The Pro Shop I Go To No Longer Includes Drilling in Their Prices

[Josch]

I'm guessing that the Pro Shop is doing this to compete with internet prices. Their old pricing system, which included free drilling, was $90 for a plastic ball and between $120 and $210 for reactive and urethane. Now I believe they're charging $60 for a plastic plus $40 for drilling and reactive and urethane are now between $75 and $160 plus $50 for drilling. This appears to increase the prices between $5 to $10 for cheaper balls and keep the prices for higher end balls the same or even $5 to $10 cheaper. They did do one nice thing though. Drilling for youth bowlers is now $30 for all balls. This new pricing structure will save me money but it will also make it a cheaper just to buy a ball online and get it drilled for $30 plus another $20 for grips and a thumb slug. From the specific prices I remember they are within $5 of internet prices. Do you believe this was a good choice and do you think it will become more common? Before their structure change the included a free lesson with every purchase of a ball. If they continue to do this they definitely have the better deal.

[GeorgiaStroker]

I imagine quite a few people have been surprised to find out that they money they thought they were saving buy buying online really wasn't a big bargain. Unless of course you find a ball online at a very deep discount. The only real advantage to buying online is often you can get the ball in faster than the pro shop can. Some of the shops only order at intervals to save on freight charges. It's nice that your pro shop gives discounts to youth bowlers. We need more people interested in the sport.

[got_a_300]

I'm guessing that the Pro Shop is doing this to compete with internet prices. Their old pricing system, which included free drilling, was $90 for a plastic ball and between $120 and $210 for reactive and urethane. Now I believe they're charging $60 for a plastic plus $40 for drilling and reactive and urethane are now between $75 and $160 plus $50 for drilling. This appears to increase the prices between $5 to $10 for cheaper balls and keep the prices for higher end balls the same or even $5 to $10 cheaper.

$75.00 and $160.00 plus $50.00 looks like the same prices to me as before
which would be $125.00 and $210.00 per ball. Looks to me like the only price
change was with the plastic ball prices $90.00 before now $60.00 plus $40.00
is a $10.00 price hike.

[Josch]

$75.00 and $160.00 plus $50.00 looks like the same prices to me as before
which would be $125.00 and $210.00 per ball. Looks to me like the only price
change was with the plastic ball prices $90.00 before now $60.00 plus $40.00
is a $10.00 price hike.

I know for a fact that some of the entry level reactives went up $5 more and I'm pretty sure that some of the balls that use to be $210 are now a little less around $145 to $155 so the prices did change slightly, depending on the ball. Another thing that was weird is that the Hammer Blue Hammer was $1 more than the new Columbia 300 U2. For such similar balls I thought they would be the same price or the U2 be more expensive since it's new but a $1 difference doesn't make any sense to me. They're $93 and $94.

[got_a_300]

Josch when it comes to the Pro shops and their bowling ball prices
very little makes any sense to me anymore as our shop is going to
go through some major changes here shortly.

[billf]

Unfortunately all companies are trying to come up with ways to compete with the internet. I don't see a problem with how the pro shop is doing this. Businesses are in business to make money, pure and simple. The mark up they choose is their right. As a consumer it's our responsibility to make sure we get what we are paying for and paying an amount we believe to be fair.

[edpup316]

The only time i but a ball online is when i know its cheap enough to cover the drilling and a little extra. I have my own inserts that i get for a $1 an insert on ebay so drilling only costs like 20-25 bucks for me. If your pro shop guy is sponsered by a company and you tell them you were going to buy one of his companies balls online they will usually try to give you a really good deal on what you want cause they get it for pretty cheap usaully.

[Stormed1]

Since all the major manufacturers have gone to MAP pricing the internet savings are very minimal bowdays. What your shiop has gone to is calles ale carte pricing , and its purpose is to compete with the internet. Although i will tell you $90.00 for a basic plastic ball is high.MSRP is lie $72.00 on a T-Zone,Maxim or White dot