Starting a Second Chapter in Business with Golf Apparel Rental Services
As the golf industry experiences a boom, related startups are also increasing. Lee Young-jin, CEO of Jams Golf (photo), said, "The number of female customers in their 20s and 30s has significantly increased." [Photo by Jams Golf]
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] #Office worker Jeong Seohyun (34) fell late last autumn into golf. Although she had some prior experience on the field (golf course), it was only since last autumn, after receiving systematic lessons and preparing meticulously, that she began to enjoy it. However, Jeong had one concern. Although people around her often said she was stylish, it was difficult for her to afford multiple sets of golf apparel costing tens of thousands of won each season. Especially winter golf clothing was pricey, making it hard to open her wallet readily. Then she discovered ‘golf apparel rental.’
Golf apparel rental means consumers pay a certain amount of the retail price as a rental fee to borrow and wear the clothing. Although the rental fee must be paid each time the clothes are borrowed, the advantage is that there is no need for separate storage or laundry costs.
This is ideal for those who play golf intermittently or for winter clothing, which is expensive and bulky to store, especially during the changing seasons like now. Although overseas golf travel is still difficult due to COVID-19, when traveling to regions with completely different weather, purchasing clothing is not easy, so rental can be more convenient.
Lee Young-jin, CEO of Jams Golf, saw the potential in this market and started a golf apparel rental company last January. She leveraged her experience working as an airline stewardess for five years and running an English academy for ten years. Although the industries differ, service work involving customer contact is fundamentally similar.
CEO Lee explained, “The expansion of the golf market and the increase in golf population, including the MZ generation, brighten the market outlook itself,” adding, “Women in their 20s and 30s who pursue their own style and individuality are the main customer base.” She plans to grow Jams Golf into a golf apparel distribution platform through application development and other means.
In particular, CEO Lee highlights the advantage of same-day delivery upon order. She said, “Recently, contactless delivery has expanded from food delivery services like Baedal Minjok and Coupang Eats to the clothing sector,” adding, “Rental clothing services such as laundry companies Laundrigo and Laundry Special Forces also offer same-day delivery in the metropolitan area.”
She has recently embarked on new product development. She plans to develop and sell a product that adds elasticity to a ‘windbreaker,’ making it comfortable not only for golf but also for outdoor activities.
Due to the COVID-19 situation, the golf industry is experiencing a boom. It has achieved record-high sales and operating profits, comparable to a ‘golden goose’ for the golf course industry, and related sectors such as screen golf, golf equipment, and golf apparel are also showing clear growth trends. According to the recent ‘KB Self-Employment Analysis Report’ by KB Management Research Institute, the golf population last year was 5.15 million, an increase of 460,000 from the previous year. Among new golf entrants within three years, the MZ generation (a term collectively referring to Millennials and Generation Z, born from the 1980s to early 2000s) accounts for nearly two-thirds.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
