What has happened to the cue market

C

cueballfoul

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I keep seeing all these great cues for sale on the wanted & for sale section of AZB, and it appears little is selling.

Wish I had the funds to jump on some of the nice cues being offer for sale a what appears in many cases bargain prices.

Is it a holiday thing, have the chinese saturated the market with imported cues, or is pool falling out of vogue until another cool pool movie.

Any ideas?
 
three billion ninehundred sixty seven million four hundred twenty six thousand seven hundred and sixteen cues for sale that all "hit like a pre-prison mike tyson hook". Honestly.
 
A tighter economy like we have now with rising fuel prices and the like... translates into having fewer people with significant amounts of discretionary income (like several thousand dollars to spend on non-essentials)... meaning... there are less buyers for discretionary items like semi-collectible pool cues... basically, it's a buyers' market... just a thought.
 
cueballfoul said:
I keep seeing all these great cues for sale on the wanted & for sale section of AZB, and it appears little is selling.

Wish I had the funds to jump on some of the nice cues being offer for sale a what appears in many cases bargain prices.

Is it a holiday thing, have the chinese saturated the market with imported cues, or is pool falling out of vogue until another cool pool movie.

Any ideas?
Click to expand...

The cues that are selling are the collectible older cues (limited supply) and high end cues from famous makers (limited supply). Plus there are maybe a six or a dozen name brand cue makers who can sell everything they make and re-sale is no problem on them.

The production cues and mid line cues, average cue makers, players cues, it's a real buyers market - there are are way too many on the market.

Cues are good for a long, long time. Too many cue makers and too much production machinery = too many cues for the market.

Chris
 
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cigardave said:
A tighter economy like we have now with rising fuel prices and the like... translates into having fewer people with significant amounts of discretionary income (like several thousand dollars to spend on non-essentials)... meaning... there are less buyers for discretionary items like semi-collectible pool cues... basically, it's a buyers' market... just a thought.
Click to expand...

Right. It's supply-side economics in action...
 
i know... im selling a nice Rick Howard cue for a friend of mine, where he's taking a 500$ loss on the cue, and still cant sell it, practically giving it away and noone wants it.

kinda sad, but noone seems to have the funds right now.
 
My take

I don't think the market is over saturated with cues as much as it is buyers not wanting to part with their money. Tough economy brings tough times in the cue market. I would venture to guess both the custom cues and the production cues sales are down right now.
 
The economy is pretty good. We have low unemployment and money is fairly inexpensive. IMHO this is not a good timne of the year for high end expenditures for items you can do without.

School recently started, Thanksgiving is upon us and Christmas is only weeks away. All of these things require disposable income. Also we have negative economic "news" everyday in the press like housing, stock market, and talk of rising inflation (inflation is pretty much in check at this moment). It is the fear of these things that people restrict their spending for things they don't really need or not actually a requirement for daily life.

On top of this are the cue makers driving up their prices b/c they have had a taste of the higher dollars expenditures in the past and it hasen't actually dawned on them yet that people are pulling back from these purchases much that same as housing and cars. Then we have the cue 'brokers" who think they can control the market of the more expensive cues. Look at some of the F/S posts that have been resurected(sp), from months ago. Some date back to last march.
 
Actionhound - Do you think he is taking a $500.00 "loss" or did he simply pay too much for it to start with? Something to think about.
 
cigardave said:
A tighter economy like we have now with rising fuel prices and the like... translates into having fewer people with significant amounts of discretionary income (like several thousand dollars to spend on non-essentials)... meaning... there are less buyers for discretionary items like semi-collectible pool cues... basically, it's a buyers' market... just a thought.
Click to expand...

Give this man a cigar!!:)
 
i just filled my tank and in high school that would have cost me 12-15 dollars(i drive a honda) but i ended up paying 32 and some change. times 3 for the week times 4 for the month times 12 for the year. i think that's got something to do with the slow market. at least why i don't have a new cue
 
lots of reasons most of them have been stated in this thread, the 2 biggest are lack of extra $$$ and too many good cue makers making to many good cues,

I remember 20 years ago some cues cost more than they do now for the samething not factoring in inflation. you can get alot more cue for less $$$ now than then.

its a buyers market all right, for the next 20 years. unless some of the cue makers give up because it isnt worth their time to make cues.

There are still guys who will pay big for some cues, not sure how smart they are but God bless them ;)
 
Less discretionary income

Its easier to make cues these days and cues will last a while if you take care of them. This translates into more cue availability. There are not a ton of new players coming into the market so too much production (China) is driving prices down. Also the subprime mortgage issues are causing problems. Everyone wants to HAVE things but they dont want to PAY for things. Things, things, and more things. Gas prices only affect lower incomes. That is not affecting the quality cues in the least. Paying an extra $500 in gas when you own a SUV isnt going to affect your income. If you can afford the Toyota 4Runner or a Hummer you can buy a Southwest cue that will last you 50 years. Students or lower income people are devastated by the gas pricing. It cost them the same difference but they have less income to afford it.

Cues are a tricky market. I sell them for a living and cannot ever remember ever SEEING a Rick Howard cue. I know I would never take one in trade because I have never been asked about them. The Rick Howard owner should just hold on to his cue for now. Cue buying/selling is rarely a career you can make decent money at. Rarely. :(
 
poolplayer2093 said:
i just filled my tank and in high school that would have cost me 12-15 dollars(i drive a honda) but i ended up paying 32 and some change. times 3 for the week times 4 for the month times 12 for the year. i think that's got something to do with the slow market. at least why i don't have a new cue
Click to expand...


rising fuel costs have a huge effect on my collection rate, i market 39 states and everytime gas goes up, i lose my ass, the Saudi's get the $$$. The $$$ dosent disappear it just goes other places, its a cycle, it will come back this way in 10 years +/-5 years.

But anyone who loves pool can afford a $300 cue unless they have made other bad decisions in life or is school etc.
 
Fatboy said:
lots of reasons most of them have been stated in this thread, the 2 biggest are lack of extra $$$ and too many good cue makers making to many good cues,

I remember 20 years ago some cues cost more than they do now for the samething not factoring in inflation. you can get alot more cue for less $$$ now than then.

its a buyers market all right, for the next 20 years. unless some of the cue makers give up because it isnt worth their time to make cues.

There are still guys who will pay big for some cues, not sure how smart they are but God bless them ;)
Click to expand...

Does it matter how smart they are???????:)
 
My input....

I think too many people buying the wrong cues and then want to trade, sell or whatever.

I have gone from my usual 10-12 cues down to my low of about 6-8 cues currently.

Buying a "player" for $1k and then wanting to sell it for $1.2k is gone unless it is from a strong market cue.

I am trying to get rid of lower end, less desirable cues and get only the ones I really think have market potential.

For example, I just got rid of a Dale Perry cue, played great but that cue is NEVER going to appreciate. I did the same with a Richard Black, as he has fallen out favor.

I have all of the locals laughing at me as I usually have something for sale or trade but I really dont at this time, and trust me it is unusual.

LOL

Ken
 
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