The top range isn't new, but I'm pretty sure the mid range P870, F870, etc is new because of the frame techs, such as kalibrate.
No worries. On another note. My Adipower Pro racket (sold and returned via eBay) has a broken handle. I remember someone complaining about their Adizero Pros facing a similar fate. Anyway, handle replacement project is a GO!
i found that with the Adidas products, they are good and a vast range. hype was good but availability was minimal, im still waiting for quick force 7 to arrive into Australia...
the only thing that barred me from buying an adidas racket is their price, when I saw them, I mean wow, that's.. as expensive as or even more expensive than Yonex! if they can be like victor a little bit (before they sponsor korean team). I got my MX80 for 130USD, maybe not reasonable now, but I think if they can position their high end racket in 130-150, then I am more than willingly to try the racket. after all, they don't stingy in term of technology, they put a lot of it in their rackets
Why would Adidas market their rackets at a lower cost than Yonex? Their entire company is all about "premium" products. Their shoes are more expensive than most other brands. But they are indeed better, and more technologically advanced than most other brands too. The same goes for almost everything they sell. If they start marketing products that compete with "value" brands, then it will dilute their whole brand image. I'm all for keeping their pricing high... Just as long as it means that their quality and functionality remain industry leading as well.
As the newest kid on the block, if they want someone to try out their wonderful premium quality products, the first and single most important consideration (or barrier) is the price tag.
I have to disagree with that. When news broke that they would be selling their own line of rackets, there were LOTS of interested people, anxiously awaiting their release. With a brand as established as Adidas, most people would expect the rackets to be of high quality, and pay the high price. The people that "premium" products are marketed to are not the kind of people that have to worry about the price of things.
When Apple released their very first iPhone, they didn't gain market share by selling a lower priced product. They gained it because their company already had a history of high quality, desirable products. Adidas is in the same league in Badminton as Apple is in the phone market.
Visor is right. In my store, when people had to choose between Adidas and Yonex, they'd automatically pick Yonex. Their reasoning was "Why pay the same price for an Adidas racket when I can get a Yonex racket that has proven itself to be good many times". And even then, my Adidas rackets were about 10-15% less expensive than Yonex ones. If Adidas started making laptops that are exactly the same as Thinkpads and priced them as high as them, would you buy a Thinkpad or an Adidas laptop ?
I'm afraid I was one of those who got sucked by their 'premium' products. I bought an Adipower Pro at launch for the price of a top end Yonex. Played with it for a few months and found the head/T-joint too unstable. Sold it. Excellent paint job though.
how do you know they are offering good quality? they are not known for making anything related to badminton (not even shoes), they are new to this, how can we know they are not screwed up? do you really want to buy a cat in a bag? it doesn't work that way in badminton, how come we know it is good while we can't even verify it? the price tag limits people to buy the racket, not everyone can have 3-5 rackets, mostly only 1 or 2. and with that price tag, people will go for older brand which gives guarantee result. it is not "value" brand, it means market penetration. they are NEW to this and it is the best strategy. let people try their racket first, once they build their fan base, then, they can increase the price. yes I know they need to keep their brand image, but still, it is the wrong strategy and as we can see here, yes, they are wrong. I am even against li-ning most of the time since they just bought kason and starts charging higher than Yonex. but then, li-ning at least has kason to back them up. adidas has none, they thought their brand name is good enough to break the market, but too bad, it doesn't
Li-Ning is a different beast. Their marketing is incredible. I'd say they are the Apple of badminton. I've had some people here that didn't really know Li-Ning but they heard that they made miracle products such as "The uncontested best shoes and rackets in the whole world". Not to downgrade their products, but nothing will ever be "the uncontested best product" in badminton. It simply does not exist and it is not possible. That's why I cry a little inside everytime I see "What is the best ..." posts, and I cry even more when answer by suggesting a product as the best.
yes, their marketing is good, after all, they are sponsoring Lin Dan, the best player in the world. plus, they are king in their own market. they have 1.35 billion audience which might prefer domestic brand than japanese brand (yes, many chinese are in bad terms with japan) the miracle product things maybe because chinese people love to hyperbole things.
sorry to break your bubble, but it doesn't work that way here. I am expecting 130-150USD right off the bat since that's how victor (second best after yonex) do their pricing. it is not only about brand name, but also about switching costs, do I really want to pay that much for adidas (unknown brand in badminton)? I can buy a Yonex (80+ years brand) with that price point. the cost for people to try the product is TOO great. therefore, only enthusiastic people (mostly forum members) will buy the racket exactly what I am trying to say. let's just say adidas starts making a TV and starts charging as much as sony, I'm sure as hell will gonna choose sony any day apple is already a different case. it is one of the first touch screen phone. that one is in a whole different playground. there is no established brand, and people still competing for market share. technology has a very high R&D cost, therefore it is still reasonable for them to sell it that high (plus there is no reference on how they should price it.) in badminton, it is a saturated market with 3 big competitors, yonex, li-ning, victor. Adidas can't just barge in and saying they are premium, trying to be at the top on their very first attempt. that's just so wrong
