Amy MacDonald is the Merchandise Manager at Keystone Ranch & The River Course at Keystone (Colorado).
Amy MacDonald on the importance of building revenue on currently trending items:
My retail philosophy has always been to offer a unique selection of merchandise, with items that customers won’t find in every other golf shop. I have found, in recent years, a new retail opportunity with athleisure apparel, accessories and wellness products. As a destination resort in the Central Rockies of Colorado, we attract a very diverse audience consisting of golfers, hikers, bikers, skiers, sailors, fishermen, yogis and all sorts of outdoor enthusiasts. Our resort area is a haven for outdoor activities and attracts active, athletic and adventurous people. Our golfers are realizing they play better and feel better when they are fit and wearing comfortable attire. At some point, an avid golfer is going to have an abundance of golf apparel, and they simply do not need another collared polo shirt or pair of golf slacks, and our out-of-town guests may not have a need for golf apparel when they only play a handful of rounds each year. But both of these customers may need a great UV long-sleeve hoodie or pair of athletic tights for their other favorite activities. With this in mind, our focus over the past year has been to offer more lifestyle and wellness products that appeal to the broad interest of our guests and can be used or worn on and off the course, on the mountain, on the trail, in the studio or wherever our guests might play. We carry a wide variety of apparel styles for men, women and juniors, including traditional styles and brands, athletic lines and casual wear. Most manufacturers now offer athleisure or lifestyle pieces within their golf collections. In fact, we sell joggers, training pants and leggings. We also have fitness and sun-protection tops. Additionally, we have a display dedicated to women’s dresses in each of our shops, offering various styles that women are wearing to parties, picnics and dinners. With the abundance of outdoor activities available in our area, if it’s got a hood, then it’s selling. We offer hooded sweatshirts and long-sleeve shirts from almost every brand we carry as well as cashmere hoodies and joggers. Our golf professionals sport a hooded style almost daily, which also helps to promote our resort atmosphere and the casual feel of our golf club.
Amy MacDonald on the business impact of building revenue on currently trending items:
It doesn’t stop with apparel, however. Golf shoes, headwear and eyewear are also trending more athletic in recent years. Golfers are athletes, and with the variety of other activities our customers enjoy, they want versatile equipment. The majority of our golf shoes are spikeless and are meant to be worn on and off the course. Our headwear includes casual lifestyle ball caps, wide-brimmed boonies, cowboy and cabana hats and water-repellent hats. And our most popular sunglasses are sport-specific styles. In the wellness category, we’ve had success selling percussive massage devices and similar products and accessories. Golfers, athletes and those just wishing to ease their aches and pains were thrilled to find these products available in our golf shops. We have a demo device in the golf shops so our guests can try the products prior to buying them, which is a perk of buying from a boutique golf shop instead of a big box store. We’ve increased our inventory of these products, anticipating more interest in health and wellness. As we look to the 2023 season, we are searching for lifestyle and wellness products that will be a good fit for our active community and diverse range of guests. Our team attended the 2023 PGA Show, where it was apparent that more golf companies are moving toward lifestyle and athletic styles, with many of the brands promoting multi-functional products for on and off the course.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email Amacdonald@vailresorts.com.
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