Li Ning Rackets Fan Club :)

Discussion in 'Badminton Rackets / Equipment' started by tckang, Sep 16, 2009.

  1. tckang

    tckang Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2009
    Messages:
    724
    Likes Received:
    4
    Occupation:
    Con man (I do sales)
    Location:
    Boleh-Land
    For those who have been converted to the "dark side" :D
    Any Li Ning Racket owner may post any thing on their experiences here.
    Would be owners are also welcome to post enquiries.

    Li Ning Rackets Rock! ;)
     
    Khun likes this.
  2. ice man

    ice man Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2009
    Messages:
    469
    Likes Received:
    157
    Location:
    france
    How do you know that li ning racquets rock if you haven't tried one ?
     
    Calvin Lee Wei Zhong likes this.
  3. tckang

    tckang Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2009
    Messages:
    724
    Likes Received:
    4
    Occupation:
    Con man (I do sales)
    Location:
    Boleh-Land
    Now i wont be so "smart" to start such fan club thread if i havent own /use any Li Ning rackets , will I ? ;)
    Anyway this racket is still new outside China, especially in Europe/US. I have tried their top range N-series (N90, N55, and N50) so far and i must say they are good.
    Currently i own a N55, string it with YY 68Ti and the drop, and control is good, and the smash is way better then Yonex AT series.
     
  4. MetalOrange

    MetalOrange Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2009
    Messages:
    278
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    home
    Rocks?

    Well LN N90 feels like Mizuno Tetracross 700 but not quite there yet maybe because Mizuno put in more technology in there! N90 feels solid but brittle as a brick!
     
  5. tckang

    tckang Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2009
    Messages:
    724
    Likes Received:
    4
    Occupation:
    Con man (I do sales)
    Location:
    Boleh-Land
    Again, every rackets feels differently on every players. So, a person's meat maybe another's poison. :D To me, i dont prefer N90 either as it doesnt suits my game, kinda "stiff". But N55 and N50 is to me my favourite now, more than Yonex AT700.
    So, there you go, no one rackets suits and please everyone.
    Cheers
     
  6. ANDY01

    ANDY01 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2009
    Messages:
    14
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    sembawang
    just curious, how much u got your li-ning racket for?
     
  7. BadFever

    BadFever Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2006
    Messages:
    944
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Melbourne, Australia
    Only one feedback from me. Too blardy expensive. Cannot afford.
     
  8. PapA_xlonG

    PapA_xlonG Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2009
    Messages:
    147
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    JB/Singapore
    Just feel LN racket does not worth for the price. Simply over-pricing. :s

    Better spend that money to hire a coach to polish our skill. :p
     
  9. ANDY01

    ANDY01 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2009
    Messages:
    14
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    sembawang
    LOL make sense haha

    is there any supplier that allows trying of racket before purchase, heard that some countries have tis kinda service provided
     
  10. tckang

    tckang Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2009
    Messages:
    724
    Likes Received:
    4
    Occupation:
    Con man (I do sales)
    Location:
    Boleh-Land
    Hi Andy, since i am a Malaysian but currently works in Beijing i got it there at their local price. After 40% discount, i got my N55 at RMB1000. (Ard 200-250SGD) This is the bext price so far for non online, retail shop price.
    And inside China, especially Beijing, Li Ning do sponsor free racket testing for the public. They will book a badminton club for one full day and bring in lotsa their top range rackets. You just have to sign up and pick your racket and play for free on the court. That is how i get to try N90, N55, and N50 before i even dare to buy them.
    Out of China tough, things are just starting for them. It will surely pick up pace, base on their racket quality.
    Note though, their N series rackets does require very high "exlosive power" and skills to feel the difference. Most novice regret buying them as it feels like a piece of junk to them, seriously. :D
    To know more about them check out what i have posted on page 18, in equipment section, under the thread "Li Ning badminton racket review"
    Cheers
     
  11. ANDY01

    ANDY01 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2009
    Messages:
    14
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    sembawang
    :eek:ic... they shld also book the whole court during weekends in SG for potential buyers to try their rackets out. although i hv not tried out the li-ning rackets myself, but i personally thinks that the price is too high (i'm still a student):rolleyes:

    but since u gave such positive feed backs i believe they have their own strengths as a product. i might consider buying 1 few years later ba:p
     
  12. aramistuscany

    aramistuscany Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2008
    Messages:
    1,425
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Bukit Timah, Singapore
    Li Ning flagship store at ION Orchard have such a service but they charge you $20 a week for you to try them out.
     
  13. PapA_xlonG

    PapA_xlonG Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2009
    Messages:
    147
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    JB/Singapore
    Will they give u $20 discount if u decide to buy that racket? If not, we just pay the $20 for the racket rental fee.

    If they promote in this way, it is worth to have a try. :rolleyes:;):p:D
     
  14. teoky

    teoky Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2008
    Messages:
    1,543
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Manager
    Location:
    Singapore
    I guess for the demo service, they probably allocate racquets specifically for the demo ? It doesn't make sense for them to allocate new racquets to each potential customer and then offering $20 discount if customer want to convert to sale.

    Conversely, if it is a demo racquet, $20 off isn't alot as there could be alot of chip marks, scratches etc.
     
  15. tckang

    tckang Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2009
    Messages:
    724
    Likes Received:
    4
    Occupation:
    Con man (I do sales)
    Location:
    Boleh-Land
    All i can say is inside China Li Ning rackets are picking up sales fast, partly due to the switch of their national team (big morale boost) and secondly their "buy own national product" mentality. Thirdly, in China Some (not all) still dont support Japanese product wherever possible, due to past dark history during WWII :rolleyes:
    As Li Ning came out from no where into producing badminton racket only after 2007, right now i believe their key priorities are still supporting the China national badminton team, and also to penetrate local China market (1.3 Billion population).
    So i forsee they will only slowly venture out to SEA, and maybe EU, US at a very slow pace.
    Right now for those daring enuf, the only cheapest mode to own a Li Ning racket is to purchase via friends, relatives, colleagues, in China when tey have sales, or via online (But mind you, a lot of clone rackets out there in online sites, including Yonex!!!)
     
  16. tckang

    tckang Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2009
    Messages:
    724
    Likes Received:
    4
    Occupation:
    Con man (I do sales)
    Location:
    Boleh-Land
    SHOCKING! Ever wonder y Li Ning rackets are so expensive???

    In 2009, Li Ning became a hot topics in badminton world, more so after it managed to clinched the sponsorship of China badminton national team. After 2009 Sudirman Cup, Li Ning badminton products made a "glittering" entry into consumers market. However, in the past few months, questions on the quality of their rackets, and particularly their shocking price range, became hotly debated in the badminton fans zones.
    The following are some HOT news taken from a friend who has an insider working in YONEX Japan.

    Li Ning and YONEX relationship:
    Since 90s, Li Ning has already been eyeing the badminton market. Simple reason being this sport has a big following in Asia, particularly in China alone. At that time, the No.1 brand in badminton has to be Yonex. And to save time to penetrate the market fast, Li Ning has the wild ideas of buying over Yonex.
    In 2001, official offer was made by Li Ning to Yonex to buy over them but in the end Yonex rejected the offer, due to management and sales strategy differences cant be sorted out.
    In 2007, after few years of establishing good "guan xi" (relationship) with the Chinese National Badminton team, in the end they managed to clinched the sponsorship for the team. However, at that time, Li Ning does not have their own racket products. So, again, an offer was made to buy over Yonex. Again, Yonex rejected. In the end, the "sponsorship" end up with Yonex rackets, and Li Ning shoes, and badminton wear for the Chinese National team :D.
    This time around, Yonex voices out their displeasure over such arrangements. In the end they pull out totally from the Chinese team sponsorship, leaving Li Ning in deep ****. :p If they failed to came out rackets on time for the sponsorship, Chinese team will drop them and globally their brand name will shrink very fast. This prompted Li Ning to pump in lotsa $$ and take over KASON, in 2008. (Then No.1 Local Chinese badminton brand inside China). After the take over, however, Li Ning ofund out that even though KASON rackets are generally good, they are not up to the National team expectations and standards :confused:. Again, problem arised. In the end, they choose to produce their own rackets under Li Ning's brand name.
    At this critical time, a GuangDong based badminton manufacturer who help manufacture GOSEN rackets offer help in producing Li Ning rackets. (Hence it is true that Li Ning and KASON racets are produced differently). However, the rackets produced by this GuangDong factory again failed to meet the expectations of the Chinese National team, citing balancing and speed issues, compared to Yonex rackets. :D
    In the end, the BEST part of the story happened. Yonex - owned japanese factory that produce the carbon fibre for high end YONEX rackets decided to "help" Li Ning, at a super high premium of course. With no where else to run to, Li Ning has no choice but to "submit" to this high premium lesson. :D
    So, from 2001, until 2009, plus the very high premium paid to Yonex owned carbon fibre factory, i believe now you can understand why Li Ning N90 is priced at RMB 1980 /stick. :p

    CONCLUSION? Li Ning racket is same quality in terms of materials with YONEX (the source are the same, from Yonex-owned fibre factory). In terms of technology, the R&D mostly comes from KASON due to such short time. The price? Now you know why you have to pay such a high price for their rackets.
    Is it worth it from consumer's end? Well to me, as long as the rackets suits me, and as long as it is not 5k, 10k i am willing to give it a try. ;) Will Li Ning last? Well with KASON and now their own Li Ning brand in their belt, and with Chinese National Team sponsorship, you bet it will sure pose a challenge to most major brands.
    Cheers. (Next to come on Yonex future strategies. And detailed N90 reviews ;))
     
    samhuda likes this.
  17. HKChua

    HKChua Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2005
    Messages:
    722
    Likes Received:
    2
    Occupation:
    Software Architect
    Location:
    Singapore
    Well... if only if it is being officially announced by YONEX, else I will only treat it as propaganda....

    There were people who go around selling YONEX clones, claiming that it was from the same factory as YONEX......

    Well... may be all these are the rules of the ball game...

    thanks.
     
  18. tckang

    tckang Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2009
    Messages:
    724
    Likes Received:
    4
    Occupation:
    Con man (I do sales)
    Location:
    Boleh-Land
    You can never see this officially announced as Yonex and Li Ning would want to appear as competitors, even though the material source of Li Ning rackets is under the mercy of Yonex. The source of this news does come from Yonex Japan, all i can say for now. Believe it or not is up to everyone. ;)
    As for Yonex clone, all i can say is dont buy them online. Only buy from original dealers of Yonex to prevent such problem. In China, fakes are really a big problem to consumers, especially like handphones. :p
     
  19. MetalOrange

    MetalOrange Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2009
    Messages:
    278
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    home
    tckang,

    actually it is not very hard to fathom that LiNing have their 'leanings' from GOSEN, specifically--less with Kason--in the manufaturing and technological aspects! Well, it is a known fact.

    Naturally GOSEN and YONEX would only be willing up to a point...and oh no, no, no. Doesnt matter if they paid top dollar to get 'in' with technical expertise and knowledge, LN would still not get 'in' per se.

    As to the price, it's a no brainer, you've been working there in Beijing...the pricing is really geared up to rev-up their supposedly "intrinsic value" in the stock market with the addition of the racquet segment in 2007! Buying Kason, getting "in" to GOSEN and YONEX wouldn't bemused those guys holding up their shares...so what now? Pump and plump the pricing!

    Are the N series any good? As I said previously, at least personally anyway, their top of the line N90 is a notch below Mizuno (of course) TC 700!

    ...at that price? Mizuno charges less and Yonex even lesser. Now Li Ning has the audacity to charge that high?

    Kind regards
    MetalOrange

    P.S. However, on a purely racket issue, some people in my circle said the same, N90 is not their cup of tea and they like N55 better, just like you.
     
  20. l_i_a_m

    l_i_a_m Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2009
    Messages:
    56
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Malaysia
    I think Yonex won't announce even IF it is true that they REALLY supply the carbon fiber stuff to Li-Ning, because this will make people even more likely to purchase Li-Ning. Because people will start have the confidence that Li-Ning racket was ACTUALLLY using the SAME material from Yonex, just the brand and R&D is different.

    BUT by keeping quiet, people will start to question Li-Ning itself, where is the technology and material used to produce it's racket, home grown China Brand Carbon Fiber?

    Come to think about it, Yonex is smart NOT to announce it. In this way, Yonex take in a lot of profit by just supplying the Carbon fiber at high price to Li-Ning, another way, the natural tendency of people is to SUSPECT product which is MADE IN CHINA...just like the rest of us, when Li-Ning deputed their racket series to the world, the first question in our mind was, Li-Ning? China Brand oh? Can arr?

    But now since you said the material was ACTUALLY the SAME material used by Yonex, then now, I started to believe in Li-Ning.

    Anyway, the price sucks.
     

Share This Page