michael_1265
01-30-2012, 06:59 PM
I dropped by the local PIAS yesterday with three racquets that I wanted to trade in, and one that I didn't, but I was interested in what they would quote. First off, they didn't seem too keen on taking any racquets, because their area was full. Then the trade-in prices were really odd. My son's Prince TTS in 8/10 fetched $25 (more than I expected), while my Volkl DNX 10 in 7/10 (which I never intended to trade) brought a $15 offer. Ridiculous.
The PIAS guys wondering out loud why they weren't selling any sticks with the spring season right around the corner. Where do I start?
1. Location: Back left corner of the shop, completely out of view, are six rods mounted in a pegboard.
2. Display method: The racquets are loaded so that you have to take all of them off to even see the one in the back, and since the rods are all fulll, you just have to put a bunch of them on the floor. Kmart specials and various sticks of little or no values to anyone are interspersed with the occasional player racquet. The headcovers/cases sit in a pile below the racks, and it's hard not to step on them while looking at the racquets.
3. Pricing: No rhyme or reason. I found a Prince NXT in really nice condition marked $59, with the exact same racquet with a huge cut down through the graphite was $79.
Spend $300 on a nice, compact, movable floor display and display the good racquets to their best advantage. Move it to the middle/front of the store, and the racquet business doubles. Put just 25% of the effort that goes into the golf section. How about training your employees on how to recognize value in racquets?
There are no tennis guys in that store, and it's obvious. It is sad to lose an opportunity, though, because they are the only game in town for used racquets. There are 4000 USTA players within a 25-minute drive of the store.
I am always stunned to see a business owner not aggressively courting (NPI) new customers in this economy.
The PIAS guys wondering out loud why they weren't selling any sticks with the spring season right around the corner. Where do I start?
1. Location: Back left corner of the shop, completely out of view, are six rods mounted in a pegboard.
2. Display method: The racquets are loaded so that you have to take all of them off to even see the one in the back, and since the rods are all fulll, you just have to put a bunch of them on the floor. Kmart specials and various sticks of little or no values to anyone are interspersed with the occasional player racquet. The headcovers/cases sit in a pile below the racks, and it's hard not to step on them while looking at the racquets.
3. Pricing: No rhyme or reason. I found a Prince NXT in really nice condition marked $59, with the exact same racquet with a huge cut down through the graphite was $79.
Spend $300 on a nice, compact, movable floor display and display the good racquets to their best advantage. Move it to the middle/front of the store, and the racquet business doubles. Put just 25% of the effort that goes into the golf section. How about training your employees on how to recognize value in racquets?
There are no tennis guys in that store, and it's obvious. It is sad to lose an opportunity, though, because they are the only game in town for used racquets. There are 4000 USTA players within a 25-minute drive of the store.
I am always stunned to see a business owner not aggressively courting (NPI) new customers in this economy.