Rackets in Singapore

Discussion in 'Market Place' started by elvinlwj, Sep 6, 2003.

  1. elvinlwj

    elvinlwj Regular Member

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    Hello everyone.
    I have just signed up as a member of Badminton Central. Really good site that I have been following for a few months.

    Would like some help from badminton players in SINGAPORE.
    Someone previously wrote that Bras Basah Complex is the place to go for buying of rackets.
    With so many fake rackets going around is it possible for vendors to sell fake rackets at the same price as genuine rackets?
    At Bras Basah there is this shop called Ranking Sports. Are they reliable? Are the rackets that they sell genuine?
    Their price they quoted for an MP100 which they claimed is genuine was S$160 and I got it from them. The serial number did not end with SP.
    My friend went to Weston Sports in Peninsula and the guy there quoted me the same price. All the rackets at Weston carried serial numbers with SP.
    Was worried that I got a fake. The shaft of mine did print "Made in Japan" though.
    Could badminton fans in S'pore advise me?
    Also when and where do you all play? Am looking for people to play in Clementi area on Fridays :) :) :)
     
  2. khengsang

    khengsang Regular Member

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    Ranking is quite reliable, although I dont think I would buy from them again. For two reasons-
    1. Singapore prices are higher than what you can get in Malaysia, (not their fault) so any Singapore shop price will probably be higher than what you can get.
    2. I bought a YangYang Master Muscle 88 from them, and I suspect due to poor stringing the racket was just awful. Anyway I took it back to the shop, and reluctantly they took it back (was in great condition) and let me exchange it for a Ti Woven Fighter.. but upon later inspection, the racket had some damage on it, so I suspect that it was a used racket! Its ok though, I like the racket at least.

    I doubt your racket is a fake though, as long as its Yonex with a serial #. Maybe look up the thread on Yonex serials and make sure the numerical pattern is correct. No serial = fake. SP is just one of many different distribution codes, although Im surprised your one isnt SP..
     
  3. elvinlwj

    elvinlwj Regular Member

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    Thank you, Khengsan.

    Could try another vendor then next time.:) :) :)
     
  4. khengsang

    khengsang Regular Member

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    At this point, Im not buying anymore new rackets :eek:

    Will probably stick to used rackets for now since I have no more money :(
     
  5. Daylightkiller

    Daylightkiller Regular Member

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    does Ranking Sports have a website?
     
  6. Lobber

    Lobber Regular Member

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    no it does not have....I did a search(none was found)
     
  7. shawn30_k

    shawn30_k Regular Member

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    well sp is the code for being made in singapore if im not wrong.however since you bought your bag in ranking it should have put made in singapore but i dont know why they din put it.saw from other treads that the 10n10 shop in bras basah also sells mp100 but made in thailand so dont be so worried first.and about the fake rackets as long as they do not name the racket the same as yonex.anyway its also a brand by itself so it can name any name it likes too.sorry im in hougang so dun think we have a chance to play together.
     
  8. altreality

    altreality Regular Member

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    Ranking Sports has been around since I was in secondary school - don't think they sell fake stuff (mebbe parallel imports from Thailand etc).
    If you racket is not "SP" - what is it ?
    "IP" is also sometimes used by Sunrise.
     
  9. PoseidonLee

    PoseidonLee Regular Member

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    Just to clarify, I dun think there is any racket that is made in singapore. SP is the area distribution code. SP(s'pore), TH(thailand), IP etc etc ... ALL top ends yonex are made in japan. Lower ends made in taiwan, those they will write 'develope by yonex, japan' and at the green bottom, write 'made in taiwan'

    If u are thinking any diff bet the sp, jp etc etc ... lots of theory and argument behind it. Up to you to believe, IMHO, all are the same ... simply code differently to distinguish the area, something like dvd code 3/1. Perharps just diff in grip size for the diff group of pple. Of course they are pple who insist sp/th feels diff, well, even 2 sp does not feel the same, so?

    As for fakes, pls note they are 2 sets of number, one set on the shaft and one set on the cone, only the one on the cone has the SP/HK/JP etc ... both sets of number are engraved. Else it's fake. I did saw one fake mp100 in bras basah, really exactly the same except the serial are printed not engraved, and the YY logo on the frame is diff colour, yellow instead of silver I think. The guy show to me just to let me see the diff.

    Just beware. :)
     
  10. Simp84

    Simp84 Regular Member

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    Hi guys,
    I went to Racket World yesterday in KL, and I ask around the price of rackets... and AT700 going for RM650 and mp99 RM575 both are SP, so that comes to about SD$280 and SD$250 respectively...
    So I asked them how come the rackets in Malaysia are so expansive compared to rackets sold in Singapore.... (as I have asked around other shops in Malaysia... they are roughly around that priace)
    Then they ask me the price range in Singapore for comparison as I was in Singapore 3 weeks ago.... and I told them the price for AT700(SP) is around SD$240 and MP99(SP) SD$220 (places such as Queensway and Bras Basah), straight away they just told me those rackets sold at that price are all fake.... because SP rackets are order from the same distributor and should vary about 5% only... And they also came to a conclusion that my AT700TH racket($220) bought in Gala was fake too. They also commented that the the free bag (black and silver word) is a good hint that the racket is fake, so they came to a conclusion that I got cheated. And insist me to bring my racket to them for a check up~
    So are these people just being rude and trying to protect their buisness? Can someone here enlighten me?
     
  11. crazy_smasher

    crazy_smasher Regular Member

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    Hi,

    i do not think the TH racket you bought from gala is fake.
    In Singapore, most baddie shops selling yonex products as discussed in the forum are trusted as their reputation is at stake.

    I guess they need to find an excuse to account for their more expensive price, correct? They will not tell u "here, i sell more expensive coz i want higher profit margin or i want to rip u off".

    I guess in Singapore, it is cheaper coz more competition among retailers maybe. And also, in KL, demand may be less, so they order less as compared to bigger bulk orders in some Singapore shops.

    I will say just do not bring your racket to show them :) Just take a pic of it and put it in the forum here, im sure many people here can testify whether it is genuine.

    Regards

    CS

     
  12. Simp84

    Simp84 Regular Member

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    I have chekce the serial and the paintjob on my racket, and I know for sure it is genuine...

    However those people told me that those fakes can even duplicate the exact rackets even the nicely engraved serials.... And they say the genuine racket has a barcode inside (anyone heard of this?)???

    At that point I was couldn't be bothered arguing.... As I already cheked my serial with people in this forum and its genuine
     
  13. leehsim

    leehsim Regular Member

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    I append below for your viewing:

    http://free.hostdepartment.com/b/bluejeff/

    Item 12 would be interesting to you as it show photographs of the bar code sticker on a fake Yonex (Model?) and also on a real MP77. If they take the trouble to fake racket, they can also produce fake bar code sticker (hopefully with a wrong spelt word like "TATANIUNM" to give way dirty trick).

    I think I have keyed the information of your racket AT700 to my list of serial nos. and date codes real Yonex rackets.

    You are a real gentleman of not arguing with other when you are confident with the authenticity of your racket.
     
  14. Simp84

    Simp84 Regular Member

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    I am not able to verify the bar code as shops like Gala usually dont have the wrapper on the grip....

    Even they prove its fake theres nothing much I can do u know hehe...
    However, I am confident it is a genuine racket thanks to the tips offered here and the verification of serial code by you :)
     
  15. Yogi

    Yogi Regular Member

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    Apparently from what i have heard, the bar codes found on the inside of the original grip is used for warranty claims. I am not sure how true this is but the bar code sticker provides the model with weight as well. For example, (Ti 10 2u5).

    As per source in sunrise India, the bar codes (also, i presume) are verified to check whether they are original or not. There has been bar codes on the handle even before the Laser engraving started. The older rackets used to have a serial number in either 4 or 5 digits followed by a Huge 3,4 or 5 to denote the grip size.

    So what the seller is saying is perfectly right. IF the racket is a Brilliant copy (fake) that most of us cant identify then yonex has kept a last measure in its handle that will give away the clue. So yonex will not honour a Fake racket warranty claim. But i think from what you say it looks like your racket is not a fake. So rest assured.

    Hope this helps
     
  16. armortec800

    armortec800 Regular Member

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    IMHO, any brick and mortar shop in SINGAPORE will not display/sell a fake racket unless they like to court trouble with the law.
     
  17. Sealman

    Sealman Regular Member

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    No plastic wrapping? Shops might pass off used rackets as new ones then...
     
  18. Simp84

    Simp84 Regular Member

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    Aren't they all like that :p All the racket on display has no plastic wrapping
     
  19. dogflu

    dogflu Regular Member

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    maybe u should try bbc 10& 10. currently they are going promotion on their mp series. if u can bargain well..maybe u can get a cheap price. they stringing quality are also very good too. i often went there to restring my dumb racket and i am very satisfied with the stringing service. ;) altho some racket might be overprice, bargain with them, u will get a good price. the staff there are very friendly and nice people. in the end, u benefit and get good service from them too :):p
     
  20. dogflu

    dogflu Regular Member

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    erm..btw....FYI. SP refers to singapore agent. racket labelled with "SP" means any problems happened to the racket, u claim from the singapore yonex sunrise agent. TH means if anything happened to the racket, u go to thailand and make the claim from the thai agent. if there's no label, means u go to the international agent, which is japan if i am not wrong and claim the racket :crying:
     
    #20 dogflu, Mar 18, 2005
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2005

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