AGM - Association of Golf Merchandisers

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AGM Orlando Retail Conference - January 27, 2010
Time to: Re-Focus, Re-Energize, Re-Invent

by Desane Blaney, AGM Executive Director

Mark your calendar and make plans to attend the Annual AGM Orlando Retail Conference. The day-long event takes place at the Orange County Convention Center on Wednesday, January 27, 2010. Featured speaker for this year's event is Tom Shay, a recognized retail authority, and President of Profits Plus.

Sincere thanks to the following AGM Vendor Partners who already have committed to co-sponsoring the conference: The Antigua Group, Barr Display, Callaway Golf Apparel, Caulfeild Apparel/Abacus Sports, Club Satellite Network, Cutter & Buck, Greg Norman Collection, PGA Golf Exhibitions, Summit Brands (EP Pro, Fairway & Greene, Zero Restriction) and TaylorMade-Adidas.

Members can expect to receive the formal conference announcement and registration materials which will contain the conference agenda and line-up of speakers in mid-November.

Also in this issue of the AGM e-Tailer:

AGM Members Named PGA Merchandisers of the Year
AGM Members' Creative Ideas to Generate Interest & Sales
Top Ten Holiday Trends for 2009 by Ellen Davis, National Retail Federation
Networking Will Never Be the Same by Ginny McMinn
Golf Datatech Report by Suzie Phillips
Rounds Played Report and Key City Specifics
Vendor Partner News
New Members
Member News

Click here to view this month's AGM Photo Gallery

AGM Members Named PGA Merchandisers of the Year

Join us in congratulating the following AGM/PGA members who were recently named as winners of one of the PGA's most prestigious awards - "Merchandiser of the Year." For the second straight year, the top winners were members of both the AGM and the PGA of America.

Caroline Basarab Dennison - Resort - Merchandise Mgr. - The Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head, SC.

Brian Morrison - Private - PGA Director of Golf / Olympia Fields CC, Olympia Fields, IL.

Nevin Phillips - Public - PGA Director of Golf / Mahogany Run Golf Course / St. Thomas, VI.

Special recognition to Caroline Dennison who is the first woman named to this national honor. The winners will be formally recognized and honored at the PGA of America Awards presentation and reception on Thursday, January 28, 2010 at the Linda Chapin Auditorium at the Orange County Convention Center.

AGM Members' Creative Ideas to Generate Interest & Sales

Differentiate Your Facility by Offering Value Added Services
by Kathi Holder - The Estancia Club, Scottsdale, AZ

At the beginning of the year, we sought to differentiate ourselves from other similar shops in the area by identifying and informing the membership about our value-added services. These included: personal shopping, alterations and club repair. An article was published in the newsletter outlining these services and a specially created flyer was e-mailed to each member.

Because our profiles for each member are so detailed, any staff member could assist a customer in purchasing a gift or finding specialty items upon request. If we did not have what they wanted, we would find it for them. You might say we became "retail concierges."

As a result of actively promoting our alterations program, we saw a rise in revenue from $2,275 to $3,778 which represented a 40% increase in revenue. Each golf professional is trained to mark pants for hemming. More complicated alterations are marked by the Director of Retail or the seamstress. Furthermore, members can bring in any alterations regardless of where the item was purchased.

Club repair saw a 20% increase in revenue from $8,178 to $10,161. During the overseeding period, all clubs in bag storage were assessed for club repair needs. Each member was contacted by one of the golf professionals and given the assessment. Additionally, the outside service attendants were authorized to suggest repairs to members when they were cleaning the clubs.

Create a Special Event for Your Top Customers
by Mark Mongell - Cherokee Town & CC, Atlanta, GA

It's been said that 80% of your sales comes from 20% of your customers. So why not review the list of your best customers and create a unique event especially for them?

We created "A Night with a Special Vendor" and invited the top 15 buyers to a private showing. Our room was set with leather sofas and wooden display tables to visually display the collection. We served cocktails and hors d'oeuvres while the apparel was being shown. Six staff members were also in attendance to give personal advice/service to our guests and to take special orders.

Following the presentation, our Executive Chef served a special dinner to the guests which further acknowledged our appreciation. At evenings end, sales totaled over $10,000.

Increase Revenue Generating Categories to Combat Price Sensitivity
by Nevin Phillips - Mahogany Run GC, St. Thomas, VI

Being a destination facility, we haven't had to do a great deal of promotions because most guests want to bring back something from their experience. What we have noticed is increased price point sensitivity with our guests given the economic woes.

Therefore, to continue to attract traffic and increase sales, we did something quite simple - we offered our cruise guests a $10 coupon to use in the shop on any item $25 or over. In an effort to publicize the special incentive during a tough economy, we partnered with the cruise crews to communicate this incentive which resulted in a greater value to the guests.

Our research indicated a good percentage of sales are generated from the $25 to $35 range and mainly in headwear and accessories. Armed with that knowledge, we increased inventory in those categories and it was tremendously effective and generated additional sales during our traditionally slow period.

Top Ten Holiday Trends for 2009

by Ellen Davis, VP and National Retail Federation Spokesperson

In a media and analyst briefing, BIGresearch's Phil Rist and I shared ten insights of what to expect this holiday season which were based largely on findings from NRF's first holiday survey.

#1: Americans aren't ready to declare an end to the recession. According to a survey by BIGresearch, Americans will not believe the recession is over until they see a reduction in unemployment. So, while an increase in stock market activity might be great news for high-end retailers, it's not helping retailers who cater to Middle America. As Phil explained on the call, "The Wall Street traders are excited but the average American isn't in the pit. They'll be looking at the job market to see when they should feel better."

#2: It's all about the economy. We're hearing a lot about people making changes to gifts (more practical gifts, joint gifts, or making gifts) as well as putting up last year's decorations. The economy will also impact where people shop, with 70% planning to head to discounters and 11% planning to buy something from a thrift store or resale shop. (We added the "thrift" category this year and, personally, I'm shocked that one in ten people are going to purchase a used gift this year. Not for me, please!) In another sign of the times…is it possible that people will use gift cards they've previously received to make holiday purchases?

#3: Sales and promotions are king. With 2009 the holiday season of the bargain hunter, more than half of people say that sales or everyday low prices will be the deciding factor on where they buy. But with inventories at a minimum, it will be interesting to watch the push-and-pull between retailers and customers. Retailers, who have scaled back on inventory, are telling consumers to shop early while consumers, who are used to waiting until the last minute for good deals, might plan to hold out for better sales. We're expecting retailers to market heavily on the front end to entice shoppers into the stores but we'll need to wait and see when customers finally start to bite.

#4: Pay attention to payment methods. Our November survey digs deeper into payment methods, and we'll be paying close attention to how an increase in credit card minimums and also an increase in interest rates may impact spending. This is an expenditure that Americans don't like, many can't accommodate, and most weren't expecting. But this move is another reason why many may shy away from credit cards and could bode well for retailers who offer layaway.

#5: It's the thought that counts. Hallmark and friends, take a deep breath: greeting card spending won't experience as dramatic of a drop as many other categories. Americans say they'll spend 2% less on greeting cards this year (compared with 17% less on friends and 15% less on co-workers, for example). Turns out people might be just sending a card instead of a gift. Better get those stamps ready…

#6: 'Tis the season to eat. Candy and food spending is up about $10 per person and was the only category that rose in the entire survey. "People may be giving gifts of pie or cookies instead of buying them something, or they might invite others over to the house for a get-together," said Phil Rist.

#7: Gift cards aren't dead. When asking people what they wanted to receive this year, gift cards were the only category that saw an increase. (Check out a recent blog post on the findings and some examples of retailer gift cards.) While people may worry that gift cards are impersonal or are trying to find merchandise on sale, gift cards remain the most asked-for item. There could be a few reasons behind this: My cynical side says that people may want to use gift cards they receive for the holiday season on necessities like gas, food or laundry detergent. The optimist in me wonders if people salivate over the idea of receiving gift cards because they've been pulling back on spending all year and love the idea of going into a store to buy something for themselves.

#8: When looking at store sales, consider the Internet. The web will influence one in three holiday purchases this year, and retailers are using the Internet not only as a sales channel but also as a marketing vehicle. Take a look at Shop.org's eHoliday survey, which provides more insight on how people will shop online this holiday season as well as what online retailers are planning. (Hello, social media!)

#9: Don't discount department stores. Department stores are doing something right among the 18-24 year-old age group: young adults are more likely to shop at department stores than anywhere else during the holiday season. These retailers, which include Macy's, JCPenney and Kohl's, are also doing a nice job with private label products, positioning themselves as discounters (at least on price) and creating an environment where young adults like to shop. That said, keep in mind that young adults are the most likely to wait until the last minute to shop, meaning a large portion of department store sales might come in very close to Christmas Day.

#10: Impulse spending? Fuhgettaboutit. The number of people who plan to make additional, non-gift purchases for themselves or their family declined this year, and those who will make additional purchases will also spend less on them. As Phil reasoned, "It's not in the budget this year for people to treat themselves, and some may feel a little guilty doing that," he said. "Instead, they're taking their holiday budget and focusing on people on their list."

The AGM is a member of the National Retail Federation and this article was re-printed with permission.

Networking Will Never Be the Same

by Ginny McMinn

For those seeking new employment or just wanting to get acquainted with others involved with golf or business, networking is critical. However, networking has changed. It is important to explore new forms of connecting with other professionals and to maintain more traditional connections through business groups and professional associations.

Electronic networking, via web-based communities like LinkedIn.com, Twitter.com and Facebook, serve as resources for finding and connecting with those with a common profession or cause. Check out industry-specific sites as well; blogs and question/answer discussions are a great place to get noticed.

While there is plenty of personal and inane "noise" on these sites, they can be excellent for building your contacts and mailing lists, as well as getting noticed by recruiters who research or troll them. For example, I have a colleague with a new ethics training product who gathered more than 1,000 followers (and leads!) with 15 minutes per day on one of these sites. For job hunters, it is also possible to search for organizations and job openings.

While the electronic connections are relatively easy, it is important to continue to use more traditional means of networking:

Attend meetings, seminars and conventions related to your field.
Check out the unemployment office, which has vastly improved its services in recent years; it is an excellent resource for connections, skill training and resume hints.
Network with friends, family, former colleagues; if you need a job, don't hold back - you never know where a job might come from.
Consider taking part-time, seasonal or temporary work; these are often a "tryout" for the real thing. Once you accept, exceed expectations.
Network and track positions outside your current field or industry that might use your skills, abilities and interests; target likely groups and associations in these fields and begin to network in them.
Wherever you go, carry a basic personal card with your name, home or cell phone number, personal email and a description of your best skill or the career you seek. When networking for a new job, it is inappropriate to use your current or former business card. If you are out of work, your personal card will remind people of both your interests and how to reach you. It will show your professionalism in not handing off a scribbled home phone number on the back of an old card.

Just as there are companies making money in this economic downturn, there are organizations hiring employees. To locate the opportunities, networking and research are more important than ever!

Ginny McMinn is the Founder and President of McMinn HR™ of Gilbert, AZ. She brings over 30 years experience in the HR field and has presented at AGM educational events. For more information about McMinn HR, contact Ginny at ginny@mcminnhr.com

Golf Datatech Report

by Suzie Phillips

Total Units & Dollars
On & Off Course Shops Combined
Total Year to Date Through August 2009
2008 Compared to 2009

Product Total Units Total Dollars Average Price

GOLF BALLS (000's Doz.) (000)'s Omitted Per Dozen

2008 14151.85 $377,919 $26.70

2009 12432.15 $346,996 $27.91

Percentage Change -12.2 -8.2% 4.5%

WOODS (000's Units) (000)'s Omitted Per Club

2008 3523.42 $600,422 $170.41

2009 3098.77 $511,625 $165.11

Percentage Change -12.1% -14.8 -3.1%

IRONS (000's Units) (000)'s Omitted Per Club

2008 5900.82 $424,029 $71.86

2009 5103.35 $351,457 $68.87

Percentage Change -13.5% -17.1% -4.2%

PUTTERS (000's Units) (000)'s Omitted Per Putter

2008 1005.43 $136,923 $136.18

2009 824.69 $113,335 $137.43

Percentage Change -18.0% -17.2% 0.9%

WEDGES (000's Units) (000)'s Omitted Per Wedge

2008 796.65 $74,006 $92.90

2009 764.54 $71,250 $93.19

Percentage Change -4.0% -3.7% 0.3%

GOLF SHOES (000's Units) (000)'s Omitted Per Pair

2008 2457.53 $207,792 $84.55

2009 2187.07 $183,629 $83.96

Percentage Change -11.0% -11.6% -0.7%

GLOVES (000's Doz.) (000)'s Omitted Per Glove

2008 826.75 $126,045 $12.70

2009 740.38 $112,765 $12.69

Percentage Change -10.4% -10.5% -0.1%

GOLF BAGS (000's Units) (000)'s Omitted Per Bag

2008 983.58 $117,922 $119.89

2009 821.86 $103,263 $125.65

Percentage Change -16.4% -12.4% 4.8%

For more detailed reports covering retail sales for golf products including apparel contact Golf Datatech, sphillips@golfdatatech.com or call 888-944-4116.

National Rounds Played Report & Key City Specifics

Rounds were down (-1.0%) for the month of August 2009 and flat (0.0%) year-to-date. The findings represent 4070 reporting courses.

Percentage Change in Rounds Played Volume

2009 vs. 2008 August Year-to-Date

U.S. -1.0.% 0.0%

Public -0.6% 0.3%

Private -2.4% -1.1%

Pacific 0.4% 0.6%

Mountain 2.0% -0.3%

West North Central -1.5% 4.8%

East North Central -6.2% 0.1%

South Central 6.7% 0.5%

South Atlantic 3.2% -2.9%

Mid-Atlantic -6.4% -0.4%

New England 2.0% -0.9%

Key City Specifics

2009 vs. 2008 August Year-to-Date

Washington-Baltimore -3.0% -2.3%

Orlando 17.9% -4.0%

Naples-Ft. Myers 15.4% -0.4%

Atlanta -0.4% -6.7%

Hilton Head 5.1% -1.7%

New York City -9.2% -4.2%

Chicago -5.6 -0.8

Philadelphia -10.7% -4.5%

St. Louis 4.5% 7.5%

Houston 11.0% 1.4%

Los Angeles 0.0% -1.0%

San Diego -4.2% 0.9%

Phoenix -2.8% -2.5%

Las Vegas 10.3% 1.5%

Seattle 2.7% -1.5%

The National Rounds Played Report and Key City Specifics is a joint effort of Golf Datatech, National Golf Foundation, PGA of America and the National Golf Course Owners Association.

Vendor Partner News!

Summit Brands appointed Andy Bell as President of Fairway and Greene and Zero Restriction. Bell is a seasoned professional having been previously employed by Polo/Ralph Lauren and as President and co-founder of House of Carrington.

Jamie Handler has accepted the position of President of U.S. sales for Nivo. He most recently held the position of VP of Sales for Bette & Court.

Callaway Golf Apparel has named James Dougherty as Director of Sales.

Reed Exhibitions recently announced staffing changes as they pertain to their PGA Show portfolio: Barbara McAuliffe leaves her post as Event Director and moves to Reed's Interphex event as the Director of Marketing and Event Director. John McGeary, current VP of the Ontario PGA Merchandise Show, assumes the day to day management of the show and Andre Smith has been promoted to Marketing Director.

Howie Ellis, industry veteran, has accepted the position of Executive Vice President for Sun Ice Golf USA which is owned by the Fletcher Leisure Group of Canada.

Tehama completed its sale to Nacabi Trading and has retained Susan Shade as President of its Golf Division. She will remain in their Denver office.

Matt McCormick has been named National Sales Manager for Sport Haley. Matt was previously affiliated with Nike.

New AGM Vendor Partner Members

The following golf companies joined the AGM during this past month. Please support these new members as well as the many other AGM Vendor Partners. Click here or go to the Vendor Partners page to view all of the fine offers and services available for AGM members.

Canterbury Belts/H.A. Sheldon Canada

Jim Bowie, National Sales Manager

Canterbury Belts - A collection of men's and women's belts that compliment the latest fashion trends in golf apparel and every day wear.

For additional information, visit their website at www.hasheldon.com or call them at 1-800-268-5265.

New AGM Merchandiser Members

Please welcome the following merchandisers who joined the professional ranks of the AGM this past month. For contact information on all of the AGM members, please visit the Members Only pages at www.agmgolf.org.

Kyle Butler