Food for thought

[Paulie]

Lets say a brand new, never thrown, 10/10 Star Valk is $18 at Le Disceaux's (circle R, circle C and TM, so don't go jacking my name). I'm not paying $18 for the 8 or 9/10 used Star Valk right next to it.

I doubt I'd pay $15 or $14 for it either when I can have the new one for 3 or 4 bucks more. If I did, it'd have to be a disc I really, really wanted and couldn't find elsewhere.

Also, I would not want to be bothered with having to bring a disc back in 'x' amount of time and hope Le Disceaux's (very LLC) agrees that it is still 8 or 9/10 condition. I don't spike my discs into the tee pad (they go a little farther than that before crashing) but I don't want to be handling it like fine China either.

Add to that the sellability and tradability present on DG forums (namely DGCR. Highly recommended) and amongst DGers in general, I don't think this disc test drive idea will fly.

Now, if there were a shop on a course that had loaner discs or even rental discs (if they were like, a dollar) I may do that. I may even try to haggle a test disc out of them for super cheap if I really liked it. But then, someone would steal them. Hey, a like new Star Valk for a dollar is a good deal. You'd have to have some way to persuade people to return them. Maybe they leave their driver's license at the shop.

 

[plastic cannon]

I would argue that you do get what you pay for. Discs manufactured to higher QA standards would cost much more than what we pay for now. With the growth of disc golf lately, and the amount of new manufactures, I don't think it will be too long before someone comes along with a disc made to a higher standard, and also comes with a higher price.

i feel this way too. you do get what you pay for. discraft does pretty good with run consistency(not perfect)and generally offers a good product at a reasonable price. im sure we will see a company come along one day and blow us all away with awesome molds, plastic and run consistency.

 

[craftsman]

All prem discs fly like poo when new.
I like the variation within molds.
Ive seen folks use the throw shop's testers and sink them in the drink.


Imo, an expierenced player with a good skill set shouldnt have problems picking the right discs.

 

[craftsman]

"blow US alll away....with consistancy"

Lol, who's us?? Am/rec players???
One of our local pros had some handpicked forces that are nice and (over)stable like EVERYONE loves.
Imo, they suck. Way too overstable for me to work with. So who do you think theyd cater a fast, overstable mold to, me, a crappy am player or their sponsored pros?

 

[plastic cannon]

Lol, who's us?? Am/rec players???

i was talking about the general disc golf community. pros and ams alike would appreciate buying the same disc again if they liked it and lost it. it could be joe noob who only throws a lets say boss 250. if he liked it, he liked it. his skill level wont determine how he feels about his disc. like i said, if he liked it, thats what matters.

 

[craftsman]

PC, sorry, not trying to pick on you. I just dont agree that we can all agree on what we like.
As far as skill and plastic preference i dont see a general population. It seems theres a lot of love for flat discs; personally, i usually prefer domey.
I do think skill plays a major role in one's feelings of a mold. If you take a player that throws a boss 250 and one that cranks em 500, imo, the 250 thrower would benifit from one with more turn while the other would likey prefer a more dependable fade.

 

[plastic cannon]

PC, sorry, not trying to pick on you. I just dont agree that we can all agree on what we like.
As far as skill and plastic preference i dont see a general population. It seems theres a lot of love for flat discs; personally, i usually prefer domey.
I do think skill plays a major role in one's feelings of a mold. If you take a player that throws a boss 250 and one that cranks em 500, imo, the 250 thrower would benifit from one with more turn while the other would likey prefer a more dependable fade.

i do agree with that. and no worries, no harm done

 

[captain jack]

Discs and shoes.
Two things you really are better off buying from a brick and mortar store.
I've been so psyched up to try a new disc, thinking it will be perfect for me, then, when I go to the store, I hate the way it feels in my hand.
Its either yes or no, there is no middle ground for me, so I need to touch it before I buy it.
Same with shoes, they could be gods gift to the human race, but they might feel like spiny boulders on my feet.

I will also not buy a used disc, because no matter how perfect it looks, if its hit one surface hard it can change the way it flies, so it may not be what I am looking for.
You cant tell if a disc has the perfect level of beatness until you throw it.
Not worth the risk for me, so I only buy new.

 

[Oklahyzer]

I don't see it happening unless you're chummy with a shop owner, but I've always thought that tester discs or rentals would be a neat idea...even if discs are cheap. On one hand, a shop could lose money this way since players ending up with only the discs they really like might limit sales. On the other hand, if they did a cheap rental system with deposit, they could make up some of that difference or even profit, and might also get some customer loyalty. A buck or two for rental with a deposit for the cost of a new disc or slightly higher? Sure would be a neat way to try out discs that I might otherwise not take the risk of buying. Awhile ago I would have gladly plunked down five or ten bucks to take a few drivers out for a test drive. As it was, I was able to find two of the candidates used 9/10 for cheap and bought a third at retail...about $30 total. As expected, one of the three was what I was looking for. With a test drive rental my expense would have been half and I wouldn't have extra discs taking up space or the hassle of selling them. (Not a big deal here at all, any way about it...just an example.)

 

[fantasydiscgolf]

Disc Golf Rental

I've spent some time thinking about this. It's nice to feel the disc before you throw a mold you already like....and most golfers should know what they like. But what about all the new, smaller market discs? My head is spinning with how many different choices there seem to be now. I just finally threw my first Ion and touched my first Westside.

And if you live in an area that doesn't have a shop, what do you do?

I'm really curious if a Netflix of disc golf could happen and what you would pay monthly for it? Shipping is subsidized by your monthly fee. If you like the disc, buy it and get the next in your queue. If you don't like it, send it back and try another.

Obviously there are a lot of problems for the vendor here with shipping and what to do with used plastic. To make the idea worthwhile, I think you'd have to charge ~$15/mo, assume the idea actually sells discs, figure out what do do with used discs and hope that for as many people who work the equation, there are an equal or greater number of lazy people.

Who'd pay for this service?

 

[craftsman]

Isnt that what that disc trade thread is??

 

[ohtobediscing]

Between trunk vendors, Next Adventure[PIAS-like], and trading, I have multiples of my go-tos, new molds to try when I'm feeling experimental, and understables/not-my-styles to retrade.

 

[Todd Wiley]

I am currently working on a disc exchange program with the local dg brick & mortar store through my disc golf club. Although we will be capping the exchange at $4 max and basing it off of condition/plastic type. The brick & mortar store will be exchanging discs for in store credit while the dg club resells the discs for fundraising purposes.

Example; Innova Star/Champ 8/10 disc would get $4 in store credit, club would resell for $8 at the dg course swap meet and reimburse the dg store for their store credit

We are currently working out the kinks, but the idea seems feesible. The store loses nothing, which is great for the small local retailer. The small club gains some much needed course funds.

 

[icedpuck]

Maybe a $5 fee to the customer for the try out, then the retailer could put the disc in the used bin. That way you only paid a fin for a disc you didn't like. Or donate all them ones you don't like to solomon trnton and get a tax write off. Anybody wanna try my oodles of discs?

 

[DavidSauls]

Of course, anyone can buy a new disc, anywhere, try it out, and then, if you don't like it, sell it locally, in the marketplace, on Craigslist, etc. For full price, if you really think a barely-thrown disc will get the same price as an unthrown new one. Then you can take that money to buy and try another new disc.

If you think that's too much trouble and risk, then you'll have an idea why a retailer might not want to undertake it for you.

 

[18Down]

I know Discaddie in Marietta GA has had "loaner" discs for the community to try out. I have never had the need to participate but many newer players are overwhelmed by the choices. Once you try the loaner, the seller can guide you through your next purchase based on your review of the "loaner" after you get to play with it for a few rounds. I believe he does this with most new molds. Now, he doesn't have 3-5 in various levels of wear and ALL molds, that would cost too much. Once you get hooked on a new mold guess where the golfer goes to buy a couple. To be honest I thought more vendors were doing this.


A buy and return policy after use is just plain bad business practice. That will never happen. "Loaners" on the other hand I think would drive business.

 

[craftsman]

I am currently working on a disc exchange program with the local dg brick & mortar store through my disc golf club. Although we will be capping the exchange at $4 max and basing it off of condition/plastic type. The brick & mortar store will be exchanging discs for in store credit while the dg club resells the discs for fundraising purposes.

Example; Innova Star/Champ 8/10 disc would get $4 in store credit, club would resell for $8 at the dg course swap meet and reimburse the dg store for their store credit

We are currently working out the kinks, but the idea seems feesible. The store loses nothing, which is great for the small local retailer. The small club gains some much needed course funds.

That is an incredable idea. For the buisness, it works like a coupon that doesnt cost them anything and gets tgem a sale......if you can sell them.

 

[Todd Wiley]

That is an incredable idea. For the buisness, it works like a coupon that doesnt cost them anything and gets tgem a sale......if you can sell them.

That would be the only real worry I have at the moment. Being able to offload the used plastic locally. My other thought, of course, would be putting them up on the marketplace.

 

[Smigles]

Why not go to a tournament and try the new discs there ? So far I have never been refused when asking at a tournament-store if I can go to the field just over there and try em before i buy em.