Kamui Tips

Seems to me, that when people are putting up price protections, and other methods of keeping price inflated, that the product is usually overpriced?

It just seems like gouging to me.... I don't want to pay for HYPE, I want to pay for QUALITY.

I've only installed a couple of Kamui tips, and haven't got much feedback on them, are they really worth double the price of comparable tips?
 
Sheldon said:
Seems to me, that when people are putting up price protections, and other methods of keeping price inflated, that the product is usually overpriced?

It just seems like gouging to me.... I don't want to pay for HYPE, I want to pay for QUALITY.

I've only installed a couple of Kamui tips, and haven't got much feedback on them, are they really worth double the price of comparable tips?
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The Tiger Onyx Ltd is 2 or bucks more expensive. Awesome medium tip as well.
 
Sheldon said:
Seems to me, that when people are putting up price protections, and other methods of keeping price inflated, that the product is usually overpriced?

It just seems like gouging to me.... I don't want to pay for HYPE, I want to pay for QUALITY.

I've only installed a couple of Kamui tips, and haven't got much feedback on them, are they really worth double the price of comparable tips?
Click to expand...

MSRP is a good thing. If a distributor or dealer wants to sell to a particular customer for less, then I believe it should be their business and their business alone.

John, in my limited experience with him, has been good. I don't begrudge anyone for charging fair shipping, as long as it is within reason.
 
Support your distributor.
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Support my distributor at $13,50 per tip?

He is there to help your business growth
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Again, at $13.50 per tip the only business AVO is interested in is in his own, not mine.

I feel that everybody is entitled to make a fair living and I won't begrudge a person that.

I asked to become a distributor and you keep referring me to AVO Billiards.
If there is a legitimate reason why I can't become a distributor, all I ask is that you tell me why I can't. Pretty simple, but you keep skirting my request.

In my PM to you, I told you I had a plan to put a Kamui tip on every players cue in my city. All I asked for was to be treated fairly. Apparently its beyond your ability to do that.

Not a problem John, the players here are sold on Mooris. I can help change that with your cooperation.
Mooris are $9 per tip, I can sell them for $35. The other two people in my city install them for the same price. Tell me why I should pay
AVO's price and install them for the same price as a Moori. There is no incentive to push Kamuis. Not for me anyway.
 
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13.50 isn't horrible. A bit high, but for some reason I was thinking they were higher.
Still tough to fathom when one of my favorite mulit-layer pigskin tips used to be $3 each....
But Mooris could go for around $20 back then, too. Way overpriced, IMO. But they were new, and the latest FAD, and people had to have them.
Artificial demand = high price = one link in the chain raking it in.
 
No it isn't that horrible Sheldon.
But considering I was getting steered in that direction from John when he knew better and I was getting Soprano'd by a fellow Canuck, that makes it the most expensive tip on the market.
Yeah, on second thought, it is kind of horrible.
 
I hope somebody does...
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haha.you're a different type of Rat.we all like you.

$13.50 isn't terrible but considering most guys pay $9.00 then you have to re-consider.why should Blue Hog pay $4.50 more for each tip.he shouldn't.just stick with the new distributor i gave you and you'll be set.
 
Blue Hog ridr

How is it right for me to sell behind my distributor's back? AVO is your distributor.


#1 Did you know that you would have to pay duty charges for any leather you purchase?
#2 I have already done the math before I created distributors in Canada. I had cue makers buy from me and they would be paying shipping and then duty equaling $14.00 per tip on average.
#3 All of my Distributors respect each other territories.

For as much time and effort you have put into fighting the system and trying to circumvent it how much are the tips costing you now?

Have you ever heard time = $

My suggestion to you is to focus on what you can offer your customer... "Value" and "Service" once you bend over for "price"........
 
masonh said:
haha.you're a different type of Rat.we all like you.

$13.50 isn't terrible but considering most guys pay $9.00 then you have to re-consider.why should Blue Hog pay $4.50 more for each tip.he shouldn't.just stick with the new distributor i gave you and you'll be set.
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I think he means Canadian dollars... You are missing out on the conversion. I know that there is an issue with that. That might be part of the problem.
 
How is it right for me to sell behind my distributor's back? AVO is your distributor.
Apparently from what has been posted in this thread so far, it is apparent that you do sell to cue makers yourself.
I was told in a PM that you prefer to sell to cue makers yourself. Maybe thats wrong but I do believe the person that told me that is a cue maker and buys directly from you. But then, why would he lie to me?


#1 Did you know that you would have to pay duty charges for any leather you purchase?
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Really? I haven't paid duty on any tips I've received outside of Canada yet. Customs isn't worried about small envelope sized packages that state they are cue tips. Not worth their time.


#2 I have already done the math before I created distributors in Canada. I had cue makers buy from me and they would be paying shipping and then duty equaling $14.00 per tip on average.
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Ok, I can buy outside of Canada and pay $9. Thats figures out to $5 per tip for shipping and duty. I highly doubt that is the case. You can ship a handful of tips in a business envelope for the price of a couple of stamps for extra weight.

#3 All of my Distributors respect each other territories.
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Yeah right. You have distributors blowing out tips on AZ and EBay.
Do they care where the tips are going? Nope. Tell me again how your distributors respect each other territories.

I'm not interested in selling your tips here or on EBay or to any other Canadian cue makers. They know how to find their own tips. I was interested in buying tips at wholesale or distributor cost for my own business. Pretty much how I buy tips from other suppliers.

For as much time and effort you have put into fighting the system and trying to circumvent it how much are the tips costing you now?
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I not fighting any system John. If this is how you deal with problems then you're welcome to your system. How much are the tips costing me now you ask?
Thats funny, because of this thread, I've recieved several generous offers to purchase tips and believe me, they are way under AVO Billiards price.



Have you ever heard time = $
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Time equals dollar signs?
You must mean time equals money, right. You're pretty clever, did you just make that up?
Actually if you are referring to me waisting time on this thread. No time was wasted. The purpose of this thread has served its purpose twofold.
If you can't figure that out, go back to page one and start reading again.

But you are correct, time does equal money. I put in hard time during the day and cue repairing after hours to make money to reinvest in more cue equipment and supplies. Exactly why I refuse to squander my hard earned money sending it to suppliers that are trying to hoop me.




My suggestion to you is to focus on what you can offer your customer... "Value" and "Service" once you bend over for "price"........
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Value and Service once you bend over for price.

I certainly hope thats a Freudian slip. I just about pissed myself laughing. I hope you're happy.

Value and Service is my motto and business plan. I'll skip the bending over part, like I mentioned before, I'm allergic to KY Jelly.
Still, I haven't received an answer as to why I don't qualify to become a Canadian distributor. Do you have only one?
Canada is pretty big you know, lots of room for more than one up here.
But don't worry John, I won't bother you further. I'll continue to push Talisman, Wizard and Moori. My customers are happy and thats the only thing that counts.

Merry Christmas John and I hope you sell many tips this Christmas and more in the New Year.
PS - Maybe you'll get lucky and get a brick of cheese for Christmas.
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pescadoman said:
MSRP is a good thing. If a distributor or dealer wants to sell to a particular customer for less, then I believe it should be their business and their business alone.

John, in my limited experience with him, has been good. I don't begrudge anyone for charging fair shipping, as long as it is within reason.
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I NEED to add something. I did order some shirts from him. When they were NOT included with my shipment, he said they were being printed. None of that info was made privy to me at the time I ordered them or before I was charged. That was two weeks or so ago and I still haven't received an update. At the time he said a couple or few weeks and I had to question him via email.

So, in retrospect, I guess you can say my experience with John has just been fair.
 
Since this is now apparently "open"

John, why does it matter how much a distributor sells for privately? You markup to them, so the more they sell the better.

I understand MSRP, but killing distributors for setting their own price PRIVATELY is wrong. I know of no other company that does that. If automakers were allowed to do that.....wow...There is a reason that car makers, movie studios...ect....ect are NOT allowed to own and make policy entities that distribute their product...

flame away...i'm sure i have it coming...
 
Randy,
How is price wars good business? What does price Wars do to a brand?

Would it be right for me to sell below my distributors? Or would it be right to sell in Canada when I have worked hard to set up the distributorship?

I guess I am the bad guy here huh. Can any of you tell me what I have done right? So many are easy to accuse me of things I have never done... And say I am running my business wrong?

Ask any tip fitter if it is o.k. with him that players buy tips at the same price as they do... Then Mr. Cue maker or Repair man, look over your shoulder at the tips on your shelf and tell me you are happy with that money on the shelf collecting dust.

I am definitely from a different world huh.


pescadoman said:
Since this is now apparently "open"

John, why does it matter how much a distributor sells for privately? You markup to them, so the more they sell the better.

I understand MSRP, but killing distributors for setting their own price PRIVATELY is wrong. I know of no other company that does that. If automakers were allowed to do that.....wow...There is a reason that car makers, movie studios...ect....ect are NOT allowed to own and make policy entities that distribute their product...

flame away...i'm sure i have it coming...
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Blue Hog ridr said:
Signing up on the Kamui site was the original problem.
I couldn't sign up and when I emailed them about the problem, instead of fixing the problem, they referred me to the Canadian dealer.

I PMed John thru AZ and same thing, a referral back to Canada.

Thru a few PMs, I have found that the tips can be had cheaper than what was offered to me from the distributor. His prices weren't as expensive as
say what was listed at Atlas but still more than I knew they could be had for.

At his prices, buying 2 of each hardness in both the brown and black, I could have purchased 2 1/2 boxes of any other box of 25 of any other brand and even more in some cases. Can you imagine buying 2 1/2 boxes of Everest (12 per box), more Wizards or Talisman than it would have cost me for 16 Kamuis?

Anyway, problem solved, thanks guys, I appreciate the help.
Terry.
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Dealers have costs such as shipping, duties and taxes....What part of Canada are you in....send me a PM, I look after the east coast of Canada....Those of us who are distributing the Kamui product line have a minimum sale price which we are held to, in order to keep a level playing field and are happy to do so because the product is worth it....the price should not change from dealer to dealer....and US dealers are not allowed to sell into Canada, likewise AVO and myself cannot sell into the US.

Merry Christmas & All the best in 2011,
Grace Nakamura
 
Kamuitipsdotcom said:
Randy,
How is price wars good business? What does price Wars do to a brand?

Would it be right for me to sell below my distributors? Or would it be right to sell in Canada when I have worked hard to set up the distributorship?

I guess I am the bad guy here huh. Can any of you tell me what I have done right? So many are easy to accuse me of things I have never done... And say I am running my business wrong?

Ask any tip fitter if it is o.k. with him that players buy tips at the same price as they do... Then Mr. Cue maker or Repair man, look over your shoulder at the tips on your shelf and tell me you are happy with that money on the shelf collecting dust.

I am definitely from a different world huh.
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I don't know that anyone is asking you to do that John and no that would not be fair. If someone wants to outlay cash for 4 boxes(I don't know what you require) then they should get a discount.

I DO think that your distributors should be able to set their own prices without fear of you killing their business.. I do think that is wrong and will deal with whatever consequences that might incur. As far your Canadian distributor and his alleged gouging....well....I don't know anyone who is going to pay 50 bucks to get a tip installed. If you add 20 percent for fees, then I suppose you can come up with what you might pay at Atlas. Does this mean your Canadian guy is expecting 35 bucks for a tip and telling installers to charge 50? This would kill you far quicker than anything else....The Kamui name dies with that I assure you...

I, as of this moment, will NEVER install a tip that someone gives me....EVER. I suggest this to anyone considering it. The liability is too high and the profit is too low. "My tip fell apart, and it is because the guy who put it on did it wrong"... Now, regardless of whether it is not my fault...it is my fault. I have to grab a tip of my own and make it right.. Except it will never be right because my rep is smudged. Not worth it after delivering ect ect... I make..what 20 bucks IF????

Thank you for the prompt phone call and resolution regarding the shirts BTW
 
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