Author Topic: What happend to Columbia? (Read 10976 times)

Frederick · « **on:** July 11, 2011, 01:02:33 PM »

I just noticed that the last post on the Columbia board was June 24th (18 days) Does anybody even care about this product anymore?

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 12, 2011, 01:54:28 AM »

Not since the EBI buy out.

Be good, or be good at it.

TWOHAND834 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 12, 2011, 05:09:47 AM »

Thats a shame because Columbia makes some really good equipment right now.

Peace doesnt always have to be silent.

lbss831 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 12, 2011, 02:17:12 PM »

i have to agree i love new equipment they cover everything from oily to dry and everything is so versatile

Slim300

"It's not how you start,it's how you finish."

Xx 12 X 300 xX · « **Reply #4 on:** July 12, 2011, 02:37:08 PM »

Personally I think the Columbia and Ebonite equipment is excellent. They all have very good mid lane read, and strong continuation through the pins. With Ebonite now making a few skid/flip pieces the combination of the Columbia and Ebonite products are great to build an arsenal with.

I find their equipment really reads tougher patterns better, and their high end balls don't seem to over flare like other brands trying to produce the strongest balls ever in the history of the game.

There is not much talk of balls these days because there are TOO many balls on the market.

trash heap · « **Reply #5 on:** July 12, 2011, 04:26:40 PM »

I kind of disagree with this. I never have been able to find a good ball from Columbia 300 that worked on Dry. The coverstocks on all their reactives (including ones for medium to light oil) really seem to be stronger than others.

lbss831 wrote on 7/12/2011 2:17 PM:i have to agree i love new equipment they cover everything from oily to dry and everything is so versatile

Slim300

"It's not how you start,it's how you finish."

Brian Green · « **Reply #6 on:** July 12, 2011, 05:14:55 PM »

Outside of the burst line and the world beater the other stuff has been mediocre at best

"USAbowlersmart.com - only the best Survive"

PBA East region member

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 13, 2011, 12:06:28 AM »

I know people love the Freeze line. That and White Dots are about all I see of Columbia these days. Besides the new stuff still sitting on the shelf.

Be good, or be good at it.

Xx 12 X 300 xX · « **Reply #8 on:** July 13, 2011, 04:54:32 AM »

League bowlers seem to want the duck and dive reaction that smells like fruit loops. If it doesn't make a check mark on the back end, have radical colors and doesn't smell like a bowl of fruit it doesn't sell.

I very rarely see any Brunswick or Columbia equipment anymore locally. I do see mostly Storm, and some Ebonite.

There are a couple shops in the area that are pretty much Ebonite Brands, those bowling centers or areas are obviously more brand loyal.

Edited by Xx 12 X 300 xX on 7/13/2011 at 5:15 AM

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 13, 2011, 05:56:35 AM »

Not sure if you call it brand loyalty but with EBI if the proshop wants to be a gold, platinum, or whatever they call it these days proshops have to displsy almost all EBI stuff and not display new releases of other manufactures. Funny stuff to see the EBI rep say you need to take all of this and this down and put more EBI here, here, and here. When you can't sell most of the Columbia and Ebonite stuff still on shelves only the Hammer and Track brands. You wonder how long a shop would keep letting EBI tell them how to run their shop before saying enough is enough.

Be good, or be good at it.

stopncrank · « **Reply #10 on:** July 13, 2011, 06:11:12 AM »

10-15 years ago this logic would have been true, but with the internet-videos, reviews, and websites have offset this trend. Theres way too much access to info on any new release for a customer to not be able to be informed about a particular ball, even if he deals with an EBI, or Storm/Roto shop for that matter.

Also, even if a customer comes into an EBI shop but wants a Storm ball, I doubt seriously given these economic times that the shop wouldnt sell them what they want. Granted, they might try to persuade the customer to that shops brand, but in the end what the customer wants brand wise is what they want, and a sale is a sale.

kidlost2000 wrote on 7/13/2011 5:56 AM:Not sure if you call it brand loyalty but with EBI if the proshop wants to be a gold, platinum, or whatever they call it these days proshops have to displsy almost all EBI stuff and not display new releases of other manufactures. Funny stuff to see the EBI rep say you need to take all of this and this down and put more EBI here, here, and here. When you can't sell most of the Columbia and Ebonite stuff still on shelves only the Hammer and Track brands. You wonder how long a shop would keep letting EBI tell them how to run their shop before saying enough is enough.

Be good, or be good at it.

Still taking your lunch money one strike at a time, just without a Mission in my bag....

Edited by stopncrank on 7/13/2011 at 6:16 AM

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 13, 2011, 07:52:15 AM »

What I was referring to happened a few months ago. In order to get their additional percentage off on EBI products they have to sell "X" amount product and have EBI all over the inside of the shop with no other manufactures "ads" present. They also said not to display new balls from manufactures. If you spent the money for "NEW" product to sell and someone tells you this what would your reaction be?

Now if you had a business and carried different products from different manufactures and then one says these things I would probably have an issue with it. I guess if you decided to pimp all EBI products then it doesn't matter. As a consumer not big on most EBI products you can guess where my business is not going.

Be good, or be good at it.

Xx 12 X 300 xX · « **Reply #12 on:** July 13, 2011, 08:56:38 AM »

I'm not trying to bash you, but your logic towards Ebonite is flawed, and the "choice" to be one of their pro shops.

Your complaining about Ebonite because Ebonite has a program where you become an Ebonite "sponsored" pro shop and then Ebonite expects you to put their products on the shelf over other products. Why are you trying to become an Ebonite pro shop if you want to "play the field" Your logic makes no sense at all. If you want the discounts and the recognition of an Ebonite pro shop than you abide by their rules.

You have no concept at all of how this business agreement with Ebonite runs. You sign up for a program with a parent company, they have every right to tell you how to display the product in the pro shop. You signed up with them to take advantage of their discounts and brand recognition, thus they have every right to ask you to keep other products out of the shop. Your signing up to be an EBONITE PRO SHOP, not Joe Blow Bowling Balls Pro Shop.

You want all the freebies, and the perks of the program, but then you don't want to do anything for the people who are giving you those perks.

They are protecting their brand from the cheap people out there that sign up for these programs and then take the bowling balls, the perks, the name of being an "elite" pro shop and then never selling any of their equipment. It's protecting the brand, and being an exclusive pro shop that offers only Ebonite products.

Is it really that hard to understand? Ebonite doesn't force you to sign a contract with them if you don't like the terms of the contract.

Edited by Xx 12 X 300 xX on 7/13/2011 at 9:35 AM

ImBackInTheGame · « **Reply #13 on:** July 13, 2011, 09:48:28 AM »

After Barnes and Ciminelli won with the World Beater, I thought that ball would have been a big seller. It looks nice, has a fun name, and it's a "winner". I don't know why people want these check mark/hockey stick reactions, the smooth arc to me is much more controllable.

I have a nib world beater for sale if anyone is interested, lol...

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 13, 2011, 10:30:53 AM »

I understand how it works, and the different levels of it. I also see how a shop that was an entry level has been pushed to be an upper tier because their isn't one in the area. If that is what the owner is ok with, I'm guessing he is, then that is fine. I think it is funny to watch, since none of it helps unload the Columbia,/Ebonite balls they keep sending him and collecting dust on the shelves. That would be a flaw. If he just sold Track and Hammer from EBI I'd imagine he would be doing a lot better since he wouldn't have so much of the other two still sitting the shelf.

Xx 12 X 300 xX wrote on 7/13/2011 8:56 AM: I'm not trying to bash you, but your logic towards Ebonite is flawed, and the "choice" to be one of their pro shops.

Your complaining about Ebonite because Ebonite has a program where you become an Ebonite "sponsored" pro shop and then Ebonite expects you to put their products on the shelf over other products. Why are you trying to become an Ebonite pro shop if you want to "play the field" Your logic makes no sense at all. If you want the discounts and the recognition of an Ebonite pro shop than you abide by their rules.

You have no concept at all of how this business agreement with Ebonite runs. You sign up for a program with a parent company, they have every right to tell you how to display the product in the pro shop. You signed up with them to take advantage of their discounts and brand recognition, thus they have every right to ask you to keep other products out of the shop. Your signing up to be an EBONITE PRO SHOP, not Joe Blow Bowling Balls Pro Shop.

You want all the freebies, and the perks of the program, but then you don't want to do anything for the people who are giving you those perks.

They are protecting their brand from the cheap people out there that sign up for these programs and then take the bowling balls, the perks, the name of being an "elite" pro shop and then never selling any of their equipment. It's protecting the brand, and being an exclusive pro shop that offers only Ebonite products.

Is it really that hard to understand? Ebonite doesn't force you to sign a contract with them if you don't like the terms of the contract.

Edited by Xx 12 X 300 xX on 7/13/2011 at 9:35 AM

Edited by Xx 12 X 300 xX on 7/13/2011 at 9:35 AM

Be good, or be good at it.

Author Topic: What happend to Columbia? (Read 10976 times)

Frederick

What happend to Columbia?

kidlost2000

Re: What happend to Columbia?

TWOHAND834

Re: What happend to Columbia?

lbss831

Re: What happend to Columbia?

Xx 12 X 300 xX

Re: What happend to Columbia?

trash heap

Re: What happend to Columbia?

Brian Green

Re: What happend to Columbia?

kidlost2000

Re: What happend to Columbia?

Xx 12 X 300 xX

Re: What happend to Columbia?

kidlost2000

Re: What happend to Columbia?

stopncrank

Re: What happend to Columbia?

kidlost2000

Re: What happend to Columbia?

Xx 12 X 300 xX

Re: What happend to Columbia?

ImBackInTheGame

Re: What happend to Columbia?

kidlost2000

Re: What happend to Columbia?