What do you look for in an online retailer?

[OnePuttDiscGolf]

I am pursuing the idea of opening up a new disc golf online store and would like some feedback from the community.

What do you look for when shopping for discs, etc.??

Do you enjoy rewards programs, free shipping, customer service, fast shipping, pictures of every disc?Why do you shop where you shop? I'm trying to create a great customer experience and any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

[demon102]

I can tell you one thing, it's annoying when you're trying to buy something online and there isn't enough info on it. Was looking at an online retailer that is linked around here by other posters a lot and when you look at the info for discs it just has like 2 sentences saying how great it is and that it's either US, S or OS. I just decided to give up cuz they didn't even have the standard flight specs. When shopping online you want as much info as possible on the product inlcuding pics which they were also short on. Was actually kinda pathetic in this day in age, seemed like something you might see 10+ years ago.


Beyond that, good customer service and competitive prices seem to always be key to good business with emphasis on customer service.

 

[Noill]

I like knowing what disc I am getting pretty exactly... that is, I want to pick the color and weight

The cart needs to be easy enough to use... setting up an account is easy too

I don't care how fancy the site is at all... just the meat and potatoes is all I need

 

[MarkDSM]

weight and color. Pic if a vibram or exotic
Inventory depth as I tend to buy a couple or more of same disc.
PayPal checkout. I feel I've had fewer shipping errors using PayPal checkout and it is speedy
Advert or presence here is a plus and some of my first browses when shopping

Not a rewards guy.

 

[Stable]

I buy most of my discs off ebay because I like to see a picture of the one I'm buying. Free shipping is great too!

 

[slowplastic]

Colour/weight. Shipping prices easily found. Pictures are great, but colour listing is ok if specific (yellow, or neon yellow, or yellow-green?). List of disc spec's (rim width, speed, flight numbers), and insert of Inbounds flight chart or something usable. A comment box per disc for requests ("I want flat/domey, stiff/gummy, etc"). Maybe even checkbox or option to be contacted if request is not possible (say you request a beefy/domey Destroyer, there is only flat...they contact you rather than just send the next best option if you selected that checkbox).

 

[sumo21]

The main factor is weight. If they ain't got my weight, I'm not buying it. Period. This is I don't buy online retail. Plus the fact that disc golf stores usually have some type of rewards club that it's probably in your best interest to buy from them, plus you can be specific about your order and the disc golf stores will know what to do or how to handle the situation.

Other factors are plastic and color, but they're not important. The discs in my bag are a rainbow of colors, so you know why it's not a factor.

 

[mark996]

Unless someone is running a big sale, I typically only buy from Hyzer Farm on eBay. Communication is important. If I have to wait 3 days to hear back during normal business days, you don't want my money.

 

[JRW III]

Good price after shipping
Choice of color and weight
Deep selection by color and weight
Ease of shopping
Only need picture for unique discs

I have used Disc Golf Center for years and now get 8% loyalty discount. They have everything I am looking for. Would be challenging to get me to switch.

 

[Finny]

I'd be willing to pay slightly more per disc if the site gave me all of the following:

1. Each disc individually weighed
2. I pick exact weight and color
3. Free shipping
4. Large inventory

 

[fritothedog]

I use Disc Golf Center for online shopping. I like everything they do: free shipping, good prices, flight numbers for all discs to compare them, choose color and weight. Only thing I wish they had was a way to compare discs more easily.

 

[dashiellx]

Would be challenging to get me to switch.

I'm going to have to say I agree with this. This is really a niche sport and between the local shops and the already existing online retailers I'm unsure that the market needs another one.

 

[JeremyKShort]

Color selection, weight, shipping time. There are a few that I use only as last resort because of how long it takes the discs to get to me. I live a few hours away from disc nation, so they get the discs to me really quick.

 

[CrowLegs]

Copy what Infinite Discs is doing. Pictures of every single disc. Good filters for research. Highlight what's new and cool.

Cheap and/or free shipping is also huge for me.

Point or other loyalty gimmicks are not important to me.

 

[jeremyhilss]

I just need color, EXACT weight, and plastic type. I'm still not one to buy 4 discs at a time, so as long as there's one, I'm normally good.

That being said, Marshall Street is my online source, for all of three discs I've bought online haha , one from amazon, two from MS. I usually buy from my local Dunhams though.

 

[bradharris]

Gotta have a fairly sizable inventory. Often, I'm buying a variety of different things when I buy online. If I can't find everything I'm looking for, I'll go somewhere else.

 

[scarpfish]

I rarely buy discs online anymore because I don't need them more than 1-2 at a time these days, and brick and mortar sources around here have gotten exponentially better over the last 3-4 years. Many of the discs I end up with just come from the same suppliers that I was ordering online from anyway.

 

[ThrowBot]

What do I look for in an online disc retailer? Interesting question. Normally I'm looking for discs ...but I'm guessing tautology isn't the desired response.

If I'm buying online it's because I don't think I can find what I want at a local shop. I like to support local businesses but selection around here is limited, so one big draw for online retailers is selection. Limited run and/or rare stuff interests me personally, but also just a solid selection of "stock" offerings could be a big draw as well. If you have the selection necessary to make an online store worthwhile, then good descriptions and filter/search tools are necessary just to make that selection manageable.

I don't mind paying for shipping, but I think that offering free shipping at some point is a smart business move. For example, the Innova factory store offers free shipping if your order exceeds $75. That definitely drives up their sales. I can't tell you the number of times I've heard a friend say that they bought extra discs because they wanted to save a few bucks on shipping.

 

[grotto]

Actually, nothing. I pretty much give up on online ordering. I'm batting around 50% in purchase satisfaction so it actually costs me more in the long-run than buying from a brick and mortar shop.

Got a box full of discs that are of no use to me;
DX Roc that's as soft as a Vibram disc
Star Orc that's harder and slicker than any Champion disc I have ever handled
Polecat with the biggest dome I've ever seen on a disc
Z-Comet that's puddle topped
River with a flat top
And the list goes on......

Not worth the quest to save a few dollars anymore. I pretty much have everything I need now anyway, so browsing in shops is just about buying backups or the occasional try of a new mold.

 

[bhadella]

If DiscGolfCenter added pics for every disc (instead of only non-standard colors) I probably wouldn't shop anywhere else ever. Matching stamp colors are especially important to me when buying putters as I want to be identical so that I cannot identify one from the other.

Great functioning site, depth of inventory, great price points and free shipping.