Golf clothing is overpriced

[Jasonbolt]

While working for a promotional products company, I often did research into finding Chinese manufacturers for products.  One of the products I looked into was polo shirts.  Here's the breakdown from my research:

Cost:

1,000 pieces: $7.21

Shipping / pc: $0.30

Total cost per piece: $7.51

Factoring in that the major golf clothing companies are manufacturing 10,000 pieces per run, this would bring the cost down to $6.43 /pc

Now look at how much they're charging (taken from golfsmith.com)

Puma: $80

Nike: $80

Travis Matthew: $80

Footjoy: $72

Adidas: $65

Obviously they have a lot of marketing costs and player endorsement costs to factor in, but seriously - these guys are marking polos up 900 - 1,200%

I see a HUGE opening for a golf clothing company to come out there with $15 - $20 quality/cool polos.

[David in FL]

You can find good quality, and even top brand-name polos all day long in the $20 range. Look at any of the many on-line golf discounters, or check out TJ Maxx or your local equivalent.

[Dave2512]

I buy most of my clothes, golf or otherwise, from the clearance racks and on-line discount stores like golfetail. Usually don't spend more than $20-30 per item. Target, Kohls and JC Penny all sell low end golf clothes. It's not near the quality of something like Adidas or any of the other big names. You get what you pay for.

[newtogolf]

I don't mind that they mark them up $70 because I never buy them at that price.  Instead I wait and pick them up at $30 when they go on sale or at the Outlet stores.  A business can charge whatever they want for their products, that doesn't mean we the consumers have to pay it.

[bubble]

I buy normal clothes for golf, it's as good and priced normally.

[grubby98]

I am like the above, I wait till they have discounts on clothing before I buy it. I refuse to pay over 40 for any piece of clothing except shoes.  And I normally don't spend over 25-30 for one piece.

[Jasonbolt]

Same here - I refuse to pay over 25 for a shirt; which means I wait for them to go on sale.

However, what happens if Puma golf decided to sell their polos for $25 instead of $80.  It seems like they could sell 4x the amount of shirts, and also kill their competition at the same time. ya?

[David in FL]

Same here - I refuse to pay over 25 for a shirt; which means I wait for them to go on sale. However, what happens if Puma golf decided to sell their polos for $25 instead of $80.  It seems like they could sell 4x the amount of shirts, and also kill their competition at the same time. ya?

If they weren't selling them for $80, they wouldn't be priced at $80. ;-)

[jamo]

Same here - I refuse to pay over 25 for a shirt; which means I wait for them to go on sale. However, what happens if Puma golf decided to sell their polos for $25 instead of $80.  It seems like they could sell 4x the amount of shirts, and also kill their competition at the same time. ya?

To do that they would have to kill Nike and Adidas. Doubt those guys would go down without a fight. Not to mention brand loyalty and the fact that some people buy things because expensive = prestige. Take Nike's TW collection. Same stuff, basically, but twice the price. People still buy it. I end up getting most of my Polos from TJ Maxx.

[SCfanatic35]

Price of golf clothing is high because that is what people will pay for it, supply and demand.  I have never bought golf clothes at full price and I never will.  I look for clearance items on the golf websites or at this local outlet store that just opened up.  They are last year's designs but so what.  Usually I can but the adidas or nike polos on sale for 29 or less.  I even bought pants and shorts by adidas and nike for 29.  You just have to be willing to wait til the price comes down and be OK with not wearing the brand new polos that come out.

[Jasonbolt]

If ya'll had the option to buy an off-brand, yet same quality polo as Nike, Puma, ect, would you buy them for $20.  Given that you like the style.

Or is the brand name a huge influence on your purchase decision?

[meenman]

Originally Posted by Jasonbolt

If ya'll had the option to buy an off-brand, yet same quality polo as Nike, Puma, ect, would you buy them for $20.  Given that you like the style.

Or is the brand name a huge influence on your purchase decision?

I gladly pay $75 for my Loudmouth shorts and $95 for their pants. As far as shirts go, Nike and other brand names are generally found at Ross for $20 and under.

[dsc123]

Totally agree that golf clothes are over priced.

[SCfanatic35]

If ya'll had the option to buy an off-brand, yet same quality polo as Nike, Puma, ect, would you buy them for $20.  Given that you like the style. Or is the brand name a huge influence on your purchase decision?

Name brand I could care less about. The material is what I go after. It feels great to play golf in the thin material that breathes. Polos that are thick are hot and not comfortable to golf in.

[Jspangler]

Price is very subjective, $80 for a polo isn't much for the guy that just bought the new 7series and pays $25k a year for annual club membership dues. I personally almost never pay full price for an item, for the simple fact I hate seeing something I just paid full price for on sale 50% off 4 months later. Now as I'm typing this I just finished buying $500 in clothes at trendygolfusa.com, ouch lol

[GaijinGolfer]

Thats why I seldom buy, "golf" clothes.  Most of it is overpriced.  I typically only buy golf polos if they are on sale at the end of the season but most of my polos are just regular old polos, either Lands' End, Old Navy or Gap.

Id love to be in a position in life where I can blow $80 on a polo but Im not there yet and even if I were, there would probably be other areas where I would splurge.

[SCfanatic35]

Thats why I seldom buy, "golf" clothes.  Most of it is overpriced.  I typically only buy golf polos if they are on sale at the end of the season but most of my polos are just regular old polos, either Lands' End, Old Navy or Gap. Id love to be in a position in life where I can blow $80 on a polo but Im not there yet and even if I were, there would probably be other areas where I would splurge.

Agree. If I had 80 dollars to spend I would buy a 20-30 polo and a dozen balls. I guess if you are willing to spend 80 dollars on a polo, money is not a problem for you.

[Rouleur]

For sure, $20 polo, $60 left for green fees or balls (or food for the kids) FTW