i saw on ebonites facebook that they are offering a 30 dollar rebate if you buy the domination...........

kidlost2000 wrote on 1/19/2011 5:54 PM:

Keep in mind this is not to make your prices better if you buy online, but to make more for the company and for proshops.

 

How many of you go to proshops and they watch you bowl, find your PAP, ask you what you want and go from there on the layout?  (maybe a few)

 

How many go to your proshop and they try pushing their EBI(got to keep that gold status) then what ever you choose they ask what you want the ball to do, or pick your favorite ball you currently have and drill it identical to the old ball with out ever watching you bowl? (more likely)

 

How many of you have thrown demo balls before at the shop and really loved the ball? Was it drill just for you?

 

See there is more then one way to drill a ball. Most of todays bowling balls can be drilled many different ways to get a favorable reaction. Many bowlers can learn more on their own and apply that to what they currently use and may want.  Local brick and mortar shops may or may not do.

 

For most of these so called "basement drillers" that seem to be doing everything wrong, there are still far more that do this at your local "pro shop". Not all shops, but a lot. Also feel free to go to the company seminars. You get a package with the new equipment and listen to their sales pitch on the ball. There is nothing new about magic drillings or anything like that. Most are doing everything they can to not use the dual angle method, but some knock off version. Not sure why, but it is funny to watch.

 

So buy into what you want. If your a "pro shop" you want price regulation, because then you can have a much higher minimum price to charge the customer.(YOU AT HOME) This can effect you even if you buy only from your local shop. If they have minimum prices from the company, that company at any time can raise those prices. When that happens your cost will go up with it. (try looking at what companies think suggested retail is for their equipment. It is hilarious)

 

So if EBI or Storm feel they are being treated as bargain brands they may want to consider their sales. If your sales are not through the roof at the lower prices, raising the price will not make your product more desirable.

 

 

If I don't want your product at $119 don't assume I will want it at $133. ( I won't)

Be good, or be good at it.

jls

"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick  

kidlost2000 wrote on 1/20/2011 9:52 AM:

No one from an online store watches you bowl. You make the choice of what ball you want. Same for TVs, computers, food ect. It is you responsibility to be an adult and make that adult decision.

 

The point on seminars is that they aren't vast knowledge festivals that tech someone something that another person not attending would be at a disadvantage on. This was the point you appeared to make. That seminars are where "proshops" learn the latest and greatest. They are simply sales pitches with free stuff, or stuff at low prices.

 

Seminars on drilling and other business trades are not exclusive to proshops and can be attended by anyone. Most proshop employees don't learn that way. They learn from who ever they work under in the proshop. Maybe good, maybe bad.

 

You can try and blame people for saving money or going to non-bowling center establishments, but considering you have a reason of protecting your own business interest many can figure out that your opinion may be one of frustration not facts.

 

Same for the price regulations. It doesn't protect the consumer, it protects the business person. So you can scream for more change, but for many it will be the change they don't want.(higher prices) If all companies did this, no one would have an advantage on price because of minimums. Then proshops can afford to charge more because they will not be under cut by online stores. The manufactures can then charge more because there is no one that can sell the ball below the new minimum prices set. So say the HP ball was $129 your cost, then it goes to $150. Is the consumer still getting that ball for the same price as when you got the ball for $129?

 

When you eliminate the price competition, the prices don't get lower.

Be good, or be good at it.

jls

kidlost2000 wrote on 1/20/2011 1:36 PM:

"Kid, I don't understand,  why did you bring that up about pro shops not watching you bowl...How come it's not your responsibility then???"

 

 

 

May be some mix up on that. Was referring to the fact not all proshops do most of what so few on here talk about in regards to customer service. Such as watching the bowler, finding out their specs, ect ect. Many do not do this, they just sell the bowler what they want and got to the next sale.(very unfortunate)

Prices haven't gone up yet is my other point. If all companies went to this price policy I'm guessing/assuming it would be inevitable that they could then raise prices very similar to gas. If that happens then there will likely be no going back. Internet sales have been around in bowling for a long time now and it is hard to think it is just now causing some type of negative effect on bowling companies.

 

Buying online isn't for everyone. Many shops have adapted over the years so as to still make good profits on bowling balls no matter where they come from. They also have the ability when a place online sale bowling ball at a cost lower then there to buy the ball at the same price from the same place as everyone else.

 

Proshops are on one side of this and many consumers are on the other side. Both expect to get the best deal possible.

 

Be good, or be good at it.

jls

JOE FALCO wrote on 1/20/2011 3:18 PM:

So yes, I do expect to see some increases in the price of bowling balls over the next few months... Just like we will see the price of many items go up...Including gas for Joe's car...

 

Is there another JOE on here .. is this what you refer to as STALKING?? Please don't take me serious .. just remarking to let you know I have seen the comment .. I am an admitted ball whore but I buy only what I like and a the right price .. $200 bowling balls never interested me .. I have 9 Lane 1 balls and never paid more then $150 for each of them NIB/drilled/delivered. I should qualify my statement AT THE RIGHT PRICE I'M A BALL WHORE! There's a lot of good balls out there ..but at the prices they are asking they are breaking me of my habit! As for gas .. I buy it but look for the cheapest price .. right now I buy from BJ's ..  no different then Bowling balls .. only thing is the buyer still has options on GAS!

jls

I remember paying $200-$220 for a high performance ball 20 years ago, the price of food, gas, and every other expense has gone up. So if bowling balls go up why is it not expected or a sin. I guess we should just always expect to pay $220 tops for ever? This is the dumbest waste of typing and reading I have ever seen. Quit your bitching and buy the cheap trash or put up your 20 spot and get something worth while if you think it improves your game. Also remember how long you have been paying the same price for bowling balls and consider yourself lucky you havent paid more earlier as you should have!!!

kidlost2000 wrote on 1/20/2011 6:44 PM:

Cost of things increasing due to gas increase is always there.

 

We as people can do things to use less gas as prices increase, and many times do. Same for bowling balls. They are not a needed item but at the rate companies are releasing them you may think otherwise. I think you would see a decrease in sales if this policy went business wide. That could lead to less bowling ball production. Higher prices on less produced products or lower prices on the same number of products being released right now. (likely one or the other)

 

I'm still just guessing that if this took on through all companies that the companies may take the initiative to increase prices for whatever reason. They can also put pressure on shops to continue to sale at high rates in order to still get their discounts on prices through manufactures.(such as the gold program ect) Making it harder for those shops to keep up in sales at a decent profit margin when they have to sell quantities at lower prices to try and get their discounts.

 

(ex your cost on all EBI products goes up $10 a ball before next season, but if you keep selling X amount, previous to the price increase, you get your gold discount. Are you going to be able to increase the price of each ball $10 and keep your same sales numbers or will you eventually start having to take less profits to try and reach those numbers and still make you quota? That is still less profit for proshops at tighter margins) 

 

If all manufactures go to that same minimum price policy enforcing these prices on the online shops then consumers will have no choice but to pay more, or buy less. If they buy less does the manufacture come out ahead? Or the distributor, or the proshop?

 

If at these cheaper prices online you still can't move lots of product then it shows the market will not likely handle the same number of bowling balls at higher prices. Which would likely mean less production. If that is the route they want to go, thats fine. You can start producing less and releasing less new product now. You can only say it's the latest and greatest so many times a month before people figure out it really isn't.

Be good, or be good at it.

You obviously have no idea how the EBI gold program works kid. Now, couple that with your repeated use of " I'm just guessing" and your wild hypotheticals on "what might happen" and you are doing us all a disservice by continuing to blur the picture on this issue.

And when I say "all" I mean BR users, not pro shops.

jls, myself, and others in the industry are running a business. It is the business that Storm and EBI depend on for the final delivery of their product to 85% of consumers. They feel we are an EXTREMELY important part of delivering a quality product. They have decided that it is important to support our businesses by somewhat leveling the playing field with the internet sellers.

It really is as simple as that.

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WALLED LAKE MI