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8 Replies Last post: Dec 31, 2008 6:37 PM by a16wall

lacrosse retail store

Dec 18, 2008 2:55 AM

a16wall 4 posts since
Dec 18, 2008

I want to start a lacrosse retail store. I understand that it is best to buy from wholesale distributors but the only thing is that there is none. Would I buy through the actual manufacturers? for example maverik, warrior, brine, ect..

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LUCKIEST 7,935 posts since
Aug 6, 2007

1. Re: lacrosse retail store Dec 18, 2008 7:36 AM

lacrosse retail store, Welcome

Tell us more. Who are you?? Where are you??

How soon do you plan on starting this lacrosse store??

What is your background?? Have you developed a Business and marketing Plan??

Good luck, LUCKIEST

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playaction 11 posts since
Dec 17, 2008

2. Re: lacrosse retail store Dec 18, 2008 11:45 AM

Hey there. I used to coach football and always found the best deals dealing directly with the manufacture whenever possible. Riddell is one that I know, at least used to, sell lacrosse equipment direct. You may want to contact them and tell the sales rep what you are planning, and then do the same with the other manufacturers. I used to order form footballamerica.com for most of my other stuff. Maybe there is a sports site that has a resellers program or something you can look into.
Hope this helps!
-Darrick

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Lighthouse24 2,396 posts since
Oct 10, 2007

3. Re: lacrosse retail store Dec 18, 2008 12:15 PM

You're right, lacrosse equipment retails a little differently. In the U.S., most manufacturers such as Brine and STX have an authorized dealer network and only sell directly to those dealers. Further, they hold the import agreements for most of the lacrosse equipment that's manufactured outside the U.S., so you can't really get that stuff either without going through them.

There are some giant on-line retailers that have "wholesale" divisions which sell to smaller retail stores, but it's really more like they offer a bulk/quantity discount than true wholesale pricing. If you tried to stock a brick-and-mortar shop that way alone, you'd probably have to price your merchandise higher than the on-line retail prices of the superstore supplier you bought it from (a local bike or ski shop can operate that way and make a profit because they offer customer services to offset the higher than on-line price -- I'm not sure you could do that with lacrosse equipment).

So bottom line, you'll probably have to contact an account manager at each the manufacturers you'd want to represent.

Hope that helps. Good luck with you enterprise.

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a16wall 4 posts since
Dec 18, 2008

4. Re: lacrosse retail store Dec 20, 2008 3:50 PM

Thank you for the quick and good responses.

Along with buying directly from the manufacturers how much do you think I would expect to spend with each manufacturers products ranging from 50-120 products. With about six major manufacturers.

I extremely appreciate your help.

Thanks,
Andrew

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a16wall 4 posts since
Dec 18, 2008

5. Re: lacrosse retail store Dec 24, 2008 3:13 PM

in response to: Lighthouse24

Lighthouse,

Thanks for the quick response.

First of all I would have to contact all of the manufacturers and ask them if I can be a distributor. I understand it can be difficult and they mostly want brick and mortar stores instead of online, so ontop of my online business I plan to have a trailer to sell around my city. My city is definitely lacking a lacrosse store, the closest to us is about an hour away, so most lacrosse players from around my area buy online. But my question is when buying directly from the manufacturers would I have to buy in bulk to get the good deals, or buy in small quantities while still getting the cheap equipment, or would they possibly be willing to drop ship?

Thanks,
Andrew

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Lighthouse24 2,396 posts since
Oct 10, 2007

6. Re: lacrosse retail store Dec 26, 2008 5:35 PM

in response to: a16wall

Your last post was the first mention of this being an on-line business. Honestly, I doubt if you'll get a major manufacturer to consider your store in that context (they already have a network of huge well-established on-line retailers, so thinking about it from their perspective, what advantage would there be to them to take on a newer and smaller one?).

I don't know the lacrosse equipment business specifically, but most sporting good specialty equipment manufacturers have certain minimum purchasing requirements for brick-and-mortar retailers (you often have to accept and stock a lot of low margin product that you know isn't going to move very fast in order to get enough of the high margin product that will). If you're trying to get initial inventory to stock a trailer with desirable equipment for local sale (without having to hit retail quotas and buy/carry a lot of "dog product" that you may never sell), you may be better off ordering from those on-line super-retailers who offer "wholesale" (quantity) pricing, and then marking that up to retail-plus for your small local business. You probably could run an "order taking" business on-line in addition, and find a super-retailer to handle the fulfillment side of that. It seems like it has nice "side business" potential, but I'm not sure one could make a living at it (your business plan will determine that, of course).

Again, good luck.

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gatorman 3 posts since
Dec 31, 2008

7. Re: lacrosse retail store Dec 31, 2008 10:08 AM

I bought a lacrosse store, but before I did, I called all of the big guys, just like you did.

The one thing I found out is that to be competitive in the market you have to take advantage of the Lacrosse Manufactures best deals.

Like one helmet company will give you a standard discount and reevaluate you at the end of the year. Depending on how many helmets you sold they could or could not give you a deeper discount.

Some manufactures want you to commit to large booking orders, which in some cases will also give you special terms in which to pay for the items you bought.

Some manufactures will not open up an account for you unless certain Lacrosse manufactures are willing to open you up.

I would say 95% of them have a mile radius (like 20 miles) to where they will not open up another brick and mortar store within that radius.

One piece of advice.....take your time. Talk to people in the industry about your ideal and see what they say. Believe me they are a very good measuring stick for what will and what will not work.
Lastly, find one manufacture that is willing to work with you and build your relationship with them. Those are the people to rmember when you make it big time! You do not need to sale every manufacture of lacrosse equipment to be successful. Make your business different.

Good Luck!

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a16wall 4 posts since
Dec 18, 2008

8. Re: lacrosse retail store Dec 31, 2008 6:37 PM

in response to: gatorman

Gatorman,

I really appreciate the extremely helpful response. Is there any way you could go more in depth to help me through some unclear areas? If so just e-mail me at foosball232@yahoo.com.

Thank you,

Andrew

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ForumsStarting a Business

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lacrosse retail store

Dec 18, 2008 2:55 AM

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