Golfsmith trade in program bad experience?

[cphrey]

[quote name='johnnythunders' timestamp='1394738931' post='8864565']
If your serious and don't want to sell clubs thru ebay, craigslist etc. just want to go and trade something in.

Know exactly what you want to buy. To get the best price, find the manager, not the one on duty, find the store manager. Find out when he works the floors, most do. Walk up to him and say, "I want to buy x, I have y, what can you do for me".

You will get the best deal he will make.

Works at all the chains. I worked at one and the manager would alsways give a little more to make sale. Sales are numbers and store managers need bigger numbers or they are gone. Store salesmen don't as much becuase their commissions are joke.

It's the retail game, play it.
[/quote]


Exactly, this guy gets it. If you are going to buy and know what you want, most sales managers will make the deal happen. Mine always did and he has been a GS for a while. I think his willingness to make deals on top of his great equipment knowledge is what has kept him at that same position for so long.

[rainkingjr]

I've never traded in anything at Golfsmith or anywhere else for that matter. Always do much better either here or on Ebay. As for Golfsmith's used equipment prices, they are a complete joke. They'll have a beat up Ping G25 driver with a stock shaft for $299 on the used rack. No head cover or tool included. Who in their right mind wouldn't shell out the extra 50 for a new one with everything included. Golf Galaxy on the other hand, usually has outstanding deals on used stuff. My local Golf Galaxy has about 10% of the used inventory that the Golfsmith a few miles away has. They actually move stuff and seem happy to take smaller margins rather than have stuff accumulate. Golfsmith on the other hand has a ton of used overpriced stuff that'll never move. One club that stood out to me was a Tour Edge Exotics Proto driver. You know, the one with the shiny chrome looking face. Stock shaft. Nothing special. Okay condition. Priced at $149. Only a sucker would pay that.

[Dinosaur]

[quote name='bladehunter' timestamp='1394735094' post='8864107']
in theory I agree.... I just never have good luck with that...I have a spare bedroom full of stuff ive "traded " for while trying to sell...Nobody wants to buy my stuff , they always want to trade...I live in a rural are so you get nothing from craigslist...I wheel and deal with play it again sports a lot...they do me fair in and out...

I understand and am ok with leaving some meat on the bone...But what errks me about these guys is that they constantly fill my inbox with offers, trying to lure me in. I go in with what I feel is quality trade, no high expectations, just moving them and buying what I want and boom, cold shoulder. Why on earth waste the money filling my inbox?
[/quote]

I feel the pain...I've tried to practically give away a set of Hogan Edges, both graphite and steel sets. No takers. At one point I evn went the .99 auction, no reserve, - no takers. I should offer .99 and free shipping, but would rather donate to Goodwill than lose money. FWIW, I just relisted the steel on Ebay for $65, but thus far, only 9 views, no takers.

[Even Further]

I'd recommend selling on ebay or CL to simply sell for a higher price. From what I hear, most of time its a crazy low ball offer from GS.

[bladehunter]

I hear ya on getting the managers ear...In hindsight I could have searched out the actual store manager....Im not sure if I had him or not...I did however have the manager on duty for sure..he was also there when I bought the driver last week.. Hes the one who said no way...honestly the looks on there faces where priceless..you would have thought I was trying to trade a set of Dunlop 2000 pro series from the 80s....(I think that's right)

anyway just so disappointed...As I think about it, more so because ive complained for along time about not having a local store of any size (dicks doesn't count) and now we get one (stores been open since feb) and this is my first impression...Just stinks...I guess I just don't get it because im not one to swap clubs every other year...to me 2007 2009 stuff (especially irons and wedges) isn't old...I see im in the minority, and that's ok...Minority isn't always wrong you know

[bladehunter]

and as a side note, just to qualify my sickness......Am I the only guy who goes to the used section first after walking in to any golf store???? if not I would want a good fresh inventory of used equipment...If im the only one then hell I wouldn't even sell used....Just curious if its just me?

[richard t]

BIg Box Motto: We'll take yours, as a courtesy and you can pay for the new one. Don't let the door hit you... As someone said earlier, " You're a fool if you trade with these clowns."
Better yet, I'm looking for a driver to use on the range. Go in Golfsmith. Hmmmmm, here's a nice G15 with an Aldila NV shaft. Yes, this will do. ( Very much a Ping guy). I see the price tag $179.00! So like the fool I can be, I ask' Elmo'. "Seriously, what will you take for this". " Oh", says He, " We've got a lot tied up in that club, couldn't let it go for less than $160.00." I hand him the club and say, "thank you for your time."
A lot tied up in this club! Please! I might have been born longer ago than some of you, but they had electricity! Running water too.
I might add that I have SHARPLY curtailed my visits to thees fine establishments.

[harold baines]

[quote name='KjBowenWRX' timestamp='1394734767' post='8864069']
Anyone who trades a club in is not being smart.

The trade in values for every single club are terrible.. With craigslist, eBay and the BST you could easily get 30-40% higher then any trade in value.

Take a day or 2.. Sell the club and use cold hard cash to find your next purchase
[/quote]

some people value the day or two they'd spend selling the things more than the 30-40% more in used club value they'd get.....

trading in clubs is smart if you value your time

[harold baines]

[quote name='TJCDAS' timestamp='1394726143' post='8863005']
The clubs were introduced in 2005 and you can buy sets all day long on ebay for $100. I am sure a simple call to them before hand would have given you the info you needed regarding a trade-in.
[/quote]

end of story right here, the irons are 10 years old and from a resale standpoint they're worthless

[BMC]

I've had the opposite experience at Golfsmith. I've bought two sets of irons that were way underpriced on the used rack.
Near new Callaway X22 Tours with Aldila proto graphite shafts -$139 (two years ago)! Somebody had to make a mistake.
I sold them a year later on Craigslist for $200.

I always cruise the used racks a GS and their are some steals.

Today I bought a hardly hit Titleist 907 D2 driver with Diamana Blueboard for 29.95 at Play It Again Sports. Crazy good deal.

[storm3]

[quote name='martinbns' timestamp='1394733958' post='8863987']
[quote name='bu11dog' timestamp='1394727194' post='8863153']
[quote name='jones137' timestamp='1394726519' post='8863047']
Interesting they don't have the .pdf's online that show trade in values and what clubs they'll accept.......they are advertising bonus 50% on trade in but you have no idea whether your clubs are on the list or what type of price they'll give you. I would assume you can call and ask if they are on the list but I would venture to say you won't get a price over the phone. I'm not sure why they don't just do what Golf Galaxy does and refer to the pgavalueguide.
[/quote]

I go to our local Golfsmith and have always had great experiences. The Raleigh store has always been very good to me. Last time I traded in clubs they used the [url="http://valueguide.pga.com/"]PGA Value Guide[/url] to determine the values.
[/quote]

In the guide it says they have no value. I think once clubs get much past a couple of years old they have no value.
[/quote]

From the PGA Value Guide website (I believe that the "window" is dependent on the age of the club)

[b]Why are there no values shown for my golf club?[/b]
[color=#000000][size=3][background=rgb(252, 251, 247)]In the unlikely event that values do not appear for a golf club in [/background][/size][/color][i]The[/i][i] PGA.com Value Guide[/i][color=#000000][size=3][background=rgb(252, 251, 247)], a minimum quantity of transactions for the specific golf club model may not have occurred within [/background][/size][/color][i]The PGA.com Value Guide's[/i][color=#000000][size=3][background=rgb(252, 251, 247)] analysis window. In order to maintain accuracy, and therefore uphold credibility in the values, a minimum quantity of "recent" historical data is required within the PGA.com Value Guide's statistical analysis model. [/background][/size][/color][b]Please note, this does not necessarily mean the golf club has no v[/b][b]alue[/b]

[BlkNGld]

There's two parts here. First is the prices, which yeah are low.

But I think the OPs real question is what's on the list. When they published their lists online there were times that I found that a club I wanted to trade was no longer on the list. In my store at least the guys would usually tell me that they could buy it but also say they I would probably feel insulted. Usually you can do better selling those at a garage sale, or donate to the first tee, take the deduction and feel good about it.

I can kinda get it their position though. I'm guessing that most clubs more than 7-10 years old are probably more trouble than they are worth to take in on a large scale, regardless of how well regarded they were at the time. Cameron putters and Eye2 irons are the exception, but not the rule.

[bladehunter]

[quote name='harold baines' timestamp='1394748579' post='8865731']
[quote name='TJCDAS' timestamp='1394726143' post='8863005']
The clubs were introduced in 2005 and you can buy sets all day long on ebay for $100. I am sure a simple call to them before hand would have given you the info you needed regarding a trade-in.
[/quote]

end of story right here, the irons are 10 years old and from a resale standpoint they're worthless
[/quote]


only 7 years old, and nobody is trying to argue worth....point is if there is a age cutoff, brand cutoff, or any other cutoff golfsmith should publish the rules along with their advertisement begging for trade-ins...am I the only one who they send the adds to? they had no problem taking my 910 d3 driver on trade...I know its newer, but it was beat all to hell...It was beat when I bought it used.. sole looked like you had used it for bunker shots....and shaft cut down to play at 43.5 ( experimental I called it) in my opinion irons were worth more than driver.. but whatever its their world ill just live in it I guess...

[CCUgolfer23]

[quote name='bladehunter' timestamp='1394734001' post='8863991']
I stand corrected titleist site says 2006 2007 ...I had them confused with the ZB set I kept which is 2009....but the point isn't the price as they didn't offer me one..the point is their national add begs for your trade in by offering +50% ....one would assume they would offer a lowball number then add 50% , right? not show me the door!... And let me clarify that I work with the public on a daily basis and respect their right to reject any trade, but this is ridiculous... I was and always am very polite, and was looking for a lowball price...that to me is the perfect customer... I wish they walked into my business everyday...But they don't..
Its just bad business on their part...They could have stole my irons for $100 then sold me a new fairway wood for XXX ..that equals profit on both ends..wth??? I guess they are fishing for the bigger hoe...the guy whos trading in the latest TM or callaway after 3 months because he sees a shiny new set and "has" to have them...they are looking for that guy for an even bigger score....

And to explain why I didn't call...... I thought about it and here is why...these irons where a 9 out of 10 ...Now that is rare I know...I did not want to call, ask about that model and be given a "sight unseen " number that was lower than what it would have been in person. I know enough about sales to tell you that once a starting point is established that you cant go back....and a sigt unseen price is always going to be conservative...Its just business 101...So I went over in person
[/quote]

That makes sense, guess I never really thought of it that way.

[super20dan]

never trade clubs in. you will get hosed

[Arpeggi]

So far i agree with Golfsmith. Those clubs are as old as dirt.

[dwmiller19]

I only trade in during the 50% extra deals. The way the BST has been lately, it's just easier to trade stuff in. I did this recently, and actually got way more than I would have posting them here, and I didn't have paypal fees to deal with.

Regarding Golfsmith's policy about haggling, a manager at my local one said they no longer do that. What's on the sticker is the bottom line. I nearly shed a tear at that news.

[bladehunter]

[quote name='Arpeggi' timestamp='1394758227' post='8866737']
So far i agree with Golfsmith. Those clubs are as old as dirt.
[/quote]

in taylor made , or cally land maybe...But in titleist speak they are only "4 years" old.... I know that's a stretch but compared to TM or callaway its true. .this is the players cavity just before the 710 cb line came out...Its the 695 not 690 if that's part of the confusion...
as far as that goes titleist irons are good for 10 years in my opinion on being relavent...they don't change anything but general cosmetic ques..no difference in tech, size, lofts etc....just like mizuno

either way its beside the point...gripe is there is apparently a "rule book" they go by seems like it would simplify process if it where public...just a thought

[Holy Moses]

You can't expect to even close to fair market value on trade ins. They can't make any money doing that.

[bladehunter]

please read entire original post before commenting...price wasn't the issue

[MiniJ83]

You had a product they didn't want. I don't see the issue. They aren't forced to buy your old equipment because of a mass email that 2/3s of the golfing population receives.

[bladehunter]

[i][url="http://www.golfsmith.com/display?page=exclusions"]http://www.golfsmith.com/display?page=exclusions[/url][/i]


[i]I just got another email ad stating 50% trade in on a special iron fitting for the 15th...LOL.,..,this time a link to the exclusions for trade in was attached.. It is above...Looks like everything in the store is excluded...Still doesn't list any exclusions as far as what you can bring for trade...and clearly asks you to visit the store with your trade or call 1800number[/i]

[mikes919]

Wouldn't take my MP-T11 wedges the other day either. 3 years old. I would have been happy with $20 for the pair just to save the hassle of listing and selling them for like $35.

[bladehunter]

[quote name='MiniJ83' timestamp='1394802445' post='8869347']
You had a product they didn't want. I don't see the issue. They aren't forced to buy your old equipment because of a mass email that 2/3s of the golfing population receives.
[/quote]

I agree with you in theory...I certainly believe in free enterprise and respect their right of refusal ...but that's not my gripe.

..My gripe is that if they have an age cutoff it should be made public so myself and others don't waste their time walking through their doors..the reason it isn't posted is because it would keep out plenty of guys and that would in theory be bad for business. I think of it like a car dealership...they will take anything on trade..they wont offer much , but will take it... Why , because everything has some value, and where there is value there is money to be made. Even if its a small amount, dimes make dollars. If there are exclusions it should be made public. period..I don't think about clubs in terms of top value..i think about them in terms of what I have in them. I was in these very cheap, and was willing to swap for what I wanted which was $60 or so...or add cash to it to buy the new model fairway if I liked the new one better...To not make an offer at all after advertising so heavily for trades just floored me... They lost a sale because of this. I traded for more than my minimum across town the same day. ..I know one small sale isn't a big deal. But how many of these happen daily? Just seems like bad business to me.

This set would be perfect for a kid like I was in high school who wanted something quality but didn't have a rich parent to buy him something new. They could have bought them off me for the trade of the old fairway ($60 plus tax) then resold for $100...Now you say $40 isn't much markup...But what your missing is the markup on the old fairway I traded for..If they would sell it for $60, do you think they had more than $30 into it. .No way!...that's called money made on the front end and the back end...and that's a good day in any business!!!Not to mention you gain 2 happy customers from it....wtf...am I the only sane one ???

Next youll say im crazy for wanting to let them go for that...well my way of thinking is that if I can trade something I don't need for something I do want ( no club is a need) with no money out of my budget for the day..thats a good deal...That's what I was after and these guys nicely told me I brought them a pile of sh** and please get out of here...which was totally a shocker to me...anyway its water under the bridge now..Now I know what the score is and I know where to shop...No biggie in grand scheme...

[harold baines]

[quote name='bladehunter' timestamp='1394799607' post='8869087']
please read entire original post before commenting...price wasn't the issue
[/quote]

you sure? sounded like price was exactly the issue
you wanted more for your irons than they were willing to give you

maybe I'm having reading comprehension issues, that's entirely possible

[Holy Moses]

[quote name='bladehunter' timestamp='1394799607' post='8869087']
please read entire original post before commenting...price wasn't the issue
[/quote]

You would have sold them for $10? Either way, those irons would just sit for months there unless they got them for $10 and sold for $50.

[bladehunter]

they would not make an offer on them as stated..they said nope not on the list goodbye!

[bladehunter]

[quote name='harold baines' timestamp='1394809442' post='8870119']
[quote name='bladehunter' timestamp='1394799607' post='8869087']
please read entire original post before commenting...price wasn't the issue
[/quote]

you sure? sounded like price was exactly the issue
you wanted more for your irons than they were willing to give you

maybe I'm having reading comprehension issues, that's entirely possible
[/quote] good grief Charlie brown.....do you work for golfsmith???/

[harold baines]

[quote name='bladehunter' timestamp='1394834280' post='8873161']
[quote name='harold baines' timestamp='1394809442' post='8870119']
[quote name='bladehunter' timestamp='1394799607' post='8869087']
please read entire original post before commenting...price wasn't the issue
[/quote]

you sure? sounded like price was exactly the issue
you wanted more for your irons than they were willing to give you

maybe I'm having reading comprehension issues, that's entirely possible
[/quote] good grief Charlie brown.....do you work for golfsmith???/
[/quote]

I sure hope not! golfsmith is a hole

but think why they declined to give you an offer..... for them to make any money on such a low demand iron set they'd probably have had to offer you something stupid like $20 and then this exact same thread would happen anyways....

once the value gets so low they must just know from experience that it's better to say "we don't take those" than to offer a figure so stupidly low that you'd be upset

in this case, GS can't win in this transaction with you.... they refuse to accept in trade, so you're mad... but if they'd offered $20 you'd have been mad also....

[bladehunter]

I can honestly say I wouldn't have been mad if they had offered $20..i would have said no thanks ill keep them , please point me to the titleist fairway rack....I understand supply and demand and age versus value etc...What I cant comprehend is blowing up a persons inbox for 6 months BEGGING for trade ins and when one is presented saying "not on our list, we cant make an offer"....

But if you must debate price..I challenge you to go find a set for less than $100 that you can buy today...bet you cant!

Ill be the 1st to say that this thread is pointless as of now.....But not because I think golfsmith policy is correct, but because it has become painfully obvious to me that im one of a small few who care more about quality than year model.... Golfsmith maybe be right in one respect....Maybe they shouldn't take any trade over 6 weeks old.. If the unwashed masses want to trade new stuff for new stuff why not....You guys trading new stuff coming and going are the ones getting hosed...I stood to loose $30 ..how many hundred are you loosing each time.????


That is in no way directed at anyone in particular on here...its meant as an in general opinion of the Industry...period..so no conclusion jumpers please.....