Author Topic: Manufacturers lack of minimum sales prices (Read 13145 times)

Harmsey · « **on:** January 14, 2010, 06:17:51 AM »

After many hours of thought and watching friends go out of business or finding new jobs due to lack of bowling equipment sales, has left me with one question to the bowling manufacturers. "Why won't you establish a minimum sale price for all current products on the market?The golf industry is much larger and has more companies in their sport than bowling and yet you can go to any local on course pro shop,local retailer, and pick any of the web sellers and the price of current products are within $5.00 of each retailer. Bowling has in place all that needs to be done to police this situation but the manufactures still think that once they sell a product to the distributors the price that needs to be charged is out of there hands, when its the manufactures job to protect their product and keep the industry stable. With the ridiculously low prices some e-tailers are selling products for forces many pro shop operators into being just a ball driller or to leave the business altogether. Bowling will continue to decline if the ship is not righted soon. This is just one of many reasons bowling is suffering and manufactures need to help this industry if they want bowling to start growing again.
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Steve Harms
Owner Bowler Choice Pro Shop
USBC Silver Coach
Track Regional Staff
Member PBA
www.bowlerschoiceproshop.com

jbuzz31 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 14, 2010, 02:40:47 PM »

Oh dear god. Please not again.....
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Ive Eaten From The Insane Root That Imprisons Reason

Fishbowl815 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2010, 02:41:57 PM »

Maybe if the pro shops got in line and started to sell there stuff for what the e-tailers are than people would buy from them again, but why would you go into a pro shop pay $200+ for a bowling ball when you can go to one of the e-tailers get the same ball drilled for under $150.

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 14, 2010, 02:42:55 PM »

"Why won''t you establish a minimum sale price for all current products on the market?

They could, and I will buy less of their product. If I can get NIB bowling balls for $55-$70 shipped on Ebay then great.(I have my own drill press) That is the price the market dictates. If people really want that bowling ball the price will go up.(and in many cases it does)

Same for distributors/sellers like bowlingball.com, they buy a large amount of bowling balls and sell for price X on the website. Eventually when said ball doesn''t sell at that price they have to start lowering prices to move product for next said ball. Which also includes free shipping from the website.(many times selling it on ebay for what ever it goes for) Also bowlingball.com has the ball for less then what proshops can order it for with free shipping in many cases.

There is no way I would want to try starting a proshop in these times.
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" men lie, women lie, numbers don''t "

Edited on 1/14/2010 3:56 PM

Gecko1809 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 14, 2010, 02:59:44 PM »

I think of it this way, normally when you buy a ball online the price you see is just for the ball, and add 30-50 dollars for custom drilling. That's still, depending on the ball 200 online. Two things I have against online places. 1 custom drilling a ball online is a lot different than at a proshop, online they cant fix it till you ship it back. Even so no guarantee. The proshops in my area include drilling with the price and its a heck of a lot easier to get it drilled. And the 2nd thing, the proshops here include a free game, grips, and a semi lesson to figure out what the ball does vs. what you want it to do. All in the price of the ball. So for me its a much better deal going to the proshop which may have a higher price but it beats what the online stores offer by a long shot. Again thats just for my area haven't really travelled around so I don't know what else is out there just my personal experience.
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Chargin' mai lazer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

txbowler · « **Reply #5 on:** January 14, 2010, 03:11:20 PM »

The online pricing allows a for different types of bowlers who need different levels of service to pay different prices.

Bowler A - Has 30 years of knowledge, knows his layouts, and how he wants a ball laid out. He basically needs a driller to punch the 3 holes in it (plus weight hole if needed)

Bowler B - Saw bowler X on TV using the new x ball and wants it.

In my opinion, bowler A and bowler B should not have to pay the exact same price for the ball and to have it drilled. Bowler B should pay more because he needs more service. Pro Shops needs to charge for their service.

Just like buying tires. Joe's tires sells the same tire as Goodyear but he is $10 per tire less. Why. He has much less overhead.

Harmsey · « **Reply #6 on:** January 14, 2010, 03:17:58 PM »

Xx trip4 xX

quote:
Because in some areas of the USA the minimum price would be still too high for the people in that area to afford.

I'll give you one, but other industries don't reduce prices just because you live in a depressed area.

quote:
Places in my area sell high end balls for $180-190. If they mandated a minimum price of lets say $220, the pro shops would never sell a single ball again in the high end category.

The shop may see a decline in high end sales however, the e-tailer will see the same result keeping the playing field even.

quote:
I find in my travels, depending on the area, that the used ball sales are starting to provide the pro shops a new source of income.

If the pro shop is smart there is a definite market for used product. In my area I get quite a few of those that do have more expendable income and trade in there high end equipment for new stuff.

My post is to level the playing field for all retailers (brick and mortar shops,e-tailers).

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Steve Harms
Owner Bowler Choice Pro Shop
USBC Silver Coach
Track Regional Staff
Member PBA
www.bowlerschoiceproshop.com

JOE FALCO · « **Reply #7 on:** January 14, 2010, 03:19:59 PM »

People HATE me for saying what you guys are saying .. wonder WHY they are not doing the same to you .. perhaps more people have come to the same conclusion!
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J O E - F A L C O

RIP Thong Princess/Sawbones

Harmsey · « **Reply #8 on:** January 14, 2010, 03:25:27 PM »

Fishbowl815

quote:
Maybe if the pro shops got in line and started to sell there stuff for what the e-tailers are than people would buy from them again, but why would you go into a pro shop pay $200+ for a bowling ball when you can go to one of the e-tailers get the same ball drilled for under $150.

This is where you are a bit lost the e-tailers are selling the product at the same price the brick and mortar proshops have to purchase it from the distributors, If the manufactures forced a minimum sale price these guys(proshops) could compete to sale there products on a fair playing field against e-tailers. take some time and look at the golf industry and go to your local shop and compare the prices for new and current products with that of the web sellers
--------------------
Steve Harms
Owner Bowler Choice Pro Shop
USBC Silver Coach
Track Regional Staff
Member PBA
www.bowlerschoiceproshop.com

txbowler · « **Reply #9 on:** January 14, 2010, 03:39:36 PM »

Why should the pro shop be allowed to make a profit from getting the ball from the same place I can?

Golf can do it but other industries cannot. You are using golf because it supports your position.

Auto repair shops in my area do not mark up parts. Why, customers can walk down the street and buy the same part at the same store the repair place got it from.

Auto repair shops charge for their service. The the cost of that service has gone up because they can no longer mark up parts like they "USED TO".

Pro shops can do the same and the ones in my area do.

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 14, 2010, 03:54:39 PM »

quote:
Fishbowl815
quote:
Maybe if the pro shops got in line and started to sell there stuff for what the e-tailers are than people would buy from them again, but why would you go into a pro shop pay $200+ for a bowling ball when you can go to one of the e-tailers get the same ball drilled for under $150.

This is where you are a bit lost the e-tailers are selling the product at the same price the brick and mortar proshops have to purchase it from the distributors, If the manufactures forced a minimum sale price these guys(proshops) could compete to sale there products on a fair playing field against e-tailers. take some time and look at the golf industry and go to your local shop and compare the prices for new and current products with that of the web sellers
--------------------
Steve Harms
Owner Bowler Choice Pro Shop
USBC Silver Coach
Track Regional Staff
Member PBA
www.bowlerschoiceproshop.com

Even in golf, most cases ebay on new clubs the difference is more then $5. Just by searching a New Taylormade Burner driver listed on Academy Sports for $199+ tax and ebay for $159 shipped. (some a little cheaper then that)

New Callaway X-22 irons Acadsports price $699+ tax,(tax about $65 where I live) ebay had many sets new for $500-600 shipped to the door. Any time you can save that kind of money not including the price after tax depending on where you live it is hard to beat.

Also when you take into consideration the price on clubs you can get brand new off ebay that are a few years old, it is amazing. I know because thats where I was able to afford my new clubs.(Callaway Fusion Drive $65, Ben Hogan BH-5 irons set $170, BH-5 two wedge set $50, Ben Hogan Bettinardi BHB1C putter $100 all new all priced shipped to the house. They were all previous year models)
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" men lie, women lie, numbers don't "

charleyball · « **Reply #11 on:** January 14, 2010, 03:54:52 PM »

Good points steve! Its all about the money! My proshop guy charges $50.00 to drill anything purchased outside of his shop. He has no drilling prices listed, and I've seen him charge individual A $50 and individual B $35.00 for the same exact services. why??? Because he a good friend or on his team. This should be regulated to. Also some pro shops are ran by staff members. Which they put people in equipment they should never be throwing. It happens!!! Certain suppliers dont carry other companies equipment. Of my last 5 balls only 2 were bought thru my pro shop. Why I got a better deal at another shop. Sometimes a shops size dictates that they can't carry the equipment there bowlers want. The laws of supply and demand at work.
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Grip it and Rip it!!!!

Current arsenal:
Lane #1-Buzzbomb/R
Lane #1-Supernova XP
Lane #1-Chainsaw
Storm-Attitude Shift
Storm-Trama Recovery
Columbia-Wrath SF
Columbia-White Dot
AMF-Radar

Harmsey · « **Reply #12 on:** January 14, 2010, 03:55:15 PM »

txbowler

quote:
Auto repair shops in my area do not mark up parts. Why, customers can walk down the street and buy the same part at the same store the repair place got it from.

Auto repair shops charge for their service. The the cost of that service has gone up because they can no longer mark up parts like they "USED TO".

Auto repair is not a recreational sport, look into other sports you will find similar experiences to the golf analogy.
--------------------
Steve Harms
Owner Bowler Choice Pro Shop
USBC Silver Coach
Track Regional Staff
Member PBA
www.bowlerschoiceproshop.com

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 14, 2010, 04:02:51 PM »

Profit in any industry is from accessories. Thumb slug, finger inserts, towels, bowling shoes, bags ect.

Thumb slug where I live is $15, inserts are $10 to 12. I don't use inserts and average about $2-2.50 for slugs online and proshops I imagine pay the same or less.

Same for audio video cables when you go to BestBuy. The big mark up isnt on tvs or other electronics as much as it is for cables and accessories. Monster RCAs for $100-125+ tax instore or $25-30 shipped to the house online. Those are nice profit margins considering the stores cost on the cables.
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" men lie, women lie, numbers don't "

txbowler · « **Reply #14 on:** January 14, 2010, 04:03:24 PM »

But a pro shop is a business.

And this currently is how the market for that business operates.

I understand that for you, it may not be a good business.