Trade-in Value of Cues Versus Cash Value?
- Thread starter tonyboy59
- Start date
Very simple, a cue is worth only what someone will pay.
You could buy a $15000 cue today and only get less than half tomorrow depending on the market.
Cues with limited production or deceased master cue makers work often fetch higher prices and are a better investment (if you call it that).
Good luck and have fun...
Swapping/trading is kind of an art-form. You're trying to get the most for your stuff in the trade known as 'trading up'. Gotta play it close to the chest. Don't let the other guy know how bad you want his cue. There's an old car dealer saying that if both sides are happy it was a good deal.
Yeah, i would say that most of the dealers there are more interested in selling cues rather than trading. There are always exceptions, especially for big cues from well known makers.
if dealing with another individual I think your trade potential is better, but then it just comes down to who wants to give me to get the deal done.
if dealing with another individual I think your trade potential is better, but then it just comes down to who wants to give me to get the deal done.
none of this is written in stone. its not like there's a guide like trading cars. do your research before going.
I am not a professional cue seller or buyer
Or trader
But from my experience
cash is king,
so the cash value should be more than a trade value in my opinion
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Rule of thumb, at least 25% maybe 50% for some.
An example would be getting a fancy cue by a second tear maker, that would be 50% on the dollar.
There is clearly a bit of confusion about terms here. Let's say you have a cue that was $1000 new and is not hard to get, still in production and somewhat popular.
A private party might pay you $600 used.
If a dealer had that same cue in used condition they might be able to sell it for $700 because some people are more comfortable with a dealer and he probably takes credit cards, unlike a private seller. That dealer is a business so they would likely only want to pay you $450 or so as an outright buy or trade-in allowance. This upsets people because they don't understand that the dealer can get that same cue new at a wholesale price of $650 so it makes no sense to buy your used cue at anywhere near that.
What people sometimes call "Trade Value" when they are looking to trade with another individual is both mysterious and a bit of a delusion on their part usually. People will list a cue for sale/trade and want $700 cash but say it has $800 Trade value. They are basically saying they really want to sell it but will trade if you give them something worth more than their cue.
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A private party might pay you $600 used.
If a dealer had that same cue in used condition they might be able to sell it for $700 because some people are more comfortable with a dealer and he probably takes credit cards, unlike a private seller. That dealer is a business so they would likely only want to pay you $450 or so as an outright buy or trade-in allowance. This upsets people because they don't understand that the dealer can get that same cue new at a wholesale price of $650 so it makes no sense to buy your used cue at anywhere near that.
What people sometimes call "Trade Value" when they are looking to trade with another individual is both mysterious and a bit of a delusion on their part usually. People will list a cue for sale/trade and want $700 cash but say it has $800 Trade value. They are basically saying they really want to sell it but will trade if you give them something worth more than their cue.
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I never had much luck selling but have made a couple trades that I was happy with.
The cues you are bringing must be something special or expect to not make a deal with
a vender. Remember they buy at a price so they can flip it and make some money,
otherwise they will balk. I suggest putting a post in the main section or for sale section a week
before the expo with contact (cell #) and what days you will be there. Give good description,
condition, Length/weight butts/shafts/tip dia/straightness and pictures. Try not to make a private sale inside
the building because they will kick you out if you're caught.
The cues you are bringing must be something special or expect to not make a deal with
a vender. Remember they buy at a price so they can flip it and make some money,
otherwise they will balk. I suggest putting a post in the main section or for sale section a week
before the expo with contact (cell #) and what days you will be there. Give good description,
condition, Length/weight butts/shafts/tip dia/straightness and pictures. Try not to make a private sale inside
the building because they will kick you out if you're caught.
Joe is a great guy, but like you said he knows his sh*t. I have made a couple deals with Joe years ago.
I did not even know that at one time he was one of the best barbox 8 ball players in the country, right
up there with Keith McCready in his prime.
A lot don't know that. He could really gin it in his prime. Played close to Buddy/Matlock speed on the b'box.
It's probably the opposite, you would be getting less for your trade not more. Since the trade you then have to try to sell to make the money you wanted. I would guess there would be a decent difference, so for a $1,000 cue they may take a $1,200 / 1,300 cue in a trade. When I sold my Ned Morris cue I was getting cash offers from people that would be using it near my asking price, but from a few dealers I talked to, that were even friends of mine, I got nearly half that as an offer. Trading a cue would be in the same situation.
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Depends on what you are trading into.
Your question has 100 different answers. It’s all circumstantial.
There is no “formula”
I’ve done millions of dollars of cue biz over the last 37 years. From $40 cues to $100,000 cues.
Those are the facts. Not guesses. You will only get screwed if you let it happen. I’ve been screwed, I’ve got WAY the best of it a few times. 95% of transactions are “fair”. About 1 in 20 someone makes a “mistake”.
If you put the effort into your cues you are here asking-you’ll probably be ok. If you rely on answers here and not “working” your deals or looking for a formula that doesn’t exist. You’re gonna come up short.
In other words go meet people, take their temperature and then make informed decisions in real time. With real people-not theory.
Good luck,
Fatboy<——-ask around about me, and see if I’m wrong about this.
Not sure about cues, but when I sell my artwork in galleries, I get 60% of an agreed value. If they want to discount it down the road, that discount comes out of their 40%. A big cut for them, but that's just what it is, and most all galleries are about the same commission though some are 50%, and I won't deal with them. You can always sell it on your own if you want to go through all of that.
I think you were a helluva used-car dealer in another galaxy somewhere. Agree 100% here. 'ORANGE5, Keep it Alive'
I was a telemarketer, same thing.
Every deal is a deal and stands on its own. There’s no formula. It works when both sides are happy. There’s no fixed formula for that.
Everyone seems to want a formula these days-news flash ain’t happening. Educate yourself and take it as it comes.
I get it tho, wheeling and dealing isn’t for everyone. Which is why there are middle men to handle that for a fee. But don’t expect the best price as they need their vig for their work. It’s just biz.
Again it all goes back to learning about your wares. Asking questions about the cue market isn’t the right question. Asking about a specific cue or cue maker are the right questions. SW’s are easy to sell as pussy on a troop train, selling a Samsara is almost impossible. Same market-2 different answers.
I’m not a teacher, I’m a do’er and all I can tell anyone is educate yourself. I got educated by trading over time. The more deals I did the more I made. I lost $ on cues too. It happens.
But the interwebs isn’t the answer book-hopefully never in my lifetime
Fatboy<——-Monte Halls cousin
If it was me , I would ask Joe how much he would charge to either broker the cue or give me a valuation both ways , so you have a ballpark figure of what you should get. Otherwise you will be dealing with broke nits all day , trying to steal it or trade a piece of pine for it.
I would not be surprised if you have a nice cue that he already has a buyer for more than you will ever get on your own.
Joe is a solid guy
Tracy Joe Salazar is the best player to ever come from Tracy California.
Fatboy is also from Tracy Ca, I happen to be the 2nd best player from Tracy Ca. Lol
That’s been our running joke forever. Joe played MUCH stronger than I ever did. He was a champion barbox player.
Good guy to do biz with. Honorable.
Fatboy<———came after Joe did, we’ve never played but I know who’d win
