In an ideal world, the best thing to do is to walk into a sporting goods store that stocks a lot of cricket equipment and buy a cricket bat. There will be store clerks on hand to assist you with the purchase. In the USA and in many other places around the world, this is not a viable option. The next best thing is to buy a cricket bat from a reputable online cricket store, ebay does not qualify as a reputable store.
You want to pick a store that is going to sell you a bat and give you advice along the way. A great business track record in the cricket goods industry is a given.
In North America and around the globe, your best option is cricketstoreonline.com.
Here are some questions that you should be asked and able to answer when purchasing a cricket bat.
1. What type of cricket will the owner of the cricket bat be playing?
Hard leather ball cricket or hard tennis ball cricket. This will determine the type of cricket bat and the type of willow that you will be advised on.
2. How tall is the owner of the cricket bat?
Cricket bats come in different sizes and it is important to select a bat that will fit the size of the player. This will also have an effect on the weight of the bat.
3. What level of cricket is the player playing at?
If the owner of the cricket bat is a beginner to the game of cricket then they might want to get a budget friendly, entry level cricket bat. If the player is a budding professional or on that path, then a better cricket bat would be the way to go.
If the owner of the cricket bat is a soon to be professional with a lot of knowledge on cricket bats it may be worth asking regarding a particular brand of cricket bat.
There are players that have a preference for a particular type of cricket. Many players that are buying a 2nd or 3rd cricket bat will already have specifications in a particular brand that they enjoy, while others will want to inquire regarding innovation in the cricket bat market.
4. Ask Questions and Get Answers
Ask all of these questions and find an expert that is willing to walk and talk you through the entire cricket bat buying process, this will make you comfortable with your cricket bat purchase.