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[Pitbull]

Wasn't sure whether this was the right place to put this but....

I have seen that Pro Direct have got some big discounts on the Icon and Epic ranges and was wondering what peoples dealings with them are in terms of the quality of the bats themselves? and if its worth taking the risk ordering online from them?

Cheers

[Alvaro]

very reasonably priced! tempted by an icon 606, but I won't buy it...

[jamesisapayne]

I'd love to know the markup on some of these high end bats!

[Pitbull]

Im so tempted because they are so cheap but I don't really need a new bat and I don;t like buying bats without picking them up first

[Vitas Cricket]

I'd love to know the markup on some of these high end bats!

Retailers can get discounts from manufacturers based on the amounts that they order. PDC will order lots of stock in so can command a hefty discount, i don't know how much, but pretty big i would guess.

If you take things at face value though, trade prices before any discounts, the Icon LE they are selling is actually more expensive to buy at trade price, and that is before VAT is added.

[jamesisapayne]

Retailers can get discounts from manufacturers based on the amounts that they order. PDC will order lots of stock in so can command a hefty discount, i don't know how much, but pretty big i would guess.

If you take things at face value though, trade prices before any discounts, the Icon LE they are selling is actually more expensive to buy at trade price, and that is before VAT is added.

Economy of scale?

I presume that's why SD and PDC can offer such silly discounts - SD especially?

Incidentally, do SD run the back end on the ecb and lords shops, as all the products/prices etc are the same.

[Vitas Cricket]

Economy of scale?

I presume that's why SD and PDC can offer such silly discounts - SD especially?

Incidentally, do SD run the back end on the ecb and lords shops, as all the products/prices etc are the same.

PDC yes, SD mainly buy clearance equipment much cheaper at the end of the products run, thus being able to sell it much cheaper. Or they are selling off Slazenger, a brand they own.

THe ECB yes, Lords i don't think so. Lords sell a number of products that SD do not.

[jamesisapayne]

PDC yes, SD mainly buy clearance equipment much cheaper at the end of the products run, thus being able to sell it much cheaper.

Like Weatherspoon's with their beer - it always tastes like it's about to go off!!!!

[amritpremi]

Or they are selling off Slazenger, a brand they own.

ahh thats the reason why SD and Slazenger website have same style (website attributes) and even their prices are exactly the same.

[ItsJustCricket]

I do often wonder what kind of bats shops like Pro-Direct end up with.  Every time we go and visit our suppliers (even yesterday at Newbery), we leave behind some bats that, in my eyes at least, aren't the best quality - to put it mildly.  These type of bats have to find a home somewhere, and if they're not hand-picking, I can only assume they end up in shops like this.  I wouldn't take any of the aforementioned bats even if they were half the normal trade price!!

[lewis_faulds]

I am seriously considering taking a punt on the GM for no other reason than Chad showed me his one and I became insanely jealous!

I do often wonder what kind of bats shops like Pro-Direct end up with.  Every time we go and visit our suppliers (even yesterday at Newbery), we leave behind some bats that, in my eyes at least, aren't the best quality - to put it mildly.  These type of bats have to find a home somewhere, and if they're not hand-picking, I can only assume they end up in shops like this.  I wouldn't take any of the aforementioned bats even if they were half the normal trade price!!

I agree with Paul's point. They must get all the bats that handpicking companies such as yourself reject. Has anyone seen lormier sports on eBay? They have Ricochet 1000's, original le's etc that are some of the most average willow I've seen!

[smilley792]

I do often wonder what kind of bats shops like Pro-Direct end up with.  Every time we go and visit our suppliers (even yesterday at Newbery), we leave behind some bats that, in my eyes at least, aren't the best quality - to put it mildly.  These type of bats have to find a home somewhere, and if they're not hand-picking, I can only assume they end up in shops like this.  I wouldn't take any of the aforementioned bats even if they were half the normal trade price!!

Could you expand on the reasons that you refuse these bats.
And also the reasons why you may think the manufacturer original grades them at the higher level?

[jamielsn15]

I ordered this from PDC...

http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=26605.msg416494#msg416494

I think if you're ordering top end, there's no problem; even if they have cast offs, they surely have to be of a certain standard.

Knowing that they do take cast off, I would prefer to buy lower/mid range bats elsewhere, i.e. forum sponsors...

[ItsJustCricket]

Could you expand on the reasons that you refuse these bats.
And also the reasons why you may think the manufacturer original grades them at the higher level?

There seems to be quite a lot of inconsistency in mallet response.  For example, we saw some stunning looking junior bats yesterday, but Chris and I agreed that they didn't respond very well off the mallet at all, so despite their good looks, we didn't take any.  They were very hard and very unresponsive.  Even in the higher grades you get bats like this: there was a Tour a bit like this as well.

And then, looks-wise, there are quite a few that have stains on them, or big blemishes right in the middle of the bat.  Fewer of these in the top grade, but still we believe these ones should be avoided.

I guess, in every batch of 500 bats, there will be 50 or so that fit this description, even from the better bat makers.  If bats are made in large numbers, the consistency of quality cannot really be retained right across the board.  That's my view anyway...

[Six Sixes Cricket]

To say they have the cast offs is a little far fetched. They probably get the first batch from all the big players, and even get cricket gear that no other shops can get.