The Cybercritic: On the Links Jun 1, 2001 12:00 PM
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Golfsmith's home page, or ProShop, as this site cleverly terms
it, is refreshingly neat. It displays several promotional items
without creating clutter and highlights a low-price guarantee to
establish value. And it establishes authority with a banner across
the top (which appears on all subsequent pages) that includes the
logo, a depiction of a long fairway, and the tagline “The
biggest and best in golf…online.” Simple, but
effective. Golfsmith.com does not abandon its mail order roots,
though. It features an express order form for catalog customers and
the 800-number on each page. A bonus: You can convert the site into
Japanese, Spanish, Dutch, French, or Italian with a click of a
button.
The Golfsmith.com Clubhouse (an opt-in e-mail service that will
send you golf tips and alerts to special promotions) and the
Leaderboard (which in partnership with GolfOnline.com provides
updates on tournament scores) inspire customer loyalty, make the
site fun, and are brand-enhancing. But the site's Boutiques feature
is a branding nightmare. Here the site provides a link-off system
to well-known golf brands. A fine idea — but these frames do
not have the Golfsmith logo or any consistent graphics or colors.
It is at this point that the marketer may lose some shoppers.
The Cybercritic gets sidetracked from shopping — hard to
believe — by some of the articles. I also sign up for a game
analyzer (yes, I occasionally remove myself from the cyberworld to
hit the links). But while these features may temporarily distract
visitors from doing damage to their credit cards, they will
encourage golfers to return again and again — and buy an
extra glove or another sleeve of balls while they're there.
The navigation certainly doesn't distract. The two search
engines, one by manufacturer and one by product type, lead me
directly to my destination, the Odyssey Dual Force Blade 330
putter. Just for kicks I look for the Odyssey Rossie II, since a
friend swears by this mallet type of putter, only to find that it
is “no longer available.” I cannot tell if it is out of
stock, discontinued, or backordered. With the flexibility for quick
change that the Web offers, I strongly suggest the site take the
item off the page if it is no longer available and be more specific
in the copy if it is backordered.
The copy on the site is very matter-of-fact. And as a matter of
fact, it could be more enticing and less awkward. For example,
while browsing for drivers I find this copy block: “Specially
designed Bi-Matrix high-modulus lightweight graphite upper shaft
allows maximum swing speeds for more distance, while the 8" steel
tip helps create a lower more penetrating trajectory.” Sure,
it provides the product benefits, but in a somewhat graceless
manner.
My other beef is with the checkout. When it comes time to tally
up the costs, the shipping charges aren't included. I'm also
disappointed to see that orders are shipped within 48 hours, not
the same day. Worse, weekend orders are not processed until the
following Monday. To confuse me even more, the site says that if
the order is in by 9 a.m. Central time, I can have it shipped that
day via next-day or two-day UPS service. Huh?
From the minute you hit the Edwin Watts Golf home page, it's
clear that you are beholding the site of a multichannel marketer.
The 800-number and the cover of the current catalog are prominent.
If those don't help to establish authority, the company's tagline,
“Golf's most trusted retailer since 1968,” certainly
will. So does the link to the thorough and jargon-free privacy
protection and security page, which is found conspicuously at the
top of the home page. There's also a prominent invitation to opt in
to receive e-mail notification of specials.
All six sale items displayed on the home page are tempting. I
select the link for the featured Armour stand bags, delighted at
the thought of saving $40. The thumbnail product shot on the
product page cannot be enlarged, which is annoying, but I figure I
can get some details about the bag from the product copy. Wrong.
Here's the description in its entirety: “Available in
Black/Green, Black/Blue. More colors coming soon! 8.5 Inch Stand
Bags.” Obviously Edwin Watts is excited about these new
colors, but I certainly am not!
I use the search engine to find the Odyssey Dual Force Blade 330
putter; the link to the product page appears like magic —
especially impressive when you consider the exhaustive breadth and
depth of the merchandise mix.
Surprisingly, the putter copy rates more highly than the stand
bag's description:
More victories, more putters in play and more money won on
the four pro tours combined
Special trapezoid-shaped stronomic insert creates a smooth
roll while reducing skidding and skipping.
Heel-toe weighting for optimum forgiveness on off-center
hits
Provides superior feel and unmatched control
Three inserts available — Firmer for slow greens,
softer for fast greens.
The price is the same as at Golfsmith — $89.99. It's in
stock, so I add it to my cart. And checkout is a snap.
So all in all, Edwin Watts proves to be a good experience. It
could stand to inject more fun options on the site and hire a new
copywriter (or maybe just hire a copywriter, period). But it's a
solid, authoritative source for every product a golfer could
possibly need.
Why go with a marketer like Golf Circuit? Probably price. But
any savvy Net shopper would shrink from this site after a glance at
the amateurish home page. The graphics are extremely small and
fuzzy, and the fonts are generic at best. I suspect that rather
than consult a Website designer, the brains behind this operation
duped themselves into thinking that they could scan in some product
shots and slap them up on the Web and that people would buy in
droves.
And maybe bargain hunters are buying in droves. The site sells
my beloved Odyssey Dual Force Blade 330 for $79.99, $10 less than
Golfsmith and Edwin Watts. But even so, the putter still costs more
than I feel comfortable spending with a company that displays such
a low-rent site. For all I know, this is some fly-by-night
storefront that will take my credit card information and then
disappear.
With some cosmetic surgery, however, Golf Circuit could reinvent
itself like Joan Rivers. If it hired a designer and created a
brand-building logo and tagline, it could be a force to reckon
with. For in a number of ways, the site's pretty good.
The copy, for instance, takes a breezy, conversational tone.
Here's how one product description begins: “There is one
thing that all golfers want; to make their game shorter.” It
continues a bit in this same chit-chat tone before listing all the
technical details. Another great idea is the “don't
forget” window that pops up to cross-sell and promote
additional items once you hit the checkout stand.
Then there are polls, a golf travel planner, the Daily Rules
Situation (which gives a scenario followed by an explanation of
what golfing rules, if any, apply), and the Daily Instruction tips.
All of these are surefire ways to keep customers and prospects
coming back again and again and again.
As far as The Cybercritic is concerned, however, these fun
features don't compensate for the lack of a privacy and security
policy. This glaring absence ties in to the lack of branding and
credibility evident on the home page. Though the prospect of saving
money is tempting, ultimately this site gives me fewer reasons to
order than it gives me reasons not to order.
