Sporting Goods

Rackets are not the easiest product to merchandise, say marketers at Prince Manufacturing Inc., Princeton, N.J.In fact, they're so confusing to retailers and consumers, says Rick Margin, Prince's vice president of marketing, that the company saw the need to come up with "a complete remerchandising

When it comes to getting its point across, Tommy Armour Golf Co., Morton Grove, Ill., doesn't beat around the bush.

An acrylic cylinder filled with water showcases the Soft Scot II glove. The glove is mounted with plastic rivets to a plastic plate that bisects the tube.

The BNOX shipper measures 14 inches wide by 3 inches high by 12 inches deep and serves as a countertop display. Retailers fold out the shipper top and bend it back and down to produce a riser. An optional matching base for the shipper went into production in March 1995.

To separate its new Conform baseball glove from every other glove on the shelf, Wilson Sporting Goods, Chicago, has introduced the Area Dominator, a 13-inch-wide by 20-inch-tall by 6-inch-deep styrene shell that frames the high-priced specialty glove.The teal-colored shell connects (via pop-rivets)

When installed, the GolfLink system provides a P-O-P advertising opportunity for marketers of golf-related products -- as well as automobiles, beverages and motel chains -- in the pro shop or course superintendent's office.

Something's cooking in a new display unveiled by Raichle Molitor USA Inc., a Swiss ski products company with U.S. headquarters in Brewster, N.Y. -- ski boot liners. The display features a convection oven in which the liners are warmed and molded to a customer's feet.

The Wilson Conform Glove Area Dominator attaches to pegwall or slatwall. It frames the specialty gloves, which hang six-deep on a peghook.

While a foursome of golfers wait inside a country club pro shop for the rain to subside, one notices a computer monitor on the counter. A color graphic on the screen shows a new putter.

Swatch is to watches as the new BNOX will be to binoculars, hopes BNOX Inc., New York.

Raichle's new ThermoFlex liner floor unit features a convection oven. The liners are heated at 240 degrees for ten minutes and molded to the customer's feet, providing a 100% custom fit.

Although headquartered in Stoughton, Mass., Reebok International Ltd., takes a global approach to merchandising its widely marketed line of footwear and sporting accessories.Stores may change in size and aesthetics, but the product remains the same, and to a large extent, so does the customer.