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Last time we discussed some ways
that the business of selling bowling equipment has changed in the
past 10 or 15 years. Specifically, how the power to influence purchasing
behavior has shifted from the media to the Pro Shop operator. I
mentioned that in order for the equipment market (and for the competitive
side of the sport, for that matter) to function at its optimum potential,
folks in the industry needed to do everything they could to help
Pro Shop operators provide great information and great service to
customers.
In searching for the ultimate answer we need to come up with solutions
that would restore integrity while also creating a resurgence in
membership and competitive events. One such way would be to get
the Pro Shop operator more involved in the actual managing of competitive
leagues or events. Managing these types of things requires certain
skills, which can be learned, but it's the management itself that
deserves compensation, which could eventually add much more to the
bottom line for both the center as well as the Pro Shop owner.
Another idea for helping Pro Shop owners would be to create better
merchandising solutions for product lines. As we all know, most
Pro Shops are limited in size yet, collectively, the equipment manufacturers
release in the neighborhood of 300 new balls per year. The feedback
I hear from many Pro Shop owners is that they cannot possibly keep
up with the new releases, let alone devote space for merchandising
them. If there were better merchandising solutions that manufacturers
might be willing to commit to on a longer term basis, then it is
likely that they would not only gain more permanent space in the
Pro Shops, but also help alleviate a lot of the confusion felt by
those both selling and buying the equipment at the retail level.
I can’t imagine what big-time retail stores like Walmart and Target
might look like if they adopted some of the retail options that
have been foisted upon Pro Shop owners. A huge part of those companies’
success is the fact that the shopping environment is neat and clean
with the products merchandised in an easy-to-understand fashion
that makes sense for consumers.
Before I close out the column for this week, I’d just like to personally
thank everyone out there who was pulling for me in my quest to retain
my PBA Tour exemption for next season. As I documented in my On
Tour columns, it was a difficult season injury-wise and I’d made
some real progress toward getting back in shape to make a run at
it in the end, but came up just one spot short. It just goes to
show you how difficult it is to stay out on tour and how good the
top players really are!
I do plan on bowling a part-time schedule next year but my main
focus will be on pursuing a number of ventures that will help grow
the sport of bowling. I hope those of you who have followed my career
the past 25 years will continue to remain fans and that you will
get involved in helping me in any way you can in our quest to get
the sport of bowling back on track for growth! |
