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  1. #1
    5 Wood rossigm is on a distinguished road rossigm's Avatar
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    So tired of GT’s BS

    I’m so tired of GT’s BS too bad they’re the only option we have in Canada for a golf store, unfortunately they have the monopoly for this sport, otherwise I’d be shopping somewhere else!!!!

    This morning I found that Costco have the Bushnell’s laser range finders at a lower price than GT. Bushnell Pro X2 at $499 versus $649 at GT and the Tour V4 Shift at $489 versus $549 at GT. So wanting to encourage my local GT I asked them if they match prices and here's the answer I’ve got!!!!!

    Hi Marc,
    Thank you for your email,
    All GPS are marked down by the vendors directly, so we do not have a way to predict upcoming promos on them.
    Unfortunately, since a membership card is needed, we are not able to match Costco prices.
    If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
    Thank you for choosing Golf Town,
    Mikael
    Customer Service

    They have the worst customer service ever!!!! Last time I was in one of their stores I asked the manager my was there a price difference between two Taylormade Spyder putters, one was $399 and the other was $269, his answer was “the $399 putter is a special edition it played by Dustin Johnson” what kind of an answer is that??? The difference I noticed was that the $269 model doesn’t have weights! Would you pay and extra $130 for two 2g weights? Another question I have, whenever somebody buys a set of clubs how come the never offer a club fitting??? People are spending huge amounts of money for clubs that aren’t properly fitted for them which any decent golf knows is the basic to have properly fitted clubs!!!! The only thing they look at is if you need regular or stiff shafts…..what about shaft length and lie??? All they care about is getting rid of their inventory!!!
    Last edited by rossigm; 03-06-2019 at 11:10 AM.

  2. #2
    Championship Cup leftygolfguy is on a distinguished road
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    I know what you are saying, and I'm not fan either, but it seems to me the issue is easy to fix- don't buy their stuff.
    I buy online or from the Canadian pro shop, and have not spent money on anything at GT unless it was actually clearance priced.

    The business model seems broken, but it's not obvious how a big box store like GT can compete with pro shops and Amazon. On the one hand pro shops can offer real golf and custom fitting days, while on the other Amazon does fine at finding me the golf bags GT refuses to carry to protect their margins.

    The good news is we have some really awesome pro shops, with very good customer service, so why bother?
    I would just buy from Costco, get a couple precent back and call it a day, or if you really want to support local golf stores over shops, call Golfworks and see what they can do.

    But I do get the frustration, I think everyone does.

  3. #3
    In the Zone 1800Duffers is on a distinguished road 1800Duffers's Avatar
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    I was fortunate to have GT price match with a Calgary firm.

  4. #4
    2 Iron gentles is on a distinguished road
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    On the rangefinder, they do make a valid point that you can't just walk off the street and purchase the costco rangefinder, so they shouldn't have to price match. Part of that price is baked into the cost of being a member. Would be like if you tried you use an employee discount to get a price match somewhere else.

    As for the DJ putter - limited editions are very common and come at a higher price...I bet it had a different headcover or stamping to denote the limited edition (whether that justifies a high price is a different topic). I'll bet that every other store that carries both has different prices.

    95 of golfers don't want a fitting, they just want new clubs. They will always provide a fitting if you ask for it, but that doesn't mean they have an obligation to make sure you take up the offer, nor does it mean that everyone wants it. The guy in front of me the other day who bought 3 new M5 woods straight off the rack isn't losing sleep about not being custom fitted!

    As others have said, if you don't like it just go shop somewhere else?

  5. #5
    Putter thepeplspro is on a distinguished road thepeplspro's Avatar
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    I giggle when i read posts like this. GolfTown is in business because of consumers like you. the same customers who brag that they never pay full price for anything, and expect exemplary service 24 - 7. all this costs time and money. you obviously haven't been prepared to pay for the service and expertise an experienced golf professional can provide so now you get to reap the consequences. But directly to your point GolfTown isn't in the golf business, they are in the money business, as is Costco. Costco is just way better at it

  6. #6
    Hall of Fame jeffc is on a distinguished road jeffc's Avatar
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    buy from Costco. If you ever have a problem, even years down the road, you can take it back and they will probably take it. GT you've got a year.
    I got a fever. And the only prescription is more golf equipment.

  7. #7
    Putter thepeplspro is on a distinguished road thepeplspro's Avatar
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    Exactly, if you return it to Costco, (walmart is the same) they charge back to the manufacturer at the retail price so a $50 retail item might be valued at cost of $15. but if there are returns Costco and Walmart get credits at $50. Thus as a manufacturer the quality of goods actually improves. do the math if you put 1000 items on a Costco shelf how many bad ones until you lose money

  8. #8
    Shotmaker Johnyc is on a distinguished road
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    Can’t speak for other clubs, but Hunt Club offers members pricing on anything that golf town offers usually between 10 and 15% cheaper. Anytime I’m buying new I go to the golf course and they get me whatever I need at cheaper prices. Anyway it’s worth asking at your home club to see if they can help you out. Food for thought

  9. #9
    Monday Qualifier 314314 is on a distinguished road
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    BS? - They told you that they do not match prices... as per monopoly, they are one of the few left on this dying industry. As other suggested, for new stuff your home course probably offers better pricing.



    Quote Originally Posted by rossigm View Post
    I’m so tired of GT’s BS too bad they’re the only option we have in Canada for a golf store, unfortunately they have the monopoly for this sport, otherwise I’d be shopping somewhere else!!!!

    This morning I found that Costco have the Bushnell’s laser range finders at a lower price than GT. Bushnell Pro X2 at $499 versus $649 at GT and the Tour V4 Shift at $489 versus $549 at GT. So wanting to encourage my local GT I asked them if they match prices and here's the answer I’ve got!!!!!

    Hi Marc,
    Thank you for your email,
    All GPS are marked down by the vendors directly, so we do not have a way to predict upcoming promos on them.
    Unfortunately, since a membership card is needed, we are not able to match Costco prices.
    If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
    Thank you for choosing Golf Town,
    Mikael
    Customer Service

    They have the worst customer service ever!!!! Last time I was in one of their stores I asked the manager my was there a price difference between two Taylormade Spyder putters, one was $399 and the other was $269, his answer was “the $399 putter is a special edition it played by Dustin Johnson” what kind of an answer is that??? The difference I noticed was that the $269 model doesn’t have weights! Would you pay and extra $130 for two 2g weights? Another question I have, whenever somebody buys a set of clubs how come the never offer a club fitting??? People are spending huge amounts of money for clubs that aren’t properly fitted for them which any decent golf knows is the basic to have properly fitted clubs!!!! The only thing they look at is if you need regular or stiff shafts…..what about shaft length and lie??? All they care about is getting rid of their inventory!!!

  10. #10
    Forum Jedi golfisforfun is on a distinguished road
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    Quote Originally Posted by thepeplspro View Post
    Exactly, if you return it to Costco, (walmart is the same) they charge back to the manufacturer at the retail price so a $50 retail item might be valued at cost of $15. but if there are returns Costco and Walmart get credits at $50. Thus as a manufacturer the quality of goods actually improves. do the math if you put 1000 items on a Costco shelf how many bad ones until you lose money
    I sell to Costco and this is not accurate. They do not bill us full value for every returned product.

  11. #11
    Posting Sensei justsomeguy is on a distinguished road
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    I don't think anyone priced-matches with Costco.


    Costco has publicly stated many times that their profits come from memberships - not actual retail sales.

  12. #12
    Putter thepeplspro is on a distinguished road thepeplspro's Avatar
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    Costco is in the money business. The buy a product for a $1 sell it for $3. Costco gets 90 day terms from manufacturers and they try to sell through in 30 days and invest the cash in short term market for the rest of the time. A Costco store will have +- 4500 items Walmart 50,000. Of an item is in a Costco you bet it sells

  13. #13
    Singles Match Play Champ 2012 Wilster is on a distinguished road Wilster's Avatar
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    I believe (having read it somewhere on the interweb) that Costco's profit margin on products is around 15% ? And yes there majority of profit is through membership , so GT not price matching their product is entirely understandable . I understand your frustration of them not price matching , and it's nice that you want to keep the sale local but go where's cheapest , and worry about #1 .There are some great deals to be had at local golf courses too on merch.
    At the end of the day ... It gets dark

  14. #14
    Forum Jedi golfisforfun is on a distinguished road
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    Quote Originally Posted by thepeplspro View Post
    Costco is in the money business. The buy a product for a $1 sell it for $3. Costco gets 90 day terms from manufacturers and they try to sell through in 30 days and invest the cash in short term market for the rest of the time. A Costco store will have +- 4500 items Walmart 50,000. Of an item is in a Costco you bet it sells

    This is also not accurate...

  15. #15
    Shotmaker Johnyc is on a distinguished road
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wilster View Post
    I believe (having read it somewhere on the interweb) that Costco's profit margin on products is around 15% ? And yes there majority of profit is through membership , so GT not price matching their product is entirely understandable . I understand your frustration of them not price matching , and it's nice that you want to keep the sale local but go where's cheapest , and worry about #1 .There are some great deals to be had at local golf courses too on merch.
    Case and point I went to Royal Ottawa before a Christmas and hit up the pro shop; bought a number of golf shirts for 40% off. The stuff in that pro shop was gorgeous and better prices than golf town and exceptional service. I have to be honest I was disappointed in the Hunt Club Christmas sale this year; normally much more stock and much better prices but this has been the exception and not the rule.

    On an aside I dropped in yesterday and, as reference, they are selling SM7 titleist wedges for $15-$20 cheaper than what golftown is listing on their website.

  16. #16
    Forum Jedi golfisforfun is on a distinguished road
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    It is actually somewhat of a challenge to even find Costco products that are 100% IDENTICAL to products available in other stores, making price matching almost impossible. I know that when I am selling to Costco, they take an existing product that we offer and tweak it slightly to ensure that it can't be compared to other stores offerings.
    I believe they do this with TVs, where they take an existing LG model for example that Best Buy might carry, and they ask for it with one more USB port and a different AV port etc etc so you can't compare to Best Buy.
    Yes, there are some items that might be the exact same, but not many.
    Costco also offers a warranty that can't be beat!

  17. #17
    Must be Single 1972Apex is on a distinguished road 1972Apex's Avatar
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    Anyone miss Chuck Brown's yet?
    The opinions expressed in this post are mine and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of others on OG.

  18. #18
    Golf Pig of the Year 09, 10, 11 Marcos is on a distinguished road Marcos's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1972Apex View Post
    Anyone miss Chuck Brown's yet?
    Hell yes !!! Favourite store for golf.

  19. #19
    Must be Single 1972Apex is on a distinguished road 1972Apex's Avatar
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    If you want to reminisce Marcos, I have half of Chuck Brown's club display racks in my basement LOL!
    When Golf Town came to town I tried to warn folks on OttawaGolf that the day would come when they would rue the day Golf Town put everyone else out of business. But everyone was too dazzled by the latest and greatest to listen
    The opinions expressed in this post are mine and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of others on OG.

  20. #20
    Shotmaker Johnyc is on a distinguished road
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    Maybe I’m in the minority but I like golf town. As previously mentioned I generally buy through my home club but when I do go to golftown I always get great service. I’m sure I’ve spent $10,000 there over the years on one thing or another and probably stepped inside the trainyards store over 100 times. My only knock on the place (I was just there this morning) is that they still don’t have a decent compliment of left handed clubs available. In fact I’ve been shopping for wedges and in every display I looked I couldn’t find a set of 54 or 60 degree wedges in a matching set. I could find one or the other but not both. However for RH there was both options and each had probably five different bounce options. But dang it’s still a struggle to find LH equipment. Anyway it’s not a beef so to speak; anything can be ordered but it still seems like there isn’t a great LH stock in place to reflect the market in our area which, although not 50/50 is probably better then 70/30 RH vs LH

    And lastly, but most importantly, I have always received great service in GT. Never pushy, but always available to help when needed

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