Buying Direct from the USA

xcesiv

Member
I am considering buying some new gear as all my gear is 10+ years old.

Im looking at probably getting 2 balls.

With the US Dollar going so well for us, is it worth buying direct from someone in the USA and having my local proshop drill the balls

Is there much of a saving.

I have heard of people doing it now and then, but most of my friends that bowl have all bought from the proshop.

What are your thoughts on this.
 
G'Day,

Straight up you have asked a question that will give you some fiery responses here.

If you shop around you find people in Australia that will match the prices you will get from the U.S + Freight.

Before buying anything make sure your local pro-shop is going to drill it for you.

I have bought a lot of bits and pieces from the U.S only because it has not been available locally or the price has been ridiculous.

It does not sound like you buy a lot of gear as the two you have are ten years old so check out the local guys first, you will be surprised at the prices they can get.
 
Thanks...

No i dont buy a lot of gear... I have only come back to bowling after a 5 year break. and even then i hadn't bought anything for 3-4 years.

But im getting back into bowling and really liking it again.

I been back for a year, got myself a decent average but now i think i need to work on getting some up to date gear.

You mentioned that some proshops wont drill them... Why is that?
 
Your better off supporting your local guys...There is an online section here on the forum with reputable dealers and pro shops...

I would advise that you try them first as most of them are also experienced pro shop operators...

From past experiences pro shops/registered ball drillers will not warrant a ball that has been drilled by them if it has been purchased elsewhere...If you have an issue with the warranty side of things (that's not caused through the drilling) you will have nothing but trouble trying to get someone from the states/overseas to even come to the party...Something that can be avoided when purchasing through an Australian Supplier/Pro Shop or the likes...

What may save you a dollar today may cost you plenty more tomorrow...

Hope that helps...
 
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
 
Hi i have bought lots of things from America including balls and paying $100 for postage and can still get it cheaper than over here and can get the pin and top weight i want and also the ball i want not settling for another ball because the bowl cant get the one you want.
 
An entry level reactive ball from a local proshop can cost minimum $200, more drilled. I have talked to a proshop in the states that can ship individual balls for as little as $60.

Top end ball = $150
Shipping = $60
Drilling = $50 (That's on the high end for drilling imo)

Way more ball for your buck if you are happy not having a warranty, which in bowling is bull**** anyway. The warranty information on bowling ball boxes usually says something like, "you put holes in it, your warranty is void".
 
Have a best friend who buys balls of ebay very often (brand new).

They are completly legal, legit, everything, and often arrive to your door approximatly 50 - 100 dollars cheaper than getting it from a proshop..

However, I purchased one of my balls from an AMF Bowling Centre, cost me 325 with 'free drilling'. However if I purchased the ball from Brando's Proshop, would have been 260 with an 60 dollar drilling.. Cheaper drilling, better drilling, cheaper ball, :)

If i purchased this from Ebay (in the USA), would have been about 160 for the ball, 80 dollars(ish) postage, and 80 dollars for a drilling... Depends how much your drilling costs..

Hope that all helps (its really just a bunch of garbage).
 
i agree with supporting your local pro shop, but if you can save $100 (30% of the buy price), then the pro shops need to get there prices closer to the market.

If it was a saving of under $50 i would probably just go straight to a pro shop. but $100+ per ball saving, then that's different.

I would be happy for the proshop to order the balls from the same guy overseas that i am looking at gettting, adding $40 to the ball. I save some money, and he makes some money... win win.

But when your talking 30% saving then there is something wrong.
 
I bought a Storm Virtual Gravity Nano at Keon Park Proshop from Paul Madden and all up the ball cost $320 thats 295+drilling for the ball and $25 for my thumb and finger inserts.
Plus you get warranty and you get a ball that fits well and no postage costs.
 
Whats the warranty on the ball Macka. I honestly believe there is NO POINT in a warranty on a bowling ball as its void as soon as it touches the lanes...
 
Ryan, that's simply not true. All balls are warrantied against manufacturer faults. Even if a ball is drilled outside specs (eg too narrow a bridge) if it fails due to other reasons (eg cracks somewhere other than the holes) it should be covered.
 
When I get home today, I will read to you the warranty of my RotoGrip Mutant Cell... Its not exactly what I'd call a warrenty
 
Ryan that is not true, Storm has a solid warranty and we will replace balls if they are found to be defective. Here is the standard Storm warranty

LIMITED ONE YEAR WARRANTY – BOWLING BALLS

Congratulations on the purchase of your new Storm bowling ball. Storm
Products, Inc. prides itself on manufacturing the highest quality bowling
balls in the industry today and warrants them to be free of defective
workmanship and/or materials when used for the purpose intended, under
normal conditions and provided they have been cared for properly. All
merchandise covered under this warranty must be returned, with a sales
slip showing date of purchase, to the dealer from whom it was purchased.

This warranty does not cover incidental costs including, but not limited to,
freight, measuring and drilling.

Storm agrees to replace this ball if at any time during the warranty period
it is found to be defective in material and/or workmanship. Storm
Products, Inc. shall for no reason be responsible for any damage caused
by the following:

o Ball plugging or the installation of inserts for the fingers and/or thumb
o The width of the bridge being less than ¼”
o A bridge that has been weakened by holes that intersect or by
insufficient lateral pitches
§ A minimum ¾” difference in lateral pitches must be used
o Holes lacking sufficient bevel
o The distance between any hole and the pin being less than 1”
o Damage caused by pinsetters, ball return systems, gutters and/or lanes
o Bowler abuse
o Exposure to extreme temperatures (above 140°F or below 40°F)
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other
rights which vary from state to state.



I can also say that the Storm/Roto distributor tries his best with the company in trying to get faulty equipement replaced. It doesnt happen very often but when it does happen it's good to have someone on your side going into bat for you.

You'll find most manufactuers have the same warranty.
 
o Damage caused by pinsetters, ball return systems, gutters and/or lanes

This is the main one I'm getting at.

If you bowl the ball down the lane, and it comes back in two peices... Will Storm stand by their warranty?
 
o Damage caused by pinsetters, ball return systems, gutters and/or lanes

This is the main one I'm getting at.

If you bowl the ball down the lane, and it comes back in two peices... Will Storm stand by their warranty?

I dare say if your ball came back in two pieces then there would be some form of manufacturing fault
 
'My ball bounced and cracked on the gutter, someone elses ball hit the same thing and it didnt break..'

I honestly done believe that if Storm was fronted with an issue like above, they would say there was a manufacturing fault with the ball... Its so easy to say 'it was the lanes'. This is the point I'm trying to get at.

*appologies for this as its extreemly offtopic...*
 
I had a Hammer vicious, only bowled 4 balls with it, cracked from the ballance hole (located to the right of the thumb, around the ball to the fingers.

Was replaced without incident.

We now return you back the topic at hand...
 
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