Author Topic: What justifies the high price of a ball? (Read 1928 times)

ocbowler · « **on:** May 27, 2009, 02:53:23 PM »

I can never understand why some balls sell for more than $150( before drilling). The Elite Red Alien costs $290!? I know certain balls by Lane Masters and Visionary have no filler and thus cost more to make. But what about the rest?

My $79 Blue Vibe had excellent power and carry and my $114 Cell would "find" the pocket almost every time. We all know Wes Malott been dominating the PBA with it. Others won championships with inexpensive balls like the Hyroad and Zone.

2 older pro shop owners told me years ago the expensive balls had "high performance" cores. What are the cores made of? Gold?

Anyway, after I bought a few balls from one of those guys, one day in his shop I saw him plugging a used ball. I asked him what it was and he said,"An over priced piece of junk." Wonder if he'll say the same to the pricey "new" balls he carries........now that I am one of his better customers.

230-n-up-or-bust · « **Reply #1 on:** May 27, 2009, 11:09:41 PM »

never confuse cost with price.

Something is worth what a buyer will pay...

Anything more than that is just marketing bovine feces.
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nacpizle · « **Reply #2 on:** May 27, 2009, 11:21:25 PM »

This one guy from my house who brings 8 $200+ balls with him everywhere, and only averages 160-170. and there is this one senior bowlers still using his Faball Hammers, and dominates the rack, averaging 215-220, so skill > equipment any time

Jay · « **Reply #3 on:** May 28, 2009, 12:03:07 AM »

I've been told if you buy a high performance ball from a pro shop some 20 miles north of here, you end up spending nearly $300. Balls like the Hy-Road, Rival, Grand Illusion, etc that are usually mid priced are around $180-210(drilled) where I go usually. And that's competetive. High Performance are $220-250. It sounds like most people on here get a Hy-Road for around $180 drilled while it's ~$210 here.

The more I think about it, what you pay for is probably the core mainly. The more complex the core is and depending on how much research, technology, and testing went into it, the ball it's in is most likely to be more expensive. High performance balls tend to be called that because of the core. Asymmetric cored balls mainly will usually be more expensive than symmetric cored balls. This is just what I think and I'm sure it's not always the case, but I think it's safe to say that's generally how it is.

ocbowler · « **Reply #4 on:** May 28, 2009, 12:56:23 AM »

quote:
I've been told if you buy a high performance ball from a pro shop some 20 miles north of here, you end up spending nearly $300. Balls like the Hy-Road, Rival, Grand Illusion, etc that are usually mid priced are around $180-210(drilled) where I go usually. And that's competetive. High Performance are $220-250. It sounds like most people on here get a Hy-Road for around $180 drilled while it's ~$210 here.

The more I think about it, what you pay for is probably the core mainly. The more complex the core is and depending on how much research, technology, and testing went into it, the ball it's in is most likely to be more expensive. High performance balls tend to be called that because of the core. Asymmetric cored balls mainly will usually be more expensive than symmetric cored balls. This is just what I think and I'm sure it's not always the case, but I think it's safe to say that's generally how it is.

The Cell has an asymmetric core. The guy(s) who designed it should get a big award yet it's just a mid price ball.

Jay · « **Reply #5 on:** May 28, 2009, 01:48:04 AM »

I had thought of the Cell when I was typing that, so I was aware that it was an exception to what I was stating. I think Roto Grip in general is able to sell their balls which are of great value for cheaper than other companies. Don't know why, but I think they've been like that for a while.

I would say the Cell is mid-priced because even though it's asymmetric, it's a pretty simple core shape. But that argument doesn't seem to work too well because the core in the Virtual Gravity seems pretty simple too(mostly round with "ridges" or "bumps"?) but that's quite a bit more expensive.

One thing that kind of confuses me is my pro shop has sold a Cell for $200 but the Rogue Cell is $250, I think a Cell Pearl would be in the $220-240 ballpark.

dizzyfugu · « **Reply #6 on:** May 28, 2009, 01:48:40 AM »

Also, do not confuse the end consumer price with the wholesale price - there's also a margin for the dealers included in what you pay at the pro shop.
Effectively, a price is what the buyer wants to pay, and what he/she thinks the "offer" is worth. That's what is called a market, and it "lives" by intransparencies between the market actors which allow these margins (not knowing costs and calculations, regional differences and availibilities, etc.) to occur at all.

Discussing a price or if it is worth it is futile. Apparently, there seem to be enough buyers for a ball at that price tag. If not, the market will correct itself, either through buyer migration, price reduction or simply ruin of the manufacturer or dealer.

Justification of a (relatively) high price just comes from the buyer's mind.
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Edited on 5/28/2009 5:06 AM

Atochabsh · « **Reply #7 on:** May 28, 2009, 06:58:19 AM »

Since the original Cell came out, the general prices for the Cell Line of balls has gone up. Not as much as the Virtual Gravity level of balls, but they have gone up. Could explain why the Rogue Cell is more. The shop paid more for it.

Erin

backswing_aplenty · « **Reply #8 on:** May 28, 2009, 01:47:18 PM »

The prices of equipment goes up a couple dollars with every new batch of releases.

The price of a ball is what the customer is willing to pay and what the shop owner can charge in relation to the area. The cost of a ball is a product of the technology needed to make said ball. More complicated core, new cover, long R/D process all add to the cost of a ball. Internet prices are a bad representation of ball price. Internet prices are a bad indicator of almost any price IMO, especially prices that have services attatched to them i.e. drilling.

*backswing
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Professional Approach Staff So Cal

NoseofRI · « **Reply #9 on:** May 28, 2009, 02:00:49 PM »

Just curious if anyone who thinks bowling balls are "high priced" has ever heard of something called technology?

And to the original poster, I'm guessing the $79 and $114 you paid for the Vibe and Cell respectively were before shipping and drilling prices, and if that's total cost then you either drilled it yourself or had a buddy that didn't charge you anythig to drill it.

Just Simply Amazing

lincolnrw · « **Reply #10 on:** May 28, 2009, 02:35:36 PM »

i work in a proshop in york pennslyvania and we dont have a ball priced at more than a 195.00 drilled w/ inserts. the only thing we charge extra for is the it iterchangeable thumb. that includes all of the new releases

VIXIV · « **Reply #11 on:** May 28, 2009, 02:55:25 PM »

I wait until the new stuff comes along so I can get the "old" stuff from just a few months back at a lower price.

Kid Jete · « **Reply #12 on:** May 28, 2009, 03:00:13 PM »

R and D. The low price balls are normally older cores and covers that have already been in production as high performance and the cost of R and D has been recouped. The ones that aren't are much less costly in the R and D department in the first place.

JonDaggett · « **Reply #13 on:** May 28, 2009, 03:33:09 PM »

well i know if you bowl college you get the wholesale price which is cool until u stop bowling college lol
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Edited on 5/28/2009 3:35 PM

JoeBowler · « **Reply #14 on:** May 28, 2009, 05:22:11 PM »

At what amount of dollars does a ball become high priced?

Money is relative to different people. $25 may seem like a lot to some not to others.

Quantums cost $200+ nearly 15 years ago and they sold like hot cakes. That would probably be like $300 for a ball today.

People will pay more for technology they think will allow them to score better without any effort other than there wallet on there part.

If a legal ball with a self guidance system was put out that ensured you to shoot a 300 in the first 30 games I bet you could sell them for a $1000 and there would be a line of bowlers waiting to buy.

Author Topic: What justifies the high price of a ball? (Read 1928 times)

ocbowler

What justifies the high price of a ball?

230-n-up-or-bust

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?

nacpizle

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?

Jay

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?

ocbowler

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?

Jay

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?

dizzyfugu

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?

Atochabsh

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?

backswing_aplenty

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?

NoseofRI

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?

lincolnrw

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?

VIXIV

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?

Kid Jete

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?

JonDaggett

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?

JoeBowler

Re: What justifies the high price of a ball?