Going on your own

[WARRIORMIKE]

Thinking about opening my own baseball/softball store.......

What would be your dream set up?

 

[maksoftball]

*Lots of softball pants for WOMEN and Youth. Tired of going into sports stores (specializing in baseball/softball) where they have racks and racks of pants for baseball (read long to the ankles) and a little bitty rack for women's pants.

*Gloves organized by INF/1B/OF/Pitcher/Catcher

*A batting cage to test swing floor model bats off of machines (or tees).

*Prices comparable to internet prices (hey...one can dream ).

 

[CoreSoftball20]

Good luck...better be very conscious of certain things if you are going to deal bats or you will go under in a hurry

 

[redbirdone]

Retail is a tough business. The online stores turned long established local sporting goods stores into fitting rooms for their customers and then into empty retail space...

Personally I do everything I can to buy local and will pay a small premium to touch and try a product before I buy it without having to deal with shipping and returns. With that said, I have bought several softball items online simply because there is no selection locally. I would love to have a local place with a decent selection of gloves, shoes and bats.

 

[RichK]

what certain things with bats?

 

[MsDinosaur]

*A batting cage to test swing floor model bats off of machines (or tees).

I would love that!

How about a decent selection of catcher's gear? Having half a dozen helmets of the same size and brand, but in different colors does not count as having a wide selection of helmets.

Unfortunately, it's really hard to stay in business as a specialty baseball/softball shop.

 

[JJsqueeze]

Thinking about opening my own baseball/softball store.......

What would be your dream set up?

I think that there is room for a local store specializing in softball/baseball. Especially in your location. One thing that happens in retail is specialized stores can do well if they are well advertised and have a good selection. For instance, I have been looking for a sporting goods store that stocks gorilla gold and bownets. I could not find one, so I will have to order online. But what if you need it quickly? I'd be willing to pay 10% more to get something that day when I need it. Not to underestimate the challenges of a small business, I own one and I work all the time, but the bottom line is that there is always room for a good business and cream rises to the top.

 

[CoreSoftball20]

*
*Prices comparable to internet prices (hey...one can dream ).

Which is why if you plan on selling bats and getting rich, don't even go into business. You need to sell for those prices, or you don't sell. You need to adjust how you do business.

No matter how much of a friend someone is, if some store is selling a bat for 250 online and you are at 299.99...you aren't selling. Plus, local means sales tax. So now add that onto their cost. So even if you sell for 250, its really 265 (using my tax).

And you would be surprised how much the bats cost, not what anybody thinks. Nobody believes it.

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

Which is why if you plan on selling bats and getting rich, don't even go into business. You need to sell for those prices, or you don't sell. You need to adjust how you do business.

No matter how much of a friend someone is, if some store is selling a bat for 250 online and you are at 299.99...you aren't selling. Plus, local means sales tax. So now add that onto their cost. So even if you sell for 250, its really 265 (using my tax).

And you would be surprised how much the bats cost, not what anybody thinks. Nobody believes it.

Cost of bats are ridiculous

 

[CoreSoftball20]

Cost of bats are ridiculous

People think you get them for cheap. Also, watch out for the little secret deals that go on behind the scenes you are hid from