Club Shop and Merchandising.

[chunksafc]

The life of an accountant in a business context is always about balancing competing interests, and playing devil's advocate more often than not. Merchandise can't simply be a service to supporters; it has to be an income stream too.

Your retired I believe? Bit I believe you still have rules to follow so I understand your caution.

However that's the first post on weeks that you have said what should be done. It needs highlighting for the good of the club

 

[Football Dinosaur]

The life of an accountant in a business context is always about balancing competing interests, and playing devil's advocate more often than not. Merchandise can't simply be a service to supporters; it has to be an income stream too.

Get the service to supporter bit right and it's a bigger income stream. If we stock sufficient quality affordable stock our supporters would snap it up.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

Get the service to supporter bit right and it's a bigger income stream. If we stock sufficient quality affordable stock our supporters would snap it up.

That's a problem in itself; suppliers tend to set the prices. What can be done is not letting suppliers fob us off with equal quantities of all sizes. The size distribution needs to follow a normal distribution curve skewed to the larger adult sizes; we need to recognise obesity is local phenemonen (impolitely, there are a disproportionate number of fat bastards (guilty as charged here)).

Your retired I believe? Bit I believe you still have rules to follow so I understand your caution.

However that's the first post on weeks that you have said what should be done. It needs highlighting for the good of the club

Not so much that as the habits of a lifetime. Think of us as a bit like the elves in Tolkien; "Go not to the elves for advice, for they will answer both yes and no".

 

[CissesUnderpants9]

That's a problem in itself; suppliers tend to set the prices. What can be done is not letting suppliers fob us off with equal quantities of all sizes. The size distribution needs to follow a normal distribution curve skewed to the larger adult sizes; we need to recognise obesity is local phenemonen (impolitely, there are a disproportionate number of fat bastards (guilty as charged here)).

6. Consider a city centre location (which would almost certainly have to be in the Bridges), subject to full forecasting models showing a clear cost-benefit.

and what about other shopping areas, durham, washington, etc etc.

 

[chunksafc]

That's a problem in itself; suppliers tend to set the prices. What can be done is not letting suppliers fob us off with equal quantities of all sizes. The size distribution needs to follow a normal distribution curve skewed to the larger adult sizes; we need to recognise obesity is local phenemonen (impolitely, there are a disproportionate number of fat bastards (guilty as charged here)).


Not so much that as the habits of a lifetime. Think of us as a bit like the elves in Tolkien; "Go not to the elves for advice, for they will answer both yes and no".

Again, there's a lot you could help with, improving the off the field stuff.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

6. Consider a city centre location (which would almost certainly have to be in the Bridges), subject to full forecasting models showing a clear cost-benefit.

and what about other shopping areas, durham, washington, etc etc.

Not enough weight of custom. Probably around 40% of the support is in the city, and the rest is scattered around the whole of Durham, the south side of the Tyne and parts of Northumberland. As I pointed out, too many branches close to each other just split the same sales across a higher cost base.

Again, there's a lot you could help with, improving the off the field stuff.

Er, I'm in Bristol, and have moblity issues. There are logistical problems, to put it miildly, plus I'm not allowed to offer paid or unpaid accountancy services, other than as a charity trustee under the terms of my life membership of the ICAEW.

 

[chunksafc]

Not enough weight of custom. Probably around 40% of the support is in the city, and the rest is scattered around the whole of Durham, the south side of the Tyne and parts of Northumberland. As I pointed out, too many branches close to each other just split the same sales across a higher cost base.


Er, I'm in Bristol, and have moblity issues. There are logistical problems, to put it miildly, plus I'm not allowed to offer paid or unpaid accountancy services, other than as a charity trustee under the terms of my life membership of the ICAEW.

Can you not offer impartial advice as an expert in the retail field?

 

[Football Dinosaur]

That's a problem in itself; suppliers tend to set the prices. What can be done is not letting suppliers fob us off with equal quantities of all sizes. The size distribution needs to follow a normal distribution curve skewed to the larger adult sizes; we need to recognise obesity is local phenemonen (impolitely, there are a disproportionate number of fat bastards (guilty as charged here)).


Not so much that as the habits of a lifetime. Think of us as a bit like the elves in Tolkien; "Go not to the elves for advice, for they will answer both yes and no".

Your right about size and since my injury woes I'm ballooning myself sadly. As has been mentioned though Hartlepool managed a decent deal and leeds, a similar sized club are making good money. There really is no excuse for us not to be doing better given our owners have been in for approaching 3 years. The off field needs to improve to higher degree than on field has. It's vital we make money in all areas, merchandise is advertising for the club too and if it looks poor it will reflect on us accordingly.

Not enough weight of custom. Probably around 40% of the support is in the city, and the rest is scattered around the whole of Durham, the south side of the Tyne and parts of Northumberland. As I pointed out, too many branches close to each other just split the same sales across a higher cost base.


Er, I'm in Bristol, and have moblity issues. There are logistical problems, to put it miildly, plus I'm not allowed to offer paid or unpaid accountancy services, other than as a charity trustee under the terms of my life membership of the ICAEW.

Think that's why the mobile shop would be a great idea, build up on social media weeks before arriving. That or pop up shops in towns and cities. They've all got retail space we could get for a song imo.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

Can you not offer impartial advice as an expert in the retail field?

It could be construed as providing consultancy (verboten). I can put the ideas out to the world at large for others to pick up the ball and run. I can't believe there aren't other people around with some exposure to senior retail management.

 

[CissesUnderpants9]

Not enough weight of custom. Probably around 40% of the support is in the city, and the rest is scattered around the whole of Durham, the south side of the Tyne and parts of Northumberland. As I pointed out, too many branches close to each other just split the same sales across a higher cost base.


Er, I'm in Bristol, and have moblity issues. There are logistical problems, to put it miildly, plus I'm not allowed to offer paid or unpaid accountancy services, other than as a charity trustee under the terms of my life membership of the ICAEW.

Yes, but a pop up store, at the shopping centres, during christmas time, and over the summer, pre season, seems reasonable.

 

[chunksafc]

It could be construed as providing consultancy (verboten). I can put the ideas out to the world at large for others to pick up the ball and run. I can't believe there aren't other people around with some exposure to senior retail management.

Subtle ideas may well be needed, there has been nothing in the past 18 months to suggest they know what they are doing.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

Your right about size and since my injury woes I'm ballooning myself sadly. As has been mentioned though Hartlepool managed a decent deal and leeds, a similar sized club are making good money. There really is no excuse for us not to be doing better given our owners have been in for approaching 3 years. The off field needs to improve to higher degree than on field has. It's vital we make money in all areas, merchandise is advertising for the club too and if it looks poor it will reflect on us accordingly.

Think that's why the mobile shop would be a great idea, build up on social media weeks before arriving. That or pop up shops in towns and cities. They've all got retail space we could get for a song imo.

I'd lean more towards a mobile to be honest. You'd only have a single one-off cost there, and popups are difficult at the best of times; there'd be a one-off cost every time you move, and the nature of the sales pattern in football marchandise (hevaily slanted to July/August and November/December) would make it difficult to get premises at the right time in many locations.

 

[Football Dinosaur]

I'd lean more towards a mobile to be honest. You'd only have a single one-off cost there, and popups are difficult at the best of times; there'd be a one-off cost every time you move, and the nature of the sales pattern in football marchandise (hevaily slanted to July/August and November/December) would make it difficult to get premises at the right time in many locations.

Sure we'd have sympathetic partners in showing areas, as for costs we can outfit premises as little as we like, as aldi/lidl have proven its the product that matters not the surroundings.

There were shops empty in shields, Sunderland/washington and Durham over Christmas and summer.

It's not an either or strategy imo we could do both, getting the staff and stock.is the issue currently.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

Sure we'd have sympathetic partners in showing areas, as for costs we can outfit premises as little as we like, as aldi/lidl have proven its the product that matters not the surroundings.

There were shops empty in shields, Sunderland/washington and Durham over Christmas and summer.

It's not an either or strategy imo we could do both, getting the staff and stock.is the issue currently.

Let's not run before we can walk. At the moment we're in the old getting lost in rural Ireland joke - "To be sure, if I was wanting to go there, I wouldn't be starting from here".

 

[nbtsafc]

seems good then, just out of interest because you given much to the thread, what do you think the club should be doing, shops etc or something more up to date, the Roker Report article, mentions a mobile store, so thoughts ?

I've been talking to a couple of lads off here and hope to be able to work with them to present a credible proposal at the next supporters collective meeting. I would welcome everyone's input and grievances specifically concerning the SAFC.COM website experience and the quality and availability of the products (clothing to accessories). Even if we don't get the gig I hope I'll have been helpful in turning things around in a positive manner.

 

[Deleted member 54076]

They did have a job on the website a while back but it covered way too many aspects. That included being head of retail and merchandising, along with head of ticketing and all those issues and some customer service and hospitality responsibilities as well.

I did look at it but it looked like the work of three people rolled into one and I didn't fancy it.

 

[Ned Land]

Has anyone else noticed/experienced the poor quality of the clothing goods from the SAFC online store?

We’ve had quite a few peeling badges but now I’ll have to return a training top that has a totally shite zip.

 

[ftm1971]

Horrid that.

Also came across this for £27 does anyone actually buy these?

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Bloody hell

Bought one for me Dad for Father's Day

 

[Football Dinosaur]

Let's not run before we can walk. At the moment we're in the old getting lost in rural Ireland joke - "To be sure, if I was wanting to go there, I wouldn't be starting from here".

We certainly shouldn't be thinking small. Not if what we're being told about our owners is true. Our support base is there. Team did OK last year, if stock was there and available we'd have sold it. We missed out on the pitch last year but if was no where near what we lost out on off the pitch. The argument about where we are is redundant, they've owned club for nearly 3 years. More than enough time for even small modest improvement. We've seen regression if anything.

 

[Mackemansj1]

Has anyone else noticed/experienced the poor quality of the clothing goods from the SAFC online store?

We’ve had quite a few peeling badges but now I’ll have to return a training top that has a totally shite zip.

Yeah my season before last home top the badge just fell off, I refuse to buy another home top until they go back to the badge being real and not a plastic stick on.