Author Topic: I guess Columbia has now given in to the Internet too? (Read 9717 times)

BallDriller · « **on:** November 13, 2006, 01:31:01 PM »

Are these balls discontinued already? Did I miss something. I can't buy them this cheap.

http://www.bowling.com/search.asp?SearchString=columbia+action&page=1&source=ActionTeaser

BallDriller · « **Reply #31 on:** November 21, 2006, 10:03:20 AM »

Yes, NewGuy is the latest in the revolving door at that company. Soon it will be someone else. At least that is what history tells us.

All newguy is trying to say is that Columbia's hands are clean. He is speaking the truth. But their actions have allowed this to happen. The bigger question is how are the pro shops going to be able to compete with these internet guys? They sell these balls to the public cheaper than we can buy them for.

You have an answer for that one newguy? What happens when you lose another few hundred pro shops this year? Don't you see the problem here?

jls · « **Reply #32 on:** November 21, 2006, 10:58:29 AM »

quote:
Believe what you want and fabricate as you wish but here is the chain we have in place.
we launch a program. our largest buy in is 400 units our smallest is 248. The prices for 400 is different than 248.
We only sell to authorized distributors not internet sites.
Our distributors do just that distribute they choose who to sell to. They control the prices to the pro shops and the internet sites not us.
We try to keep it clean. Distributors buy from us, pro shops buy from our distributors as do internet sites. The beef needs to be taken up with the distributors not the manufacturers. We hold our prices, they do not. Plain and simple.
The norm here seem to post with out the facts and by the end of the thread all are begining to believe the errant reponses.

this just backs up a post i made under ebonite. if the best price to a dist.
is according to columbia, 400 balls. and the average dist. may have about 500 accounts, they one would think that a dist. would have no problem selling 400 balls>>>> that's not even 1 for every account. so why is there such a need for a dist. to buy 400 balls, to get the best price>>>> and then sell maybe half of them so cheap to online dealers?

?

lets see>>> sell 400 balls at lets say $125 to pro shops!!!!
or sell maybe 200 balls at $125 to pro shops, and sell the rest.
200 balls at maybe $105 to online dealers???

kinda thinking the dist. doing this are costing themselves about $20 per ball.
and as the man from glad, i mean columbia said, their best price is at 400 balls. let's see 400 balls, maybe 500 accounts, why is there a problem for any dist. to sell 400 balls to their pro shop accounts???
again, using math check, that's like spell check, that's less then 1 ball per account.

and the dist. who sell mostly to the online dealers, are some of the biggest dist. out there. makes you wonder???

--------------------
jls31316

Greens Pro Shop · « **Reply #33 on:** November 21, 2006, 11:28:53 AM »

quote:
Believe what you want and fabricate as you wish but here is the chain we have in place.
we launch a program. our largest buy in is 400 units our smallest is 248. The prices for 400 is different than 248.
We only sell to authorized distributors not internet sites.
Our distributors do just that distribute they choose who to sell to. They control the prices to the pro shops and the internet sites not us.
We try to keep it clean. Distributors buy from us, pro shops buy from our distributors as do internet sites. The beef needs to be taken up with the distributors not the manufacturers. We hold our prices, they do not. Plain and simple.
The norm here seem to post with out the facts and by the end of the thread all are begining to believe the errant reponses.

I had a lengthy discussion with one of my ball reps last year regarding this issue, while it is true that manufacturers themselves are not selling direct to the public and therefore "technically" not doing anything wrong they do have the ability to control the situation but chose not to. The golf analogy one used earlier in this thread is a perfect example of how it all should work. The reality is if distributors can sell to internet sites, run internet sites and sell wholesale to the shops then they are going to purchase a higher volume of product...if they purchase higher volume then the manufacturer will sell more product...the companies are still making their full mark up so it is totally win win for the ball manufacturer which is why it is not controlle din anyway. The rep I spoke with laughed when I called him out on this and said I was 100% right and he couldn't argue with me there. Obviously this will likely never change due to the facts the companies sell more product this way..one solution I think would level things out would be to offer a direct buy lower volume special pricing option to shops. Of course if this happened though the distributors would howl about the ethics of it all.

One issue I DO have with companies are how they deal with College bowling teams. I fully understand sponsoring college teams to get product out there and I also understand giving the team members breaks on equipment but what I CANNOT understand is why they get them at well below shop cost? I spend well over $100,000 a year on balls alone but yet some college freshman who joins a bowling team can get balls at $40 - $50 less than my best pricing? I see a HUGE problem with this..what makes matters worse is in alot of cases there are no limits on purchases so students are buying balls for their friends, families...even coaches get in on this. If you are giving a break fine but at least have the decency to do it a hair above wholesale pricing so as not to cut the throats of any proshop near the schools. Also some of the special deals offered to PBA members are a little silly..touring pros or staff players fine..but some random guy who pays his $19 each month should not have the ability to get balls at or below my cost just becasue he can average 200 on the house shot. I'm not sure what the right answer to any of this is but there is alot of "unethical" business practicies that go on in this industry.

Edited on 11/21/2006 12:20 PM

CoachJim · « **Reply #34 on:** November 21, 2006, 04:53:46 PM »

quote:
I have never received anything less than desired when it comes to ball specs buying current product NIB from the internet, even ebay. My old pro shop guy pulled that line when I was bringing him an Absolute Inferno to drill back when they were new and he couldn't get any, and yet the ball I received was a classic 2-3" pin and 3 oz top, so what more can you want?

It depends on the site, like I said in an earlier post, the ones who alow you to pick the pin distance and top weight, like Bowlingballmall, Buddies and others are fairly relyable and will replace anything you aren't happy with, but I have bought a cheap OI ($10 less than the other sites)from BowlingBall.com and got a good base for a lamp, this pos had a 6" pin and 4oz of top weight.

strikezone_sanantonio · « **Reply #35 on:** November 21, 2006, 07:30:15 PM »

quote:
quote:
Believe what you want and fabricate as you wish but here is the chain we have in place.
we launch a program. our largest buy in is 400 units our smallest is 248. The prices for 400 is different than 248.
We only sell to authorized distributors not internet sites.
Our distributors do just that distribute they choose who to sell to. They control the prices to the pro shops and the internet sites not us.
We try to keep it clean. Distributors buy from us, pro shops buy from our distributors as do internet sites. The beef needs to be taken up with the distributors not the manufacturers. We hold our prices, they do not. Plain and simple.
The norm here seem to post with out the facts and by the end of the thread all are begining to believe the errant reponses.

I had a lengthy discussion with one of my ball reps last year regarding this issue, while it is true that manufacturers themselves are not selling direct to the public and therefore "technically" not doing anything wrong they do have the ability to control the situation but chose not to. The golf analogy one used earlier in this thread is a perfect example of how it all should work. The reality is if distributors can sell to internet sites, run internet sites and sell wholesale to the shops then they are going to purchase a higher volume of product...if they purchase higher volume then the manufacturer will sell more product...the companies are still making their full mark up so it is totally win win for the ball manufacturer which is why it is not controlle din anyway. The rep I spoke with laughed when I called him out on this and said I was 100% right and he couldn't argue with me there. Obviously this will likely never change due to the facts the companies sell more product this way..one solution I think would level things out would be to offer a direct buy lower volume special pricing option to shops. Of course if this happened though the distributors would howl about the ethics of it all.

One issue I DO have with companies are how they deal with College bowling teams. I fully understand sponsoring college teams to get product out there and I also understand giving the team members breaks on equipment but what I CANNOT understand is why they get them at well below shop cost? I spend well over $100,000 a year on balls alone but yet some college freshman who joins a bowling team can get balls at $40 - $50 less than my best pricing? I see a HUGE problem with this..what makes matters worse is in alot of cases there are no limits on purchases so students are buying balls for their friends, families...even coaches get in on this. If you are giving a break fine but at least have the decency to do it a hair above wholesale pricing so as not to cut the throats of any proshop near the schools. Also some of the special deals offered to PBA members are a little silly..touring pros or staff players fine..but some random guy who pays his $19 each month should not have the ability to get balls at or below my cost just becasue he can average 200 on the house shot. I'm not sure what the right answer to any of this is but there is alot of "unethical" business practicies that go on in this industry.

Edited on 11/21/2006 12:20 PM

So are you going to say the same thing about the military, firemen, and policemen? The manufacturers offer the same pricing for these people and most of them don't even come close to averaging 180. You know what, I think if your wanting to take your game to the next level and bowl in college, I am 100% behind it. You don't hear a lot of it and should be appreciated. It gives the sport of bowling meaning and class. I stand behind the manufacturers that give these schools offers'. Besides, it is not like 80% of the students on these teams can afford to pay the MSRP anyways. These kids can't even get a full-time job while going to school full-time.

Phil (newguy) is right about the distributors controlling the prices. The manufacturers have a fixed price and sell ONLY to distributors. What and how the distributors set their pricing is totally up to them. I can say that I get great pricing because I buy in bulk. Look bowler's and pro shop operators it just real common sense, if you are buying a great deal of product through a distributor on top of the manufacturers' rebates/specials, THEN it is easier to compete with the internet. I know some companies aren't as popular in some regions as they are in another, so purchase in bulk (especially before the season starts/even Christmas) of that certain brand you turn over most and won't regret it. It gives the bowler/s a sense of convience because you have the ball in stock at an already low price that matches the internet. Bowler's go to these sites because of convience, pricing, and information. It's all about competition and business NOW unlike the "HOBBY" it was back then.
--------------------
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The Strike Zone Pro Shop of San Antonio
-only pro shop in Texas with the largest selection and inventory
www.strikezone3884@sbcglobal.net
www.amf300.com
www.qualitybowlingproducts.com
*special* will ship anything free frieght with the purchase $100 or more
w.i.p.(need to reduce price on inventory and add more stock)-contact me for more info

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BeansProShop · « **Reply #36 on:** November 23, 2006, 10:18:37 PM »

I know this sounds silly but I quit worrying about Internet stuff 5 years ago. I also buy alot of stuff for my shop online becaUSE it is cheaper. The silly thing is that I really would rather if somebody brings a ball in to me to drill it from the internet. I make 100% profit and I do not have to tie up all my money on inventory. I also do not guarantee any of the balls and I will not honor the warranty on them. I make them send the ball back to their internet site. I owe one of my distributors over $12,000 because I tried to buy from them in bulk and sell them online and I just couldn't compete with the Internet distributors so I got stuck with a ton of stuff..They are out there under fake online shop names...My distributor did offer to take it back at a discount and charge me a restocking fee.I decided to keep the stuff and now I am in debt because of it...
--------------------
Thomas "Beans" Biniek Jr.
PBA Member and Lane#1 Buzzhead
Thanks for reading and be sure to check out my current eBay auctions at:
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Author Topic: I guess Columbia has now given in to the Internet too? (Read 9717 times)

BallDriller

I guess Columbia has now given in to the Internet too?

BallDriller

Re: I guess Columbia has now given in to the Internet too?

jls

Re: I guess Columbia has now given in to the Internet too?

Greens Pro Shop

Re: I guess Columbia has now given in to the Internet too?

CoachJim

Re: I guess Columbia has now given in to the Internet too?

strikezone_sanantonio

Re: I guess Columbia has now given in to the Internet too?

BeansProShop

Re: I guess Columbia has now given in to the Internet too?