Pricing question...

Retail1LO

Retail1LO

Pass the sugar!!!
Silver Member
I was wondering if it's aggravating to a cue maker to spend a significant amount of time making a cue to a customers specifications, only to see them sell it immediately upon delivery...often at a considerable premium over what was charged the original owner. It would think that if I were making cues...and I consistantly saw folks selling them for a large sum over what I charged the initial client...I would strongly consider charging more for my work to begin with. Does the secondary market provide influence on initial pricing? I know cost of materials, techniques, time/labor etc. are amongst the primary contributors to the cost of the final product . I always wondered how a cuemaker got a feel for how to value his work. It should be noted...that I personally respect each and every cuemaker's right to price their cues as they see fit. You spend a lifetime learning such an amazing trade...your labors should bare some fine fruit. Thanks in advance for the opinions of anyone who cares to share them. :-)

Hayden
 
Retail1LO said:
I was wondering if it's aggravating to a cue maker to spend a significant amount of time making a cue to a customers specifications, only to see them sell it immediately upon delivery...often at a considerable premium over what was charged the original owner.

Hayden
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That's aggravating.
Oftentimes flippers beg hot cuemakers for a cue or cues.
Then they flip it for a profit.
Then they get on the maker's $h#tlist.
 
JoeyInCali said:
That's aggravating.
Oftentimes flippers beg hot cuemakers for a cue or cues.
Then they flip it for a profit.
Then they get on the maker's $h#tlist.
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I think thats the larger portion of south west cues wait list.
They must be lovin it .

Jayman.
 
masonh said:
SW guys aren't lving it anymore since Laurie decided to charge market value now.
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Best thing she could have ever done, my hats off to her!!!!!!
 
masonh said:
SW guys aren't lving it anymore since Laurie decided to charge market value now.
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That's just it. I think most cuemakers have an idea ahead of time what they want/need to make on a cue so that they can make a living...while maintaining a price point that is indicative of the amount of work involved with making the cue. I think it's admirable that a number of cue makers go out of their way to price their cues such that most people that want one, can afford one. But at some point...I think if I was a cuemaker...I'd have to take a hard stance and start pricing my cues such that my profit margin exceeded that of the guy I made the cue for. Just my 2 cents. I know Eric's Sugartrees have consistantly been subjected to this practice around here. And it's a shame too. He's one of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of getting acquainted with...and makes some really nice stuff. I know a lot of people that would love to be on his list...or are...but at the back end...who'd love to get one of his cues. And they can get one...delivered for twice as much as the cue's original cost, the day after it's arrived to it's primary recipient. *laughing*

By the way Eric...you're the man. There IS something to be said about your cues when sneakies are fetching $1200-$1400. Must be the magic wood you use. I just hope people remember that you're not setting these prices, and thus have no annymosity towards you because of it. If they do...just start charging the secondary market prices yourself...so at least it's justified...AND you get paid. *LOL*
 
Thanks for the kind words, Hayden. I find all the flipping & excitement flattering. I'll take the ride as far as it goes :) Cuemaking is fun for me, not something I depend on to pay my bills or feed my kids. It's a sanctuary or reserve from the daily grind of being a Mr. Mom. I have a small cinder block shed in my back yard that I call "the cave", and that's where I spend my evenings & some weekends working on cues. The rest of my time is spent with my kids and/or wife. So cuemaking is my "call of the wild", my link to manliness. It pays me enough in other ways that not making enough money to cover expenses is just fine with me ;) If somebody else can piggyback on it for monotary gain, then it's ok by me because i'm already milking it for what I need, which is my sanity :) I'll do it until I die, or until I can't afford to, whichever comes first!!!
 
just what is market value for a sw? what are they going for from laurie new. that is one of the major reasons i refuse to buy sell or own a sw cue. i have had many maany chances to aquire them with paperwork only to see a 2005 sw that sold new for 1200$ being sold for 2000$+. i wont be a part of it. no disrespect to laurie or sw cues

eric you are the man btw
 
i think by the time you get a few rings and veneers those asic 6 pointers have been closer to $1400,but they are going up i have heard.i guess she will determine market value and i would assume it to be somewhere around $2000.

i don't know when it starts or if it has started,but it seems like a good idea.maybe someone who knows more will chime in here.
 
If someone flips one of my cues for a profit I'd certainly look upon that as a good thing. And why not? It's eventually going to create a greater demand for my product. I don't care at all that the orig. buyer made a profit. Good for him. Chances are, he'll be back to buy another cue so he can do it again. I hope that he made so much profit that he decides to quit his day job and make a living selling my cues. Where's the down-side?

Look, I'm a builder, not a salesman. I build an awesome playing cue but I'll admit, I'm not a people person. If someone wants to be the go-btwn. btwn. me and the buying public, they've got the job. I don't build cues (and do cue repair) as a hobby or as a side-line, it's a full-time profession. I really don't have time to play salesman. I have people that handle the majority of that for me and I hope they get rich doing it.
 
KJ Cues said:
Look, I'm a builder, not a salesman. I build an awesome playing cue but I'll admit, I'm not a people person.
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What? say it ain't so!

Awww, just funning...:p
 
masonh said:
i think by the time you get a few rings and veneers those asic 6 pointers have been closer to $1400,but they are going up i have heard.i guess she will determine market value and i would assume it to be somewhere around $2000.

i don't know when it starts or if it has started,but it seems like a good idea.maybe someone who knows more will chime in here.
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Mason, you must also consider employment wages & the economy. She doesn't build the cues herself. She has to pay the guys in the shop, and i'm sure they are driving to work every day. Cost of gas has more than doubled in two years, so their travelling expenses are higher so they need more pay. Plus everybody's power & utility bills are going up, along with everything else from food to clothes because of increased fuel costs. Everything is going up. Wood is going up. The days of $300 custom cues are gone, because nobody can afford to build for that low & still make money. When Laurie is paying somebody to build for her, then even $1200-$1400 is too low to make good, liveable profit. I expect prices on cues will sharply go up as days pass. I'm just surprised the secondary market showed it before the initial.
 
qbilder said:
Mason, you must also consider employment wages & the economy. She doesn't build the cues herself. She has to pay the guys in the shop, and i'm sure they are driving to work every day. Cost of gas has more than doubled in two years, so their travelling expenses are higher so they need more pay. Plus everybody's power & utility bills are going up, along with everything else from food to clothes because of increased fuel costs. Everything is going up. Wood is going up. The days of $300 custom cues are gone, because nobody can afford to build for that low & still make money. When Laurie is paying somebody to build for her, then even $1200-$1400 is too low to make good, liveable profit. I expect prices on cues will sharply go up as days pass. I'm just surprised the secondary market showed it before the initial.
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With 9 years of orders, it's way overdue.
Worse, the flippers will increase their prices now too.
 
JoeyInCali said:
With 9 years of orders, it's way overdue.
Worse, the flippers will increase their prices now too.
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I really wonder if they will. Maybe some of the flippers will opt out when there name comes up. They can raise there prices all they want. Doesn't mean they will get it. I am glad she raised her prices. These people that order 3 cues so they can get there's for free is crap IMO(which I am sure is flawed).
 
I know what my rent, utilities, insurance and other base expenses are approximately each month. I know around how much I would like to make each week. Add it all up, divide by hours worked and you come out with a figure you must make an hour. Some peoples overhead is more than others and some people think their time is worth more than others. I have a very good repair business as I've been doing it for many years and have a good following. Repair work pays very well and pays all of my bills and more than enough to live on. Building cues is a pastime if I happen to be out of repair work. My prices for cues are low as it is not needed for me to stay in business. Others are not so fortunate as to have the repair work or don't want to do it. I have plenty of equipment set up for different operations. This means much less time involved in doing repairs or building parts for cues and cues themselves. Material costs are the same for all so if I can build a cue in half the time as someone who is not as well equipped or not as experienced. I can sell them cheaper and still make a profit.

In the last three weeks I've spent around a 1,000.00 on leather for wraps. I do some embossed leather wraps but there is little call for the premium priced, exotic leather wraps in the Cincinnati area. Not enough money that they would part with for real lizard, ostrich, kangaroo and such but now I can say that I've got it available if one of my customers so desires it.

With the value of the dollar dropping like a stone compared to other currencies, the price of raw materials is about to sky rocket. Talisman tips just jumped 25%. 3 places I usually get my Moori's from are out of med. and one said he hasn't ordered any as he is hoping the dollar rises as Moori wants 25% more now. Expensive, custom cues, compared to factory cues, are a luxury for most and with the economy in the shape it is and I fear it's going to become much worse, many cue makers are about to be in some deep do-do.

Dick

Dick
 
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rhncue said:
many cue makers are about to be in some deep do-do.
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Loosing a FEW cuemakers may not be such a bad thing from your standpoint. Seems the market is rather saturated right now.
 
Screw it. I'm moving to Mexico. I almost live there, anyway!!! I'll get me a place down in the Yukatan, on top of a big limestone outcrop so i'll not be vulnerable to flooding, but overlooking the sea. I'll have all the rosewoods I could ever want locally. I'll have to smuggle maple, but that's no big deal.
 
before i made cues i was big into getting customs made for me. im not a name dropper but its been from just about every top maker around. ive always been a flipper but not for a large profit. when i met jerry rauenzahn i learned he can make anything i want at a great price. i ordered cues 10...20...30...so i get great prices. i feel bad flipping jerrys cues for a profit bc he is a wonderful friend and i get cues for a better price then some IMO.

the point i am trying to make is if jerry sees me sell a cue of his for too little he will call me or write me a nastly little email bc he thinks i am selling his cue too low.

he is a great man to deal with and the only custom cuemaker ive delt with in the last 6 years. just using him as an example
 
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