Lotte Hi-Mart gets into the swing of golf with Hi-Mart Golf

Model poses with Lotte Hi-Mart online golf store app.[LOTTE HI-MART]

Lotte Hi-Mart announced Tuesday it is getting into the golf business as outdoor sports have gained in popularity during the pandemic.

Lotte Hi-Mart's decision also comes as its earnings weaken and it looks for new sources of profit.

Customers will not only have access to the usual golf items, including golf clubs and balls, but also to related gadgets, including laser rangefinders and training gadgets, at "Hi-Mart Golf."

The golf shop's online presence will be offering video golf lessons from pro golfers updated every two weeks.

The shopping app will have a section selling secondhand products and direct imports.

The golf retailer's service center will provide assistance, including direct contact with manufacturers when products, such as laser rangefinders, break.

Customers will be able to visit two offline stores that Lotte Hi-Mart plans to open. Some 13 service centers will be operating as well.

"We plan to expand the availability of golf-related products," said Lee Suk-min, head of Lotte Hi-Mart's online product team.

Lotte Hi-Mart been struggling.

Last year, the company's revenue was 3.87 trillion won, down 4.3 percent from 2020 and the first time in five years under 4 trillion won.

On a net basis, it lost 57.4 trillion won.

Operating profit shrunk 30 percent year-on-year to 113.3 billion won. This was a stark contrast to 2020, when operating profit surged 46.6 percent largely due to people purchasing TVs and computers as they were stuck indoors during the pandemic.

As the pandemic lasted longer than anticipated, sales dropped. The growth of online shopping has also been a factor.

The company has expanded into the wholesaling and retailing of secondhand products, electric vehicle charging and the manufacturing and sale of alcohol.

Customers can test homemade beer makers in Lotte Hi-Mart stores and taste some of the output.

The electronics retailer is working with Lotte Foods. Customers that purchase a refrigerator at Lotte Hi-Mart by June will get a 30-percent discount on meal kits.

Lotte Shopping owns 65 percent of the electronics retailer, which was founded in 1987.

BY KIM MIN-SANG, LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]