BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: xrayjay on June 25, 2017, 12:53:37 AM
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A bowlmor/AMF house I bowl at which housed PSO likes of Wayne Webb and others after him have allowed another shop to come in after years of having none.
I heard changes are coming to this house called Landpark. But with the new Proshop, it doesn't convince me things will improve any time soon. AC doesn't work, leaking roof, pin setters break down, and same issues from the last couple of years hasn't improved. I'm hoping things improve....
But at least there is a Proshop for the local bowlers. Lucky bowlers is the name I believe.
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All they were doing not having a shop is saving some sucker the misery of losing money every month. New pro shops in bad locations don't usually last very long.
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As much as I love the pro shop business, I couldn't see opening a new shop in today's market (also, I'm in Illinois) unless I was selling rock out the back door too.
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As much as I love the pro shop business, I couldn't see opening a new shop in today's market (also, I'm in Illinois) unless I was selling rock out the back door too.
i know a local staffer/pso that did do just that. He now has one of the nicest shops around. Last I heard, he stopped. But yeah, about the only way to make a profit in some markets.
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I remember when the last PSO left that house to buy a bowling alley in Henderson, NV, another local PSO had inquired about moving in. The house wanted rent more than a mortgage or something really high. I'm not 100%, but that's what I heard... then a year or so later they out a small game room where the shop once stood.
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As much as I love the pro shop business, I couldn't see opening a new shop in today's market (also, I'm in Illinois) unless I was selling rock out the back door too.
i know a local staffer/pso that did do just that. He now has one of the nicest shops around. Last I heard, he stopped. But yeah, about the only way to make a profit in some markets.
In real life, I'm an IT guy that has thought about opening a shop just so I could work my it business from the shop and write off part of the shop as an office. I would be one of the only pro shops I know of with a full server rack running in a room right next to my ball plug table lol.
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When you decide to do that call me and I'll send somebody over to knock some sense into you.
1. I'm just going to assume you make money doing the IT thing, and it has to pay better than a pro shop. Why would you take time away from that to do something that pays less?
2. If you want to make a hobby less enjoyable make it your job.
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Come on....That was funny !
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When you decide to do that call me and I'll send somebody over to knock some sense into you.
1. I'm just going to assume you make money doing the IT thing, and it has to pay better than a pro shop. Why would you take time away from that to do something that pays less?
2. If you want to make a hobby less enjoyable make it your job.
Oh, I completely make more money in IT, but I love being in a pro shop. A normal IT job, when being worked remotely, can be anytime. My specialty is virtualization and data center management, so I could tax write-off part of the shop as my office, and still work in a shop. I know how thankless the pro shop industry is, but I'm used to that in IT. I'd basically work from home until lunch, go to the shop so I can have some peace and quiet, open around the end of my work day, and then enjoy what it is that I WANT to do.
I gave up the pro shop life over 10 years ago, and if I could feed my family doing it, I'd drop the IT job like a hot potato. My passion isn't in IT. My money is.
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There's an off site pro shop that does more than drill balls. They sell trophies and other things which I don't know of anymore - it's over 10 years since I visited that shop which had moved location too. But, these guys have been around for a while and lasted longer than most Pro shops around town.
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#truth. It's fun until you realize to make any money you have to own the shop you run, has to be in a good location in a good market. Then you realize you can't ever bowl anything because if there's bowling going on, the shop should probably be open. Can't close the business just to go bowl a tournament, and if business is good, no reason you'd really want to or should.
When you decide to do that call me and I'll send somebody over to knock some sense into you.
1. I'm just going to assume you make money doing the IT thing, and it has to pay better than a pro shop. Why would you take time away from that to do something that pays less?
2. If you want to make a hobby less enjoyable make it your job.
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#truth. It's fun until you realize to make any money you have to own the shop you run, has to be in a good location in a good market. Then you realize you can't ever bowl anything because if there's bowling going on, the shop should probably be open. Can't close the business just to go bowl a tournament, and if business is good, no reason you'd really want to or should.
When you decide to do that call me and I'll send somebody over to knock some sense into you.
1. I'm just going to assume you make money doing the IT thing, and it has to pay better than a pro shop. Why would you take time away from that to do something that pays less?
2. If you want to make a hobby less enjoyable make it your job.
Oh, I know this. I've run several shops, so I know the struggle.
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The pro shop business will be good to get into in about 30 years when shopping in a store is the retro, cool thing to do.
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Or once the old hats in the bowling industry that don't know how to run an actual good business figure it out or leave . .
The pro shop business will be good to get into in about 30 years when shopping in a store is the retro, cool thing to do.
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I remember when the last PSO left that house to buy a bowling alley in Henderson, NV, another local PSO had inquired about moving in. The house wanted rent more than a mortgage or something really high. I'm not 100%, but that's what I heard... then a year or so later they out a small game room where the shop once stood.
That happened a few years ago at Bowlmor/AMF Thruway Lanes when the longtime owner of the pro shop was forced out because they wanted an insane increase in rent. She moved over to the nearby locally owned Broadway Sports Center only about 2 miles away and she continues to do great business. As for Thruway Lanes- they shut down and they're now an indoor car showroom.
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I remember when the last PSO left that house to buy a bowling alley in Henderson, NV, another local PSO had inquired about moving in. The house wanted rent more than a mortgage or something really high. I'm not 100%, but that's what I heard... then a year or so later they out a small game room where the shop once stood.
That happened a few years ago at Bowlmor/AMF Thruway Lanes when the longtime owner of the pro shop was forced out because they wanted an insane increase in rent. She moved over to the nearby locally owned Broadway Sports Center only about 2 miles away and she continues to do great business. As for Thruway Lanes- they shut down and they're now an indoor car showroom.
it's a good she relocated. Hate to see shops close....
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I remember when the last PSO left that house to buy a bowling alley in Henderson, NV, another local PSO had inquired about moving in. The house wanted rent more than a mortgage or something really high. I'm not 100%, but that's what I heard... then a year or so later they out a small game room where the shop once stood.
That happened a few years ago at Bowlmor/AMF Thruway Lanes when the longtime owner of the pro shop was forced out because they wanted an insane increase in rent. She moved over to the nearby locally owned Broadway Sports Center only about 2 miles away and she continues to do great business. As for Thruway Lanes- they shut down and they're now an indoor car showroom.
This would be Sue Jeziorski, right?
If so, do you have the phone number to the shop? She's really great (and a really good friend of mine), and someone I'd trust to drill my gear right clear across the country. And to be brutally honest, I'd give her my business versus any PSO in the area, and I'm in the same area as the OP.
BL.
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From bradl:
"And to be brutally honest, I'd give her my business versus any PSO in the area, and I'm in the same area as the OP."
I 100%... I mean, I 1000% agree!!!!!
That's why I go to buddiesproshop online, across the country to get my balls drilled after itsallaboutme left town...
There are better PSO outside of Sacramento, but their hours and my schedule conflict most weekends.
I'll tryout this new shop at the bowling center after I see their plug work...... :D
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I'm just curious of the OP and Bradl reasoning for believing there are no qualified PSO in the Sacramento area? What are you basing this on?
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I remember when the last PSO left that house to buy a bowling alley in Henderson, NV, another local PSO had inquired about moving in. The house wanted rent more than a mortgage or something really high. I'm not 100%, but that's what I heard... then a year or so later they out a small game room where the shop once stood.
That happened a few years ago at Bowlmor/AMF Thruway Lanes when the longtime owner of the pro shop was forced out because they wanted an insane increase in rent. She moved over to the nearby locally owned Broadway Sports Center only about 2 miles away and she continues to do great business. As for Thruway Lanes- they shut down and they're now an indoor car showroom.
This would be Sue Jeziorski, right?
If so, do you have the phone number to the shop? She's really great (and a really good friend of mine), and someone I'd trust to drill my gear right clear across the country. And to be brutally honest, I'd give her my business versus any PSO in the area, and I'm in the same area as the OP.
BL.
I do have it since she drills my stuff. I'll PM it to you.
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I'm just curious of the OP and Bradl reasoning for believing there are no qualified PSO in the Sacramento area? What are you basing this on?
I didn't say that they weren't qualified. There are quite a few here that are qualified. Strike Zone inside Fireside Lanes is a great example of that, as the owner there was a protoge of Gary and Leanne Hulsenberg.
A lot of the issue for me isn't just selection, but the way business is done in the area. Pro shops here have become so small that the first thing you have to do when you buy a new ball is to pay them up front for it, then they order the ball in from the distributor.
Everywhere I have lived except for this area, the PSO has the equipment in stock, so you can walk out the door with it. Why not here, outside of the issue of space?
If you were going to have a BBQ, do you go to the store, look at a picture or two of the burger meat, hot dogs, chicken, steaks, veggies, etc., and when you buy it, they tell you they will order them in so you can get it in a week's time?
No. You walk out of the store with it so you can prep it and get it ready to go down on the grill!
Every PSO I have been to in every place I have lived has been that way. They have the ball in stock, they punch it up, and you're out the door with it. Only when they run out of stock do they have to order it for you. Here, you pay for it, then they order it, maybe get it in in 4 - 5 days, then you have to go back to the pro shop to get it. Flaky model, where the customer has a week's worth of time to deal with buyer's remorse, and can back out of the sale.
Second, I've been burned by a few PSOs here who have got my layouts completely wrong. Pitch wrong. measurements wrong. Span wrong. And when I gave him another shot, plus punched up that same ball (different layout) from the PSO I went to in Las Vegas, he became a total ass, bitched me out for going to "competition", and said that what I did was a thug act.
I got my money back, and never went to him again.
And seeing that there aren't that many PSOs in this town, customer retention is the name of the game, and he lost it. And to make it worse, that got around, and there is no better advertising than word-of-mouth. Needless to say, he closed up shop and moved out of town.
There are some that work hard for it, and some that don't. But the biggest quality that a bowler looks for in a pro shop is trust and honesty. I've known my guys in Vegas for 20 years, and Sue for just under 25. And while I can take chances with local people and maybe get a good or bad experience, I know what I will get from those I trust. Plus again, that business model.. ugh.
BL.
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Just saying . . the model is the same with internet purchases, and with internet pricing closing the doors of shops every day, keeping that amount of inventory is . . expensive. The largest pro shop in the world, recently opened in Kansas City, all 4400 square feet of it contains more bowling items than is really conceivable, and altogether his total in stock inventory totals over $100k. Now is that an extreme example? Sure, and while I feel that having things in stock is a definite must given the market, I also know how difficult it is. So lol you're both right and wrong. Pro shop industry is a catch 22 at the moment.
I'm just curious of the OP and Bradl reasoning for believing there are no qualified PSO in the Sacramento area? What are you basing this on?
I didn't say that they weren't qualified. There are quite a few here that are qualified. Strike Zone inside Fireside Lanes is a great example of that, as the owner there was a protoge of Gary and Leanne Hulsenberg.
A lot of the issue for me isn't just selection, but the way business is done in the area. Pro shops here have become so small that the first thing you have to do when you buy a new ball is to pay them up front for it, then they order the ball in from the distributor.
Everywhere I have lived except for this area, the PSO has the equipment in stock, so you can walk out the door with it. Why not here, outside of the issue of space?
If you were going to have a BBQ, do you go to the store, look at a picture or two of the burger meat, hot dogs, chicken, steaks, veggies, etc., and when you buy it, they tell you they will order them in so you can get it in a week's time?
No. You walk out of the store with it so you can prep it and get it ready to go down on the grill!
Every PSO I have been to in every place I have lived has been that way. They have the ball in stock, they punch it up, and you're out the door with it. Only when they run out of stock do they have to order it for you. Here, you pay for it, then they order it, maybe get it in in 4 - 5 days, then you have to go back to the pro shop to get it. Flaky model, where the customer has a week's worth of time to deal with buyer's remorse, and can back out of the sale.
Second, I've been burned by a few PSOs here who have got my layouts completely wrong. Pitch wrong. measurements wrong. Span wrong. And when I gave him another shot, plus punched up that same ball (different layout) from the PSO I went to in Las Vegas, he became a total ass, bitched me out for going to "competition", and said that what I did was a thug act.
I got my money back, and never went to him again.
And seeing that there aren't that many PSOs in this town, customer retention is the name of the game, and he lost it. And to make it worse, that got around, and there is no better advertising than word-of-mouth. Needless to say, he closed up shop and moved out of town.
There are some that work hard for it, and some that don't. But the biggest quality that a bowler looks for in a pro shop is trust and honesty. I've known my guys in Vegas for 20 years, and Sue for just under 25. And while I can take chances with local people and maybe get a good or bad experience, I know what I will get from those I trust. Plus again, that business model.. ugh.
BL.
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An awful lot of pro shops lack the one thing you need to run a successful business...capital. So it turns into prepay and order. Guys with no capital or business sense use the internet as an excuse. Shops that are well run businesses don't see the internet as a threat like the hobbyist do.
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First of all I know of multiple shops locally that have inventory so I'm not discounting your assessment but I know of their inventory numbers
Secondly the largest west coast distributor is located locally and if a ball is needed it's not more of a day away
Thirdly any other other business you buy something, whether in stock or otherwise you are paying upfront...not sure why bowlers find this peculiar?
We all make our decisions individually and accordingly when making any purchase, but as Luke stated, the Internet has changed how many PSO do business these days
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The way product is perceived these days, many PSO can't risk large volume of inventory as a hot ball today is a door stop tomorrow...there are very few pro shop businesses these day not carry large inventory, whether they have business sense or not...it's just feasibly sound investment
Shoes & bags are different but it's a difficult risk with bowling balls
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Brick and mortar shops that are not just run by hobbiest, need some inventory to conduct business.
The shop I used to work in had customers from a 150 mile radius, they didn't have the luxury of waiting for a ball to come in. So if they happen to make it into town on the weekend they wanted to have be able to get the ball in their hands that day.
25 years ago the blue hammer was the big seller. We tried to keep 24 16lb balls in stock and reordered when they got down to 16. I remember days when we sold 8 of them after someone would when the PBA with one.
But at that time there were only a handful of big sellers and they stayed on the market for several years. As manufactures started introducing the ball of the month you couldn't afford to be stuck with a bunch stock.
We got to where other than a line of plastic balls, we would keep 6 to 10 brands current models in stock but no more than 4 balls at a time. Our supplier got to where we could get balls in a day if ordered before 4 PM. So we tried not to get stuck with inventory as it became outdated.
The biggest problem with internet sales was on shoes and bags. This was fairly easy money but when bowlers started getting shoes and bags over the internet basically at our cost we couldn't compete.
We had bowlers come in and pump us for information for hours and then order the ball over the internet and want us to drill it. We had to raised our blank drill cost enough so we still made a decent profit.
In store sales paid the bills but the internet took away a lot of the profit money shops used to make.
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To shoot holes in your post...how many performance balls were on the market when the Blue Hammer was? Compared to today, there's 125+ bowling balls released annually...distributors in some releases don't stock 24-16's
I've ran some highly successful pro shops in my past as well as advising existing ones today, inventory is the hardest thing to project...more than display can be a challenge at best no matter location
But again to each his own
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How many businesses in this day and age operate the way they did 25 yrs ago?
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There are way too many places out there that don't even have size runs of $40 shoes and then they wonder why people order off the internet.
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I started to see a bit of a trend change very recently. People don't want to wait the 4-5 days on the internet and they're starting to figure the deal out. Trying to do a warranty claim through an internet site is a NIGHTMARE. What if the size of shoes you order doesn't fit? There's two or three weeks to send back and wait for a new pair. First there was the internet craze of "it's cheaper," they didn't care how long they had to wait, if they could order it online and save 10 bucks, they'd do it. Now I'm starting to see people that don't mind spending the extra 10 or 20 as long as they can have it now, hassle free. Plus there are so many options on the market now that people want to make sure of what they're getting. You also have to keep your cool. If someone spends 30 minutes talking to you about a ball, then buys it online and brings it in, you're still gonna get 70 for the drilling and ZERO liability. I know too many shop guys who get too hot under the collar when they feel like they've been screwed or betrayed. Keep that customer service at 100% at all times, and you'll always win them over. Somewhere, someplace, sometime, they'll get a raw deal, and if you've always treated them right, there you go.
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I started to see a bit of a trend change very recently. People don't want to wait the 4-5 days on the internet and they're starting to figure the deal out. Trying to do a warranty claim through an internet site is a NIGHTMARE. What if the size of shoes you order doesn't fit? There's two or three weeks to send back and wait for a new pair. First there was the internet craze of "it's cheaper," they didn't care how long they had to wait, if they could order it online and save 10 bucks, they'd do it. Now I'm starting to see people that don't mind spending the extra 10 or 20 as long as they can have it now, hassle free. Plus there are so many options on the market now that people want to make sure of what they're getting. You also have to keep your cool. If someone spends 30 minutes talking to you about a ball, then buys it online and brings it in, you're still gonna get 70 for the drilling and ZERO liability. I know too many shop guys who get too hot under the collar when they feel like they've been screwed or betrayed. Keep that customer service at 100% at all times, and you'll always win them over. Somewhere, someplace, sometime, they'll get a raw deal, and if you've always treated them right, there you go.
I honestly used to love internet blanks. Bring me a resin ball, give me $60 (This was 2002, mind you), let you deal with the warranty issues, and keep me from having more unused stock. Only issue would be when someone would come in with a 1 inch pin and 5 oz of top and be like "I want the ball to do xyz" and have me be like "Nope". "Can you give me one that will work?" Out of my stock? Nope! You can return the online ball and I can give you what you want, though!
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I sometimes wonder about my writing skills or is it the reading skills of viewer.,
In my post I stated that at that time there were no more than a handful of balls that were big sellers. The blue hammer and nitro were the only balls we kept that kind of stock on.
I also stated as times changed our business model change. We had to carry less inventory. We would only keep a few balls in stock of the 5 or 6 bigger sellers. As manufactures started constantly releasing new balls you couldn't get stuck with outdated stock.
I still believe a shop needs some inventory of operate successfully for the occasional walk in customer.
My shop operator had a reputation for proper fitting of grips. That service kept him busy and allowed him to retire after 30 years in the business.
Luke before internet sales we had a $30 charge on blank drills but after they became so prevalent we had to go to $50 to recoup the lost ball sales. That was 2003 I'm sure today the charge would be higher.
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When I moved to this area over a decade ago, I've seen about 9 or 10 pso's all together, currently. Only 2 of them really did a fantastic job in both workmanship and customer service. The balls purchased in the first few years were all done from different PSO's around town and all had issues with either pitch and/or span. I didn't use some of this new balls, due to the fact that they caused pain or callous. I was able to fix some of these issues myself but was very disappointed. And, some just had poor customer service and/or cocky attitude. (maybe my standards are a bit high as my old job was training folks in the hospitality industry on customer service.)
And the ones that are in-house pro shops, none never asked or seen me bowl prior to working on my ball. And didn't double check my physical span.
Prior to getting my balls drilled here, I had no issues with my older balls which I let them copy from (w/ same V2). I have a simple grip...but can't duplicate. Also, one of the shops had my ball to be deoiled, and I came back with a cracked V2. I wasn't having any luck and was about to give up - traveling back to Seattle on vacation was my option to getting balls drilled by somoff himself or from his boys.
Then I met a PSO who is on this thread who fixed my issues. I had one more ball that fitted me right (slash) and he copied it, and also double checked my span and pitches. I was bowling without pain again, and my callous was slowing disappearing. He and his fellow driller Keith did great works, it's too bad the left town. Around this time I started using buddiesproshop.
Even when I used buddies, I still sought other PSO locally and one guy drilled two DV8 balls with one being too long. So I was apprehensive to try another and stuck to buddies. Most recently had a ball plugged and redrilled, ring finger 1/8 long.....
I could of returned to these guys and tell them they got it wrong, but I decided to move on. Yet, there were two other guys from the same shop that did all my equipment accurately. And the guys up north too. AND when a shop across the country who never saw me or know me personally like Buddies, whom never got one ball wrong!! That's over a dozen or so balls!
I will try this new proshop and see if they can get it right. I don't care how much, though he teased me with a discount lol, I'll see if he can do the job right. If so, He has my business.
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Which shops are still open in Sacramento?
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Which shops are still open in Sacramento?
There are few I know of, but it seems there are more garage shops lately. Well, that's what I heard.
I have not had services done at these places I know of.....Fireside, strikes, and whatever Mardi Gras has now. And, many bowlers I know at two houses go out of town for services after having similar experiences with local PSO's. They go to Stockton to the Bay areas. A group of bowlers actually had a truck driver/bowler who made runs for these guys to a proshop down in Fresno? But that truck driver is no longer with use. Oh, and they go to these garage shops.
My new teammate has tennis elbow and last week I checked his span. I told him his span was 1/8 too long. I asked who drilled it and the same shop had did the same thing to 3 other bowlers I know of. Anyway, I told my teammate to check with the new shop after leagues to remeasure his span. He came back and told me I was right.
Hopefully, They can get rid of the kung fu grip that may be causing my teammate's elbow pain.....
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Is Netherton still at Strikes in Elk Grove and PJ Haggerty in Roseville?
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Is Netherton still at Strikes in Elk Grove and PJ Haggerty in Roseville?
I don't know for sure. I don't bowl at strikes, but I heard few months ago KN was selling his shop at EG. When I go to strikes for whatever reason, I don't see anyone behind the counter....
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Kris owns his two shops Rocklin & Elk Grove
Nick Morgan at Land Park
Mike Norton at Mardi Gras
Caleb Nakata at Fireside
Gary Ceo free standing Bowlers Workshop
Steve Adams at Rocklin
know nothing about any so-called garage shops
Every customer has expectations and opinions, that is their right and money BUT one shouldn't blanket it...they're still in business for a reason
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Huh, bradl had nothing but praise for Caleb the last time Sacramento was brought up.
Become a regular and you can just call and have the ball waiting for you.
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Huh, bradl had nothing but praise for Caleb the last time Sacramento was brought up.
Become a regular and you can just call and have the ball waiting for you.
AGain, nothing wrong with Caleb and his work at Fireside. In fact, I was there yesterday, having him work on the thumb hole of my Mission Unknown.
Again, the problem isn't the availability of quality pro shops in the area, but rather the business model the pro shops in this area hare stuck having to follow. Nearly ... No, I'll call it out. With the exception of Bowler's Paradise, every shop in town has to order from Steve Cook's supply. That means that a PSO that punches up a ball has to wait until the customer pays them, then they order the ball from Cook (the distributor), wait for the ball to get in, then punch it up. There really hasn't been a shop here in the 15 years that I've been here that keeps their stock of gear in house to where a customer can walk in, buy the ball, get fitted, and in 45 minutes can walk out the door with a new ball.
Everywhere else I have lived, a customer can do that. Crazily enough, I could go up to Gold Dust West in Carson City, and walk out with a ball, let alone Reno. I am not sure as to why this area is against the norm on that.
Again, I go to places that I trust. Caleb and his shop is one of them. Availability of product is the bigger issue.
BL.
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I have never had a PSO ask me for money up front for a ball he has to order. My current PSO would probably let me run a tab if I needed to do so...
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As a repeat customer he won't allow you to call a couple days in advance and have a ball waiting for you?
Even in shops that have stock I know a lot of guys that won't drill while you wait.
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And I will call you out...the shops you allegedly walk into are NOT bare on the walls look at a catalog operation...they may NOT have exactly what you want but again, they have inventory
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That's what I miss, having a PSO/bowler relationship.. Just a phone call to the PSO and have the ball(s) ready for pick up.
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My pro shop doesn't carry 900 Global, so I just send him a message on Facebook and say "Order this!" His walls are a smattering of most companies, but none of what I use. I'm actually the person he calls when he has a question about the stuff.
I'm lucky.
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Huh, bradl had nothing but praise for Caleb the last time Sacramento was brought up.
Become a regular and you can just call and have the ball waiting for you.
AGain, nothing wrong with Caleb and his work at Fireside. In fact, I was there yesterday, having him work on the thumb hole of my Mission Unknown.
Again, the problem isn't the availability of quality pro shops in the area, but rather the business model the pro shops in this area hare stuck having to follow. Nearly ... No, I'll call it out. With the exception of Bowler's Paradise, every shop in town has to order from Steve Cook's supply. That means that a PSO that punches up a ball has to wait until the customer pays them, then they order the ball from Cook (the distributor), wait for the ball to get in, then punch it up. There really hasn't been a shop here in the 15 years that I've been here that keeps their stock of gear in house to where a customer can walk in, buy the ball, get fitted, and in 45 minutes can walk out the door with a new ball.
Everywhere else I have lived, a customer can do that. Crazily enough, I could go up to Gold Dust West in Carson City, and walk out with a ball, let alone Reno. I am not sure as to why this area is against the norm on that.
Again, I go to places that I trust. Caleb and his shop is one of them. Availability of product is the bigger issue.
BL.
What I bolded is what I don't get. I'm almost certain my main PSO used Cook as his distributor. When I want a new ball, my PSO places the order with the specs I've requested and it's almost always delivered the same week. And I never pay for the ball until after it's punched up.
It's the same with a secondary PSO I've used in Las Vegas. Cook is his distributor, and it's the same process I've described above. Maybe other PSO's have credit issues (or customer issues) and they have to handle business differently. I'm not privy to that. But I'm suspicious about any PSO that demands payment up front unless there is something else in play.
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The new shop at landpark posted their hours...I went there twice for services this week and they were closed between hours posted. Tonight I was going to drop some Benjamins and really was going to jump on that dare devil for $190...
I understand they are new to the location, but they are not new to the business. Several bowlers tonight were left confused when they found out they were closed, yet posted hours have them opened.
I'm not getting burned a third time.. I'll just order from buddies...plus saves me $40..
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Sweet. Just another black eye for the pro shop industry. Just what bowling needs, another "pro shop" out there that has no idea how to run a business.
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Got a pm from a br member about this shop at LP being closed...the PSO reached out and apologized via the br member/pm...
I'll pay a visit soon..
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Only thing is that if someone backs out or changes their mind, it could be difficult, a hassle, or cost to ship the ball back, or you just end up with something sitting on inventory until you can get rid of it. That happens a few times and then it has nothing to do with credit and everything to do with it being more of a guarantee that they're actually going to buy what they told you to order. That only happened to me about 10% of the time, but that's still a pretty big number if you're doing decent business.
Huh, bradl had nothing but praise for Caleb the last time Sacramento was brought up.
Become a regular and you can just call and have the ball waiting for you.
AGain, nothing wrong with Caleb and his work at Fireside. In fact, I was there yesterday, having him work on the thumb hole of my Mission Unknown.
Again, the problem isn't the availability of quality pro shops in the area, but rather the business model the pro shops in this area hare stuck having to follow. Nearly ... No, I'll call it out. With the exception of Bowler's Paradise, every shop in town has to order from Steve Cook's supply. That means that a PSO that punches up a ball has to wait until the customer pays them, then they order the ball from Cook (the distributor), wait for the ball to get in, then punch it up. There really hasn't been a shop here in the 15 years that I've been here that keeps their stock of gear in house to where a customer can walk in, buy the ball, get fitted, and in 45 minutes can walk out the door with a new ball.
Everywhere else I have lived, a customer can do that. Crazily enough, I could go up to Gold Dust West in Carson City, and walk out with a ball, let alone Reno. I am not sure as to why this area is against the norm on that.
Again, I go to places that I trust. Caleb and his shop is one of them. Availability of product is the bigger issue.
BL.
What I bolded is what I don't get. I'm almost certain my main PSO used Cook as his distributor. When I want a new ball, my PSO places the order with the specs I've requested and it's almost always delivered the same week. And I never pay for the ball until after it's punched up.
It's the same with a secondary PSO I've used in Las Vegas. Cook is his distributor, and it's the same process I've described above. Maybe other PSO's have credit issues (or customer issues) and they have to handle business differently. I'm not privy to that. But I'm suspicious about any PSO that demands payment up front unless there is something else in play.
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Pretty sure when you purchase anything from Buddy's or any other Etailer you pay for it when you purchase and then wait no? And it takes how long to get?