I got mines sent from MBS a while back (to UK) with no problems with customs. Plus I don't see how buying from Victor Asia would be a problem For Victor EU as the money will still be going to Victor.
[MENTION=115318]hiphophippouk[/MENTION], it's a problem because 1), I don't think they're run as the same company so it affects their bottom line, 2) Their market stats will be more inaccurate the more they are circumvented
If Victor UE can't ship big quantities of rackets more cheaply that when I buy only 1 in asia and make it come by air-mail, there is something seriously wrong...
I think some of you guys are missing important information. Victor EU is not owned by the same people as Victor Asia. So, whilst there is synergy between both companies, and a great deal of friendship, Victor EU is an altogether different business, albeit the brand and products may be the same. Being fair Victor EU, they have higher shipping costs, storage costs and admin/staff costs compared to other distributors plus exchange rate costs. Overall I think they do a very good job considering. They have every right to protect their borders in respect of foreign sales/imports. You would do exactly the same if you were running their business. Paul www.badminton-coach.co.uk
Their business partners may have contractual obligations not to distribute to Victor EU region, but they do not have any 'rights' beyond business to business contracts. There is no law that gives them EU monopoly rights in that sense.
Amleto I agree with you however it is accepted practice in global business for each country to sell only on to their territory. Yonex do the same. Yonex will try and close any business from importing their goods. Bottom line here is that there can sometimes be a fine line between international cooperation and the creation of almost a black market with no warranties and in reality a potentially high risk purchase. We could debate the pros and cons for ages based on personal bias towards getting the best deal. But personal gain is fine until you run a business and have to compete against this "unfair competition." Then tables are turned and as a business person you wouldn't like it and most likely try to do all you can to stop it. By the way I am not taking sides here but trying to keep the facts at the forefront of the discussion. Paul www.badminton-coach.co.uk
yes, the warranty side is a big factor. Buying from UK or EU gives a lot of protection compared to importing where you are really at the mercy of retailers' good will for any product deficiency (not to mention there will be high postage costs).
Having tech issues with BC at the moment, so my posting will be scarce till it's sorted. However, I ended up playing the TK9000 on Weds after all... ye gods - WHAT a RACKET. Full review will follow if this bloody text box/jpg display problem ever gets sorted out...
Er.. my phone is from 2001. Here's a review, anyway (in Internet Explorer): Victor TK9000 4UG5 310/84.1 VS850 @ 29/30 Impressions: First saw this in person at the All England after enormous hype. It’s a very aggressive racket, taller than the TK8000 and stiffer than the TK6000, and not what I’d usually go for. However, since the TK6000 defended so well at 5/5 balance I thought they were worth a go. Looks (YMMV): 10/10 Just look at it. I got three so I could eat one. Stringing No problems (and we saw these go to 32/33 at the AE) but this 2+3 pattern is beginning to annoy me. Haven’t broken one yet, but it’s early days. Power: 9.5/10 I was expecting some clout, but this is extraordinary. I thought the TK8000 was a bit of a pudding, but I liked the frame, and the TK6000 got a lot closer to unlocking it. I said it just needed to be stiffer and somebody listened, because this is the hardest hitting Victor since the SW35, and one of the hardest-hitting production rackets I’ve ever tried. If this was intended to be a ZF challenger, mission accomplished. At full steam, pretty much nothing can match it, but it has kept that wonderful ability of the TK6000 to “pop” shots out of the air with a sharp swing. It’s not quite the same free lunch, but it’s close, and I would gladly swap a few cheap clips for a higher power limit. Defence: 8.5/10 This is a 310 racket, but its defence is as good as a 295 Meteor. I was expecting it to move like a 3-wood, but like the TK6000 (again) it just seems to go where you put. The full-range power really helps if you can manage a drive, and lifting out is no effort whatsoever. Control: 9/10 It sounds trite, but I have to use the word “direct” here. There’s something about the way it moves in the hand and addresses the shuttle that lets you know the head and shaft are very nicely integrated. A departure from the TK6000 here in that the head doesn’t seem to “chase” the shot when you want to really whack it – it is excellent in a flat game. Stiffness to the rescue, it would appear, and one of the few TK6000 weaknesses addressed. Feel: 8/10 It’s like the Z-Force here, with a really meaty punch when you catch one properly. The sensation on touch shots isn’t bad for such a tall racket, but it does vibrate very slightly if you hit one off the sweet spot (which is quite high and small, actually). Value: 7.5/10 Yes, £150 is dear for a Victor, but considering the £190+ Yonex racket it’s going up against, it’s far better VFM. The forty quid change is three string jobs. Conclusions: I couldn’t be happier with these – they do everything well, and nothing badly. When Paul and I were testing the TK6000 I remarked that if it had a higher power, ceiling and was a bit stiffer (and better looking), it’d be perfect. The TK9000 ticks all three boxes. It’s one of those rare rackets that make you feel good when you hold it, a sense of “I can do anything, here”. In parting, I have to say that bringing this in as a 4U was a masterstroke, just as it was with the TK6000. The 4U has all the power anybody who doesn’t do this for a living could possible want, so there’s no need for a 3U. + Looks (this is pretty much a +++); Huge power without the effort; Thinks it’s a Meteor when defending; Excellent punchy feel off the middle of the racket; Extremely tight control despite the golf club balance - 2+3 stringing pattern… come on, Victor – let’s have a 2+4; It is a bit dear, especially against the new MX80N and MX90 it’ll be running against.
OK - that's annoying: all my formatting got dumped when I pasted it in, and I can't go advanced or edit the post. Kwun - wtf!
Mark hasn't tested ZFII yet- I have. There's a directness in the Thruster that Zorce hasn't got. Also I prefer the overall feel of Thruster as it feels more solid. Thruster is a really powerful racket and hits as hard as any Yonex racket. However the icing on the cake is the excellent defence capabilities which is superior to Z Force. Paul www.badminton-coach.co.uk
The ZF-II Paul's got is, I think, a 3U, so a direct comparison won't be possible. However, compared to the ZF-1 I found the TK9000 no less powerful and a far better all-rounder. As Paul says - and I said - the defence for a 310 is mind-boggling.
Going by some recent comments by Paul Stewart (something along the lines of "3U very head heavy rackets don't interest me", perhaps it's not accurate to compare a 3U head heavy racket with a 4U head heavy racket. Perhaps Paul would find the 4U Z-Force II a better defensive racket than the 4U TK9000.
You guys also make it sound so simple - like the Victor racket is simply superior to anything Yonex has. Why do you think this is?
By the way Paul, it's nice to know that there is good evidence of some pros who don't have customised rackets - you mentioned in your recent blog post that all the rackets you strung in the recent All England were standard models. I think this needs to be stickied somewhere in this forum hehe. There's so much mis-information about pros having customised rackets etc. I wouldn't be surprised if none of them did, and even those signature rackets are made only slightly differently so that the brand can make more money (while the player etc still performs the same).
