For many course operators, headwear may not necessarily be top of mind. However, Becky Schlimm, director of retail at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois, has found that giving more than a tip of the cap to hat sales is a heady way to generate additional revenue.
Following analysis of her club’s headwear business, Schlimm found that she and her retail team were missing sales due to a lack of variety, location and visibility of their headwear offerings. In response, Schlimm partnered with a company known for its innovative product mix. The new vendor developed an array of designs that utilized Medinah’s logo in creative ways, including 3-D, as well as “cool and hip” artwork.
“With this partnership, the vendor agreed to pricing that enabled us to realize terrific margins,” Schlimm says. “And in an effort to keep back stock to a minimum, the vendor also agreed to have their local sales representative perform a weekly count and fill.”
Meanwhile, Schlimm set about increasing the visibility of the headwear by incorporating hats into every visual display and placing two freestanding headwear fixtures in prominent locations on the pro shop floor. The results?
“Our aggressive plan met and exceeded our expectations, accounting for an increase of almost 40 percent [in sales],” Schlimm notes. “This represented more than $52,000 in additional revenue and a 6 percent increase in margins.”
Most anyone can agree that’s what you call using your noggin!