Sonocaddie Going out of business

[ronbo]

Anybody think this might happen?

To all you guys getting great deals on sonocaddies. I heard the big box are dropping it. Be careful. Anybody hear the same?

[hacker1]

The pro in Dick's told me the other day that sono was going to quit making the v300, and that is why they are getting rid of them so cheap. Here is the e-mail to cust. support from me, and also the response from them:
[color="#0000FF"]So, I'm at Dick's today where I purchased my V300 2 weeks ago, and the golf
pro tells me that you guys are going to discontinue this marvelous work of
art! PLEASE tell me he doesn't know what he is talking about! And if it is
true, how is this going to affect the functionality of the V300? I would
have to say, if you plan on doing this, you are making a big mistake! I
personally know hundreds of V300 owners, and this unit is highly praised and
would be CRAZY to discontinue! We don't care what 'new' model comes out, we
love the V300, and will not sway from it.[/color]
[color="#FF0000"]Thank you for your email. We are not dis-continuing the V300 sonocaddie
unit. Dick's Sporting Goods Stores are no longer carrying this item. I do
apologize that you were mis-informed. Thank you.
[/color]

[hacker1]

[quote name='ronbo' post='1844672' date='Jul 26 2009, 08:34 PM']To all you guys getting great deals on sonocaddies. I heard the big box are dropping it. Be careful. Anybody hear the same?[/quote]
And I guess if you are referring to Dick's as "the big box", then yes is the answer. They will not be carrying this item anymore... their loss. Another corporate idiot decision in my opinion.

[chrisfx811]

I wondered why they were being sold so cheap, but part of me figured that maybe Sonocaddie was moving strictly to the 'Auto-Play' unit.
Clearly, Callaway, Skycaddie, and garmin are the big names in the biz, and maybe the smaller companies see that their best option is to sell fully loaded units sans any fees to draw consumers who frown upon the recurring fee based models.

I love my v300, and while it's not perfect, for $115 + $30 for unlimited courses, I felt it was a great way to get my feet wet in the GPS pool. having owned a Bushnell PS 1500 TE, I think I'm a GPS convert for good.

If the uPro can adopt Garmin or Sonocaddie's durability, and make Pro mode info easily accessible, I may end up with one of those someday.

If Skycaddie adopts a hole view format, I would have no problem with getting one of those.

If Garmin would allow their g5 to edit maps, and also increase the detail of their renderings, I would gladly use one of those as well.

For what I have in it, the v300 is a wonderful unit.
I just customized 9 holes on another course I play (ran out of daylight for the back 9). I've now played 36 holes including editing, and edited another 9 and still haven't reached 50% charge left on my battery indicator.

[hacker1]

[quote name='chrisfx811' post='1845017' date='Jul 26 2009, 11:07 PM']I wondered why they were being sold so cheap, but part of me figured that maybe Sonocaddie was moving strictly to the 'Auto-Play' unit.
Clearly, Callaway, Skycaddie, and garmin are the big names in the biz, and maybe the smaller companies see that their best option is to sell fully loaded units sans any fees to draw consumers who frown upon the recurring fee based models.

I love my v300, and while it's not perfect, for $115 + $30 for unlimited courses, I felt it was a great way to get my feet wet in the GPS pool. having owned a Bushnell PS 1500 TE, I think I'm a GPS convert for good.

If the uPro can adopt Garmin or Sonocaddie's durability, and make Pro mode info easily accessible, I may end up with one of those someday.

If Skycaddie adopts a hole view format, I would have no problem with getting one of those.

If Garmin would allow their g5 to edit maps, and also increase the detail of their renderings, I would gladly use one of those as well.

For what I have in it, the v300 is a wonderful unit.
I just customized 9 holes on another course I play (ran out of daylight for the back 9). I've now played 36 holes including editing, and edited another 9 and still haven't reached 50% charge left on my battery indicator.[/quote]
Where are you gonna carry all of these units when they evolve to your liking?

[chrisfx811]

It will be on my Batman utility belt.

[hacker1]

[quote name='chrisfx811' post='1845057' date='Jul 26 2009, 11:21 PM']It will be on my Batman utility belt.[/quote]
Holy satellites, Batman!

[ccons]

Dicks is still selling the V300 online for the full undiscounted price of $349.99

[url="http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3121103"]http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/...oductId=3121103[/url]

[hacker1]

[quote name='ccons' post='1845416' date='Jul 27 2009, 07:30 AM']Dicks is still selling the V300 online for the full undiscounted price of $349.99

[url="http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3121103"]http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/...oductId=3121103[/url][/quote]
You will hardly ever find the same deal at the online Dick's. And a lot of times I've seen Dick's stop carrying merchandise at the store, but still have it online, and visa versa.

[ccons]

i am seeing that a lot with Dicks.

[gilljm01]

I wonder if they are not carrying sonocaddie because the other companies pay them not to or because they are making new models and want to get rid of old stock first. I really could see skycaddie paying stores not to carry competing gpss. No worries though guys if sonocaddie goes under one of the others will buy them up.

[hacker1]

Sono isn't going anywhere for a while. Dick's is just another run of the mill department store that just happens to have a good golf section. The way Academy Sports and Sports Authority are competing, it doesn't take much to have the better golf section. The reason they are not going to carry any v300s anymore is supply and demand. With all of the hype about skycrappies, and uho, and everyone else trying to jump on the gps bandwagon, Dick's has to draw the line somewhere on inventory. It just happens that they started with the wrong gps. Half of the stores that I visit don't know jack about ANY of their gps units. Academy doesn't even SELL gps units! There are so many new gadgets out there, now, that the salesman get the dreaded "deer in the spotlight" look on their faces, when asked a question about the gps units. In my opinion, Dick's is overrated, and overpriced on a majority of their merchandise. Unless I really need something right away, I shop online for my major purchases. UNLESS.... they have this mind blowing sale on the v300!

[ronbo]

Hacker

Looks like your the one holding the Bag, Your Sonocaddie will be a paper weight and you'll have to pony up some dough for a new company. You also don't understand how business works and only the strong survive. Look at the top 5 club companies who sell 90% of the clubs in the business. The same is starting to happen in the GPS category, sonocaddie just didn't make the cut. You might not want to knock Skycaddie or Upro, they might be the one who buys them out!

Have fun while it works......

[hacker1]

[quote name='ronbo' post='1861206' date='Aug 3 2009, 11:02 AM']Hacker

Looks like your the one holding the Bag, Your Sonocaddie will be a paper weight and you'll have to pony up some dough for a new company. You also don't understand how business works and only the strong survive. Look at the top 5 club companies who sell 90% of the clubs in the business. The same is starting to happen in the GPS category, sonocaddie just didn't make the cut. You might not want to knock Skycaddie or Upro, they might be the one who buys them out!

Have fun while it works......[/quote]
Knew I would piss off a skycrappie user. My bad, bro. I wasn't being very sensitive, now was I? That's what my wife tells me too. I didn't know that Dick's sets the standard of who makes the cut and who doesn't. If that is true, then titleist might be next, because I didn't see too many of their sticks in there the other day either. According to your oh so great wisdom and philosophy. All hail ronbo. Keep payin those fees, my man.

[Pepperturbo]

GPS companies have to give volume discounts for big retailers to carry such products. Hence it's not uncommon to see small technology company's reject discount chain marketing due to poor margin control.

As far as I am concerned, I believe there's ongoing market share for at most 3, most likely 2 golf GPS units... The rest will flounder until realization sets in, they don't know how to operate a P&L. Another reason for such failures is few startups these days go to the trouble of putting together an effective business plan... if they did, they know not to start or fund another GPS company.

A while back I bought my 2nd Skycaddie, an SG5 and happy.

[ronbo]

Hacker

Don't know what kind of business your in or what kind of job you have, but Dick's doesn't decide on who makes the cut in the end, customers do, sales do and the most important factor, it's called demand. Look, I like some of the features Sonocaddie has and Skygolf isn't a perfect company. But I know what I like in a range finder and so far SkyGolf has done what I need for my game, even if I have to pay a fee, like I said before( Nothing is FREE) You might be surprised, but Titleist makes a great golf ball, doesn't mean they make a better golf club. Some companies should stick to what they do best, not just in the Golf Business.

Pepper nailed it and he might be right. For now, go out and have some fun on the course, with or without your Sonocaddie.

I have a way you can get a Free member ship from Skygolf, Stop paying your cell phone, Cable TV bill. Or did you forget you pay those fee's every month . I only pay once a year. lol,

[hacker1]

[quote name='ronbo' post='1861717' date='Aug 3 2009, 02:36 PM']Hacker

Don't know what kind of business your in or what kind of job you have, but Dick's doesn't decide on who makes the cut in the end, customers do, sales do and the most important factor, it's called demand. Look, I like some of the features Sonocaddie has and Skygolf isn't a perfect company. But I know what I like in a range finder and so far SkyGolf has done what I need for my game, even if I have to pay a fee, like I said before( Nothing is FREE) You might be surprised, but Titleist makes a great golf ball, doesn't mean they make a better golf club. Some companies should stick to what they do best, not just in the Golf Business.

Pepper nailed it and he might be right. For now, go out and have some fun on the course, with or without your Sonocaddie.

I have a way you can get a Free member ship from Skygolf, Stop paying your cell phone, Cable TV bill. Or did you forget you pay those fee's every month . I only pay once a year. lol,[/quote]
Cheeeeeeeez.... Did I, or did I not say "supply and demand"? If you tell me to go have fun 1 more time, I'm gonna have to whoop up on your skycaddie mapper guy when I see him "walking" my course! LOL! I'm not gonna get in a pissing contest with you about a gps, and I'm glad you are happy with yours, and whatever fees you do or do not pay. But every one has an opinion, and mine is based on months of research of actual users, and skycaddies' user complaints are just too abundant for me to support. That's just me. If sonocaddie goes down one day, it is what it is. I can tell you this, tho... I won't come running to skycaddie! I would much rather go with an underdog that outperforms, that might end belly up, than to go with a big name just because. Again, that's just me. And titleist does make a good ball, but I doubt that the ball alone carries the company as much as you think. Just my opinion. These are all opinions, so lighten up and live a little. I'm just happy to disagree with you. Or agree... wait... which one is it? Hell, I don't even know anymore.