an old school GM Diamond or GM Maestro but please dont ever bring back the GM Skipper!!

Thanks, we aim to please, but clearly have a tough audience of officionados on this forum! Curiously, our customers on Monday & Tuesday seem very pleased with what they saw.

Names, numbers. Each to their own, I don't think we should get too hung up on that.

Kind regards

Edward