Taylormade Upgrade Program

[specialtony]

I am more of the mentality of buy it used or wait a few months and then buy it. I see this actually being pretty popular as I am willing to bet a lot of golf clubs get bought with credit cards or Paypal credit already. I'm sure some people will justify it enough to pull the trigger. I give credit to TM for trying something out of the box.

[Yanki01]

Reminds me of a Cell Phone plan honestly, not for me personally but I bet a lot of people will jump on board if they stick with it and market it right.

 

but you stop paying your cell phone - they turn off your phone. what will they do here?

[uflorida1]

This actually scares me that driver prices are going to start to go way up... 2019 M1 is $1200 but only $50/month....

 

Where's PXG financing when you need it?

[Byrdman2230]

Reminds me of a Cell Phone plan honestly, not for me personally but I bet a lot of people will jump on board if they stick with it and market it right.

 

but you stop paying your cell phone - they turn off your phone. what will they do here?

 

They'll charge your credit card the remaining balance plus a 20% service fee.

[SoCalTitleist]

I wpuld think this would work against them, it would create a massive inventory of used clubs nobody wants

[niscur24]

I know I can't be the only one here who thinks a leasing option for friggin golf clubs is ludicrous!? I mean making monthly payments on a golf club!? A GOLF CLUB!? That provides literally minimal benefits from the model before it?

 

Feel like I'm taking crazy pills!

 

Here's an idea leasing options wont help TM or any other OEM sell more ish! Lowering the damn prices will. Because at the end of the day whats $500 Jan 1st is $250 the following Jan 1st.

[wkndhack]

This will only be used by people whose finances would say they probably shouldn't. If you are a regular golfer who can afford $50+ greens fees every week or a club membership, you have the cash to buy outright. If you are the kind who can only buy recycled balls at Target and plays $20 goat tracks, you are better off not taking on a payment that can damage your credit and paying interest on a leisure item.

[gmangolf]

I don't hold it against TaylorMade... they recognize the saying "A fool and his money are soon parted" and understand that there are a lot of fools. Not the first business to realize that people want things they can't afford, and figure out a way to try to capitalize on it.

[SoCalTitleist]

If you cant afford a used driver from the last few years then you probably shouldn't be playing golf.

[casey_0507]

Just use PayPal credit and get no interest no payments for 6 months. Then if you can't pay have your buddy send ya an invoice for your balance and pay the 3% to PayPal and then get another 6 months no interest no payments.

 

There's your rental/upgrade plan with no upfront money.

[JRJ70]

I wpuld think this would work against them, it would create a massive inventory of used clubs nobody wants

 

This will be totally in their favor. They sold a club for full price, plus earned 10% interest for 2 years, and now have a club to resell. Just turned that $500 driver into a $700+ driver, and if they cant resell it what are they out?

[Shipwreck]

I wpuld think this would work against them, it would create a massive inventory of used clubs nobody wants

 

This will be totally in their favor. They sold a club for full price, plus earned 10% interest for 2 years, and now have a club to resell. Just turned that $500 driver into a $700+ driver, and if they cant resell it what are they out?

 

Exactly! It's a win/win for them no matter what because right now, once they sell the club that's all the money they will ever make from it. They get $0 from the used market. But I can easily see them coming up with a Taylormade Pre-Owned site that sells their returned equipment at a fraction of the cost. Hell if they averaged selling their used equipment for 1/2 of what someone originally bought it for new, they are practically printing their own money.

 

[pollock21]

Honestly I think with drivers and fairways on a one club purchase it doesn't make sense. But from a retailer standpoint, how many people might add in the $300 upgrade shaft because it's only another $5/month or whatever.

 

I actually think it's a great idea for an iron purchase. You're not gonna put sky marks on them and little chance to really kill their value.

 

Keep in mind not everyone has $1200 cash laying around to buy a set of new irons. But they could afford the financing, and 9.99% is much better than throwing them on a credit card. Further, if that same person wants new irons, this might lead them to buy taylormade over other manufacturers because this financing is better than buying another brand on a credit card.

 

Time will tell how it works out. Considering most normal non-wrx folks trade their clubs in at the store for rock bottom rates vs eBay or BST selling. We are still a small majority and this should appeal to the masses.

[chris975d]

I wpuld think this would work against them, it would create a massive inventory of used clubs nobody wants

 

This will be totally in their favor. They sold a club for full price, plus earned 10% interest for 2 years, and now have a club to resell. Just turned that $500 driver into a $700+ driver, and if they cant resell it what are they out?

 

Exactly! It's a win/win for them no matter what because right now, once they sell the club that's all the money they will ever make from it. They get $0 from the used market. But I can easily see them coming up with a Taylormade Pre-Owned site that sells their returned equipment at a fraction of the cost. Hell if they averaged selling their used equipment for 1/2 of what someone originally bought it for new, they are practically printing their own money.

 

There already is a TaylorMade preowned site, and this is the logical place for them to dump lease returns. So yes, if there is a big uptake on this...which I believe there will be...I've been in the golf business and sold clubs for years (GM of a daily fee golf course), and things like this have been requested lots of times by customers...TM has the potential here to double dip by selling clubs twice in essence.

[JackpotJohnny]

If you look at what they have done with the M line, somewhat scaling back inventory and release cycles, and stopping the blowout price drops, the used market for last years clubs is much stronger than it was in the past.

 

On a 499 financed driver, that you are mandated to keep at least 12mo before you can upgrade, they are guaranteed to get about 270 out of it, and then they get the club back.

The finance company keeps the interest, but maybe there's a kick back in there for them too.

It then gets shipped to TPO, and if you look at what year old M1&M2's are fetching right now, when the club sells, and everything is said and done, they will end up getting more than the original retail price out of the transaction.

And then the original buyer is right back in another club repeating the cycle.

 

To us here it seems ridiculous, but it speaks directly to millennial kids who eat up the low cost monthly subscription type things like like financing phones and netflix, and Spotify.

 

I was listening to these two 20 something girls conversation yesterday, and one was talking about upgrading her phone. "$25 dollars a month more on my bill is nothing, I'm going spend that anyway, I spend more than that on starbucks a week"

With no regard that she's going to pay way more for it than If she bought it outright, and doesn't even get to keep it.

 

[Gh05t]

T-Mobilemade......at least the clubs will work after you drop them in water.

 

this idea is stupid.

[green.tea]

Just heard about this. DOND?

 

Reminds me of what the Wireless providers do with cell phones. You pay full price over monthly installments, at a certain date you are eligible to trade in/upgrade then get new items and just continue the payment process. Or you pay a few months more and own the item.

 

To me I dont see the point of buying high end clubs, paying on them, then just giving them back for free after 12 or 24 months when you could be reselling them. But I guess if you always want the latest and greatest without a hassle....

 

http://taylormadegolf.com/upgrade

 

This sounds like a horrible idea

[Mathwiz]

Just very thankful I am blessed that I don't have to finance my golf clubs.

[DatSliceDoe]

Taylormade, you have got to be kidding me.

[dmac4g]

Why do I picture the TM Rep parked at a Club House with a set-up like you see at the sports stadiums? Sign up today and we will throw in a sleeve of TP5's for FREE!

[KWest]

This isn't like the phone companies, which don't run credit checks and don't charge interest. You just pay for the phone over 24 payments, like 0% APR car financing. Except at this point a phone is almost a necessity where as the newest TM driver is most certainly not. That phone you are going to own is not going to depreciate at the rate that the driver is either. What TM is doing is more like Aaron's or Rent-to-Own.

 

If you think this is a good idea from the consumer's standpoint, you need to get your head checked.

[Bece2117]

And the 9.99% is just a promotion, jumps to 19.99% after that...no thanks!

[halliedog]

If you look at what they have done with the M line, somewhat scaling back inventory and release cycles, and stopping the blowout price drops, the used market for last years clubs is much stronger than it was in the past.

 

On a 499 financed driver, that you are mandated to keep at least 12mo before you can upgrade, they are guaranteed to get about 270 out of it, and then they get the club back.

The finance company keeps the interest, but maybe there's a kick back in there for them too.

It then gets shipped to TPO, and if you look at what year old M1&M2's are fetching right now, when the club sells, and everything is said and done, they will end up getting more than the original retail price out of the transaction.

And then the original buyer is right back in another club repeating the cycle.

 

To us here it seems ridiculous, but it speaks directly to millennial kids who eat up the low cost monthly subscription type things like like financing phones and netflix, and Spotify.

 

I was listening to these two 20 something girls conversation yesterday, and one was talking about upgrading her phone. "$25 dollars a month more on my bill is nothing, I'm going spend that anyway, I spend more than that on starbucks a week"

With no regard that she's going to pay way more for it than If she bought it outright, and doesn't even get to keep it.

 

Where do you go to eavesdrop on 20-something year old girls talking about their cell plans? Starbucks? Did you get any good up-skirt pics while listening in on their conversation?

[Anser]

This isn't like the phone companies, which don't run credit checks and don't charge interest. You just pay for the phone over 24 payments, like 0% APR car financing. Except at this point a phone is almost a necessity where as the newest TM driver is most certainly not. That phone you are going to own is not going to depreciate at the rate that the driver is either. What TM is doing is more like Aaron's or Rent-to-Own.

 

If you think this is a good idea from the consumer's standpoint, you need to get your head checked.

 

A company came up with something beneficial to them and not the consumer?

 

Does Oprah know about this?

[SubaruWRX]

If this stupid plan by TM is successful, it will just entice them to start a 3 month product cycle. They'll be trading up so often people will be upside down in their new driver the day they get it.

 

We'll need a new forum for short sales and forclosures on golf equipment!

[av1084]

If you look at what they have done with the M line, somewhat scaling back inventory and release cycles, and stopping the blowout price drops, the used market for last years clubs is much stronger than it was in the past.

 

On a 499 financed driver, that you are mandated to keep at least 12mo before you can upgrade, they are guaranteed to get about 270 out of it, and then they get the club back.

The finance company keeps the interest, but maybe there's a kick back in there for them too.

It then gets shipped to TPO, and if you look at what year old M1&M2's are fetching right now, when the club sells, and everything is said and done, they will end up getting more than the original retail price out of the transaction.

And then the original buyer is right back in another club repeating the cycle.

 

To us here it seems ridiculous, but it speaks directly to millennial kids who eat up the low cost monthly subscription type things like like financing phones and netflix, and Spotify.

 

I was listening to these two 20 something girls conversation yesterday, and one was talking about upgrading her phone. "$25 dollars a month more on my bill is nothing, I'm going spend that anyway, I spend more than that on starbucks a week"

With no regard that she's going to pay way more for it than If she bought it outright, and doesn't even get to keep it.

 

Where do you go to eavesdrop on 20-something year old girls talking about their cell plans? Starbucks? Did you get any good up-skirt pics while listening in on their conversation?

 

Well that escalated quickly.

[wkndhack]

Paying TM 9.99% instead of Visa 24.99% interest is not good for consumers. It is an improvement from a horrible decision to just a very bad decision.

 

I'm curious how they execute it. Are they going to push this out to DSG and club pro shops and the like? Seems the people who would go for this probably buy from traditional retailers.

[browne11]

I put an M2 in the cart and went to the checkout just to see what the terms would be. My club was $407 with the grip and the payments would have been $27 for 18 months. Comes out to $486 total. Actually not that bad of a hit on interest over 18 months. I'm not saying this is a great or smart deal but I bet a lot of guys would rather pay $4 a month in interest that have the wife wonder where $400 just went. I bet this does pretty well for them.

[JackpotJohnny]

If you look at what they have done with the M line, somewhat scaling back inventory and release cycles, and stopping the blowout price drops, the used market for last years clubs is much stronger than it was in the past.

 

On a 499 financed driver, that you are mandated to keep at least 12mo before you can upgrade, they are guaranteed to get about 270 out of it, and then they get the club back.

The finance company keeps the interest, but maybe there's a kick back in there for them too.

It then gets shipped to TPO, and if you look at what year old M1&M2's are fetching right now, when the club sells, and everything is said and done, they will end up getting more than the original retail price out of the transaction.

And then the original buyer is right back in another club repeating the cycle.

 

To us here it seems ridiculous, but it speaks directly to millennial kids who eat up the low cost monthly subscription type things like like financing phones and netflix, and Spotify.

 

I was listening to these two 20 something girls conversation yesterday, and one was talking about upgrading her phone. "$25 dollars a month more on my bill is nothing, I'm going spend that anyway, I spend more than that on starbucks a week"

With no regard that she's going to pay way more for it than If she bought it outright, and doesn't even get to keep it.

 

Where do you go to eavesdrop on 20-something year old girls talking about their cell plans? Starbucks? Did you get any good up-skirt pics while listening in on their conversation?

 

It was at a church potluck... maybe you should try attending.

You can pray to God for forgiveness, for being such a MF'ing pervert

[AC in TX]

You: I want to spend no more than $500 for my irons ...

The Store: How much can you spend each month -- $50? $100?

 

You: OK - I will offer $800 for the irons and one M2 driver ...

The Store: I gotta talk to my manager ...

 

You: OK - we have a deal ...

The Store: I really think you should buy driver head scratch and dent insurance - only $9.99 per month (for 24 months) ...

 

The possibilities are endless!