Buying Direct from the USA

[Lyndon5.7]

xcesiv,
How about putting together a "Group buy" to lower the price of a item.

See if there is any intrest on this forum, get some solid number (maybe with deposits) and then ring around some proshops to see what they can do for say 10 balls, 20 balls, 30 balls, with drilling, without drilling etc.

Hopefully the proshop can get a deal from their Wholesaler and shipping and can pass the discount on to the customer.
Proshop's making money, still keeping the money local and keeping bowlers happy with cost and warranty.

I think thats how it works....
Thats my thoughts

Lyndon

 

[xcesiv]

xcesiv,
How about putting together a "Group buy" to lower the price of a item.

See if there is any intrest on this forum, get some solid number (maybe with deposits) and then ring around some proshops to see what they can do for say 10 balls, 20 balls, 30 balls, with drilling, without drilling etc.

Hopefully the proshop can get a deal from their Wholesaler and shipping and can pass the discount on to the customer.
Proshop's making money, still keeping the money local and keeping bowlers happy with cost and warranty.

I think thats how it works....
Thats my thoughts

Lyndon

Thats funny you say that... someone told me earlier, if there is such a good saving why not buy up bulk from overseas and sell them cheap back here.

I am not in the business of buying and selling bowling equipment. My suggestion to your comment would be, why dont 1 of the sponsoring proshops of the forum take this on board... get a bulk buy deal setup.

They can work out what has the best postage value Vs Quantaty ordered, and then they process orders ever X amount of balls... they slower the deposits come through the slower people get there balls.

 

[xcesiv]

Jim... you raise a lot of points there.

this reply has to be quick as i have to head out, so might be a bit more jumpy than other replies.

One thing business owners need to remember is, the future is here. Online shopping and industry competition is here, and here to stay.

When a person buys online, he is not getting service, nor is he asking for it. He is getting a product. A Product that arrives in a box on his door. No nice person to say what a good choice he made. With this people in the chain made money, just less people in the chain getting paid. Those people missing in the chain dont get paid... yes... This can effect people and jobs can be lost, but also increased jobs elsewhere.

At the manufacturing plants, etc. where they are selling more and more products at a very reasonable price because peoples money is being spread further.

Agreed, some of the companies you mentioned failed and there reasons maybe justified, but with price comes service. And this is how the wholesale market and internet sales works. If you want service, go to a shop... you want good cheap prices, come see the wholesaler.

No one is saying not to make money... thats why people go to work, and money makes the work go round. But do they need to make that much off each order.

10 orders nd you make $100 or 1 order and you make $100... at the end of the day all you have is $100, but now you have 10 loyal customers that will come back to you knowing they got great value for money, or possibly loose the 1 customer when they find out that someone else could have sold the exact same thing $90 cheaper.

The value in aproshop is the ball drilling and professional services related to setting up and maintaining good bowling equipment... The proshop should be looking at servicing the customers... cleaning peoples gear, adjusting the bowlers equipment, training bowlers, etc... Times have changed and the businesses that fail are the ones that are not changing with them.

As i have said before... it sounds like a very touchy subject for alot of you on here. I do not mean to offend anyone if it comes accross that way.

I can be straight to the point sometimes

 

[Brenton_Davy]

The value in aproshop is the ball drilling and professional services related to setting up and maintaining good bowling equipment... The proshop should be looking at servicing the customers... cleaning peoples gear, adjusting the bowlers equipment, training bowlers, etc... Times have changed and the businesses that fail are the ones that are not changing with them.

As i have said before... it sounds like a very touchy subject for alot of you on here. I do not mean to offend anyone if it comes accross that way.

I can be straight to the point sometimes

I commented in the Ball Drilling thread that the smart pro shop operator uses these services to gainh, keep and cultivate customers. The smart operator provides these services to his/her loyal customers at reduced prices so that the customer who supports the pro shop saves money on these services, usually to the extent that the customer saves at least as much, if not more than the cost savings they might gain by purchasing their bowling balls direct from the US. Your internet shop can't resurface your ball, provide coaching, make surface adjustments, etc. The smart operator charges full tote odds for these services to those who choose to purchase their equipment from o/s, but provides them to loyal customers at sinificant discounts.

Your initial savings might turn out to be greater costs in the long run.

Food for thought.

 

[Casual Observer]

And we wonder why all the book stores went bust here. Local distributors have to pay gst but if you buy from OS you dont.
Pretty soon there wont be anyone left to drill balls if everyone had this attitude.
Also its much easy dealing warranty issues with your local distributors than with a company OS.
SUPPORT LOCAL

Lets make comparisons shall we. I am guessing you support the local petrol station who has to sell for that few cents more per litre. You support the local store instead of the big supermarkets and pay more for all your food etc. Shall I go on?

The trick to this is offering something that the buyer will decide makes the deal as good or better than getting the ball from overseas. I don't care who believes me and who doesn't. Supply and demand means customers will eventually go to the best deal.

All these other people on here with vested interests trying to tell you otherwise are deluding themselves.

 

[xcesiv]

I get all my gear maintained by the same guy that i used to go to 10+ years ago. He will always get my business as i have confidence in him, and feel i have been looked after. and I would think he knows that.

And when i do decide to get my new ball, i will give him the chance to be get my business in the purchase of the ball, but if he is significantly above then i will ask him politely that i can get a ball delivered a lot cheaper, but i would still like him to do all the work on them.

This is not being unreasonable. He has had the chance to get my business in the supply of goods department, but he is still getting 100% of my business in the Proshop Services department.

If he was to start charging me more, just because his prices are not as competitive in the supplying of goods then he would loose the business to someone else.

Here is another thought. someone is looking to buy 2 or 3 new bowling balls... Proshop price for 2 balls is $550 + drilling costs, and you can get 3 balls from overseas for $575.

Instead of getting 2 sales, he now gets 3 ball drilling, plus all the maintenance services on this gear for the life of it.

I think we should just end the conversation tho... as said before there is a lot of passion in some of the replies and its looks to be a very touchy subject for a few proshop owners.

 

[bowlrig]

Warren, just wondering, do you own the signwriting business or do you work for someone else?

Rob

 

[xcesiv]

Warren, just wondering, do you own the signwriting business or do you work for someone else?

Rob

yes i do own the signwriting business.

 

[safadao]

Goto your local pro shop as the others have said, you will find that they are pretty close, if not less than buying a ball and having it shipped here. Shipping a single ball can cost anywhere between $100-$150 US to get a single ball over here.

On a side note, has anyone ever had warranty issues with a ball that has been covered by the ball manufacturer warranty ie. the problem was not caused by drilling or damage and had a ball replaced? Just curious

A while ago I had a ball replaced under warranty. Driller started drilling and there was a huge void in the ball; you could see light between the finger holes. Ball was replaced fine, however ball was brought in Australia not OS.

 

[jason_doust]

All these other people on here with vested interests trying to tell you otherwise are deluding themselves.

This is written to the pro shop operators out there. I really only use the quote above as an example.

In socio-economics, this phenomenon is called "the race to the bottom." Have you noticed how much cheaper petrol or food is lately? People may not be bright enough to realise it, but they get what they pay for. And bargain hunters have pushed the price of lots of things up by destroying competition long term.

I love how the self righteous ones are the ones who are happily screwing everyone else. They're also the same one's I have no problem in telling to try somewhere else. They chew up your time (aka your life) for bugger all margin and you feel cheated (and somewhat dirty) after dealing with them. So AVOID CONTACT. They are the customers who are not worth having and I've quietly sacked a few already. I recommend the practice to all pro shop operators out there. I make no less money and have a happier life as a result. When you get one of these "best price" customers, maintain your standards and politely decline to engage them. Let them waste their time, not yours.

Let them knock themselves out on those "cheap" deals. There are still plenty of customers willing to pay a little extra for exceptional service. They're the one's I'm interested in as I'm interested in exceptional service. I recommend you do the same for a happier, more fruitful life.

That's enough of my time wasted on idiots.

 

[magpi17]

sorry double post

 

[magpi17]

I will always use the local guy's for purchase and drilling of bowling balls.
I have found a very reliable person to purchase from and drill my bowling balls.
The first ball he drilled took about 45 minutes and even now he has my drilling sheet it still takes 30-40 minutes as he cares for his work.
I never ask price before the purchase as I don't see the need to, thats just me.
The best part of using local (400 Klms away) is just last weekend at Bathurst I asked about a ball for Dazz, a ball was suggested I said grab 1 and drill it. Done deal and Dazz will probably have it drilled as per his spec for Orange, easy just as it should be.

 

[Fitzy]

xcesiv,
How about putting together a "Group buy" to lower the price of a item.

See if there is any intrest on this forum, get some solid number (maybe with deposits) and then ring around some proshops to see what they can do for say 10 balls, 20 balls, 30 balls, with drilling, without drilling etc.

Hopefully the proshop can get a deal from their Wholesaler and shipping and can pass the discount on to the customer.
Proshop's making money, still keeping the money local and keeping bowlers happy with cost and warranty.

I think thats how it works....
Thats my thoughts

Lyndon

Isn't this a distributer?!? Do you then provide the warranty as you are 'distributing' the equipment?

 

[xcesiv]

Typically group buys is a group of people all buying same time. Order together. Ship together and receive the goods together through a retailer or distributor

They are still individual orders through that retailer not The person instigating the group buy.

It can get messy when, like u said, the group buy organizer is then dealing with warranty. Etc.

 

[John_Velo]

G'Day Fitzy,

I think the rules apply like this.

If it is a group buy, it would be a personal import as more than one person is importing goods for themselves in one shipment.

If you are an importer that distributes, then by Australian Law you are deemed to be the manufacturer and need to supply the warranty. Then you the distributor will chase the manufacturer for their stock to be replaced.

Again, if you shop around you will find people in Australia that will sell you the ball for the same price as buying direct + shipping.

The pro-shop owner then can sell their value add service for it's true value and time.

 

[Casual Observer]

This is written to the pro shop operators out there. I really only use the quote above as an example.

In socio-economics, this phenomenon is called "the race to the bottom." Have you noticed how much cheaper petrol or food is lately? People may not be bright enough to realise it, but they get what they pay for. And bargain hunters have pushed the price of lots of things up by destroying competition long term.

I love how the self righteous ones are the ones who are happily screwing everyone else. They're also the same one's I have no problem in telling to try somewhere else. They chew up your time (aka your life) for bugger all margin and you feel cheated (and somewhat dirty) after dealing with them. So AVOID CONTACT. They are the customers who are not worth having and I've quietly sacked a few already. I recommend the practice to all pro shop operators out there. I make no less money and have a happier life as a result. When you get one of these "best price" customers, maintain your standards and politely decline to engage them. Let them waste their time, not yours.

Let them knock themselves out on those "cheap" deals. There are still plenty of customers willing to pay a little extra for exceptional service. They're the one's I'm interested in as I'm interested in exceptional service. I recommend you do the same for a happier, more fruitful life.

That's enough of my time wasted on idiots.

Before you go calling people idiots etc maybe you should bother to read what is posted. I said people will go to the best deal. At no time did I say the cheapest, although we all know people look at price as part of the overall deal.

You come under the category of someone who has a vested interest in this and will say whatever you need to so that people buy locally. You may offer great service and knowledge. This may not be what some people consider the best deal so they will go elsewhere.

I really don't see the issue in any of this. Any sensible business owner knows how it works. Anyone with a little knowledge knows how it works.

But I forgot, voicing a different opinion to the regulars on here is usually frowned upon.

 

[jimcross]

I have run, as an owner / operator, and also as a manager a variety of businesses, in various industries. They have ALL been successful. Most highly so.
I'm one of your "sensible business owners", who has never based the conduct of the business on price - no discounts - just proper service.
I often told people looking for discounts, that if I could offer a discount, I was saying, in effect that I had intended to overcharge them in the first place, if I could get away with it. As I was NOT doing that, almost everyone accepted that as the truth that it was.

 

[jason_doust]

Well said Jim.

Casual Observer, I retract the word "idiot" and apologise to all the medically certified idiots out there.

Armed with the wisdom of hindsight, "short-sighted people" is a far more appropriate and accurate term.

You come under the category of someone who has a vested interest in this and will say whatever you need to so that people buy locally.

I refute this as it's simply not true.

 

[Casual Observer]

Refute it all you want. Then explain to me where the "people will follow the best deal" isn't the case and shouldn't be the case.

Fact is you talk to your customers and convince them that what you are offering is the best deal. You would be stupid if you don't. Even in here you are doing it. Anyone with a proshop will have a vested interest in this topic.

If the deal is better from the states or elsewhere then there is no issue with buying from there.

For the record, I support my local bowl/proshop.

 

[Macka69]

Everyone has a CHOICE. just depends on wether they use it wisely or not.

Cheers Lyndon