I'm glad WalMart is selling Schon cues!!!!!! READ B4 You Vote
- Thread starter Fatboy
- Start date
This is worth a read before forming opinions about Wal-Mart pricing on higher end merchandise:
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/102/open_snapper.html
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/102/open_snapper.html
Very interesting read. I know i am always thinking when i see an old brand that is known for quality start selling in a Wal Mart i wonder if they cheapened it just to meet Wal Marts price point.
if they haven't ..... they WILL! :groucho:
long run
Will not make any immediate difference. However, in the long run, it is a different story. If the product remains a high quality product (
provided the cues will not hit the stores, which would mean a tremendous increase in production and an inescapable drop in quality). Making a good cue available to more people will eventually help to create an increase in number of better players, and, eventually, a bit more interest.
Although, another movie like "Hustler", or "The Color of Money", coupled with a serious increase in the prize money at major events could do 1000 times more for the game of pool. :grin-square:
Will not make any immediate difference. However, in the long run, it is a different story. If the product remains a high quality product (
provided the cues will not hit the stores, which would mean a tremendous increase in production and an inescapable drop in quality). Making a good cue available to more people will eventually help to create an increase in number of better players, and, eventually, a bit more interest.
Although, another movie like "Hustler", or "The Color of Money", coupled with a serious increase in the prize money at major events could do 1000 times more for the game of pool. :grin-square:
I've under a 30-pack of posts on here and it's normally because I've zero insight into what is being said. A newbie to the game (a little over a year) and subscribe to the "post less, read more" theory of the more you listen, the more you learn. However I do have some insight into this issue.
In my past life I was into the sport of slow pitch softball as deep as some of you (an eventually myself) are into pool (generic term, describing all disciplines). I spent countless hours honing my skills and a small fortune on bats (at $200 - $500 a pop), gloves (+/- $150.00) and equipment bags (+/- $100.00). Yes, folks it's hard to believe but those idiots spend that much money on a recreational sport, can you believe that? (Sound familiar?)
Those outside of the sport thought the same about sp softball as those outside of pool, and the recreational players would go to Wal-Mart and buy that $50.00 bat and assume it was just as good as those expensive bats that were for sale at (insert sporting goods store here) or online.
Guess what... Wal-Mart also sells those $200.00+ bats but I’ve never heard of anybody ever spending more than $75.00 on a bat at Wal-Mart.
It'll be the same situation here. Yes you can buy a Schon, or a Joss, or a McDermott at Wal-Mart. But those truly knowledgeable about the equipment will make their purchases from those that are equally as knowledgeable, leaving the Wal-Mart purchases to those that are convinced that an aluminum shaft with a screw on tip are the best thing on the market.
So, to sum up a whole bunch of meaningless words… It won’t make a difference and we will still refer to inferior equipment as “Wal-Mart”.
In my past life I was into the sport of slow pitch softball as deep as some of you (an eventually myself) are into pool (generic term, describing all disciplines). I spent countless hours honing my skills and a small fortune on bats (at $200 - $500 a pop), gloves (+/- $150.00) and equipment bags (+/- $100.00). Yes, folks it's hard to believe but those idiots spend that much money on a recreational sport, can you believe that? (Sound familiar?)
Those outside of the sport thought the same about sp softball as those outside of pool, and the recreational players would go to Wal-Mart and buy that $50.00 bat and assume it was just as good as those expensive bats that were for sale at (insert sporting goods store here) or online.
Guess what... Wal-Mart also sells those $200.00+ bats but I’ve never heard of anybody ever spending more than $75.00 on a bat at Wal-Mart.
It'll be the same situation here. Yes you can buy a Schon, or a Joss, or a McDermott at Wal-Mart. But those truly knowledgeable about the equipment will make their purchases from those that are equally as knowledgeable, leaving the Wal-Mart purchases to those that are convinced that an aluminum shaft with a screw on tip are the best thing on the market.
So, to sum up a whole bunch of meaningless words… It won’t make a difference and we will still refer to inferior equipment as “Wal-Mart”.
On the one hand, I think its cool that people can buy a higher quality product (of course, at a high price) in a aplce as accessible as Wal-Mart.
I don't think its going to be good for pool OR bad for pool. I don't think it will make the least bit of difference one way or another.
I don't think its going to be good for pool OR bad for pool. I don't think it will make the least bit of difference one way or another.
I just did a search for "cue" on Wal-Mart's site and was surprised by how much pool equipment there was. As another poster said, it seems to be a billiard supplier selling through Wal-Mart. Still, it's Wal-Mart with all the baggage that the name carries.
I read that Wal-Mart is the world's (or maybe just the US') largest jewelry seller. Would that influence any of us toward buying a Rolex Oyster Perpetual from Wal-Mart? When most people buy something special, they want to deal directly with a knowledgeble dealer and have some assurance of support after the sale. For that reason, I don't think enough Schons would sell through Wal-Mart to make a difference.
I read that Wal-Mart is the world's (or maybe just the US') largest jewelry seller. Would that influence any of us toward buying a Rolex Oyster Perpetual from Wal-Mart? When most people buy something special, they want to deal directly with a knowledgeble dealer and have some assurance of support after the sale. For that reason, I don't think enough Schons would sell through Wal-Mart to make a difference.
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Maybe, maybe not.
Here is an interesting article from the Atlantic newpaper about how WalMart is now successfully competing with Whole Foods and street markets, etc. by devising systems that take advantage of local growers to bring good quality, cheap food to their stores on a consistent basis.
Maybe a cue maker(s) and other manufacturers could somehow get into such a WalMart system? A tall order, but the rewards are astronomical.
Jeff Livingston
RD3P
Banned
LOL..this threads title is stupid...like your ever gonna see a Schon on walmarts sales floor.....if they did id be swapping out stickers and getting me a Schon for whetever they sell their made in Thaiwan ramen wood bar cue for.
i cant blame whatever dealer for putting product in walmarts catalog. thats smart buisiness on his part....why wouldnt you want the most people possible looking at your product....but on the other end people that know pool and are in the market for a nice cue, online walmart is the last place theyd think to look.
so really it doesnt make sense, but on the other hand it does.
i cant blame whatever dealer for putting product in walmarts catalog. thats smart buisiness on his part....why wouldnt you want the most people possible looking at your product....but on the other end people that know pool and are in the market for a nice cue, online walmart is the last place theyd think to look.
so really it doesnt make sense, but on the other hand it does.
LOL..this threads title is stupid...like your ever gonna see a Schon on walmarts sales floor.....if they did id be swapping out stickers and getting me a Schon for whetever they sell their made in Thaiwan ramen wood bar cue for.
Funny!
Can't wait for the Brunswick V to hit WM!
I suppose one could posit that Schon selling in Walmart is a plus for pool, since any upgrade in quality is good for perception.
But this ultimately only helps Schon.
There's this constant ongoing crusade to want to enlighten the general public about pool. It's futile, and I say this without trying to sound bleak
Pool is what it is and has been for eons.
But this ultimately only helps Schon.
There's this constant ongoing crusade to want to enlighten the general public about pool. It's futile, and I say this without trying to sound bleak
Pool is what it is and has been for eons.
What's with the bing honk
It sucks and it's Microsoft, and I'm tired of seeing the annoying bing popupsHeck with schon. They have mcdermotts!
Socks-$3.29
Shirt-$12.95
Shoes-$17.69
Purchasing a Schon by punching in your Visa digits at Walmart.com......Priceless.
Shirt-$12.95
Shoes-$17.69
Purchasing a Schon by punching in your Visa digits at Walmart.com......Priceless.
I'm sure Walmart's online sales are a big success (something like 350-400m sales?) but the vast majority of shoppers go to the physical brick-and-mortar stores, which are damn near everywhere. The cues are not being sold in the physical stores. Therefore, only a small fraction of walmart shoppers are seeing these cues.
On top of that, try a search for cue, pool cue, and pool stick at walmart.com. Good luck finding the schon. You see about a million results for cases, a million results for cuetec, viper, and 'trademark global' [lol]. You might see 2 results from mcdermott. You will need to fish awfully hard for Schon.
So even among the limited number of shoppers browsing walmart's site for a pool cue, almost NONE of them are going to keep searching through 5 pages of results to finally see the Schon.
Basically this is a complete non-issue. I would be surprised if Schon sales saw a huge bump because of this.
On top of that, try a search for cue, pool cue, and pool stick at walmart.com. Good luck finding the schon. You see about a million results for cases, a million results for cuetec, viper, and 'trademark global' [lol]. You might see 2 results from mcdermott. You will need to fish awfully hard for Schon.
So even among the limited number of shoppers browsing walmart's site for a pool cue, almost NONE of them are going to keep searching through 5 pages of results to finally see the Schon.
Basically this is a complete non-issue. I would be surprised if Schon sales saw a huge bump because of this.
Schon quality
I think that there is a possibility of a future problem here. from what I understand about walmart, in a couple of years THEY will approach Schon to make their product sell at a cheaper pricepoint, thus more sales, volume etc.. the real bummer is when schon, or any company for that matter, sacrifices their quality control to offer their product at a lower price. Or worse yet they introduce a new line of cues different from the current stuff that markets to the new pricepoint, undermining the value of pre-screw on tip schons!!!! There are countless examples of American companies who try to lower their price point, overall cost to manufacture (quality of raw materials, etc) and the quality ends up being 25% of the former product for 75% of the price.. PERCEIVED VALUE!!!! WHAT A GREAT DEAL!!!!! I DON'T THINK SO!!!! Hopefully they dont fall into this trap>
I think that there is a possibility of a future problem here. from what I understand about walmart, in a couple of years THEY will approach Schon to make their product sell at a cheaper pricepoint, thus more sales, volume etc.. the real bummer is when schon, or any company for that matter, sacrifices their quality control to offer their product at a lower price. Or worse yet they introduce a new line of cues different from the current stuff that markets to the new pricepoint, undermining the value of pre-screw on tip schons!!!! There are countless examples of American companies who try to lower their price point, overall cost to manufacture (quality of raw materials, etc) and the quality ends up being 25% of the former product for 75% of the price.. PERCEIVED VALUE!!!! WHAT A GREAT DEAL!!!!! I DON'T THINK SO!!!! Hopefully they dont fall into this trap>