Hope this post stirs up some reactions. It amazes me that some people, who claim to love the game of pool, show such disrespect for the game and the billiard industry as a whole by offering new cues at highly discounted prices. For those of you that may be unaware, there is an unwritten rule by most cue manufactures asking that you do not sell their products for less than 20% off of retail and to that end the wholesale price is set accordingly. Most retailers adhere to that policy. However, with the ease at which anyone can set up a website, list on Ebay or billiard forums, unscrupulous individuals are seizing the opportunity to make some extra money by taking advantage of the normal pricing policy. Now don't take me wrong, I'm not against anyone trying to make an honest living, we all have that right, but do it on a level playing field. So who really loses here? Well the manufactures product is devalued in the eyes of the consumer, the retailers lose customer's trust and revenue, the local pool and pro shops lose much needed revenue ( some of which could be channeled into tournament prize money). In short, the industry loses, the players lose, the sport loses, WE ALL LOSE !
Overly Discounted Cue Prices
- Thread starter LiLStick
- Start date
Mostly, I think the cues are sold at a price they're really worth, considering the kind of worksmanship and material that goes into making some of the cues. If the cue manufacturers can't limit their distributors from selling on Ebay or other websites, its their fault, not the public's problem. I'm sure if their products are really worth the $700 they're advertising them for (just as an example), they won't be selling at $300 on Ebay.
The argument that the cues are selling cheap is hurting the billiards industry as a whole also doesn't stack up. Its merely bringing the cue prices of some cue manufacturers into alignment with their real worth.
The argument that the cues are selling cheap is hurting the billiards industry as a whole also doesn't stack up. Its merely bringing the cue prices of some cue manufacturers into alignment with their real worth.
hmmm.. what i have seen.. by selling alot of cues on ebay and on the forums and to local people...
just because they discount the price to what its really worth.. still doesnt mean it is really worth it...
like.. lets take meucci's for example.. retail on a cue is $700...
that specific cue that retails for $700, can be purchased THROUGH meucci themselfs for $283.00 with two shafts.. and then meucci says not to advertise the cue for less then 20% off retail.. what a crock.. i have seen that particular cue on ebay for sale $300.00 and they cant even sell it for that price!!!
ooh btw.. meucci's policy is that no autherized meucci dealer can ADVERTISE the cue for less then what meucci says to sell it for.. According to their rules.. what the SELLER does sell it for is entirely up to them...
and me myself.. i bought a load of them through a friend who was an authorized dealer and sold them on ebay.. meucci sent me a letter telling me what i had to sell them for .. i told them to stick it.. since i am not an authorized dealer i will sell them for whatever i want..
lol.. when i told them to stick it, they tried to set me up as a dealer...
i guess so they can make money on me making money..
AND NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY SELLS THEM FOR, EVERYBODY WHO BUYS CUES FROM THE MANUFACTUER (spelling?) PAYS WHAT THEY WANT FOR THEM... so in fact the people making the cues dont loose any money.. its the people who have unreasonable markups on them..
just had to get that off my chest..
chris
just because they discount the price to what its really worth.. still doesnt mean it is really worth it...
like.. lets take meucci's for example.. retail on a cue is $700...
that specific cue that retails for $700, can be purchased THROUGH meucci themselfs for $283.00 with two shafts.. and then meucci says not to advertise the cue for less then 20% off retail.. what a crock.. i have seen that particular cue on ebay for sale $300.00 and they cant even sell it for that price!!!
ooh btw.. meucci's policy is that no autherized meucci dealer can ADVERTISE the cue for less then what meucci says to sell it for.. According to their rules.. what the SELLER does sell it for is entirely up to them...
and me myself.. i bought a load of them through a friend who was an authorized dealer and sold them on ebay.. meucci sent me a letter telling me what i had to sell them for .. i told them to stick it.. since i am not an authorized dealer i will sell them for whatever i want..
lol.. when i told them to stick it, they tried to set me up as a dealer...
i guess so they can make money on me making money..
AND NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY SELLS THEM FOR, EVERYBODY WHO BUYS CUES FROM THE MANUFACTUER (spelling?) PAYS WHAT THEY WANT FOR THEM... so in fact the people making the cues dont loose any money.. its the people who have unreasonable markups on them..
just had to get that off my chest..
chris
LiLStick said:
Thats just it. Its UNWRITTEN and I for one will not follow UNWRITTEN rule. I didnt sign a contract to adhere to that. Plus agreeing to sell cues at no less than 20% off is called COLLUSION/PRICE-FIXING and that is illegal. If others can compete, than thats too bad. Its called Capitalism. Dont like it, move to North Korea.....
Cue manufacturers are already making their money when they sell it to their dealers. Why should they care what the dealers are selling it for? You've made you money, now I will make mine and dont tell me how to do it. If that de-values the cue, well dont pump out a million cues a year.....keep the supply low...
Last edited:
Levi Straus, and other Big Companies got into trouble over Fair Trade Act Violations, and Price Fixing. Both are No Nos'
Think the market will set realistic prices, and if for example XYZ Player’s Cue Company, don’t move at List less 20%. One of two thing will happen.
List Prices will come down
Discounts will increase by retailers to Dump cues that don’t move. Plus reorder will disappear.
Last Player’s Cue Company will fold.
Want a New Southwest, pay the price, and wait Seven Years. Market has again controled it self.
Think the market will set realistic prices, and if for example XYZ Player’s Cue Company, don’t move at List less 20%. One of two thing will happen.
List Prices will come down
Discounts will increase by retailers to Dump cues that don’t move. Plus reorder will disappear.
Last Player’s Cue Company will fold.
Want a New Southwest, pay the price, and wait Seven Years. Market has again controled it self.
Whos Business Is It Anyway!!!
I have cues I purchased in "99" that I paid 60% 0f retail. That's $600 for a $1,000 cue. Custom cuemaker. Nobody wants to buy them at my cost. So I keep them. I bought two Phillippi cues at a tournament for $1,500. The next week I sold both of them for $2,000 total. One of them was a used $3,200 cue and the other was a J/B. I made my $500, the buyer was delighted, and Rick Phillippi knows I am a nice guy. I have only sold one cue at retail in 6 years. I will tell you one thing, my customers won't go anywhere else. You also need to remember, to get 40% off, you have to buy five or six cues. If I can shuck out $5,000 and get back $6,500 in a month, I am gonna do it man. I am just a little guy with a full time job and a part time passion. Just doing my thing. I have also been known to give them away. You probably don't want to know about that side of the business, do ya.
Purdman
I have cues I purchased in "99" that I paid 60% 0f retail. That's $600 for a $1,000 cue. Custom cuemaker. Nobody wants to buy them at my cost. So I keep them. I bought two Phillippi cues at a tournament for $1,500. The next week I sold both of them for $2,000 total. One of them was a used $3,200 cue and the other was a J/B. I made my $500, the buyer was delighted, and Rick Phillippi knows I am a nice guy. I have only sold one cue at retail in 6 years. I will tell you one thing, my customers won't go anywhere else. You also need to remember, to get 40% off, you have to buy five or six cues. If I can shuck out $5,000 and get back $6,500 in a month, I am gonna do it man. I am just a little guy with a full time job and a part time passion. Just doing my thing. I have also been known to give them away. You probably don't want to know about that side of the business, do ya.
Purdman