I write this on the 1st May 2020 in the midst of the global Covid-19 pandemic. I thought it was worth updating on things that are happening here at Sportsballshop and mention a few new products (and a couple of old ones returning) that you may have missed over the last few weeks. I cannot remember a time like this. The world is under serious threat from a deadly virus, many retail businesses have closed temporarily, queues at physical shops extend beyond 100 metre's in some cases, sports clubs and schools are closed, and people are asked to stay at home for their own safety. This has had an effect on our business as we have had to adapt to try to keep the warehouse and office working, whilst some members of staff work from home. This allows us to keep safe distances during our working day, a big challenge when a shipping container arrives to unload though. We have seen a shift of sales away from bulk buy orders to more single ball orders, all are welcome though as we are still trying to operate as normal. Any order placed by 12 noon will be despatched the same day as our couriers all come in after 4pm to collect our parcels for the day. It is obvious though that initially some couriers were struggling to cope with the increase in business and delivery times slipped from next day to maybe 2 or 3 days later. It seems that things are returning to normal though, as the staff available to the couriers has returned to a more manageable level. If you are looking to place an order and want it quickly I would suggest choosing the Royal Mail 1st class or courier options rather than relying on the cheaper 2nd class post. I trust you are staying safe and wish you all the best over the next few weeks. On to new products you may have missed. Due for a big launch on the 1st of April, was the exciting new range of basketballs from Molten. Sadly this wasn't the case as most of the Molten business closed a week before but we were able to get our hands on the new Molten BG3000 basketball which replaces the ever popular Molten BGH basketball. The BG3000 basketball has a fantastic new outer material which feels amazing and a brand new concept in grip style, moving away from the traditional pebble effect grip to a textured surface. This ball is also FIBA Approved in all sizes. In rugby Gilbert have launched a replacement for the Gilbert Revolution X Match rugby ball and have introduced the Gilbert Kinetica Match rugby ball. The main difference on this ball is the grip as it has a new Multi Matric Grip which gives the player better grip and control. The ball also has the unique Ellipse Truflight valve which improves the flight of the ball, making it more stable through the air. This is the ball many clubs use for semi-pro games and the Kinetica ball is an elite quality rugby ball at a more affordable price. Finally we have 2 old favourites back in stock over the next few days. If you are looking for a compact football goal the Mitre Easy Fold goal measures 6' x 3' and will fit most smaller gardens. It is is easy to store too as the goal is foldable and is now back in stock from today, although we do have limited stock. The other returning product is the Mitre 5 in 1 Sports Net which is one of my favourite items. It is a versatile net system which can easily be set up to use as a rebounder net, football tennis, volleyball, badminton or for tennis. So much fun can be had with this by all members of the family. Again though we have limited stocks so when they are gone that's it. I hope you found this update useful and wish you and your families all the best. Stay safe and well. Stuart Cardy Sportsballshop
