Author Topic: How much do need to save to justify on-line purchases (Read 11100 times)

tenpinspro · « **on:** July 26, 2007, 10:43:59 AM »

Hey guys,

Just want some feedback on how much monetarily it takes you to save to buy on-line vs buying at your local pro shop. Thanks for your feedback...
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Rick Leong - Ten Pins Pro Shop
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Edited on 7/26/2007 9:18 PM

Doug Sterner · « **Reply #61 on:** July 29, 2007, 09:32:27 AM »

Well guys....I have done enough online drills to be confident I can drill for anyone on line....if you have a ball that fits well and want to send it to me I'll mold your thumbhole and drill you a ball for the price I charge in house plus the cost of shipping....

I try to keep my overhead as low as possible to keep the funding as liquid as I can since I can order anything and have it within 2 days. I'll order in whatever you want.

Just let me know.
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Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY
http://dougsproshop@aol.com
www.dougsproshop.net
Lane 1 Buzzsaw...The Official Power Tool Of Bowling

C-G ProShop-Carl · « **Reply #62 on:** July 29, 2007, 10:17:24 AM »

This is a very touchy subject for many pro shop owners. There are points to running/owning a pro shop that many customers do not take into account when purchasing bowling balls.

I will give you an example of my problem with online bowling retailers. There is an online retailer that is LOCAL....roughly an hour from me. He was selling a ball for $119 SHIPPED! I know for a fact that he goes through the same distributor that I do. For me to purchase this same ball cost was $143. For a pro shop that makes it very difficult to be competitive.

One of the major things that customers do not think when they walk into a pro shop is about the overhead that we have. We have to stock equipment to have a respectful looking business. I am not sure if many of you realize how much equipment is that is used to drill in a pro shop. Just the mills in both of my locations total cost of $21,000. I know what many of you are thinking, "I bought my drill press and jig for "$500". There is a huge difference in quality between what most of you have at home and the equipment required by most pro shops. The mills that I have are accurate far beyond what the old style presses and jigs are. I need this type of accuracy when it comes to my customers' equipment. How about the price of a Haus Machine and ball spinner? You can throw in an engraver as well. Measuring tools for spans. Lets not forget the Kaufman scale and drill bits. Nothing related to bowling is cheap....particularly the equipment required to run a pro shop PROFESSIONALLY.

Other things to consider are the utility bills, various insurances, and the necessary training to run and operate a pro shop. By training I am talking about properly fitting someone. I know not alot of pro shop operators do this, but I am using myself and my employees as examples.

With everything above stated....let me say this: I have no problem with someone bringing me a ball they purchased online. I tell customers if they can find a ball online and save $40+ on a ball then it is worth it. The only thing they need to be made aware of are the warranty issues. If the ball cracks they have to go back through online retailer.

The new program being put in place will help pro shops. One price selling to distributors will assure the pro shops that they are getting the same prices as the monster online retailers.

-Carl
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Carl Hurd
C-G Pro Shop (owner/operator)
with locations in:
Youngstown Ohio (West Side Lanes)
and
Boardman Ohio (Camelot Lanes)

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Smash49 · « **Reply #63 on:** July 29, 2007, 12:42:46 PM »

Carl

I know you were out in Las Vegas back in June. Don't know how much you dropped there but I can tell you about our bills. Our companies dropped $7000 between Pro Shop Operations and Slide Sock trade show. We were there for 2 weeks taking the IBPSIA HOTS Technical and HOTS Business classes for running a Pro Shop. Not to mention the 2 weeks hotel rooms, some meals, tips, and other expenditures. Our Pro Shop was manned with a limited staff for that time and that cost us. The experience was fantastic and the knowledge/information is already being put to use.

Many people do not have a clue as to what is involved in running Pro Shop. It's expensive and time consuming. We spend more time working at other areas of the business than actually drilling. Over the last week we have been upgrading our register system with a new version of Ebonite Pro Shop Coordinator, taking inventory, assigning stock numbers and creating bar codes. Yesterday we installed new cabinets. Today I am creating signage for displays and making up flyers. Ask someone that thinks they can drill out of their house about marketing??? HMMMM. It takes some thought to have business. Why do Pro Shop do these things??? To provide a better service and keep cost down for their customers.

Smash49
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Smash49

Slick, tacky, wood or synthetic it does not matter your slide is correct with Bowlers Slide Sock. The Finest Slide Sock on the Planet!!!
www.bowlersslidesock.com
www.strikingcatbowling.com

laufaye · « **Reply #64 on:** July 29, 2007, 01:38:36 PM »

Carl,

Great points there, some customer will understand and some don't even care. As long as they can save a dime they go somewhere else. They only talking about bottom line, and also same as pro shop owners. Of course, this kind of customers are still small portion.

Again, I really hope the big boys can really implement a better pricing structure in the distributors level. Wait and see....
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Laufaye

Gunny · « **Reply #65 on:** July 29, 2007, 02:12:21 PM »

quote:
Ask someone that thinks they can drill out of their house about marketing??? HMMMM. It takes some thought to have business. Why do Pro Shop do these things??? To provide a better service and keep cost down for their customers.

Smash49

not everyone is inferior to a pro shop owner. i drill out of my home...and hmmm.....i have run a 20 million dollar a year business in retail, marketing, and merchandising. in a business where you only make pennies off the dollar. so marketing and merchandising and having "THOUGHT" was well amongst my abilities. to humbly think that nobody knows the ins and outs of a business, is foolishness. in all my years in business only one thing is held above others and that is customer satisfaction. years ago, service and loyalty were the "KEY", but all that has changed.

customers are now satisfied with reasonable prices and decent service. and sure, there are pro shops that offer those things. but like myself and others we have pro shops who charge $175-200+ for a high end ball, drilling free $15 for grips, $10 for slug....=$210-240w/tax on a ball! i can get that same ball for $75-125+, take to pro shop(if you dont have a press), $35 for drilling, $15 for grips, $10 for slug....=$140-190w/tax....you would save anywhere from $50 to 100 bones. and you call us stupid because we saved money. i think we are pretty smart. if i had a pro shop that would sell me a high end ball for $175, including grips, slug, tax drilling fee, hell i would by from them. but i dont have that luxury.

and as smart as i am, i will find optional routes. if you claim that you have too much inventory in your shop and thats why your prices are high, than you are not a very smart business man. a smart one would only purchase what he needs and as needed. having "DEAD STOCK" in a store is the downfall of any business. if that "DEAD STOCK" doesnt turn, your stuck with having to make up for the loss.

some say a pro shop shouldnt apologize for making a huge profit, well dont complain when the consumer goes elsewhere to purchase....that amounts to the majority of all consumers.

bottom line, like myself and others have stated, our money will be spent how we decide fittingly. whether online or out of a pro shop. it doesnt make neither parties wrong, its a business, and consumers and owners will do as they please!

remember its not about living life, but how you live it!

Spider Ball Bowler · « **Reply #66 on:** July 29, 2007, 02:16:58 PM »

I've said this before, but I will say it again. A lot of pro shops don't take the time that most of the proshop guys on here claim to do. A lot of shops will say, "good ball, ball hook, you pay." and that's that. Myself I have a pretty good driller, whose prices aren't that bad and I don't mind paying a little more for his services. Yet I have been through many drillers, and all have been the kind that don't care as long as you're spending the money.

If every shop offered the services of measuring things like PAP and whatever else and took the time to watch you throw a ball in order to recommend drillings and also to properly measure PAP and the other stuff, I don't think it would be a bad thing to spend more on their services.

However when I can go online and get a ball for $100 and pay $40-$60 for drilling and save $50-$70 on something when regardless of where I bought the ball I'd be getting the same crappy service, well I think I would go with saving the money.
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Formerly SGC300

Smash49 · « **Reply #67 on:** July 29, 2007, 04:44:21 PM »

quote:
not everyone is inferior to a pro shop owner. i drill out of my home...and hmmm.....i have run a 20 million dollar a year business in retail, marketing, and merchandising. in a business where you only make pennies off the dollar. so marketing and merchandising and having "THOUGHT" was well amongst my abilities.

Nobody said anything about inferior!!!

(The intent of the post.)
I am saying is that some people all they see is the cost of a slug and the cost of an insert and think Pro Shops are ripping them off. Some may be who knows. $21.95 is high???

You must know then the cost, time and effort it takes to market???

$35 to drill a ball is also cheap in some areas.

Sure there are good and bad drillers in garages and Pro Shops both. Just because you own a Pro Shop doesn't mean you are a good ball driller and just because you drill out of your hose doesn't mean you are not.

I don't remember stating I had an inventory problem because I do not? Some people may but ours turns fairly quickly. We take the top 3 Internet dealers average the price tack on drilling and that's the price. Slugs and inserts are additional. No we do not charge $21.95, more like $12.50 if you buy the ball from us.

We offer Internet competitive prices, quality services and coaching. If your Pro Shop in your area is not doing the same that is up to them. It is also up to you to decide if you want to do business with them.

This every week turns into a flame war that Pro Shops gouging people and blah blah blah.

Smash49
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Smash49

Slick, tacky, wood or synthetic it does not matter your slide is correct with Bowlers Slide Sock. The Finest Slide Sock on the Planet!!!
www.bowlersslidesock.com
www.strikingcatbowling.com

laufaye · « **Reply #68 on:** July 30, 2007, 01:30:08 AM »

Smash49,

Take those comment lightly, its not worth it at all. We are doing everything we can to make a living, and at the same time to service the customers the best we can, so they can have a better pro shop experience. Thats all it matters. Customer comes and goes, thats life.

By the way, I am charging $30 for grips and slug.

If its too high, I will be out of business soon, we'll see.....

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Laufaye

Smash49 · « **Reply #69 on:** July 30, 2007, 07:11:37 AM »

Laufaye

Good point. You are in one of the most expensive areas of the country to live. Land prices are very high. You have to adjust for cost of living also. Where we are housing is about 1/3 the cost. $21.95 for Slug and inserts seems outrageous but so do $700,000 homes. It all depends upon where you are.

Smash49
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Smash49

Slick, tacky, wood or synthetic it does not matter your slide is correct with Bowlers Slide Sock. The Finest Slide Sock on the Planet!!!
www.bowlersslidesock.com
www.strikingcatbowling.com

Author Topic: How much do need to save to justify on-line purchases (Read 11100 times)

tenpinspro

How much do need to save to justify on-line purchases

Doug Sterner

Re: How much do need to save to justify on-line purchases

C-G ProShop-Carl

Re: How much do need to save to justify on-line purchases

Smash49

Re: How much do need to save to justify on-line purchases

laufaye

Re: How much do need to save to justify on-line purchases

Gunny

Re: How much do need to save to justify on-line purchases

Spider Ball Bowler

Re: How much do need to save to justify on-line purchases

Smash49

Re: How much do need to save to justify on-line purchases

laufaye

Re: How much do need to save to justify on-line purchases

Smash49

Re: How much do need to save to justify on-line purchases