If you are looking for a good way to build up a golf cart trading enterprise but don’t have the sort of capital that will enable you to run out of a large premises and meet all the different requirements that becoming an associated dealer has attached to it, then starting off a trade in parts alone can be a great way to get where you want to.
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How to Order Golf Cart Parts from China
Unlike as a branded affiliate, you will not be able to draw on a brand name and will want to maximize profits but ensure you provide great products so your customers come back and maybe even choose you over branded options once you have built up a trusted relationship. A great way to do this is by making links with companies in China, the manufacturing house for the world, but how do you make these links.
Well, a great brand that many people in the golf-carting world are working with goes by the Banggood.com running with the slogan “good life doesn’t cost a fortune”. This little known company has the systems and logistics in place to organize 24-hour delivery meaning you can operate a stockless golf cart trading shop online or operate as a physical shop without needing to find the capital to invest in asset risks before you have found a seller.
We’ll outline some top tips on how to become a golf cart dealer, how to order golf cart parts from china, break down the key parts that make a golf-cart function and link you to our trusted ‘Golf cart dealers near me’ using our golf cart accessories near me tool below.
What Are the Parts of a Golf Cart?
Golf carts can be electric or gas, with the former tending to have around 2000 moving parts and the latter a whopping 2,000 or more moving parts. With that in mind, it is not possible to list all the parts of a golf-cart, not least because that would make for very boring reading.
However, we will run you through the key parts of golf-carts that are likely to be the biggest profit makers whether you wish to run a golf cart or a golf cart parts trading business.
#1 Battery accessories
With typical battery life for electric golf-carts anywhere between a year (if looked after badly) and 10 years (when cared for optimally), accessories that enable people to maximize battery life are going to be a staple of your golf cart parts business. Battery power LED indicators are a great way to monitor battery health and make sure people stay on top of it.
You’ll also find battery cables are regularly needed by customers with electric golf carts, along with voltage regulators, replacement batteries, and replacement battery chargers for golf cart batteries.
#2 Carburetors
Just as batteries fail quickly after poor maintenance in electric golf carts, carburetors are also massively liable to fail when not looked after properly in gas golf carts. Whether you are planning on running a golf cart parts trading business or currently run a gas golf cart, it is likely you will need to engage with replacement carburetors.
Carburetors can become dirty, flogged or flooded easily enough over time. If your golf-cart (or that of a customer) is running with poor fuel efficiency, idles too quickly, idles roughly, stalls easily at low speeds, or hesitates under heavier loads, there is a good chance a replacement carburettor is needed.
#3 Solenoids
Solenoids are a form of switch flicking between your golf cart generator and your battery in both gas-powered and electric golf carts. They allow or prevent current to flow from your generator engine or traction motor (on gas and electric respectively). Solenoids have a tough life as they are engaged the entire time the acceleration pedal is pressed down which means they tend to break frequently.
This means whether you’re a gold cart owner or a golf cart parts seller, these are going to be important parts to get your head around. Fortunately, they are fairly cheap too. Check out our ‘club car parts near me tool’ below to find your nearest dealer of golf cart parts.
#4 Golf cart tires
Whilst golf cart tires don’t usually require replacing as regularly as normal cars do to their being used rather less frequently and under less stressful conditions, this is still a major trading area for replacements when it comes to golf carts. Check out our Golf Cart Tires Near Me tool below to find trusted traders near you.
#5 Windshields, mirrors, and other accessories:
Just as with cars, windshields are liable to breaking, and Banggood offer a wide range of windshields that fit a range of branded goods from Yamaha’s to E-Z-GO. Freely switchable windshields that are foldable, semi-closed and fully enclosed can also be offered. Extra or replacement mirrors are a classic need on cars and it is no different on golf carts.
Unfortunately, golf cart pedals do have a tendency to break as cheap cabling is often used so any golf-parts business is going to need to be well prepared to assist customers with these needs. Ignition coils can also fail but are a cheap fix which will please golf cart users. For gas golf carts, fuel pump replacements are another area where replacements may be needed more regularly than other parts.
Just as with cars, headlights and taillights burn out, get smashed, or inexplicably stop working. With more and more people using golf carts on the roads, this is not a trivial matter and will be a major component of any golf cart parts business.
As you can see, there are a range of golf cart parts that are relatively cheap, small, and easy to fix that don’t require you to have large premises or stockpiles as a golf cart parts trader. However, in addition to these smaller parts, you may also find a broader range of parts that will be useful to source:
#6 Body paneling:
Made from sheet steel as well as fiberglass and aluminum, bodywork is inevitably something that golf cart users are going to need assistance with.
#7 The Chassis:
If golf carts tumble or are used in ways they shouldn’t be the tubular steel used in the chassis construction, may be an area where reinforcements and replacement is required.
#8 Transaxle subassembly parts:
From gears and bearings, through to axle shafts and axle housing, these parts of a golf cart can be harder to fix making them a potentially lucrative area to be able to offer assistance in for a golf parts trader.
#9 The rack and pinion steering assembly:
As with any moving part, the effects of wear and tear over a longer lifetime can take their effect so if someone is trying to maximize the lifespan of their golf cart this may be an area of potential sales.
Whether you have an interest in becoming a golf cart dealer, sell golf cart parts or just want to know where you can find some spare parts for your own golf cart, in this post, you’ll find the answers to your questions.
How to become a dealer of Golf Carts
If you have an entrepreneurial spark and are looking for a new business venture, then you could do worse than check out the possibilities of becoming a golf cart parts dealer. But what is a golf cart dealer? Golf cart dealers tend to be associates to brands who sell golf carts and golf cart parts. They can be individuals or businesses and gain authorization to lead on selling products from specific brands in certain areas.
Here, we will outline how you can set up as a golf cart trader.
#1 Pick a brand to work as an associate dealer for
Different brands have various requirements of their associate dealers, with most requiring a physical premises, certain staffing levels, and certain marketing expectations. Many brands also place restrictions on the area given dealers can operate in, which can be beneficial in terms of making sure you get a decent market share where you set up shop.
Obviously, you need to check out the specifics of the associate schemes to ensure you are eligible to help you choose which brand to work with. Working with more well-known brands will mean you are able to sell product lines with proven track records but will come with more oversight of and over your setup. Less well-known brands will be less of a headache to get started with and will mean you might be able to sell your parts cheaper but you won’t be able to draw on a brand name to bring people in.
#2 Brush up on your mechanical skills
Most gold cart dealers are expected to have at least a moderate level of mechanical skills, accompanying tools, and a workshop to do repairs in whether you plan to work for a major brand or not. However, if personal mechanical skills are not your forte then this issue can be overcome so long as you can prove your team will have the necessary skills to help customers.
#3 Ensure you can abide by the code of conduct for dealers
The brand you choose to work for will have a code of conduct for sellers that will be rigidly enforced. Make sure you check out a few different brands’ codes of conduct to see where you will fit in the easiest to the company structure and expectations. Typical expectations will be honesty, integrity, and fairness in all your dealings, be that with individual customers or other businesses.
#4 Pick the right brand for (and before) your location
To become a golf cart dealer you will likely need to meet certain expectations in terms of space. Some brands require a show room of at least 800 square feet, if you are tied to a particular space, you’ll need to carefully check requirements placed on dealers. Other common requirements include:
- illuminated signs;
- external logo display signs;
- customer parking;
- strictly observed office hours;
- well-lit showrooms;
- forklift capabilities;
- primary road location, etc.
Because each brand has different requirements, it is best to pick the brand you wish to work with before deciding on a premises.
#5 Make sure you have enough capital
There are a range of factors that will affect how much golf cart dealers earn with some of these factors outside of your control. As such, no matter how well planned you think you are, you will need to give yourself the financial space for any lean times in your business cycle. You can also implement marketing strategies to try and help you overcome any difficulties that arise.
Fortunately, golf carts appeal to a wider and wider range of people these days and are not just for the golf course anymore. This means, you have a growing market to target so if you target the right slice of the market pie and make sure your geographic location is good, you’ll be sure to do well out of this venture.
As you can see, setting up as a golf cart dealer has plenty of benefits but also a number of risks and some major requirements that you will need to meet. If this seems like too much of a challenge, then you still might not want to throw in the towel just yet as becoming a golf cart parts trader is much easier.
Conclusion
Starting up as a golf cart dealer or trader in golf cart parts can be a great new business venture and doesn’t have to involve major risk. If you are just a golf cart customer, it can also be pleasing to realize that golf cart parts are now much more easily sourced whether you want a trusted brand or are happy with good quality alternatives.
The golf cart trade is a growing one, follow the tips above if you are interested in getting a slice of this pie.
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