How Many Cue Makers On AZ Billiards Require Money Before Build A Cue

[Cuedog]

Among everything else that makes taking a deposit a sound business practice, the customer has much less to come up with upon completion. That's a benefit to both parties.

Gene

 

[desi2960]

deposit, yes

i do not ever take any money until the customer hits a few racks and makes sure that the cue is good to go, but i do not make a living selling cues. but i believe that if a customer goes to a cue builder and wants him to build a special cue then he should be prepared to give him a deposit. i think 50% is not out of line. chuck

 

[Cuedog]

My guess is that we are talking about deposit or no deposit at the time the cue is supposed to be started right? That as opposed to a waiting list deposit. IMO there should be NO waiting list deposit.

Gene

 

[cuebuilder]

deposits

I usually ask for a 50% deposit on cues that will be somehow "personalized" for the buyer. If the cue in question is not personal to the particular purchaser, I won't ask for a deposit since it can be sold without changing the cue. Its always good to have a few finished cues around for impulse buyers.
If I have a returning customer, I usually won't ask for a deposit unless they are asking for something that I will have to make a special purchase for. Then I will ask for a deposit that will cover the purchase and shipping. This pretty much follows for any order that has special componants that I don't keep in stock, such as silver, gold, or jewels etc.

 

[RDCustomCues]

If I build a basic cue I normally do NOT require a deposit. If it is custom I usually will ask for half some time less sometime just material cost. Atleast materials are usuall not too expensive and if customer skips out your out labor only. Once a customer is established I rarely require a deposit. There is pros and cons of deposits however I would not require full payment up front I do not feel this is good to demand from a customer however that is my opinion.

 

[blud]

deposits

I had to pay a 50%-deposit. However, in my opinion it's not a question of the material. The cue's wood is not that expensive. But the maker's worktime is valuable.

If a customer orders a real custom, meaning that it's built to his specifications, the cuemaker would have problems selling it to someone else.

I probably wouldn't order from a cuemaker who demands the full price as an advance payment, but 50% is a fair share. If the customer backs out for any reason, this should cover the loss for the maker quite well.

Regards,

Detlev

In years past, most of us older cuemakers didn't require a deposit. If the cues a high end one, most of the time the customers [I've had], offer a sizable downie. If I don't know the person who is ordering, 50% is fine, after all, if we as cuemakers make as much money as some think, nothing for a downi, in somes eyes. Shop time, machinery, wood is also a factor, as all our labor. We have bills to pay, and a hugh learning curve, to boot.
If you think we should not receive a downie, put yourself in our shoes, and see what would you charge?
blud

 

[WheatCues]

How many Cue Makers here on AZ require a deposit or full payment up front when a customer orders a cue. In addition, what is this money used for?

Since most all materials must be purchased and on hand before years before orders can be processed, due to the seasoning time required for wood. What is done with the funds requested, and what determines the amount requested

Thanks very Much

Craig

Due to my custom-fitting characteristics I require a 50% deposit in case someone back out or something tragic happens because I cannot reuse the cue for someone else considering the unique balance point, asthetics and the longer lengths that are essential to my particular construction methods, so in worst-case-scernario atleast my materials are compensated !!!


-Eddie Wheat

 

[Detlev Rackow]

In years past, most of us older cuemakers didn't require a deposit. If the cues a high end one, most of the time the customers [I've had], offer a sizable downie. If I don't know the person who is ordering, 50% is fine, after all, if we as cuemakers make as much money as some think, nothing for a downi, in somes eyes. Shop time, machinery, wood is also a factor, as all our labor. We have bills to pay, and a hugh learning curve, to boot.
If you think we should not receive a downie, put yourself in our shoes, and see what would you charge?
blud

Hello Blud,

I think we both think in the same terms. I paid 50% in advance and considered this a well-balanced deal. If I backed out, the maker would be able to cover his losses, and since I didn't pay the full cue upfront, I was sure the cuemaker was motivated to finish the cue.

I believe that the latest Varney-threads showed that paying the full amount upfront leaves the customer fairly nervous if the cue is not delivered halfway on-time.

So what's your problem with my posting?

Regards,

Detlev

 

[Ken_4fun]

Well

Most I have dealt with require deposit. Andy Gilbert was the exception he wanted to NOT have one so he would have a payday when it was finished.

Showman - 5 year wait - 25% deposit. I just hope I dont die before I get that cue.....

LOL

Ken

 

[HIRUN526]

I have given several cuemakers deposits over the years and all have been trouble free transactions.

They all have been well known cuemakers and I had the trust in them to do the right thing.

In theory many cuemakers should get a deposit on a custom order cue....that being said there are quite a few I wouldn't trust with giving them a deposit.

Things happen like going out of buisness, poor buisness management,unethical, have bad habit(s), health issues, etc. A lot of things can go wrong and if they do I don't want my money in someone else's pocket.

 

[rhncue]

I have given several cuemakers deposits over the years and all have been trouble free transactions.

They all have been well known cuemakers and I had the trust in them to do the right thing.

In theory many cuemakers should get a deposit on a custom order cue....that being said there are quite a few I wouldn't trust with giving them a deposit.

Things happen like going out of buisness, poor buisness management,unethical, have bad habit(s), health issues, etc. A lot of things can go wrong and if they do I don't want my money in someone else's pocket.

You are absolutely correct on all counts. It's bad enough that unavoidable problems can crop up and hurt your contract with a cue maker such as health or death, or the shop burning down. The problem really arises when you deal with an unethical cue maker whom does not live up to their contracts. These people, who usually will build the cue as promised and may be a great cue, just don't do it in a timely matter. This gives all cue makers, both those who consider a contract, exactly that, a contract and those who don't, a bad name and causes this hesitancy for someone to give a deposit.

Dick

 

[Rift]

As a customer not a builder, I wouldn't be comfortable doing any kind of business with someone that I couldn't trust with a deposit. I'd just assume have someone else do the work for me even if it is at a lower standard. As it is I've gotten in touch with one of the best and one of the friendliest and helpful builders I've ever had the pleasure to talk to. If he'd have asked for any amount up front I'd have given it to him. He did require a deposit but the amount was barely enough I'd imagine to cover costs. Regardless, if a cuemaker can't be trusted with your money why would anyone trust them to build you something as personal as a cue the way you want it.

 

[gh8st]

As a customer who averages about 3 cues a year, I think a reasonable approach to consider is that there is no deposit initially but some form of deposit once the cue maker has acknowledged that your next up and that your cue will be in the next batch of cues to be delivered by x. This way to a certain extent the cue maker is somewhat protected because if the person doesnt pony op the money, the cuemaker has risked nothing. If customer makes payment they have a idea of when their due a cue.

1-Just like someone else said, shit happens and if i sent a deposit initially and u have a 3 yr waiting list and something happens, I am out of luck. Because the folks who do require something, its not like they turn around and send me a contract that says you've made partial payment on a cue I owe u a cue in 3yrs time.

2-I had a situation with a very reputable cuemaker who employed a third party to facilitate orders, both acknowledged my deposit, and instead of paying the suggested amount I paid more. A year and a half goes by and then a couple of months before my cue was due I checked in and "shit happened" to the third party and there was some confusion about where my payment was. It lead to an uncomfortable situation, but things were worked out and I got my cue roughly 4-6 months later.

3-However market forces dictate the amount of leverage each cue makers has so my point may be moot.

Thanks
gh8st

 

[gh8st]

doubled up by accident