Club Shop and Merchandising.

i'd disagree with that like, simply because of the irreversible trend towards the death of high street retail. in another 10 years there'll be practically no shops left that can operate online.

the stadium for me is the right place for the club shop due to the vast amounts of free parking on non match days, it just needs opening up properly. in hindsight, it should have been incorporated into the Black Cat house... it should be marketed as the SAFC Mega Store or whatever and have stacks and stacks of merchandise all year round.

its so tucked away at the moment that on a normal match day i'd say 99% of fans don't walk past it or see it.

it should be merged with the ticket office somehow, in front of the stadium for all to see and lit up like times square
They should have sections inside the ground that are set up to sell merchandise. Excited fans or better yet a drunk happy fan will more likely buy some cheap tat on a whim.
 


Got to disagree with the negative posts.
Was in last week and got a couple of items in “Lardy Lads Sizes” no bother, and there was plenty of different items to choose from
 
Yes that's me mate - crap website, best to use [email protected] email address. I work with agencies set up within this sector and as I'm so aware of the quality of the SAFC merchandise offer I'd love to get involved to make things better. I just need to work with pressure groups like RAWA to see if there's any way in past the gatekeeper.
That site, which with respect is pretty weak, seems to be mainly publicising clothing etc., no mention of the other aspects you initially mentioned. When you mention Liverpool FC what does the company do for them and how often? Again with respect I can’t see you doing all their digital media etc..

Don’t mean to be disrespectful but it all looks pretty low profile for a world renowned sporting organisation to put all their promotional work through this company?
 
Yes that's me mate - crap website, best to use [email protected] email address. I work with agencies set up within this sector and as I'm so aware of the quality of the SAFC merchandise offer I'd love to get involved to make things better. I just need to work with pressure groups like RAWA to see if there's any way in past the gatekeeper.
Hi mate, I'll send you an email so you can forward on some more info. I expect merchandising will be on the agenda at the next meeting with the club although depending on their existing deals they might have their hands tied. Certainly when they come out of this deal (ideally they'd get themselves out of it early) they need to make sure they have an offering much more befitting of a club and supporter base this size
 
We need something far, far better.
@Cack Stottie @Guinness Guzzler I’d do some homework first as I don’t think these are the people to put forward.
To be honest mate I wouldn't feel comfortable putting anyone forward. Football club merchandising certainly isn't my day job so, even if I had details about what a company do, I don't think it would be right for RAWA to be seen to be endorsing them to the club unless others there are fully aware of the company and the quality of their offering. Can certainly ask the club about merchandising, relay fans complaints (again!) and if groups have been in touch with them I can ask if they're going to engage with various groups when the time is right. But aye, personally I wouldn't be comfortable going to bat for a specific company at a meeting as it were
 
To be honest mate I wouldn't feel comfortable putting anyone forward. Football club merchandising certainly isn't my day job so, even if I had details about what a company do, I don't think it would be right for RAWA to be seen to be endorsing them to the club unless others there are fully aware of the company and the quality of their offering. Can certainly ask the club about merchandising, relay fans complaints (again!) and if groups have been in touch with them I can ask if they're going to engage with various groups when the time is right. But aye, personally I wouldn't be comfortable going to bat for a specific company at a meeting as it were
Can you get it confirmed this is the last year of the just sports deal of possible and we are opening a tender for a new contract that reflects the size of our club.

Another thing that needs to be pushed is yiu can buy a newcastle top in our city centre but not a Sunderland one which is ridiculous
 
They should have sections inside the ground that are set up to sell merchandise. Excited fans or better yet a drunk happy fan will more likely buy some cheap tat on a whim.

They have talked about that in the past. They used the example of selling hats and gloves at the kiosks on the concourse for people who forget them in the winter. Nothing ever came of it though.
 
That site, which with respect is pretty weak, seems to be mainly publicising clothing etc., no mention of the other aspects you initially mentioned. When you mention Liverpool FC what does the company do for them and how often? Again with respect I can’t see you doing all their digital media etc..

Don’t mean to be disrespectful but it all looks pretty low profile for a world renowned sporting organisation to put all their promotional work through this company?
Yep I don't use that site for business it's an old one I used to use for freelance work. I'm a consultant working with brands and artists via agencies. We contacted Lindsay Douglass last July with a credible proposal but she advised that the club were one year into a 5 year deal. I'll leave it to everyone else to decide whether it's going well after 2 years into this contract.

This is why I think it's worth a lean from people with access to the decision makers.
 
Got to disagree with the negative posts.
Was in last week and got a couple of items in “Lardy Lads Sizes” no bother, and there was plenty of different items to choose from
It's good you got sorted but your post kind of shows the big lads sizes are available, but can I go in now and get a home shirt in small or medium? Could I walk in and buy a top just before Christmas, no because there was stock issues then.
Our whole merchandising offering is absolute crap, from the availability to the quality. Needs a 100% overhaul by someone who's experienced in that sector, not Davison because under his watch nothing in this area has improved.
The pictures of some of their stuff on their website is like something off ebay. Photos of creased clothing, with a creased cream sheet as background.
Wouldn't expect that from a non-league club.
Look at this crap at £65.00.....there's all the sizes left because no one or hardly anyone will buy that rubbish SAFC RAWA Rain Jacket SAFCStore - Sunderland AFC Official Merchandise
 
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Don't have the best reputation but castroe do have there own stores

If we had them then there could open a store in sunderland selling England cricket, mclaren f1 and there own products too.

Just one possibility to improve things
 
Don't have the best reputation but castroe do have there own stores

If we had them then there could open a store in sunderland selling England cricket, mclaren f1 and there own products too.

Just one possibility to improve things
Hartlepool got a direct contract with Errea and got a fully bespoke home and away kit. They also got a full range of training wear, embroidered badges and all that.....The club just don't seem to think a decent merchandising offering is worth it for some reason.
 
It's good you got sorted but your post kind of shows the big lads sizes are available, but can I go in now and get a home shirt in small or medium? Could I walk in and buy a top just before Christmas, no because there was stock issues then.
Our whole merchandising offering is absolute crap, from the availability to the quality. Needs a 100% overhaul by someone who's experienced in that sector, not Davison because under his watch nothing in this area has improved.

Look at this crap at £65.00.....there's all the sizes left because no one or hardly anyone will buy that rubbish SAFC RAWA Rain Jacket SAFCStore - Sunderland AFC Official Merchandise

State of that.
Out of focus, creased polo shirt, photographed on someone's bed.
This is actually on SAFC's website. Unbelievable.
 
The club merch offering / promotions are terrible. Even the shop still being by the stadium makes no sense. If it’s in the town it has a natural footfall Monday to Sunday, but just match days… if you do massively go out of your way to get to the club shop you’ll find it has the bare bones of stock anyway. It’s pretty grim and doesn’t match the outlook a club the size of SAFC and its fanbase should have.
Was a decent goal that, he was canny fast!
 

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