Tip Prices

[MINDSEYE153]

How much do you charge to install a Moori. I just installed two Moori's on a customers Bender and gave a quick cleaning to the shafts and he was stunned when I said the total was $50.

When I asked why he was so surprised he told me last guy who put tips on for him charged $120 for two Moori's and didn't even clean the whole ferrule.

My Tip Prices are $10 for a S-M-H tip included (Elk Master, Le Pro, Water Buffalo). Or for the higher end tips $10 + price of the tip.

Am I seriously undercutting myself by charging what I do? Is this guy price gouging his customers? Or is it both?

Paul Di Lillo
Ridge Custom Cueworks

 

[Ridge Runner]

A lot depends on the area you live and/or provide service in. But in my estimate your prices are close to the norm. The other guy seems very expensive to me!! You might be a couple of bucks too low if you are cleaning /sealing /polishing the shaft.
John

 

[shakes]

Tip cost

It also might depend on WHEN he had two other Moori's installed. I believe previously the tips themselves were much more expensive than they are now. This was discussed here in another thread a while back. You might ask him how long ago this was.

 

[sliprock]

Your prices are pretty close to what I charge for the same service. The $120 sounds like the prices from several years ago when Moori's were difficult to get.

 

[cueman]

I would have charged him $25 each on the tips and $10 each on cleaning the shafts. But I would have done a good clean and removed dents. His total would have been $70.
Chris
www.hightowercues.com
www.internationalcuemakers.com

 

[Sheldon]

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=31863

 

[MINDSEYE153]

My shop is in Bklyn, NY so in terms of price I could probably charge more for my repair work, but I think my prices are fair. The shafts were in good shape and all I did was get some chalk off so I didn't want to charge him more than that.

The Cuemaker who did the work is also in the general area and did the work 3 or 4 months ago so the price of the tips isn't an issue. I guess it's just a case of scruples. New Customer with a $3000 cue + seeing what you can get away with = $60 per tip.

 

[Cuedog]

I am down from $40.00 each for Moori tips including install, to $30.00. A clean and reconditioning alone costs $15.00 but is just $10.00 when combined with a tip installation.

Keep in mind that different repairmen/cuemakers have different costs (overhead) associated with thier respective businesses. While one will realize a profit by charging a certain amount, the same job at the same price could be a break even point, or possibly a loss to another. It really depends on what the market will endure.

While I don't endorse gouging, I can understand the need, desire, or right to charge whatever for your work. Ultimately, the customer will decide if you are too high for your services.

Meanwhile, in order for this industry to thrive, a good start would be for us to stop giving away our services and charge a fair amount. Cost of materials is only a small part of the equation. Keep in mind that the tip you put on will last your customer a year in most cases. (Those players that play more often will get less time per tip of course.) Selling a Moori at $20.00 installed comes out to about 5 cents a day over a years time. Too cheap if you ask me.

Gene

 

[PoolFool]

$60 per tip.

I don't understand why anyone would charge $60 a tip. That's just ridiculous. You charged $25 which IMO is a bit low since you cleaned the shaft as well. I personally charge $30 for each Moori tip which includes cleaning/conditioning/resealing. I always thought my prices are pretty reasonable. I live in Flushing which is not that far from Brooklyn so it's not like it's a totally different area that we live in. I say when in doubt just look up the prices that the big companies charge and just minus the shipping and handling to get your price. The only reason I could see someone charging $60 is if he changed the ferrule too on each cue; but you said he didn't even clean the ferrule. All I can say is that he found a sucker and got him. Come to think of it now.... maybe I am undercutting myself as well... Perhaps I should start raising my prices?

 

[rhncue]

I am down from $40.00 each for Moori tips including install, to $30.00. A clean and reconditioning alone costs $15.00 but is just $10.00 when combined with a tip installation.

Keep in mind that different repairmen/cuemakers have different costs (overhead) associated with thier respective businesses. While one will realize a profit by charging a certain amount, the same job at the same price could be a break even point, or possibly a loss to another. It really depends on what the market will endure.

While I don't endorse gouging, I can understand the need, desire, or right to charge whatever for your work. Ultimately, the customer will decide if you are too high for your services.

Meanwhile, in order for this industry to thrive, a good start would be for us to stop giving away our services and charge a fair amount. Cost of materials is only a small part of the equation. Keep in mind that the tip you put on will last your customer a year in most cases. (Those players that play more often will get less time per tip of course.) Selling a Moori at $20.00 installed comes out to about 5 cents a day over a years time. Too cheap if you ask me.

Gene

My tip prices from 1997 until the first of this year have been: standard tips (Elk Master, Triumph, LePro, Triangle and Water Buffalo) = 10.00. Chandiverts = 15.00. Talisman = 20.00. Snipers, Tigers, Herculies and such = 25.00 and Mooris = 30.00. This included cleaning and polishing shaft and removal or filling of all dents.

As of 1/1/2007 I kept the prices the same except for Moori which I lowered to 25.00 but now the shaft clean and polish is no longer included in the price. I now charge an extra 5.00 for the shaft clean/polish when a tip is installed or 10.00 for just a clean/polish. When I do tournaments I raise all of my prices by 5.00 to help defray the extra expenses involved.

All of my work is guaranteed for life so if a Moori tip should come off a year after installation it is replaced free. I have a lot of overhead in my shop that many others, who are working out of their homes don't have as I have an 1800 sq.ft. shop that I rent, pay utilities, phone, insurance, taxes and so on but now have many loyal customers. Once your reputation is established, people will come far for your services if you do quality work at reasonable prices. The word spreads when you try to make a quick dollar and in the long run your business and reputation will suffer.

Dick

 

[MINDSEYE153]

Meanwhile, in order for this industry to thrive, a good start would be for us to stop giving away our services and charge a fair amount. Cost of materials is only a small part of the equation. Keep in mind that the tip you put on will last your customer a year in most cases. (Those players that play more often will get less time per tip of course.) Selling a Moori at $20.00 installed comes out to about 5 cents a day over a years time. Too cheap if you ask me.

Gene

If selling a Moori at $20.00 installed comes out to about 5 cents a day over a years time (and I agree this is a good deal). Then selling a Le Pro at $10 comes out to 2.7 cents a day (an even better deal if like you say the customer gets a year out of it). Does that mean I should charge more to install Le Pro's as well as Moori's?

To me the only difference is the cost of the tip and anything special the customer wants (nickel or dime, add a pad +$2, I even have one guy that has me put a Moori on and then cut half off before I start shaping it,)

What if one of my regular guys shows up after VF and has me install two tips he just bought at the show, a Moori and a Le Pro. Do I charge him the same for both or $20 for the Moori but only $10 for the Le Pro?

I certainly don't want to sell myself short, but I need to justify charging twice the price for what, to most of my customers, seems the same amount of work.

 

[Mase]

If selling a Moori at $20.00 installed comes out to about 5 cents a day over a years time (and I agree this is a good deal). Then selling a Le Pro at $10 comes out to 2.7 cents a day (an even better deal if like you say the customer gets a year out of it). Does that mean I should charge more to install Le Pro's as well as Moori's?

To me the only difference is the cost of the tip and anything special the customer wants (nickel or dime, add a pad +$2, I even have one guy that has me put a Moori on and then cut half off before I start shaping it,)

What if one of my regular guys shows up after VF and has me install two tips he just bought at the show, a Moori and a Le Pro. Do I charge him the same for both or $20 for the Moori but only $10 for the Le Pro?

I certainly don't want to sell myself short, but I need to justify charging twice the price for what, to most of my customers, seems the same amount of work.

What most have not mentioned is that you should make a profit on the tip. I have probably 3 to 4 thousand dollars worth of tips in my shop. I expect to make a profit on the tip plus I expect to get paid for installing it. I do not believe in gouging customers but should be paid a fair profit. How many other businesses invest 3 to 4 thousand dollars on product and then sell it at cost?? I can not think of any.

 

[rhncue]

If selling a Moori at $20.00 installed comes out to about 5 cents a day over a years time (and I agree this is a good deal). Then selling a Le Pro at $10 comes out to 2.7 cents a day (an even better deal if like you say the customer gets a year out of it). Does that mean I should charge more to install Le Pro's as well as Moori's?

To me the only difference is the cost of the tip and anything special the customer wants (nickel or dime, add a pad +$2, I even have one guy that has me put a Moori on and then cut half off before I start shaping it,)

What if one of my regular guys shows up after VF and has me install two tips he just bought at the show, a Moori and a Le Pro. Do I charge him the same for both or $20 for the Moori but only $10 for the Le Pro?

I certainly don't want to sell myself short, but I need to justify charging twice the price for what, to most of my customers, seems the same amount of work.

If a customer furnishes his own tip, which is more common now a days since the advent of the Internet and close to wholesale prices to all is I charge my minimum tip installation price which is 10.00 plus and extra five if they want a shaft polish. Since I guarantee my work for the life of the tip I let them know that if the tip should come off in the future I will replace with the tip that he paid for which would be an Elk Master or Le pro or such.

Dick

 

[billiardbum]

If selling a Moori at $20.00 installed comes out to about 5 cents a day over a years time (and I agree this is a good deal). Then selling a Le Pro at $10 comes out to 2.7 cents a day (an even better deal if like you say the customer gets a year out of it). Does that mean I should charge more to install Le Pro's as well as Moori's?

To me the only difference is the cost of the tip and anything special the customer wants (nickel or dime, add a pad +$2, I even have one guy that has me put a Moori on and then cut half off before I start shaping it,)

What if one of my regular guys shows up after VF and has me install two tips he just bought at the show, a Moori and a Le Pro. Do I charge him the same for both or $20 for the Moori but only $10 for the Le Pro?

I certainly don't want to sell myself short, but I need to justify charging twice the price for what, to most of my customers, seems the same amount of work.

This might help you with pricing in your area... This is a buddy of mine in Brooklyn, you might know him, and this is his pricing.

http://www.rjhcustomcues.com/Repairs.htm

 

[Cuedog]

My tip prices from 1997 until the first of this year have been: standard tips (Elk Master, Triumph, LePro, Triangle and Water Buffalo) = 10.00. Chandiverts = 15.00. Talisman = 20.00. Snipers, Tigers, Herculies and such = 25.00 and Mooris = 30.00. This included cleaning and polishing shaft and removal or filling of all dents.

As of 1/1/2007 I kept the prices the same except for Moori which I lowered to 25.00 but now the shaft clean and polish is no longer included in the price. I now charge an extra 5.00 for the shaft clean/polish when a tip is installed or 10.00 for just a clean/polish. When I do tournaments I raise all of my prices by 5.00 to help defray the extra expenses involved.

All of my work is guaranteed for life so if a Moori tip should come off a year after installation it is replaced free. I have a lot of overhead in my shop that many others, who are working out of their homes don't have as I have an 1800 sq.ft. shop that I rent, pay utilities, phone, insurance, taxes and so on but now have many loyal customers. Once your reputation is established, people will come far for your services if you do quality work at reasonable prices. The word spreads when you try to make a quick dollar and in the long run your business and reputation will suffer.

Dick

I'm not quite sure why you quoted me Dick. I agree with everything you said and our prices are very comparable. In fact, the reason my cleaning job went to 15.00 is because of the tournaments I worked and found that no one has a problem with paying that especially when they see the time, work and detail I put into it.

Which brings me to this. I have seen cleanings done many different ways. From just sanding the dirt off, to actually [scrubbing the dirt out with a wood cleaner, smoothing with low grit light sanding, putting a quality finishing product on, removing the finish from the surface, burnishing, and shaping the tip.] The latter method is what I call my cleaning service. To me, that kind of time and detailed effort is worthy of 15.00.

Like I said before, I can't gripe about anyone else's pricing. One should charge what they feel their work is worth. If I took three minutes to do a cleaning, I would be more than happy with 5 or 10 dollars. I just believe the customer deserves more, and so do I.

How long are we to continue to charge the same price? How many years of inflation do we have to work for the same income when the outlay continues to get larger? Just a thought.
Gene

 

[Mcues]

tip price

i think you could go to $12 on the common tips and $30 for Moori if you don't clean shaft at all, and $35 if you are going to make a habit of real light cleaning. For a real cleaning job on shaft $15 to $20.

I'ts real expensive to work in our area.

Mario

 

[CrownCityCorey]

Tiger Services

For retail tip installs, we charge:

Sniper $30
Everest $25
Tiger Jump/Break $25
Tiger $25
Dynamite $20

For your tip (Moori, Talisman or whatever) we usually just charge $10-15 labor (depends on if we are set up at a show, or just here at the shop).

Shaft cleanings are $10.