By Dewy Fisher
Most people would be surprised at how popular golf carts have become over the last ten years. You now have big name international companies in the cart market, take Yamaha for instance. Golf carts use to be just for golfers, not so anymore.
Carts have expanded to other uses and thus market segments. They are being used anywhere and everywhere where things are spread out and people need to get around quickly. However, we are not talking about areas that are really big. Instead, we are talking about areas that are perhaps several acres or less. Good examples include, amusement parks, RV parks, college campuses, corporate campuses, shopping centers and school districts.
Carts are becoming more popular because they are more convenient than cars in these kind of situations and because they are cheaper and greener. If you run a large installation the cost of driving everyone around all the time in cars or trucks can be very expensive. Any trip that can be taken via a cart instead, represents a significant cost reduction. Also, carts are way greener and quieter.
Okay, so carts are becoming more popular and used in more and more ways and places. The result of this growth is a boom in golf cart after market parts. You would be amazed at the custom golf cart seat upgrades you can get. Cart seat covers come in hundreds of after market fashions. Cart wheels? An amazing array of cart wheels and tires are available. In fact, the number of choices rivals a car hot rod shop selection.
One result of the amazing number of options cart owners now have for customization is that they are now being used for branding. Companies and corporations are now deliberately using carts as branding tools. And why not, they are ideal.
One of the most common ways carts are turned into branding tools is through customization. Organizations are hopping up carts with fancy wheels, paint jobs, covers and in any other ways they can. Once they find a look they like, they roll it out to the rest of the fleet. For example, they may decide on a fancy paint job that mirrors the company logo and branding. This way, any time someone rides in one of the branded cart, they get what marketing people call an impression.
In summary, cart usage is on the increase because people are finding more practical uses for them. Carts save people time and money when used in situations where walking and or traveling in cars is not practical. The growth has led to a boom in after market parts that are used to customize carts. Companies are taking advantage of the ability to customize and thus brand, carts to boost their marketing efforts.
