INSTORE FEATURE
Counter culture
PSE teams up with specialist store fitters Replan to chart the changing face of the golf shop
over the past quarter of a century and assess retail needs in the current age of uncertainty
HE RETAIL sector is weekly basis, to give emphasis to particular but the retail outlets at this time had to
T
subject to innumerable fashions and trends. This allows retailers attract additional income or fail. One
external factors and to enjoy much greater freedom than they way of doing this was to step away from
has always followed the once would had. the opulence of the previous decade’s
peaks and troughs of The last 25 years have seen remarkable shop design and go for a more simplistic
the economy. Outside influences such as changes in golf equipment and retail layout which allowed more space for stock.
interest rates, unemployment levels and environments have had to change radically Giving the customer more choice, and not
the availability of disposable income all to keep up. In the early 1980s, when just at the top end of the market, was the
have an effect on what, how much and Replan first started out, golf was seen way to attract additional custom.
when we buy. very much as a pastime for the wealthy. The late ‘90s and new millennium
Until the recent financial calamities, Membership of a golf club was a status saw the golf market expand and golf as
the retail industry had enjoyed a boom in symbol and highly aspirational. it became increasingly accessible to the
recent years, thanks to strong growth in Golf retail environments reflected masses. Retail environments therefore had
consumer spending driven by increased this with luxurious shop fittings and to keep changing to accommodate new
borrowing and low interest rates. expansive displays. The aim was to make breeds of customer. Outlets had to appeal
Even specialised retail reflects these the customers feel as though they were to a much wider clientele, hold more stock
trends, possibly more so because it can be members of an elite club. Shop fittings and, ultimately, work much harder.
especially difficult to diversify when you are in those days were more permanent Now facing direct competition from
preoccupied with a single market sector. structures, so getting the design and layout sports superstores and the Internet, as well
Golf retail has reflected economic right was crucial. as the high street, green-grass golf retail
trends, enjoying a period of sustained The early ‘80s was a boom time for outlets had to adopt the approach of their
growth over the last decade. But now economies across Europe and golf was rivals. Flexible fittings around the store
the pace has changed the industry must growing in popularity. Much of the shop and interchangeable point-of-sale displays
maximise revenue to continue to thrive. fitting work back then involved new stores became commonplace, allowing stock to
Growing consumerism has made opening to service an emerging market be moved easily, to promote different lines.
successful retailing a fine art and there and a lot of effort went into attracting Online retail began in the late ‘90s and
are many tried and tested methods of newly wealthy young businessmen, who has shown year on year growth ever since.
maximising individual customer spend. had plenty of disposable income but Current predictions suggest that online sales
The way the store is laid out, the formation wanted more. The golf course became an will have outstripped the high street within
of the shelves, the lighting, the music, the excellent place to develop business contacts five years. However golf is uniquely placed
smell… all of these have been used to and the corporate market was born. to offer a service as and when it is required.
influence customers’ purchase decisions. Moving on to the late ‘80s and early For example, a player who decides he/she
As a result modern retail environments ‘90s, the boom had gone bust and the needs a new putter whilst out on the course
are extremely fluid and can change to country was in the grip of a recession. can drop into the shop at the end of his/
reflect the current market, often on a Like other sports golf had its diehards, her round and buy the product.
8 January 2009 PRO SHOP EUROPE
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