Pro Shop Prices

[Quest36X]

First off guys, thanks for reading this, secondly your honest input would mean a great deal to me.

What does your pro shop charge for drilling, both fingertip and conventional, and not YOUR discount, average Joe Blow from off the street.

Finger inserts and slugs, what do they run? Again, not YOUR discount.

Reason for my questions are very simple. I have no reason to change my prices, because first of all I get them, and secondly my knowledge and time is worth more than a lot of local pro shops.

Here's what I charge (and most in our area do as well)

Fingertip drilling $50
Conventional Drilling $30
Finger Inserts and Slugs $26.95

I know it seems like a lot, but each fingertip ball takes close to an hour with watching the customer bowl and getting them into the right ball.... If you buy a ball at the shop, the drilling is included in the price, making the internet price and our price almost comparable, so why would you buy a ball off of the net? To save $20 and gain the hassle, I'm sorry I don't understand and never will.

Yes I do understand that not everyone is made of money. I get it. But do you want the inconvenience of throwing a ball that isn't right for you? Do you want the inconvenience of having the bridge break and not having a leg to stand on?

Support your local pro shop, support the industry. Price isn't everything, service is, and that's what we do as a whole.

[rugdoc]

First off guys, thanks for reading this, secondly your honest input would mean a great deal to me.

What does your pro shop charge for drilling, both fingertip and conventional, and not YOUR discount, average Joe Blow from off the street.

Finger inserts and slugs, what do they run? Again, not YOUR discount.

Reason for my questions are very simple. I have no reason to change my prices, because first of all I get them, and secondly my knowledge and time is worth more than a lot of local pro shops.

Here's what I charge (and most in our area do as well)

Fingertip drilling $50
Conventional Drilling $30
Finger Inserts and Slugs $26.95

I know it seems like a lot, but each fingertip ball takes close to an hour with watching the customer bowl and getting them into the right ball.... If you buy a ball at the shop, the drilling is included in the price, making the internet price and our price almost comparable, so why would you buy a ball off of the net? To save $20 and gain the hassle, I'm sorry I don't understand and never will.

Yes I do understand that not everyone is made of money. I get it. But do you want the inconvenience of throwing a ball that isn't right for you? Do you want the inconvenience of having the bridge break and not having a leg to stand on?

Support your local pro shop, support the industry. Price isn't everything, service is, and that's what we do as a whole.

I'm not positive on his prices, but you sound real close to my guy. I also know, if you buy a ball off the net, your discount goes bye bye.
Like you said, my guys is a wealth of info and is always(time permitting) willing to help me with any problem I'm having. So the extra $15 or so is money well spent in my book.
As for drilling, he'll do any kind asked. But he will try to get you into finger tip if you don't use them.

[BradM]

Where I get my ball drilled it's $50 for finger tip $15 for grips and slug.

My local pro shop charges $30 for drilling and $15 for grips and slug... but I don't trust him.

[aigaios]

My pro shop, when you buy ball there, charges $30 for drilling plus $20 for a slug and inserts. When you bring a blank ball in, they charge $20 more for the drill.

[slap]

These my pro shop operator's prices (he just raised is prices $10 a couple weeks ago)

Fingertip $60
Conventional $50
Grips $5
Thumb Slug $10

His ball prices include fingertip drilling. For reference the BW/NM is $199, the Raw Hammers $159 and the Vibes are $139.

Based on his old prices (and my perks), buying in house was around $20 more expensive than online. As I stated in another thread, twenty dollars isn't a big enough margin for me to buy online exclusively. I get top notch service so I don't mind paying a little more.

I've gotten a couple of balls online at closeout prices and had them drilled in the shop with no problems.

Now if he jacked his prices to increase the difference to $30 or $40 a ball, then I might have to reconsider. I prefer to buy locally and support the shop but only to an extent.

[Lenny360]

Most places around me charge around 30-35, plus 10 for grips and 10 for a slug. It's typically between 45-55 for everything.

I agree that service is key, but too many drillers are lacking it. Many of them don't find your PAP or even watch you bowl, but yet they pretend to know the best drilling for you. I'm not going to support my local pro shop, because they don't deserve it. I can often save 50 or more by buying online, so I'm going to do it and it's not a hassle at all.

If you'd watch me bowl, find my PAP and make sure my pitches are perfect for me and prove to me that you're knowledgeable about drilling the newer technology... yeah I might go to you.

Personally I know enough about drilling layouts in relation to my game and what my exact fit and PAP is. So I really wouldn't require all that extra service at this point.

[jedi47]

The ONLY driller in Dead Moines that I've found who CAN drill a ball to fit charges $50,,,, finger inserts and thumb sleeve included.
Replacing worn out finger inserts is $5 each and replacing the thumb sleeve is $10
This is all for finger tip,,,, I have no idea on conventional fits.
Also, buying balls from the web and going to this guy for drilling saves me between $80- $100 per ball compared to the prices in the "Pro" shops in the bowling centers around here.

[pba6285]

My prices are here http://www.ricksproshop.com/Services.html

[blistershurt]

Well my pro shop owner charges $5 a piece for fingertips, $10 for a slug, or $10 for them both when you buy a ball.

[BlackWidow95]

My shop charges..

$50.00- Drilling
$10.00- Finger Grips
$15.00- Thumb Slug
-----------
$75.00

But, if you buy a ball from him the drilling is like 50% off..

He has good prices and is a really good and knowledgable guy, he avg's. like 220+(in a halfway difficult house)..

But, I keep going back for the 10% discount, lol!!

[dw800seeker]

Prices at my proshop are the same as the prices everyone's been posting. Only problem at my proshop is does not include drilling on balls that are already pretty expensive. Like $180+ for the balls I want.

If I could get balls for $150-175 out the door I would probably buy a new one every month. When they are $230-240 it makes it an annual event.:eek:

[TenPinSniper]

Think my proshop charges around 30 for finger tip... 6 for grips and 10 for slug... dont hold me to this. Pretty sure that correct.

[SledgeMe]

My Pro Shop charges around $65 for drilling and inserts if you do not buy the ball from him. If you buy the ball from him you pay roughly $15 more for inserts (tips and thumb).

I like to show people how much money they are REALLY saving buying a ball online:

Pro Shop Vs. Online

BW: PS: $189.90 Online: $129.99
Drill: FREE $65
Inserts: $15 $20
Tax: $10.25 NONE
Shipping: NONE Anywhere from FREE to over $100

Total: $215.15 $214.99


WOW!!! A total savings OF $0.16. Don't go spending it all in one place!

[jman69]

My pro charges 35.00 for drilling with grips.:cool:

[dw800seeker]

My Pro Shop charges around $65 for drilling and inserts if you do not buy the ball from him. If you buy the ball from him you pay roughly $15 more for inserts (tips and thumb).

I like to show people how much money they are REALLY saving buying a ball online:

Pro Shop Vs. Online

BW: PS: $189.90 Online: $129.99
Drill: FREE $65
Inserts: $15 $20
Tax: $10.25 NONE
Shipping: NONE Anywhere from FREE to over $100

Total: $215.15 $214.99


WOW!!! A total savings OF $0.16. Don't go spending it all in one place!

I agree with your conclusion but your numbers are absolutely off. I have purchased balls for $100 less than what my proshop was selling them for. With shipping still $70 less than proshop. Sorry. If it was a $.10 issue I do not think this thread would be here.

Maybe my proshop has higher prices than yours. I doubt it though. Online has lower overhead and can sell balls for less. Plus you can find clearance prices online that proshops rarely have.

Because of inconsistency in shipping times and specs I do not intend on buying online anymore.

[can-ham]

My proshop in Maryland (still go to Maryland for a lot of business) is about the same as my Pro shop in Canada.

Drilling, inserts, thumb slug and tax is about $65.00. Both places throw these in with the purchase of a new ball except in Maryland it was $200 USD for the Hawgzilla, in Canada it's about $300 CND.

[zombie]

35.00 for fingertip with slug. 25.00 for conventional.

[SledgeMe]

My proshop in Maryaland (still go to Maryland for a lot of business) is about the same as my Pro shop in Canada.

Drilling, inserts, thumb slug and tax is about $65.00. Both places throw these in with the purchase of a new ball except in Maryland it was $200 USD for the Hawgzilla, in Canada it's about $300 CND.

Where in Maryland?

[EvoZoo1985]

Where Im at right now, I can get a fingertip ball drilling for $35.00 including finger inserts. A thumb slug costs an additional $10... but I dont use one.
As for this debate about Proshop vs. Online prices...
Ive stated that I am for the proshops... but not for getting ripped off.
In Pittsburgh, PA where I live when Im not in college, the Proshop charges $150.00 for the Hammer Toxic, then a 7% sales tax, then $15 more for finger inserts to go with the free drilling. All in all the Toxic would cost me ~$175.00
However, If a Toxic was bought online, I can get it for $95.00, no tax, no shipping, no packaging, $35 bucks for drilling with inserts... I dont know how I could turn down a $45 dollar difference being a broke college student.

[can-ham]

Where in Maryland?

Used to live in Rockville and bowl at Shady Grove Lanes. Jim at the pro shop hooks me up with good deals and great drilling.

You in that area?

[wroe312az]

hey guys,

a friend of mine tried to get his ball punched this weekend. they quoted him $40 finger tip drilling
$10 inserts
$15 thumb slug...

luckily i know a place that will do it for $35 w/everything included. it's a little further from where we live buth the guy is a real cool guy and doesn't overcharge. he doesn't even mind drilling balls you buy from the internet...i bought my BW and my dads smokin inferno w/drilling for $150 a piece....:)

[BW GUNNZ]

if i buy my ball from the shop its drilled for free.my bw was $154+$10 thumb slug

[Blackwidow-Mac]

I always try to support my local pro shops.