I noticed some golf apparel companies are going 100% Direct To Consumer, Are you good with buying without touching or trying on. My experience with Sitch and Devereux leads me to say yes.
Should most golf apparel brands take the DTC route.
Apparel? Yes. I think that's pretty much the only way I shop for apparel anyways.
I’m out. I’m way too picky with fit to hope it’s right when it hits my doorstep.
Now if DTC would provide the savings to the consumer that it theoretically should, I can deal with the hassle of returns if it’s not what I anticipated, but i just don’t get the idea that it’s doing that. In fact, it more often seems like I’m asked to pay a premium...
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I would go no on this one. I like looking at clothes in pro shops, etc. As easy as DTC clothes shopping is, I much prefer to be able to look at a shirt or pants and gauge the fit without hoping it will fit how I like it when it arrives.
Dt1741
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DTC clothing? Probably not unless they can partner with the golf courses to be able to add their logo. Since hats, shirts from a certain clubs play a large role in sales.
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You are on to something there. The famous courses should license their logo/name and control what it goes on in the same way the NBA,NFL and MLB do. Heck they may be doing it for all I know.
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I like Greyson shirts and I can only get them by ordering them online. I am not sure theya re strictly DTC though as I think some higher end department stores carry them like Nordstrom's.
I agree with @Cmontgomery it seems these companies are charging a premium without delivering a premium product. If I go to your site and the selection is 6 different solid color polos and they all 6 cost $80 why would I buy from you? I can go to Golf Galaxy and shop 100-200 different polos all $80 or less and even try them on. My opinion on most of these shirts is that they are all coming out of the exact same mills in SE Asia as each other. If you want to charge me a premium, make it look cool and unique. I can get a solid colored logoless stretch polo on Amazon for $20-$40 that came from the exact same place as your $80 solid colored stretch polo and there are 20-30 colors to choose from.
I agree with @Cmontgomery it seems these companies are charging a premium without delivering a premium product. If I go to your site and the selection is 6 different solid color polos and they all 6 cost $80 why would I buy from you? I can go to Golf Galaxy and shop 100-200 different polos all $80 or less and even try them on. My opinion on most of these shirts is that they are all coming out of the exact same mills in SE Asia as each other. If you want to charge me a premium, make it look cool and unique. I can get a solid colored logoless stretch polo on Amazon for $20-$40 that came from the exact same place as your $80 solid colored stretch polo and there are 20-30 colors to choose from.
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- #8
There are actually a number of different places manufacturing apparel and quality can be quite different. I don't disagree with the idea that lack of creativity on some of these brands makes me think that a few guys got together and said "let's source some shirts" and here we are.
Using Straight Down as an example, a brand I think the quality is at or better than most, they make nearly half of their stuff here, in the US.
I don’t think 100% DTC is something I could get behind unless they came out with some solution for trying it first. I’m not a fan of going out on a limb with clothing with the complete blind order at full price.
I really need to try on clothing before I buy as there is no standard for fit. In the past I’ve bought a lot of name brands like Callaway and Adidas polos at places like Costco. In the past few years I’ve upped my game a bit and am mostly buying brands like Peter Millar and Travis Matthew discounted about 35-40% through my GC. Twice a year they run sales and those discount go to 50% or more. I’m not going to buy DTC polo shirts when I can get the latest shirts from Peter Millar for about $60 or less.
I have tried ordering from companies like Stitch but neither their medium polos or large polos fit me well and certainly the quality is no better than a company like Peter Millar which fit me better.
I have tried ordering from companies like Stitch but neither their medium polos or large polos fit me well and certainly the quality is no better than a company like Peter Millar which fit me better.
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Wicked Cool Bearded Man
4thegolf+4thefriends
I think so. It seems to me many are moving that way. As long as they have a good return policy
I don’t doubt that they’re coming from different sources, or even that some manufacturer in the US to some extent.
How do you define quality? I just have a hard time pulling the trigger on clothing that is 50% higher when the quality seems to be buried in the marketing and pricing. I’m no clothing connoisseur but cannot distinguish that demand in product pricing.
The other problem is with DTC like most of these companies are, without being able to distinguish themselves in my hand, they’ll have a hard time getting me to come off of my wallet. I looked at Straight Downs offering and all things that I tend to like. I simply can’t justify the price without being able to experience firsthand.
As for pricing, why do we as consumers allow DTC companies to simply increase their profits by not investing in shelf space and marketing as the big boys do? Should this be passed on to the consumer? Are they not realizing this savings?
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- #13
I dont get into the pricing conversation. That is up to the people buying it? Nobody is forced to buy anything and if you do not like the apparel, there are cheaper brands out there. I think that is the beauty of most consumer goods. The best part of apparel buying however is that every brand has large sales if they are slightly out of reach now.
I define quality based on material and how its handled in manufacturing. People see a shirt that is a tech blend of let's say 90/10 and assume the next one is the same. Yet very few know what goes into the finishing of that material. Is heat used? Chemicals? Burning? Double stitched vs single? Cut? Like everything there is way more than meets the eye. Should anybody care? Up to them, find something that they like and fits their budget and the rest is history.
For those that want a bit more, we try to offer as many details as possible and certainly speak highly of brands that go above and beyond in quality so that people can take notice. Hope that helps.
EDIT: I will add this. If the price of the piece is exactly the same, does it matter if a retail shop makes the margins on them vs those taking on the creativity, manufacturing, etc? The price doesn't change at hte user end.
Where's this on Amazon?
I wanna know. Is the quality comparable to what I can get in the stores?For me, I'm not too interested in DTC apparel. From what I've seen, I don't get my money's worth for what I'm paying. I'm not concerned about sizes; I'm average measurements so an XL normally fits me comfortably with some room and no tightness.
My thing is like everyone else... all the clothes look the same. Give me choices for color and patterns... not the same blue, green, gray, and red shirts that everyone else is selling.
DTC - seems like instagram is filled with DTC stuff and to me its just that... Stuff - tough to hear about quality items as everyone is pitching quality. That being said - never shop in stores anymore and hardly buying mainstream online retailers. For us maybe it makes sense, but for the masses i think popularity is still gained in a store.
More effort is being made in this space as the big box store is dying. Too many self starters with cool gear especially in the golf world.
More effort is being made in this space as the big box store is dying. Too many self starters with cool gear especially in the golf world.
Direct to consumer is fine. Heck, as a guy, I walk into a mall thinking I might buy something, only to find out that clothing in a mall is 90% women, 10% men. It's basically that way everywhere, except sporting goods stores. Although even those are starting to tilt in what they keep in store to look at and maybe try on.
But really, the problem isn't unique to clothes. There's nothing I like better than seeing some cool gadget online, and then driving 90 minutes to the big box store to see it in person, only to find out they 1) don't have any in stock, and 2) don't have any display models. To further insult me, the employees always say "we can order one for you and ship it to you?" If I wanted to buy something online, I would have saved myself 3 hours of driving and just ordered it online.
So DTC is basically something I'm forced into, because I live in as rural of an area as it gets. That said, returns have to be incredibly easy before I'll buy something online. Either give me a return label in the box, or email me the return label upon an online request (no phone calls).
~Rock
But really, the problem isn't unique to clothes. There's nothing I like better than seeing some cool gadget online, and then driving 90 minutes to the big box store to see it in person, only to find out they 1) don't have any in stock, and 2) don't have any display models. To further insult me, the employees always say "we can order one for you and ship it to you?" If I wanted to buy something online, I would have saved myself 3 hours of driving and just ordered it online.
So DTC is basically something I'm forced into, because I live in as rural of an area as it gets. That said, returns have to be incredibly easy before I'll buy something online. Either give me a return label in the box, or email me the return label upon an online request (no phone calls).
~Rock
Buckeyegolfnut
Well-known member
Or, you can go to WalMart and buy moisture wicking golf shirts and shorts for under 20 dollars, that are very well made, and stylish to boot! They are under the "Ben Hogan" brand name. Very nice goods. I used to sell men's apparel way back in the day, and understand clothing construction, and pay attention to stitching. So far, these have been very well made. And they fit perfectly.
Your point is well taken. Years ago, my Mom and Stepfather were traveling somewhere in the Far East, maybe SE Asia, when my Mom was invited to a clothing factory outlet. She was able to try on, and buy clothing that would cost hundreds of dollars in the U.S. because it would have had a "designer" label on it, for like 15 bucks an outfit! It's the middlemen and retailers that are making the long buck on these, and guys and women paying front line prices are getting hosed!