TRUE custom Winning 16oz

[MEGAhorse]

Nice update strat. Lemme ask you this: would the price still be a negative after using the product you designed? Or is it still too expensive?

 

[goldennboy]

why'd you get these off kaz and not Steve?

 

[StRatoCastR]

I think it does warrant a negative, its pretty dang high. Im taking into account not my income but everyones income.

Is it worth the price? Yes of course. Does it fit everyone budget especially in this era of economic issues? Definitely not.

 

[StRatoCastR]

why'd you get these off kaz and not Steve?

There was no option due to customization, price was the exact same, does that make sense? I could have but it would have been no benefit. I did go thru steve btw but it was the exact same. I had to explain to kaz.

 

[mixedmajik]

Modern day escobar with the black card on deck?

Did you prefer the CS of Kaz over Steve Strato?

 

[StRatoCastR]

I had to work with both i prefer kaz i think next time if i do get a 12 oz set i will deal direct next time. Kaz was super nice! Steve pretty much starked me the entire time u till after i made the purchase

I always thought steve went winning direct to japan but i guess not?

Or is kaz the overall maker of winning?

 

[shihtzu]

I had to work with both i prefer kaz i think next time if i do get a 12 oz set i will deal direct next time. Kaz was super nice! Steve pretty much starked me the entire time u till after i made the purchase

I always thought steve went winning direct to japan but i guess not?

Or is kaz the overall maker of winning?

Guys, so a brief recapitulation.

THE ONLY MAKER of Winning is Winning factory in Fukushima.

Then there are official distributors. 99% of them are located in Japan, just one is abroad (KAZUMICHI HAYASHI - WINNING USA - CA ,USA). Well, you can buy Winning gear in Seoul for example, but basically they just buy it in Japan and sell for the same prices as Kazumichi.

Anyway, one of those 99% Japanese distributors is Steve Mitani (and his America-Ya store on rakuten) and he is one of the cheapest among them.

So Kazumichi makes nothing and (if you check his website) does nothing.
He just charges your cards and sends the orders to Japan, from where they ship your gear then.

Mitani either ships from his own store (if he has the particular item in stock) or orders it from the Winning factory. Of course he orders also all custom things there - INCLUDING screen print. Guys, please, don't be silly, if you ordered a screen print, your gloves won't be shipped the next day - Winning needs to do the print and then ship the gear to Mitani. It can take even 2 weeks sometimes.

So in the end the only difference between Hayashi (Kazumichi) and Mitani is that Hayashi is connected with Winning as their official represent. abroad and Mitani is their JPN distributor. The whole process is IDENTICAL with both except Mitani ships the gear from his shop and Winning USA orders are shipped by Winning Japan (in both cases from Japan, NOT from the U.S.). Also Mitani is extremely helpful with the import red taping... and his prices in general are lower than Winning USA (Hayashi Kazumichi).

 

[MEGAhorse]

Shihtzu,

Do you know how much a pair of winning 16oz can run you in Japan?

 

[shihtzu]

Shihtzu,

Do you know how much a pair of winning 16oz can run you in Japan?

Mitani is (luckily) the cheapest among the distributors, so the same as from him. Except his 10% handling fee and of course the shipping. However you would pay some extra in Japan anyway: sales tax, it's 5% as far as I know but they are planning raise is (the country's debt is 220% GDP...)...

So the cheapest would be just as from Mitani: standard colours lace-up 16 oz. MS-600 would cost you 24300Y + 5% tax.

People think they come in some shop in Tokyo and just buy the gear cheaper, but it isn't so. Ironically very often you would pay there the same as from America-Ya incl. shipping and handling or even more.

 

[StRatoCastR]

Why was i referred over to winning usa at some point? That is why i put it here and also stated that i thought rakuten was direct to japan. I have emails to prove it.

The sentence before the bold and the cat i stated what i thought. Was it an understanding issue or did he not know it could or could not be done regarding the level of the configuration of my glove?

 

[shihtzu]

Why was i referred over to winning usa at some point? That is why i put it here and also stated that i thought rakuten was direct to japan. I have emails to prove it.

Easily because Winning USA do not sell abroad. Whenever an order from abroad comes they refer it to Hayashi, who is a sort of sales representative. Sounds ridiculous I know but if you email Winning Japan you want some gear they refer you to Hayashi, he charges your card and passes the order back to Winning Japan and they will ship your gear.

Mitani has his own permanent stock and the custom orders are ordered from Winning Japan's factory.

This is the way it is, definitely.

 

[StRatoCastR]

Ok i was asked who i dealt with and i dealt with both. Shihtzu i think we posted at the same time, check the previous page

 

[shihtzu]

To make it perfectly clear.

1) everything is manufactured in Fukushima (Winning factory), the only difference is who passes the order to them and the cost

2) whether or not Winning factory is willing to make some sort of specific customization (like this wider thick strap) depends on who is asking them. Naturally it is not a problem if Kazumichi asks them and most often not a problem if Mitani asks (Mitani's shop is very old and he has pretty good relations with Winning headquaters)

3) when Mitani gets an order from abroad and the person somehow annoyed him with the questions he now and then says "Go to Winning USA, they are a great company." Why? Don't ask me.

 

[StRatoCastR]

Ok cuz i thought you were flipping me crap, im like wtf i just followed what was told to me lol

 

[shihtzu]

Ok cuz i thought you were flipping me crap, im like wtf i just followed what was told to me lol

I was surprised you went with Hayashi. Now I know why

in general:

Guys, don't annoy Mitani (Goldenboy, particulary you!) and do not take him literally. If he says "Go to Winning USA" or sounds he is annoyed let him calm down and CALL him on phone - you will sort out everything easily, Mitani is a great guy but impulsive.

 

[StRatoCastR]

He better not be annoyed he took my dang money!

 

[shihtzu]

He better not be annoyed he took my dang money!

Strato, I am confused a bit, who took your money in the end America-Ya or Winning USA?

Mitani is annoyed because many people post 10 questions about specific customization and then order nothing. Or order and do not pay. Of course this is not your case, but you know, Mitani is a bit specific.

 

[mixedmajik]

Shihtzu business is business. If a business provides an email for potential customers to use, there is nothing wrong with trying to email the guy (even multiple times) whether or not a purchase results from it. I agree with what you said that you should send educated messages but honestly Mitani should not be expecting the average customer (of course I realize the average customer may not know Rakuten exists) to be visiting sherdog and talking to you or the rest of us first. The average customer with an inquiry will inquire via the link to email provided. It comes with the territory. Business isn't emotional, he shouldn't be getting so annoyed. Granted I don't know what goldennboy has been asking him but golden is a good kid from my experiences with him. This also is not just me saying this without experience emailing steve. I've emailed him a lot in the past and nothing has been wrong. I think you're defending his intolerance (apparently, I've yet to experience it) for e-mail a bit too much despite the fact he is in business. The fact that he is Japanese and serious and easily annoyed since he's a japanese stereotype is irrelevant in the context of running a business and responding to potential customers via the email he provided.

 

[shihtzu]

Your generalization is irrelevant in this case either, my brother.

I will explain you why. Do you want to get the gear cheaper? Then find the way how to deal with Mitani (THIS is what I am trying to explain here again and again, a bit unsuccessfully though).

Do you want to generalize about how the things should be or should be not, what attitude is correct/wise and what isn't? Feel free to do so. But don't be surprised ending with Winning USA and pay a lot more.

We are talking about real orders from a particular man. We want his gear. Our goal is NOT to judge him or to make the world better, our goal is to proceed our orders and save our money.

 

[mixedmajik]

Making the world better? Lol...where are you getting that stuff from in my post.

However what you said here is what I wasn't seeing clearly:

Find the way how to deal with Mitani (THIS is what I am trying to explain here again and again, a bit unsuccessfully though).

I don't think you actually said it as directly as that. Of course business works both ways. You must have a relationship that works or else of course you'll end buying from another party (which may cost you, or cost the seller, depending on who wanted the service of who more [so in this case yes, losing Mitani is whatever buyer's problem, not his]). We're not disagreeing with anything.

What you saw as generalizing from me was just me saying something general because your point wasn't clear. I'd rather say something general than say you definitely were saying something I wasn't sure you were actually saying or not.

I agree with you, people need to find their own way of dealing with Steve that keeps both parties happy if they want to buy from him and have a long lasting relationship.