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Edwin Watts in Sears stores open
Fighting “let their fingers do the walking on their keyboards"
By ED TRAVIS, Editor FrontPageGolf
July 8, 2010
Fighting “let their fingers do the walking on their keyboards"
By ED TRAVIS, Editor FrontPageGolf
July 8, 2010
Back in April we reported what could be a significant
deal between the fourth largest retailer in the U.S.
Sears Holdings (NASDAQ: SHLD) and Edwin Watts Golf
Shops, LLC , the 70+ store chain based in Ft. Walton
Beach, Fla., to put an Edwin Watts Golf Shop in
selected Sears stores.
The first two shops are now open and both are in
Maryland - The Mall in Columbia (Columbia) and White
Oak Shopping Center (Silver Spring). There are ten
more scheduled by the end of the year at locations in
Friendswood and Humble, Texas; Murray, Utah; Garden
City, Yonkers and Hicksville, N.Y.; Livingston, N.J.; Falls
Church, Va.; Vernon Hills, Ill.; and Pembroke, Fla.
Each of the “stores-within-a-store” are around 3,000
square feet in size with layout similar to an Edwin Watts
stand alone location and will be staffed by Edwin Watts
employees.
As opined in April this could be a significant new
development for golf retailing.
deal between the fourth largest retailer in the U.S.
Sears Holdings (NASDAQ: SHLD) and Edwin Watts Golf
Shops, LLC , the 70+ store chain based in Ft. Walton
Beach, Fla., to put an Edwin Watts Golf Shop in
selected Sears stores.
The first two shops are now open and both are in
Maryland - The Mall in Columbia (Columbia) and White
Oak Shopping Center (Silver Spring). There are ten
more scheduled by the end of the year at locations in
Friendswood and Humble, Texas; Murray, Utah; Garden
City, Yonkers and Hicksville, N.Y.; Livingston, N.J.; Falls
Church, Va.; Vernon Hills, Ill.; and Pembroke, Fla.
Each of the “stores-within-a-store” are around 3,000
square feet in size with layout similar to an Edwin Watts
stand alone location and will be staffed by Edwin Watts
employees.
As opined in April this could be a significant new
development for golf retailing.
First of all, golf clubs need to be tried before they are
bought and that’s hard to do if one is placing an order
via the Internet. In fact one of the big negatives faced by
green grass, off course shops and big box stores is
golfers testing out clubs at the store and then leaving to
let their fingers do the walking on their keyboards.
The retailers answer has been to push service (a great
idea) and club fitting (another great idea) but too often
resorting to markdowns to compete in price with
Internet sellers plus starting their own Internet store (a
less great idea).
Secondly it just nice to see something new in the way of
retailing strategy rather than the tried and old business
models that have been around.
The Sears-Edwin Watts combination has the potential
to reach a broad segment of consumers which can only
be a positive for the less than robust golf club business.
bought and that’s hard to do if one is placing an order
via the Internet. In fact one of the big negatives faced by
green grass, off course shops and big box stores is
golfers testing out clubs at the store and then leaving to
let their fingers do the walking on their keyboards.
The retailers answer has been to push service (a great
idea) and club fitting (another great idea) but too often
resorting to markdowns to compete in price with
Internet sellers plus starting their own Internet store (a
less great idea).
Secondly it just nice to see something new in the way of
retailing strategy rather than the tried and old business
models that have been around.
The Sears-Edwin Watts combination has the potential
to reach a broad segment of consumers which can only
be a positive for the less than robust golf club business.