While we frequently recommend training aids on this blog, I thought we would look at an article that gives suggestions for buying baseball equipment this week. The article is taken from Swing Smarter.com and is entitled Unraveling 4 Momentous Baseball Equipment Buying Guidelines. While the article is helpful with certain suggestions towards baseball buying guidelines, it seems to take on the role of an infomercial at other points; so, be a close reader if you choose to follow the link, because we will only focus on the good parts of the article for this blog.
The most helpful part of the article seems to come in the form of suggestions about where and when to buy baseball equipment. The author of the article conveys a sense of credibility when he tells his readers that he has made a living by buying overstocked brand new old stock (NOS), and selling it online. Essentially, NOS is inventory that retailers are left with at the end of a season, are unable to sell, and are forced to sell in bulk deals to websites like Baseball Express, Amazon, and Overstock.com. In turn, these websites are able to turn a profit on NOS because of the low prices they originally buy the merchandise for. While online retailers are a good place to find deals on baseball equipment, online classifieds like Craigslist are also places where you can save a lot of money. Craigslist offers a unique opportunity for buyers to negotiate a price for merchandise with sellers in “unique situations.” Sellers on craigslist have often acquired their merchandise through a unique means, and frequently want well bellow market value for their products. SwingSmarter.com also recommends that parents look to buy baseball equipment during winter months to prevent sellers from charging you a “seasonal rate.”
SwingSmarter.com urges parents to buy equipment that is durable, and will be safe for their children to use. When it comes to baseball equipment, or any product in general, it pays off to buy a quality product in the immediate, and stave off the price of an inexpensive product that will break down and cost you more money in the long run. Like wise, make sure the equipment that your son or daughter chooses to use is safe. Although online reviews may suggest that their equipment is safe, affordable, and durable, these reviews have often been written by wholesalers themselves. Look to Google Groups, Blogs, and .Orgs that do not have financial motivation when you look for referrals on products.
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