Besides money what are the tricks to the trade? I figure making trades to flip cues is part of it. Do you guys commission cues, hold and sell? How do you get started? Somebody lemme know!
How does one become a cue dealer?
- Thread starter Drop The Rock
- Start date
You used to be able to make a little money on cues. It is nearly impossible now.
I recommend you don't follow this path.
Ken
I just got promoted to salesman for a small but successful oil company here in Houston. Lets just say I don't plan on quitting my day job.
But I thank you for the wisdom Ken. Drop me a line if you are ever in Houston.
:welcome:
Make up a name for your business then apply for a state tax ID number so
you can buy wholesale. Good luck!
You start by buying premiere cues and go from there. If you would like a monster to start with I am in Houston also and have a starter kit
I'm no expert at retailing, or trading, for that matter, but I did build cues for a time and sold them. Prices for the cues I sold it were whatever the market could bear.
My guess would be to buy low, and sell high. Simplistic, I know, but that's pretty much it.
And, like Ken said, it's tough to make a profit. The cue market is softer than a baby's bottom, right now.
A friend of mine has been a Schon dealer for several years. He shelled out five thousand cash to become one. Others may be similar, so there may be up-front money involved.
Something to consider. If you are mechanically inclined you might think about cue repair. Do tips, ferrules, clean shafts, wraps. All of these things (and more) put you out there were people know you are involved with cues. One thing leads to another.
Oh, and my last bit of advice is don't quit your day job. My good friend Andy Gilbert told me once than when he first started out he was sure proud that Vicky had a job.
My guess would be to buy low, and sell high. Simplistic, I know, but that's pretty much it.
And, like Ken said, it's tough to make a profit. The cue market is softer than a baby's bottom, right now.
A friend of mine has been a Schon dealer for several years. He shelled out five thousand cash to become one. Others may be similar, so there may be up-front money involved.
Something to consider. If you are mechanically inclined you might think about cue repair. Do tips, ferrules, clean shafts, wraps. All of these things (and more) put you out there were people know you are involved with cues. One thing leads to another.
Oh, and my last bit of advice is don't quit your day job. My good friend Andy Gilbert told me once than when he first started out he was sure proud that Vicky had a job.
I have bought and sold thousands of cues over the years. I never really made much money on them. I was usually just doing someone a favor buying their cue. One problem was I was a cue dealer. So if you have a like new say McDermott you paid $450.00 for, I can't even make you an offer.
I can buy the cue anytime for half of what you paid retail. What I would offer you would be an insult. I made a lot of money selling medium priced SP's. I used to sell McDermott and Valley. After a while you could not get the McDermott any more they stopped making them. If I priced them right I could sell them with my eyes closed. Mainly because of the price range you are in.
They are more I am sure today but I used to get Valley's SP's for like $15.00. I would sand the shafts so they were like glass, sometimes put on a new tip and I could get $35. to $50. almost anywhere.
When ever I went on the road I always had a stash of cues to sell. I got that from Mike Massey he turned me on to the Valley cues. He would sell hundreds of them on the road.
If I left with say 4 dozen Valley cues, in a week or two I could easily turn my $720.00 investment into $2000.00 or more. Plus if I am doing any good on the pool tables I may come back in several weeks with a few thousand net.
I guess my answer is to find a niche where you can make a buck.
You should come out to Big Tyme Billiards tonight. I'm running the 9 ball tournament. Won't be bringing that kind of cash with me but you want to play and bullshit I'll be there.
I'll sell you all the cues I own, a great established website and I'll give you all my notes on all the cues I have seen over the years...
So go to the site, add up all the cues, I have a few that aren't on there, and we'll go from there.
JV
I'll give you a 1 cent on the dollar and we have a deal sir!
Just for some inside info, was there a time when it really was a good business or has it always been pretty much a hobby for most. When I was in the pool room business in the 70's and 80's I did sell a lot of cues.
I would think today with the internet it must be really hard. I am sure I sold so many because in a pool room you can put them on a payment plan and later let them trade up. They start with a $75.00 cue and before they know it they have a $300.00 cue, a lot of money for a cue in those days.
Think about it. I have a friend who had like 20 duplexes. he had for many years. He was at the house one day and we got talking and I mentioned I didn't own any real estate any more. The prices got so high my sister and it sold everything. (A few years ago when real estate was going nuts).One of the inquire cues is 30 million.. .lol
JV
We started adding up all his holdings and it seemed crazy anymore for a guy his age to even be messing with all the headaches of rentals. I think our conversation got him thinking because in a few months they were all on the market and soon gone.
He lives on a lake in NC now and will never be able to spend his money. I am sure he is a lot happier now then dealing with AH tenants. I would take a reality check, 30 million is a lot of F'n money.
I always said if I caught a lottery number for 5 million, I would hang it all up go to Ft. Lauderdale and paint a big middle finger on my roof. 
JV
JV
That's an easy one. You buy inventory. Try to sell it. If somehow you make money. Everyone will think you are scum.
Some how in the last fourty years. I have bought three cues. Kept one, gave one away and sold about 300. Still don't think I have made any money.
Larry
Some how in the last fourty years. I have bought three cues. Kept one, gave one away and sold about 300. Still don't think I have made any money.
Larry
Yep...
I go to a garage sale and get a Balabushka for 25 dollars I am the scumbag because I didn't "educate" the seller. Regular schmoe goes and gets one for the same money and its heralded as the greatest find of the year, you really stepped in it.. back patting, back patting and more back patting...
JV
I go to a garage sale and get a Balabushka for 25 dollars I am the scumbag because I didn't "educate" the seller. Regular schmoe goes and gets one for the same money and its heralded as the greatest find of the year, you really stepped in it.. back patting, back patting and more back patting...
JV