New DHS Online Shop for Europeans

[Suga D]

No matter how you twist it, it is what it is.

Well anyhow, at the last WTTC in Düsseldorf DHS sold National Bluesponge at their booth, so not ENTIRELY impossible that they will also sell it here, since TT11 also sells 'em.

If the BS that is sold on Ali is fake it's hard to believe that it's the only counterfeit product they sell, but if you don't mind this, then it's up to you. So whatever pleases you, i'll rather stick to my sources.

 

[Simas]

If the demand is high and consistent, it'd make sense for them to setup warehouses in various parts of the world. For now, I doubt it.

It's not only about the volumes (which I am pretty sure will be sufficient as the population of EU is 500mln), but also about import duties. If you have a warehouse in EU, when you deliver from it inside EU, there are no import duties. That's not the case if you ship form China

 

[zeio]

The European market has stagnated, even shrinking. I bet the cost of renting a warehouse on them is much higher than the import duty on the customers.

 

[Suga D]

I'm not so sure about that. 25 years ago nobody or only very very few players in Germany was playing with chinese rubbers. Their image was that they were unplayable for europeans. This Image is still existent but started crumbling slowly but surely and more and more chinese rubbers can be found in leagues and tournaments since Not everybody wants to cough up fifty bucks for a rubber that only will last up to three months. So some started going back to classic rubbers, others switched to chinese rubbers. So that modern rubber section could indeed be stagnating a bit, but even that loss might just be rather marginal.

 

[Lightzy]

SugaD, not that it's statistically representative necessarily, but out of curiosity, how many people at your club are playing Chinese rubbers?

At mine there are a total of 2, with the rest using tenergies, tibhar genius/mx-p and acudas..

 

[darucla]

Quite a few at my club use Chinese rubbers. In my team, which is associated with another club, there are 5 permanent members, 3 of whom use Chinese rubbers, including me. (UK).

 

[Suga D]

SugaD, not that it's statistically representative necessarily, but out of curiosity, how many people at your club are playing Chinese rubbers?

At mine there are a total of 2, with the rest using tenergies, tibhar genius/mx-p and acudas..

At my club it used to be only two players too, but the number grew up to five or six in the last three years, which certainly still isn't the majoritybut as i wrote, it's not just my club but also the leagues and the tournaments i play at.
Just lately i was facing a chopper who has switched to red H3N on his fh. After looking at each other's rackets he was surprised to find out somebody was using H3N bluesponge.

 

[zeio]

The European market is stagnant and shrinking as a whole. Stiga and ESN say so. I have the numbers. It doesn't look good.

 

[NDH]

The European market is stagnant and shrinking as a whole. Stiga and ESN say so. I have the numbers. It doesn't look good.

I'd say that was pretty accurate.

Over the past 15 years, I've seen local leagues shrink from 6/7 divisions, to 2/3.

Pretty much everyone you speak to in the UK knows Table Tennis is shrinking in participation. It's a sad time!

 

[Simas]

I bet the cost of renting a warehouse on them is much higher than the import duty on the customers.

I doubt that. You don't have to rent a separate warehouse and staff it to ship from Europe. There are a lot of fullfilment centers to which you ship a container of various stuff and forget about it. And when you sell smth the order is sent directly from the eshop to the fullfilment center where their workers ship it.. Anyways, lets wait a little bit and see how it turns out

The European market is stagnant and shrinking as a whole. Stiga and ESN say so. I have the numbers. It doesn't look good.

I like the numbers. Please give them to us

 

[zeio]

That's actually based on real-life examples. When Butterfly chose to take back distribution rights and do it themselves in China, Germany, and Korea, and Stiga in China and Japan, respectively, they didn't go with fulfillment centers. They set up offices there.

Nowadays, big brands don't like the idea of giving up control to outside parties. What's more, it wouldn't make sense for them to compete with their local distributors. If DHS is to go with fulfillment centers, the distributors would be certain to complain.

DHS has been selling their stuff through Nittaku in Japan for years, and I mean years. Same for Nittaku. Nittaku has a joint venture with DHS in China. Both companies are the sole distributors for their respective markets. That's how they do it if there is a big enough market.

As for the numbers, I can't give them out for free.

 

[RidTheKid]

I love this part!

As for the numbers, I can't give them out for free.

 

[darucla]

https://www.dhs-sports.store/

Now open

 

[SFF_lib]

https://www.dhs-sports.store/

Now open

The pricing is ridiculously high. Like Long5 is $80 more than Prott. A BS Provincial H3 is $20 more than Princeoftt.

Even a cheap H301 is $108 on their site, about double of what Princeoftt offers.

I wonder if they hike up the price because of higher spending in Europe??

Passionate about TT

 

[darucla]

Probably priced to avoid upsetting distributors. These are close to the same prices as were on the Chinese shop. They will pick up sales from those who worry about fake products.

 

[James Krassowski]

“Rare blue sponge” They really are trying to bank on international customers

 

[Simas]

Yes, prices are elevated. I buy regular H3Neo for ~19eur, and here is 29USD. Also as there were discussions about shipping, so it seems they will be shipping from China. So if you are buying something more expensive, import duties will apply.

So, basically a regular e-shop from China and they just started doing international delivery. Not worth IMHO

 

[zeio]

Told you not to get your hopes up.

 

[TTHopeful]

Atleast we know its not going to be fake but it is darn expensive.

 

[Simas]

Atleast we know its not going to be fake but it is darn expensive.

Looked more closely and the shipping is included in the price.
So H3Neo costs 29 USD, it would be around 23,5 in eur at current FX rate. I can buy H3Neo for 19eur +~3 eur for shipping=22 eur, so for this particular case for H3Neo, price is OK. Also there is an added benefit that it would be an original stuff if you don't trust your local seller..