Retail

By the numbers:

Retail & Wholesale Market Value Reports
Longitudes Group has developed a predictive model for golf retail sales inside every level of geography from micro to macro. Developed in conjunction with a national retailer, it has been field-tested by our clients. Utilizing the Longitudes Group Retail Market Value report can enable you to measure the local/regional opportunity at golf retail, measure market share, determine marketing investments and prioritize opportunities.

Product Lines:

Retail Market Value - Hard Goods

• Golf Balls
• Woods
• Irons
• Wedges
• Putters
• Gloves
• Golf Bags

Retail Market Value – Soft Goods

• Footwear
• Apparel

Levels of Geography:

• Zip Code Trade Area (5-15-25 Mile Radii)
• Metropolitan area (CBSA)

Cost - $450.

Retail Market Value example report in the side bar.

2010 Off-Course Retail Market Trend  Report

2010 Off-course Retail Report tracks slowing in store closures by Longitudes Group release of its 2010 Market Trend Report on USA Off-Course Golf retail. The reduction in Off-course stores continued its slide in 2010. The golf market has experienced a 32% reduction in stores since 2006, the peak before the economic downturn that brought many retail sectors devastating losses. “Big Box” golf stores maintained relative strength and staying power while the smaller format, independent retailers perished in the downturn.

First released in 2004, Longitudes Group annually tracks the growth and contraction of the Off-Course retail market. The report includes a complete analysis of 176 markets tracking last year’s metro-by-metro changes both in the number of stores and the expansion/contraction of total retail square feet. In the overall off-course retail segment, 2010 has followed previous years with the large format, "Big Box‟ stores gaining significant market share as the smaller, independent retailers were forced to close. These “Big Box” stores continue to grow their influence with manufacturers and golfers alike, now representing 24% of all stores, but 64% of all retail space in the channel.

Key findings of the 2010 research include:

• Total square footage of off-course retail decreased by 5%, while the number of total off-course doors decreased by 11%.
• Overall, out of 176 DMAs that have at least one off-course golf retail store, only 12% gained doors, while 39% lost doors and 49% remained the same.
• Nine out of the top 10 cities, ranked by Off-course square footage, experienced net losses in both the number of doors and total square footage.
• Golf Galaxy, Golfsmith, and PGA Superstores account for 42% of the total market square footage and 174 doors in the USA off-course retail market.
• Tampa - St. Petersburg, FL suffered the largest number of net store closings (8) followed by Dallas, TX, Orlando, Fl, and Nashville, TN with (6) net closures.

Each metro area represented a unique mix of supply and demand variables indicating any number of influences that can impact the success of a location and local/regional market dynamics. Success in Off-Course Golf is not a simple matter of luck. Understanding the significant market differences is crucial to the success of manufacturers, retailers, real estate professionals and many in the business of golf. This one-of-a-kind report uncovers these market differences and will be an invaluable tool in discerning new opportunities for off-course retail expansion.

“Although the market continues to contract, the reduced number of closures versus last year does leave us hopeful that the worst is behind us,” stated Sara Killeen, President of Longitudes Group. “More than 50 new stores opened demonstrating that some retail groups see opportunities and are moving aggressively."

The Research

Calls to retailers were conducted via Longitudes Group outbound research and call centers, based in Omaha, Nebraska and Portland, Oregon. These phone surveys established a baseline count of stores, store size and product categories carried. Retailers that had gone out of business, moved locations, or were incorrectly categorized as brick and mortar golf retailers were removed from the list or updated. Additional sources were utilized such as on-line yellow page list services, in-market personal interviews with industry participants, and company websites.

Cost - $395

List of Top 12,000 Green Grass and Off-Course Retail Accounts – Rated A, B, C

Longitudes Group, a sports research and consulting company, has built a comprehensive database of golf retailers. Each retailer, including green grass facilities, has earned a rating for its propensity to drive retail sales. You can now compare your company’s base of accounts with Longitudes Group top target list to build a real and actionable group of prospects. The ability to expand distribution, prioritize opportunities and grow revenues empowers you to know more about your business.

Longitudes Group calls over 8,000 golf courses annually and every off-course retailer in the country. In four years of calling, Longitudes Group has determined those green grass retailers who have the propensity for having the highest quality retail operations and the associated dollar volume for selling both hard goods and soft goods. List purchase options include:

• 2,775 ‘A’ facilities. These facilities, both public and private, are generating significant retail business in their markets. Annual retail revenues >$300,000*
• 4,160 ‘B’ facilities - Includes many healthy, mid-priced public and private facilities selling between $100,000 - $300,000 in merchandise annually.*
• 4,469 ‘C’ facilities – These are the smallest viable accounts. They are doing less than $100,000 annually at retail, and many of them may be doing less than $50,000.*
• 1,104 Off-course Golf retail stores – Rated A or B by retail volume. Includes all chain and independent off-course retailers.

Facility list includes: Facility name, address, phone number, website address, facility type, # of holes, fee range and retail rating A, B, or C. Off-course list includes: Retail name, address, phone number, website address, year opened, square feet, and retail rating A or B. List available by geography or by retail rating or combination of the two.

Cost: $0.25 per record

*Longitudes Group estimates of annual retail volume

2009 Off-Course Retail Brand Profile Report

Longitudes Group has recently completed a new report for 2009 documenting the market profiles of the 23 largest off-course golf retail brands. The report measures a number of variables for those golf retail brands with five or more stores conducting business in the US market. The report compares and contrasts the brands, and relates how each retail chain impacts the local markets in which they compete. Local stores have been analyzed with radial trade areas within a 15-minute drive-time of each chain’s individual stores. Variables tracked include the number of total golfers served, competitive density, store size range, total square footage, share of market square footage and number of stores. National rankings are also provided for three key variables:

1.    Total golfers served
2.    Total square feet
3.    Total golfers per store

Cost: $275

Click the example report to view table of contents and sample page