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What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying a used or new pool table? There will be factors that you want to weigh in because pool tables can get very expensive. We will go over the different things to be aware of. Advantages of Buying a Used Pool Table So you have decided to buy a used pool table - awesome. There is an elephant in the room when it comes to purchasing a Used pool table and it's usually a lot... Cheaper There is the biggest advantage to buying a used product – It’s MUCH cheaper. A used pool table can cost $300 and upwards. You will be lucky to find anything around the $200-350 range but it is possible. Even spending $500 - $800 for a good condition table made of quality material can be a great deal. Most buyers looking to purchase a used table have a budget of around $300-$1000. Anything above $1000 is pointless because now you’re falling into a new pool table price range. Negotiating Often times a private seller will be open to negotiations so you can drive the price down. You may even be able to offer something of equal or partial value to trade with them. Perhaps you have some golf clubs or items of value you no longer need. You will not be able to do this inside a Billiard store. Ultimately, you have the opportunity to save hundreds, even thousands of dollars. Disadvantages of Buying a Used Pool Table There are a lot of disadvantages that can come from purchasing a used pool table if bought carelessly. Unknown Manufacturer Expensive and High-Quality pool table brands will often have the name of the manufacturer somewhere on the table. Lower-end (and this is common) brands will not show the manufacturers name anywhere on the table. If you don’t know the manufacturer, it’s tough to trace back to the brand or reputation of the manufacturer. How do you know if XYZ company produces bad quality tables or has bad reviews? Dishonesty about information (cost, brand, etc.) A seller can lie to you about information about the pool table and you may not know the difference. They may be dishonest about the purchase price, brand, wood material, slate material, felt, etc. The list goes on and if you are not familiar with pool tables or observant. Not Safe There is always the factor about an individual’s safety and well-being. Please be careful if you decide to purchase a used table and bring a friend. Let your friends and/or family know the location and time of the meetup place. This will most likely occur at the sellers’ house so it is a place they will likely remain. Cost of transporting, disassembly, and assembly Most sellers will not pay for the pool table to be professionally moved to your home. This can easily cost anywhere from $300 and up. Be mindful of this cost and factor it into the cost of the used pool table. Search online and call your local billiard store or bar for recommendations. It is better to go with a trusted and trained professional who has the right tools and process down. Void Warranty If the pool table is 15 years old, the manufacturer warranty is most likely void. The only exception is if there is a lifetime warranty. This will require knowing who manufactured it and possibly a purchase receipt. You lose the advantage of calling the Billiard store or manufacturer and getting your Pockets or Pool Table Legs replaced for free. No Returns or Customer Service If you purchase something from a store, there is often a window of time you can return the product for little hassle. Purchasing a used pool table voids that too. Most people who sell a used table will not take back the table nor will they pay to have it professionally moved back to their home. No customer service – you can’t rely on the seller to pick up their cellphone to answer your 21 questions. You don’t have a customer service representative who is getting paid to answer your questions. Advantages of Buying a New Pool Table A buyer will benefit the most if they choose to purchase a brand-new pool table. Billiard stores must adhere to purchasing/selling laws in result giving you more perks. Joe Shmo’ just sold you their used pool table and could care less once it’s picked up. Warranty A great advantage is billiard companies will always offer a warranty along with your purchase. Normally, I have seen a manufacturer warranty last for 5-years. It’s a wonderful feeling to pick up the phone and know you will not have to pay for a broken part. New Pool Table Material You don’t ever have to worry about the quality of your material being dented, cracked or damaged. You have peace of mind in knowing your felt is brand new. The wood and slate in your table will be flawless and that goes a long way. If the billiard store representative tells you this wood is hardwood or cherry, you can trust their information. Customer Service If you have a question or concern, you can pick up the phone or email the billiard store directly. The ability to reach out to someone real who is paid to provide service to you is great. What size is my pool table again? Who manufacturer my table? What kind of oak is my frame made out of? What brand of felt do I have? These are just a few questions that may come up to a new pool table owner. You wouldn’t want to bother the seller with a million question. You can call the Billiard store’s phone number at your pleasure (within their business hours). Delivery and Assembly People know that pool tables are expensive. It is normal for billiard stores and companies to throw in delivery, assembly and accessories included with the purchase. Delivery and Assembly can easily cost hundreds of dollars and it is usually included. This is a great advantage to have because the professional movers will have experience, appropriate tools, and a step-by-step process. You can trust that they will handle, delivery and assemble your pool table with care. Less hassle and work for you. Financing Billiard stores or companies may have the option for you to finance your pool table. This means instead of paying $1,500 up front, you can pay $150 a month instead. This is a great benefit because it gives the buyer more flexibility with their money. Knowledgeable People who work in a Billiard store are trained professionals who know a lot about pool tables. They can tell you the top brands or most popular sellers in the last couple years. They will be able to tell you the detailed information about a table. Joe Shmo’ selling a used table may only know pieces of information but not all the details about the table. Guarantee (Money back) If you don’t like your pool table, billiard companies may offer a money back guarantee. Try returning a used pool table to a private seller because you’re not satisfied. Tough luck there. Disadvantages of Buying a New Pool Table While there are a lot of advantages to buying a new pool table, there are some con's too. Big Price Tag The biggest and most obvious disadvantage to purchasing a new table is the cost. Most new pool tables start at $1000 and can even go into the $10,000 range and higher. This is because antique pool tables with very high-quality wood are expensive. Can’t Negotiate We touched on this earlier but I wanted to mention it again. If the listed price for a pool table is $1,499.99, it most likely isn’t negotiable. There are rare occasions where they will otherwise you will hope there is a sale going on. Summary In conclusion, there are a lot of factors to weigh. If you prefer not to spend too much money on a pool table, consider a used pool table. I personally own a used pool table and it’s been great so far (3 years). I made sure to take the steps outlined in this post and it was a good experience. If you want to read my full post, I go over 11 mistakes you want to avoid when purchasing a used pool table. Hopefully, this post helps you in your purchase of a pool table.