Predator hiking prices

buckshotshoey

buckshotshoey

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is from a Budget Billiards email......

Please Note: Monday, across the board Predator will raise their pricing on ALL*models. This weekend is your last chance to buy at the lower pricing.

I assume this is a company mandate applied to all suppliers.
 
They have gotten a little carried away on their pricing. $400-$500 for a sneaky pete, come on. Get real Predator
 
I do like my Predator. But will probably not get another one. They were already beyond my price range. Unless I find a good deal on a nice used one, that is. Just posted ths in case someone was on the fence about buying one. Now is the time.
 
we always get price increases from China in JUL; standard. usually 3-6% wholesale but 6-10% this year. because of existing stock @ old prices, we reps have the leniency to delay the price increase @ our discretion for our dealers (within reason).

the MON deadline, is so they can backdate the orders into AUG for 3rdQ sales.
 
good thing I go to Jacoby for all my pool needs. I'm adjusted to my edge hybrid, don't think I'll be going back to my Z2.
 
I used too like predator ill stick with my OBs and BD customs both usa made :thumbup:
 
I love my Predator with the Z2 and my Meucci with a Z2 but will have to consider alternatives for future purchases.
 
what do you all protest when prices go up in the usa? prices go up all the time. when I was a kid the price of gas was 50cts a gallon now it is $4.00. I swore I was not going to support those oil robber barons and just use horses and buggies but it seems those are just for tourists any more.

not saying predator is or is not worth the money.....just saying them raising prices should not be a reason to bash china.

predator has never ever been a cheap cue. and don't forget that they have bought cues from lots of usa makers....joss, jacoby, and pechauer to name three if I am not mistaken.
 
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JB Cases said:
what do you all protest when prices go up in the usa? prices go up all the time. when I was a kid the price of gas was 50cts a gallon now it is $4.00. I swore I was not going to support those oil robber barons and just use horses and buggies but it seems those are just for tourists any more.

not saying predator is or is not worth the money.....just saying them raising prices should not be a reason to bash china.

predator has never ever been a cheap cue. and don't forget that they have bought cues from lots of usa makers....joss, jacoby, and pechauer to name three if I am not mistaken.
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You shouldn't give your opinion when you have a conflict of interest. We all know you cannot disagree with their policy considering you MAY do the same thing in the future.
Back to the topic, as a customer I think Predator is way over priced, ugly stick, inconsistent quality, bad customer service and Made in China.
Only 2 reasons why they're still able to sell sticks and shafts :
1.They were the leader who brought an evolution to the game of pool by bringing in the low deflection shaft, their name came 1st when someone mentioned "low deflecttion". It's kind of Apple in the Smartphone market.
2. It's impossible for most beginners and even better pool players to tell the differences between shafts. Actually many many pool players don't care about warranty service or durability of the shaft. They're ignorance.
The truth is OB is now far far better than Predator in every aspect. They are made in USA, they didn't raise up the price, so imo Predator raise it up maybe not because of the china but for another reason, maybe their sale dropped and they want to make up for it :p. Anyway, blame China to up the price when a far better product Made in USA didn't is unconvincing.
 
Look at the exchange rate a few years ago and look now. For many years, it was simply manipulated allowing China to develop. BTW, same thing happened in Taiwan, Brazil and long ago, 70's, Europe. The reason production moved out of the USA was labor. In the 70's I made women's shoes in TN, MO, AR, MI, IL,MS, and ME. When any opportunity came to the small factory towns, we lost our best people. If we paid more, to stay in business we would have to charge more and could not sell. I went to Brazil and Taiwan in the 80's. In the mid 90's moved to China. Each move was to maintain pricing. Finally, after paying essentially the same for a couple decades, we had to move up with the currency. Customers went crazy, but finally adjusted to reality. Factory work,piece work, is not easy. Workers have to keep production pace.

The point is, the product would not be cheaper here and quite likely get better personal production attention where it is because of the relative job value.
 
HelloBaby- said:
You shouldn't give your opinion when you have a conflict of interest. We all know you cannot disagree with their policy considering you MAY do the same thing in the future.
Back to the topic, as a customer I think Predator is way over priced, ugly stick, inconsistent quality, bad customer service and Made in China.
Only 2 reasons why they're still able to sell sticks and shafts :
1.They were the leader who brought an evolution to the game of pool by bringing in the low deflection shaft, their name came 1st when someone mentioned "low deflecttion". It's kind of Apple in the Smartphone market.
2. It's impossible for most beginners and even better pool players to tell the differences between shafts. Actually many many pool players don't care about warranty service or durability of the shaft. They're ignorance.
The truth is OB is now far far better than Predator in every aspect. They are made in USA, they didn't raise up the price, so imo Predator raise it up maybe not because of the china but for another reason, maybe their sale dropped and they want to make up for it :p. Anyway, blame China to up the price when a far better product Made in USA didn't is unconvincing.
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I also am one of the few here who has direct experience, having owned businesses in the USA, Germany and China. So I have dealt with cost and currency fluctuations affecting my products for 23 years now.

Again I make no comment on the value. All companies raise prices. Most because they have to and some just because they want to.

We raised our prices slightly this year because we had to. Some of our material costs have more than doubled in cost over the pasr several years. Labor rates have increased by a lot. it is just the reality. Any business that has overhead has to deal with rising costs and factor them into the price or they have reduce overhead to make up for the costs.

Pretty simple. It applies to all businesses regardless of where they are making their stuff. it isnt a China thing, its an economic reality thing. When you find you cant live like you need and want to you will ask for a raise. if you don't get it you will start looking for a job that will pay you what you want. you look to raise your price when your costs go up and so do businesses. they usually look to do that as a last resort though because just like your boss no one responds well to a price increase.
 
My take on Predator raising prices:

WHO CARES!

If you feel they are over priced. Do not buy. If you do not like that they are built in China. Do not buy. If you feel their service is bad. Do not buy.

On the other hand if none of those things bother you then by all means spend away.

Fact is there are many choices and alternates out there.
 
I think Predator has simply priced themselves out of the market.

They appear to me like a company that has an over valued opinion of themselves, and now they firmly have their head's up their ass.

There are simply better values available, and the advantages of doing business with a US company should be obvious to everyone.

Forget where it's made ... Predator = Over Priced.
 
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