eBay Live an Eye Opener
Mon Jun 23, 2008 at 11:36 PM
By: Eileen Klees
I sell quite a few clubs (and other golf equipment) on ebay and have had an eBay ID since 1999 (kleesgolf). In the past of years I've increased my listings even as I've found the selling experience to be less fun and much less profitable than it was in the first few years. I've never really committed to this sales channel, in part because it became significantly harder to make money on it.
eBay Live was in Chicago this year and I signed up for it back in April when $75 got me all three days. I figured even if I only attended one day I'd get $75 in value. Well, I attended all three days, all day, and got well over $75 in value each day.
eBay is clearly committed to being the largest marketplace in the world; bigger than Amazon, Buy.com or any other venue where buyers and sellers exist on the internet. I'm not sure that goal will be accomplished but I can see how it could happen.
Our website, kleesgolf.com, has not been successful for selling product, although I think people visit it for content. At eBay Live I learned that developing a much bigger and better eBay presence could also result in having a viable website for selling golf clubs. The major challenge is distinguishing kleesgolf from every other golf e-tailer out there selling equipment. Why buy a new set of Ping G10 irons from us when you can buy the same set for the same price from a big name internet seller and pay almost no freight (or any sales tax if you live in Illinois)? It makes much more sense to hone in on what we're good at: used golf clubs and repairs.
It's funny that in the three days I was at eBay Live and I talked to dozens of people, almost everyone I met was either selling collectibles, shoes or electronics. These are tough markets with at least as many "bottom feeder" buyers as the golf group has. This also gave me some perspective and I realized that if these people can make a living selling shoes or iPods barely over cost they must know something I don't. Or they're doing something I don't, which is work very hard to be successful.
The old "Buy Low, Sell High" really applies on eBay and there are people who have tattooed that in their hearts as they rack up their 10,000th feedback score and hustle product. I met some of them, too, and expect that this time next year our internet business will be one of the best in Chicago.
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By: Eileen Klees
I sell quite a few clubs (and other golf equipment) on ebay and have had an eBay ID since 1999 (kleesgolf). In the past of years I've increased my listings even as I've found the selling experience to be less fun and much less profitable than it was in the first few years. I've never really committed to this sales channel, in part because it became significantly harder to make money on it.
eBay Live was in Chicago this year and I signed up for it back in April when $75 got me all three days. I figured even if I only attended one day I'd get $75 in value. Well, I attended all three days, all day, and got well over $75 in value each day.
eBay is clearly committed to being the largest marketplace in the world; bigger than Amazon, Buy.com or any other venue where buyers and sellers exist on the internet. I'm not sure that goal will be accomplished but I can see how it could happen.
Our website, kleesgolf.com, has not been successful for selling product, although I think people visit it for content. At eBay Live I learned that developing a much bigger and better eBay presence could also result in having a viable website for selling golf clubs. The major challenge is distinguishing kleesgolf from every other golf e-tailer out there selling equipment. Why buy a new set of Ping G10 irons from us when you can buy the same set for the same price from a big name internet seller and pay almost no freight (or any sales tax if you live in Illinois)? It makes much more sense to hone in on what we're good at: used golf clubs and repairs.
It's funny that in the three days I was at eBay Live and I talked to dozens of people, almost everyone I met was either selling collectibles, shoes or electronics. These are tough markets with at least as many "bottom feeder" buyers as the golf group has. This also gave me some perspective and I realized that if these people can make a living selling shoes or iPods barely over cost they must know something I don't. Or they're doing something I don't, which is work very hard to be successful.
The old "Buy Low, Sell High" really applies on eBay and there are people who have tattooed that in their hearts as they rack up their 10,000th feedback score and hustle product. I met some of them, too, and expect that this time next year our internet business will be one of the best in Chicago.
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The Law of Diminishing Returns
Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 4:10 PM
By: Eileen Klees
I was listening to “Mike & Mike in the Morning” on the radio today discuss Tiger’s win of the U.S. Open. One of the Mike’s commented that athletes who win much of the time enjoy their wins much less than they regret their losses. He mentioned Michael Jordan as an example and pointed out how much happier Rocco Mediate looked taking second place than Tiger did winning first. The trophy kiss may have been one of relief than joy.
Around our shop we were all rooting for Rocco. I may be the only Tiger fan in the group, but even I was hoping Rocco would win. His determination, simple approach to the game and grace under pressure were terrific. As the underdog in age, skill and experience Rocco’s performance was truly amazing.
I saw Tiger’s last 9 holes on Saturday and Sunday, as well as the final four on Monday. He made some incredible shots, but his woods got him in trouble as often as not. Rocco’s focus on staying out of trouble kept him in the game and almost won him the Open. I understand that kind of golf and appreciate seeing it work.
Tiger is expected to win and each win is a notch toward beating Jack Nicklas’ record. Does a good shot feel as good as a bad shot feels bad? Is a tournament win as thrilling as a loss is painful? Tiger isn’t playing for money anymore and playing with the kind of pain his knee was causing him may have cost him the rest of the season. He’s got another U.S. Open trophy cup in his collection. May it not be filled with bittersweet regrets.
On another note: Titleist got some great exposure on the staff bag that Tiger’s Saturday co-player, Robert Karlsson, used. Karlsson also played a very respectable round that day. Ping was represented by some strong players, the young Hunter Mahan and the Spaniard, Miguel Jimenez, both fun to watch. Plus Lee Westwood was playing with Ping clubs and Lee makes those clubs look like musical instruments with his swing.
But the best advertising was Rocco for Callaway Golf, Phil M. notwithstanding. Roc Solid, is right (especially with the Claw putter).
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By: Eileen Klees
I was listening to “Mike & Mike in the Morning” on the radio today discuss Tiger’s win of the U.S. Open. One of the Mike’s commented that athletes who win much of the time enjoy their wins much less than they regret their losses. He mentioned Michael Jordan as an example and pointed out how much happier Rocco Mediate looked taking second place than Tiger did winning first. The trophy kiss may have been one of relief than joy.
Around our shop we were all rooting for Rocco. I may be the only Tiger fan in the group, but even I was hoping Rocco would win. His determination, simple approach to the game and grace under pressure were terrific. As the underdog in age, skill and experience Rocco’s performance was truly amazing.
I saw Tiger’s last 9 holes on Saturday and Sunday, as well as the final four on Monday. He made some incredible shots, but his woods got him in trouble as often as not. Rocco’s focus on staying out of trouble kept him in the game and almost won him the Open. I understand that kind of golf and appreciate seeing it work.
On another note: Titleist got some great exposure on the staff bag that Tiger’s Saturday co-player, Robert Karlsson, used. Karlsson also played a very respectable round that day. Ping was represented by some strong players, the young Hunter Mahan and the Spaniard, Miguel Jimenez, both fun to watch. Plus Lee Westwood was playing with Ping clubs and Lee makes those clubs look like musical instruments with his swing.
But the best advertising was Rocco for Callaway Golf, Phil M. notwithstanding. Roc Solid, is right (especially with the Claw putter).
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Fathers Day----A Month Early
Sat Jun 14, 2008 at 6:28 PM
By: Eileen Klees
The cold spring, a March Easter and the constant bad weather in the Midwest have pushed the blooms back and made the holidays feel early. This is the first year since 1992 – another weirdly cold spring and summer, part of the aftermath of Mt Pinatubo’s eruption—when the lilacs, peonies and azaleas bloomed in June. The cottonwood seeds are still dotting the air like errant snowflakes and the sycamores have not stopped losing their lower leaves.
This is the weekend of the U.S. Open, which traditionally ends on Fathers Day. I know the Masters passed and saw Trevor Immelman win, yet that seems like last season, not a mere 10 weeks ago. Tiger’s absence has also made it feel like the Tour is treading in place, so the U.S. Open seems too early this year and Fathers Day has caught us by surprise.
San Diego is almost season-less, which probably makes it feel like time stops to a Midwesterner. It’s a good location for the U.S. Open, even if Torrey Pines is brutal. Golf has an outside of time quality that can drive you crazy or sweep you in. The U.S. Open epitomizes that quality for both the players and the audience. It reminds us of how much has changed and how much as stayed the same in this game.
Fathers everywhere who love golf are encouraged to play tomorrow. Some will make sure they are home to watch the last hours of the Open and some will only be able to play a twilight round. Whoever and where ever they are I hope they get out, feel inspired and decide they’ll play through November this year.
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By: Eileen Klees
The cold spring, a March Easter and the constant bad weather in the Midwest have pushed the blooms back and made the holidays feel early. This is the first year since 1992 – another weirdly cold spring and summer, part of the aftermath of Mt Pinatubo’s eruption—when the lilacs, peonies and azaleas bloomed in June. The cottonwood seeds are still dotting the air like errant snowflakes and the sycamores have not stopped losing their lower leaves.
This is the weekend of the U.S. Open, which traditionally ends on Fathers Day. I know the Masters passed and saw Trevor Immelman win, yet that seems like last season, not a mere 10 weeks ago. Tiger’s absence has also made it feel like the Tour is treading in place, so the U.S. Open seems too early this year and Fathers Day has caught us by surprise.
Fathers everywhere who love golf are encouraged to play tomorrow. Some will make sure they are home to watch the last hours of the Open and some will only be able to play a twilight round. Whoever and where ever they are I hope they get out, feel inspired and decide they’ll play through November this year.
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Get Fit – The Ping Fitting Van Experience
Mon Jun 9, 2008 at 11:33 PM
By: Eileen Klees
Sunday, at The Meadows Golf Course in Blue Island, IL, a suburb directly south of Chicago, Klees Golf Shop hosted a Ping Demo Days. The Ping Fitting Van came out and parked right next to the driving range. The two men in charge, John and Matt, were young, energetic and organized. Matt ran the launch monitor, a laptop with a box below that I did not get to view.
John worked with the people signed up for fitting or who came by to see what was going on. The Men’s Club was finishing their round and a few of them came by wondering if Ping clubs were being given away. Despite 30+mph winds and the threat of storms, there were a surprisingly large number of people playing golf.
John and Matt set up at least 20 bags of clubs. There were G10s, Raptures and Rhapsodies for every kind of golfer. This was a Southpaw’s Paradise and a woman golfer’s delight. Drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and the iron carts, multiple lofts and shafts types. If you couldn’t find a Ping club that worked for your swing you weren’t looking.
People came by to find out their irons didn’t fit, their driver lofts were too low or their shafts were too stiff. One guy actually discovered he needed an Xtra stiff shaft, a surprise to him and me. I picked up a 16 degree Rhapsody driver and hit three terrific drivers, at least 160 yards, all straight. A couple of other women did even better with G10 drivers with 12 degree lofts and soft-regular flexes.
The Fitting Van was set up with a wide-screen TV monitor that ran a DVD of the fitting process and people’s experience getting fit for their clubs. I was not in a position to view the DVD but I heard the same sequences enough times to figure out that personal testimonies were the primary selling point.
A major thunderstorm cut the fitting day short by an hour. But, everyone who came seemed to have really enjoyed the experience and I know some of them benefited. Klees Golf Shop has already written up four orders and there may be more to follow.
Surprises? There were plenty of golfers playing at The Meadows who never heard of our shop. There were plenty of golfers who hadn’t been to Klees Golf Shop in over ten years and had no idea where we were. There were also golfers who came by to fool around with no intention of changing equipment. I suspect that group makes up a big percentage of who shows up at Demo Days. The guys from Ping seemed to think that, too, but they were remarkably good natured about this and gave everyone far more attention than I would have.
Ping does a terrific job at enabling golfers to experience a full range of equipment, with the tools, bells and whistles you’d expect from the company that made club fitting an industry standard. If you’ve never been to a Ping Demo Days you’re missing something.
Permalink | (0) Comments
By: Eileen Klees
Sunday, at The Meadows Golf Course in Blue Island, IL, a suburb directly south of Chicago, Klees Golf Shop hosted a Ping Demo Days. The Ping Fitting Van came out and parked right next to the driving range. The two men in charge, John and Matt, were young, energetic and organized. Matt ran the launch monitor, a laptop with a box below that I did not get to view.
John worked with the people signed up for fitting or who came by to see what was going on. The Men’s Club was finishing their round and a few of them came by wondering if Ping clubs were being given away. Despite 30+mph winds and the threat of storms, there were a surprisingly large number of people playing golf.
John and Matt set up at least 20 bags of clubs. There were G10s, Raptures and Rhapsodies for every kind of golfer. This was a Southpaw’s Paradise and a woman golfer’s delight. Drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and the iron carts, multiple lofts and shafts types. If you couldn’t find a Ping club that worked for your swing you weren’t looking.
People came by to find out their irons didn’t fit, their driver lofts were too low or their shafts were too stiff. One guy actually discovered he needed an Xtra stiff shaft, a surprise to him and me. I picked up a 16 degree Rhapsody driver and hit three terrific drivers, at least 160 yards, all straight. A couple of other women did even better with G10 drivers with 12 degree lofts and soft-regular flexes.
The Fitting Van was set up with a wide-screen TV monitor that ran a DVD of the fitting process and people’s experience getting fit for their clubs. I was not in a position to view the DVD but I heard the same sequences enough times to figure out that personal testimonies were the primary selling point.
A major thunderstorm cut the fitting day short by an hour. But, everyone who came seemed to have really enjoyed the experience and I know some of them benefited. Klees Golf Shop has already written up four orders and there may be more to follow.
Surprises? There were plenty of golfers playing at The Meadows who never heard of our shop. There were plenty of golfers who hadn’t been to Klees Golf Shop in over ten years and had no idea where we were. There were also golfers who came by to fool around with no intention of changing equipment. I suspect that group makes up a big percentage of who shows up at Demo Days. The guys from Ping seemed to think that, too, but they were remarkably good natured about this and gave everyone far more attention than I would have.
Ping does a terrific job at enabling golfers to experience a full range of equipment, with the tools, bells and whistles you’d expect from the company that made club fitting an industry standard. If you’ve never been to a Ping Demo Days you’re missing something.
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June, Ping Month and the golf season is just getting started
Tue Jun 3, 2008 at 1:25 PM
By: Eileen Klees
The weather has been mostly bad since March and only now does it feel like the Golf Season has begun. People who normally start playing golf in May, or even April, have pushed back their league play or weekly foursomes two to four weeks and everyone in the industry has taken a hit around here.
Three months ago when I was lining up Demo Days with the major golf companies I figured the late date for Ping, June 8, would focus on wedge and putter fitting, an area that doesn’t get much attention. Now that June 8 is just a few days away I realize there are a LOT of golfers out there who are still in the market for new irons and woods, because the weather has held them off. Consequently, our Ping Demo Day at the Meadows Golf Course is likely to result in as many iron set and wood sales as putters and wedges.
This will be the first time the Ping Fitting Van will be at The Meadows in Blue Island and the first time Klees Golf Shop will be hosting such an event. I’m kind of excited about it. The van looks very cool in photos and I’ve been told the fitting equipment used for this purpose is really high tech.
Sunday is supposed to be sunny and hot – great summer weather and a great day to get fit from the leader in club fitting. If you are in the market for new equipment and can come to The Meadows on Sunday, between 11:00am and 3:00pm, your time will be well rewarded.
Permalink | (0) Comments
By: Eileen Klees
The weather has been mostly bad since March and only now does it feel like the Golf Season has begun. People who normally start playing golf in May, or even April, have pushed back their league play or weekly foursomes two to four weeks and everyone in the industry has taken a hit around here.
Three months ago when I was lining up Demo Days with the major golf companies I figured the late date for Ping, June 8, would focus on wedge and putter fitting, an area that doesn’t get much attention. Now that June 8 is just a few days away I realize there are a LOT of golfers out there who are still in the market for new irons and woods, because the weather has held them off. Consequently, our Ping Demo Day at the Meadows Golf Course is likely to result in as many iron set and wood sales as putters and wedges.
This will be the first time the Ping Fitting Van will be at The Meadows in Blue Island and the first time Klees Golf Shop will be hosting such an event. I’m kind of excited about it. The van looks very cool in photos and I’ve been told the fitting equipment used for this purpose is really high tech.
Sunday is supposed to be sunny and hot – great summer weather and a great day to get fit from the leader in club fitting. If you are in the market for new equipment and can come to The Meadows on Sunday, between 11:00am and 3:00pm, your time will be well rewarded.
Permalink | (0) Comments
Klees Golf
10436 S. Western Ave • Chicago, IL 60643
Tel: 866-241-9687 | 773-233-4000
Email: info@kleesgolf.com
©2008
