How Graf works in Europe with pro dealers

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

I remember back in the day when you walked into a Graf booth and they gave you B/W photocopies and spec sheets.

[DarkStar50 679]

My Graf rep makes his catalog at Kinko's. True.

[GrafPro55 0]

I think the order form for custom Graf's could use a facelift. I might do that on monday.

[bekster 0]

The new catalogue is laying around at my lhs for free. If i get around there this week I might pick it up and scan it. They do offer customs at virtually no add-on. You might have to wait a while and py for shipping when ordering mid-season as the initial poster explained. What I really like about their catalogue (and also their smaller leaflets) is that they explain the cut and what kind of foot each skate is supposed to be made for. I also respect the way they rather stay with facts and technical aspects rather than make their catalogue "bling". Without having seen it I guess the girls in the Warrior catalogue are hotter, are they?

Would be great if you could scan the catalogue!!

[Hede 2]

Damn i would like to get a pair of customs graf. A trip to Switzerland this summer can be planed.

[Simonp27 0]

Damn i would like to get a pair of customs graf. A trip to Switzerland this summer can be planed.

I would be up for that but where does it say that is an option? - I can't see it on their website.

[Hede 2]

Quote from the first post icingboy made.

Graf do not sponsor any teams our players, therefor the volum is not so high as other companies giving away free deals like crazy, they do not sponsor any pro players but gladly makes PM skates at same price for all players that asks for it, the even have a factory day where you can drop inn, see the production and take measurments of your feet, this is good customer service and is used by more and more players in Europe, no wonder Graf is sold out every year, the make 24 000 pairs of skates for every season!

[bucko 0]

well in the mid 90´s they did some sponsorship as well, i could grab a pair of grafs 705 from a friend of me who was a pro a that time. he gets them for free at that time, cause graf would get into the market, even the refs could get a pair of test boots. but how ever they stoped it after the boots were selling better. graf has always been there, but in the early 90´s most guys in germany played the bauer 1000´s 2000´s and 3000´s, than a few tacks, microns, daousts, and all the others. so the big market comeback of graf in europe or specially germany happened when they sponsored single teams and players, like jochen hecht, marco sturm and so on...

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

NO! They NEVER sponsor anyone! I don't believe it!

LOL

[bucko 0]

maybe i should´ve posted it right into the other thread about skate marketing, as an eye opener :D

no, there´s enough trouble about graf...

[duch 0]

Grafs are made to last which is one of the reasons they're more popular in Europe. It's expensive over there, I know that's where I'm originally from and still have relatives who tell me what things cost over there and make my mouth drop. It costs at least 50% more to supply yourself with hockey equipment over there so when you buy skates you want them to last you a few years. Considering a lot of the newer Bling! Bling! skates might only last a year or two at the most, and some cost more than the mainstream Graf models, it's a pretty expensive proposition to buy a North American companies skate. A lot of the European players still do buy Nike/Bauer or CCM because of the influence of Canadian players but most of the Europeans stick mostly to Grafs.

Incidentally regarding the quality of the Swiss made Grafs as opposed to the ones made in North America, I believe thats a myth. I've looked at both and from what I can see their both made to the same specs and use the same materials.

[sweed 5]

A lot of the European players still do buy Nike/Bauer or CCM because of the influence of Canadian players but most of the Europeans stick mostly to Grafs.

MOST of the european players use NikeBauer and RBK/CCM for sure. Graf is however used fairly much and many guys gets them custom-made.

Here in Sweden Graf was distributed by JOFA some years ago and at that time they were even more popular(since most teams in the Elite Leagues had JOFA as sponsor).

Now Graf is still prefered by many Swedish players but even more popular in Russia, Chech/Slovakia, Germany and of course Switzerland.

[bucko 0]

A lot of the European players still do buy Nike/Bauer or CCM because of the influence of Canadian players but most of the Europeans stick mostly to Grafs.

not true, i can only speak for germany, and it is a fact that bauer is number one since ever, 2nd place for ccm/rbk, i guess easton and graf would be tied... mission, kor, whatever, they´re just not existing.

[duch 0]

Maybe there are a few countries like Germany that buy more North American brands but in general Graf is still more popular overall if you include the ex-Eastern Bloc countries and Russia and some of Russia's ex-states.

[McDougalfaschnitzer 32]

My Graf rep makes his catalog at Kinko's. True.

Must have been the same guy I met up with.

[Hede 2]

Here in Denmark Bauer and CCM / RBK are the top brands few has Graf. And it is the same the times i been in Sweden and Norway. You maby right on the ex-Eastern bloc. I guess Graf is big in Germany, Swiss and Austria to.

[bucko 0]

i think bauer and rbk/ccm are the market leaders in whole europe. there are countrys where graf is sold better, but even in russia they don´t come higher than 3rd in this ranking. it is not seeing less bauer or ccm/rbk skates in russia, it is the missing easton, mission, etc. skates. graf is bigger here in europe than in north america, but not as big as you guys think.

[Hede 2]

Well i see more Easton and Mission skates then Graf here. I dont know where Graf are sold in Denmark.

[bucko 0]

yeah thats what i am talking about, i guess bauer is the absolute leader, than ccm/rbk at 2nd, and the other manufacturers like easton, mission, graf, etc. get the rest of the cake. and the rest of the cake might be a little bigger for graf in russia than in central europe. sure in switzerland (not sweden :D )it could be a little different again.

would be very interesting to have some numbers here!

[duch 0]

I guess we meed someone to come up with some statistics. I'd be interested to see just what market share the major players hold in Europe and Russia.

[#44wannabe 4]

Didnt want to start a new thread but does anyone have an email address for Graf Switzerland?

[spylo18 0]

no email address but phone number: +41 (0) 71- 672 57 57

I live in Germany and I personaly dont like the Graf Switzerland. they only have about the half of the models graf canada has. they only have a new skate about every third year. the top of the line skates are the G5, G7 and G70. NO G3!the rest of the skates are more like in the 150$ area and are very soft and very heavy. the shops in europe nearly never have graf skates. The shops dont know anything about the right fitting of a skate or which skate would be the best for your foot. I never saw a shop making custome skates or have a custome programm. the graf custom footbed isnt avable too! So if a team orders custome skates for they players 90% of the graf skates are from canada. I think sweden is the only country with more then 1 graf skates in the shops. I can imagine if the guys there are very knowlegable but thats the only european country I think!