GolfTown Trade In Policy

[thematt]

I'm not really sure if this is the correct location for this thread, but I really wanted to post it as I'm not sure if anyone has posted this yet, but I figured it should be posted.

I've always found the extremely low trade in rates at major retailers over the last couple years to be ridiculous. You buy a $500 driver and if you don't like it, it's worth $120 on trade...not much sense in that, it's worse than buying a new car.

I happened to be shopping around on Golftowns website today and saw their trade in policy. I had previously found it weird that I went in one day to trade in a club, only to find that the club I wanted had to be ordered, and I should bring my club back in and trade it in then, with the guarantee that the value would not go down. I think even Stevie Wonder can see what's coming next...Went back in and trade value dropped by $8, not a huge amount, until you consider that the original total value was $40 on trade. That's a 20% decrease.

Now, how that affects what I found today. Golftown gets their trade values from Global Golf Exchange, a company in the US. The prices on the website are in USD and Golftown is supposed to figure for the exchange rate after they determine the amount for the trade based on the Global Golf Exchange rating scale, which is quite simple to figure out.

When I went in with my trade, it was a driver that had been used 2 rounds, no sky marks or scratches of any kind, only some minor face wear, and the Golftown rep classified it as a 1-star which constitutes "heavy wear, cosmetic damage on the sole and crown". After giving me my lower value, he didn't make the change into CDN funds either. I wish I had known this before.

The whole point of this rant is this: If you go to trade in clubs (though there's not much point anymore as the values are crazy low), consult the website below for the value, as well as to determine the condition of your club. Make sure that the GT rep changes to CDN funds and if you don't think he's right, call him out on it and ask to speak to the manager. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but it would not surprise me to find that the GT reps have been told that everything gets rated at a 1-star and it's ok to occassionaly forget to change the funds from USD to CDN, because they never show you where they get their values from.

Here is the link to check out, it lists all major makes and models, and explains how the values are judged.

http://partner.globalgolf.com/pricebook/default.aspx

Also, here is the GT section of the website that deals with Trade-Ins.

http://www.golftown.com/aboutUs/trades.aspx

Hope this helps anyone who might look to trade something in at GT or Nevada Bobs.

[The Saint]

Why don't you go back with your receipt and get the difference paid back to you?

[eyeping]

Why not sell it here and double your money with little effort.

[thematt]

Why not sell it here and double your money with little effort.

That is my plan from now on.

[leftylucas]

Global Golf also sell used clubs for Golf Galaxy which is the US based company from which Golf Town. I suggest you email GT on their website, they will fix you up, I am sure.

[calleygolf]

If you go to Golftowns webpage: http://www.golftown.com/aboutUs/trad...rnd=0.01401764 you will see that it says "A final value in Canadian Dollars will be determined at the time of the trade by an in-store associate".

If Global Golf says $50 (US) and the associate says $50 (Cnd) that would be what he or she believes it to be worth. So you can try calling them out on it, but you won't win. If you don't like the value don't trade it; pretty simple I'd say.

[davevandyk]

Why not sell it here and double your money with little effort.

I would say the same thing, nobody is making you trade in at GolfTown. We all know that golf retailers give crap for trade ins because GolfTown is not in the business of used clubs. They give you little for the trade-in because they get little to re-sell it.

If they give you $50 for a trade-in and sell for $150, they get $100 profit, which might be the same or less than a profit they make on a new driver for $400. They arent' gonna waste time doing a trade-in/ re-sell to make $50

[golfinteg]

Its just like trading in your car at a car dealer. The only difference might be the sellers motivation and the used item marketability.
Your motivation is expediency and less hassles to contend with. An added benefit, to console yourself, is the sales tax savings to offset the price mismatch.

Like eyeping says why don't you list it here (the world's best golf forum in my biased opinion) first. You will make all the forum club hos (including moi) happy and relieve us especially during the off-season tedium and downtime. IMHO.

[Golfbum]

We have had customers come in and tell us what GT offered them for a set of irons etc on trade. Total Joke, it is pathetic what they offer.

No one should trade clubs in at Gt. Big Box store, they don't want you used clubs. They want to sell new clubs. Most of their trades end up on eBay. Ever notice why they never have a reserved price on items they sell on eBay? No need to do that, they know they'll get more than they gave on trade when selling a club on eBay.

I feel sorry for those of you who no longer have a locally owned golf retailer to deal with. Damn shame that GT comes into town and ruins a good family run business.

[davevandyk]

We have had customers come in and tell us what GT offered them for a set of irons etc on trade. Total Joke, it is pathetic what they offer.

No one should trade clubs in at Gt. Big Box store, they don't want you used clubs. They want to sell new clubs. Most of their trades end up on eBay. Ever notice why they never have a reserved price on items they sell on eBay? No need to do that, they know they'll get more than they gave on trade when selling a club on eBay.

I feel sorry for those of you who no longer have a locally owned golf retailer to deal with. Damn shame that GT comes into town and ruins a good family run business.

Agree with you, stupid to bring in used clubs to GT, but most of the people doing it are those that probably don't know of the local golf store in the area. But its a perfect set-up for GT, they don't want/need the used clubs.

GT is no different than the BestBuy's, FutureShops, Sears, Home Depot, etc. As much as you can hate on these stores for "ruining small businesses" we all shop at them because they offer prices and selection that a family business just can't provide. I can tell you the simulators are a HUGE advantage of a GT for the general public coming into the store.

[calleygolf]

Golftown doesn't keep the trades I hope all of you know that, so they are actually doing you a service when they take back your old junk. All of these golf stores that bring back used clubs at a value that is high is the essential reason why they cannot make any money. Someone will bring a used club in and buy another used club so the store will end up making maybe $20....wooopeeee. They are all going to go bankrupt sooner or later.

[Golfbum]

Golftown doesn't keep the trades I hope all of you know that, so they are actually doing you a service when they take back your old junk. All of these golf stores that bring back used clubs at a value that is high is the essential reason why they cannot make any money. Someone will bring a used club in and buy another used club so the store will end up making maybe $20....wooopeeee. They are all going to go bankrupt sooner or later.

Now that's funny right there

I deal with, and work part time at a golf retailer who has been taking trades in for over 20 years now. Still going strong, and yes there is a GT in this area. Which has not effected the local golf retailers business at all. This local retailer has been very successful over the years, has a very loyal customer base. You can't stay in business for over 20 years if you are not making money.

Used clubs is a big part of the golf retail market, if done properly. When GT or any other Big Box golf retailer offers someone $50 for a decent used set of irons, that is a joke.

BTW the local golf retailer has prices that match, or are better than GT. Another reason they stay in business. No, they do not have simulators, they have the real thing. An outdoor driving range. No jacked up "Oh wow sir you are carrying that ball 280 with that driver" simulators there What you see outside if what you are going to get on the course.

[Sparkplug]

Its refreshing we have this website to sell and trade our old clubs.

I do miss the Chuck Browns and The old Neveada Bob's when they would give you something for your trade..

I actually think giving a fair price on a trade in promotes new club sales. When you know you are going to get $30 for a $150 putter you may think twice before buying the latest new putter.

Margins on new clubs are relatively thin so making $50 on a used driver actually drives (forgive the pun) a higher profit margin anyway.

I can say I bought equally between used and new and did not have to have a basement of old clubs.

Besides it was fun rummaging through all the used clubs. and maybe finding a deal on something.

I was just down south and went to three shops which took trades and had alot of used clubs. Got out of one store with a cameron terrillium Newport for $100.

It was almost as fun as golfing.

[biff40]

golftown takes trades on behalf of Global Golf, not for golftown. if you go to the GT website, you will see exactly what you are going to get for it before you go into the store, so it should be no surprise when you are quoted the price (like my $11 cleveland wedge that i payed $100 for that very same year). other retailers that accept used goods do so on a discretionary basis, meaning that there is little consistency to the prices you are being quoted. one day it will be worth $20, and you will talk to someone else the next day and be told its $15. Global Golf changes the prices considerably and often, and retailers that deal with Global Golf must adhere to those changes, otherwise Global Golf will not accept the trade from the retailer. it is a service that is provided through, but not for golftown. This is precisely why if you go into Golftown looking for used clubs, you won't find any. also, as has happened to me, you will see your old clubs pop up on ebay, being sold by global golf for 3 times as much as you got for it. but this is exactly what business is all about, no? at least all of us should take comfort in knowing that we are contributing to the economy...

or, we should all collectively stop blaming our clubs for our foul play and keep them for more than a few rounds and try to make them work for us. for me, $11 for a cleveland wedge was better at the time than what i would have got for throwing into the pond after an errant chip, but i have since learned to take my own advice.

[biff40]

how do those outdoor driving ranges work in the winter?

[Gary Madore]

This is precisely why if you go into Golftown looking for used clubs, you won't find any. also, as has happened to me, you will see your old clubs pop up on ebay, being sold by global golf

I was going to ask what happens to the clubs GT takes in. Now I don't have to ask - thanks

or, we should all collectively stop blaming our clubs for our foul play and keep them for more than a few rounds and try to make them work for us. for me

A nugget of pure gold. I don't blame my equipment, per se, but I do know that new sticks ain't gonna help my game. This is why I'm still playing old Titleist cavity backs. Maybe some day I'll deserve new clubs (and they'll be forged irons) but until I earn them I'll still be trying to figure out how to make my DTRs/DCIs work

Cheers!

Gary