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[ItsJustCricket]

Paul, with respect, do you stock any single bat in all the weights available?

Of course not! And it's good to have a choice, but I think too much choice is a bad thing. 

[mattw]

I look forward to your thoughts when you have seen what you are commenting on.

We are business to business, we supply the retail trade around the world. We don't sell on line.

Kind regards

Edward

Exactly, so how are you sure that with all of the possible combinations that a single bat model can have is being successfully portrayed to the customer?

Well I have seen enough to make my opinion on the 2014 range, it's not exactly that much different from last season, or the season before that really. You realise you potentially have customers that do not view your bats 'in person', so please be aware that these customers will go on what pictures they see online.

[CUSTOM-BATS]

But in fairness to him you could say he tries to stock as big a variety of specific models of bats as possible , but this kind of system makes it harder for him as he now has 3 extra different variables for the bats.

Edit : But in response to Edward , he's going to end up offering his customers less choice than they expect because he will be unable to stock EVERY bat in every different different face style.

I did have a similar thought when I first heard of the 3 face curves ... However, every retailer is in the same position and not just from GM. They can't stock every model of every brand, let alone every weight.  GM are not forcing anyone to stock all 3 types, nor all models.  Gray Nicolls have huge number of model/grade combinations, many more than GM.  Paul won't be stocking all of them and therefore he is offering his customers less choice.  So will Paul not be stocking GN or Kook, any maybe sticking to the smaller brands who may offer a couple of models only?  I doubt it.  he will pick and choose the ones he feels are right for his business and his customers. But he doesn't know who is going to walk through the door tomorrow. If he can offer the choice of maybe an F7 and F2, then have an F4.5 as a special order, I can't see anything wrong with that.

[Butterfingerz]

Um, no, that's why I'm taking the time to respond

Kind regards

Edward

I'm sorry Ed but we are going to have to disagree on this. I feel that generally what stops a company moving forward is arrogance in the belief we are the best. In my opinion this is what has happened, with the arrogance you have shown to many here today for voicing their opinions well I think you can guess where I'm going on that!

Please listen to the comments, they are not aimed at you or GM to cause harm. We are your potential customers and sometimes we are right

[Number4]

Lets face it the new GM range... On looks alone may not be everyone's cup of tea... But I guarantee the bats produced will be awesome in performance... I'm not a big GM user but have owned a couple and over the last 20 odd years of my cricket and both performed excellently.... I would love to see a real retro bat come out of GM, as would everyone, but it doesn't have to be the exact shape and profile. I think everyone is waiting to see genuine retro stickers Ed that's all... Bring on the modern shapes but give us some retro stickers to relive our youth

[Tom]

If he can offer the choice of maybe an F7 and F2, then have an F4.5 as a special order, I can't see anything wrong with that.

Do you really think customers will come in, and say "I want an Icon F4.5"? I really believe the majority will look in store, and maybe ask for an Icon if a friend recommended it. People ask for bats by name. They have a "Kahuna", they have an "Icon" or a "Scoop" some may even have a "Mongoose". They then buy the grade which they feel most represents the standard of cricket they play, or what they can afford.

Now when a customer comes in, and asks for an Icon the retailer will reply "Yes, sure - F2, F4.5 or F7?"

99% of customers will reply, "What?" and this is why I think the whole F2, F4.5, F7 is superfluous. And just adds confusion.

Edit: Let me add though - historically that is how I have felt that bats have been bought. There is no reason to say why with education and support from retailers, and education of the customers that the different face types can't become an option without being too confusing.

I'm not a fan of giving customers too much choice on core products, but GM are giving it a go and I guess we'll see how it fares.

[Vitas Cricket]

Do you really think customers will come in, and say "I want an Icon F4.5"? I really believe the majority will look in store, and maybe ask for an Icon if a friend recommended it. People ask for bats by name. They have a "Kahuna", they have an "Icon" or a "Scoop" some may even have a "Mongoose". They then buy the grade which they feel most represents the standard of cricket they play, or what they can afford.

Now when a customer comes in, and asks for an Icon the retailer will reply "Yes, sure - F2, F4.5 or F7?"

99% of customers will reply, "What?" and this is why I think the whole F2, F4.5, F7 is superfluous. And just adds confusion.

I agree to some extent here.

GM do provide free of charge point of sale banners etc though, these do a good job of explaining what is what.

As a retailer I feel it is my job to educate myself on areas like this so I can explain things to customers in a way they understand.

We did not stock every bat in every face flatness/roundness option this year and are unlikely to do so this year, we will always order anything in to meet requests though.

[Buzz]

I think customer choice is a differentiator for gm here

having said that, if I was a retailer, I would mostly stock the f4.5 face bats as the in between option.

[Six Sixes Cricket]

Always happy to do that. Not sure anyone will want to come however!

Great stuff, and as I missed out in 2010 I'll put myself forward. 

[Tom]

I think customer choice is a differentiator for gm here

I'd love for GM to go the whole hog with a NikeID style bat design PC. You could solve the confusion thing there with careful UX design.

I guess some could see this as halfway house to that, with retailers no doubt having to order more bats in to suit Fx requests. But I think that halfway house is just a little confusing, particularly with face roundness not something people often request in a bat.

[Number4]

I'd love for GM to go the whole hog with a NikeID style bat design PC. You could solve the confusion thing there with careful UX design.

I guess some could see this as halfway house to that, with retailers no doubt having to order more bats in to suit Fx requests. But I think that halfway house is just a little confusing, particularly with face roundness not something people often request in a bat.

20 years ago people didn't want 40mm edges either Tom. Maybe this is they way of the future

[tim2000s]

I don't log into the forum, for four hours and the first thing I see is this thread, and, wow!

Loads of opinions and Edward supporting his company. I think the thing that stands out most for me is that the 100 or so contributors in the topic make up the tiniest proportion of the gm market and I'd be very surprised if there was no market research involved in the range. I'll wait till I see  it in person, but  I think tom it's not so far from the truth when he says that people will first want a gm bat and second a model. The face style will initially appeal to a smaller subset, and who knows how this may change.

You could look at this as GM taking a brave approach to change the way in which the bats they sell are marketed, along with the idea of pick up index and no weight listed...

I'm looking forward to seeing this stuff properly

[Cowcorner]

Now that the gear has been launched does anybody know when us mere mortals may see the range in all it's glory online?.....it's this time of year when I plan what I'm going to spend my money on and then where I'm going to hide it from the wife........

[Vitas Cricket]

Now that the gear has been launched does anybody know when us mere mortals may see the range in all it's glory online?.....it's this time of year when I plan what I'm going to spend my money on and then where I'm going to hide it from the wife........

GM will launch on their website next week i think i read.

The trade show is 18th and 19th Sept. We will have prices and pictures etc from then, will take me a while to get stuff put on pur website, but will always bring offers to the forum first.

[Edward Lowy]

I'm sorry Ed but we are going to have to disagree on this. I feel that generally what stops a company moving forward is arrogance in the belief we are the best. In my opinion this is what has happened, with the arrogance you have shown to many here today for voicing their opinions well I think you can guess where I'm going on that!

Please listen to the comments, they are not aimed at you or GM to cause harm. We are your potential customers and sometimes we are right

No problem in disagreeing about things and if you perceive me as arrogant in talking about my company and its products, then so be it. However, you seem to start from the mistaken belief that we are not going forward. You are fundamentally wrong in that assertion, our bat sales and share globally have grown substantially over the years through our investment and innovation with DXM processes.

GM is the largest bat manufacturer in the UK, the technology we use is the most advanced of any cricket firm anywhere in the world. We are very proud of these facts, that we have not abrogated our brand values to a stickering operation in India. If our products and actions do not find favour with you, that is disappointing for me, but I respect your right to brand choice absolutely. We are pragmatic in understanding that we will not suit everyone.

Kind regards

Edward