Worst Club Shop In League Two

[Seasider9601]

When The Visitor was based on Victoria Street (back when it was a good paper) they took a large amount of merchandise from us and sold it on our behalf in The Visitor shop.

Shrimper I'm sure was instrumental in getting that deal.

[John L]

Answered your own question there! I think we'd be more likely to sell merchandise and clothing on a non-matchday from somewhere in the town centre than at the ground.

Enough to cover the extra rent? How many fans who are interested in merchandise but don't actually go to any matches do you think there are?

People are entitled to their views, and optimism is to be admired. However, it's all well and good saying "print 100 beach towels" or "open a shop in town" but every risk the club takes costs money if it doesn't pay off. Thinking the club can sustain a retail unit away from the club is pure lunacy , in my opinion.

When many other clubs at various levels have town centre shops, I think lunacy is a ridiculous view! Whether or not our club ever look at the feasibility, it's still a valid opinion.

[Keith]

A shop in town need not actually make money to be of benefit. We also need to raise our profile. To the casual supporter, we've got a much lower profile than we had previously, simply because far more people went past Christie Park. If a club shop in town broke even it would be a positive step, possibly even made a small loss. If it was set up to sell match tickets too, it could be a success.

[KenH]

Didn't the club have a shop on Victoria street one summer when we were moving ground? I'm guessing that didn't set the world alight, or we would have kept it on.

Yes, but in a poor location away from the main car parks and footfall, so few people would have actually seen it, and it was there for a relatively short time. For a shop to build up local knowledge and a customer base, you're usually looking at 2/3 years if it's not in a prime location.

[morecambegeek]

it's still a valid opinion.

I never said it wasn't - in fact I specifically said people were entitled to their views.

I've no idea what a retail unit costs - if we're talking about £1000 per month once electric and heating are accounted for as well, that's £12000 extra ticket sales and profit from merchandise to be in exactly the same position we are at the moment. I'd love it not to be the case, but I don't think there's anywhere near enough interest in the club for that to be the case.

Feel free to correct my figures - I've no idea if they're high or low.

[marky No.1]

Hurley Flyer would make a nice outlet

[Wild Bill]

In terms of getting a presence in the town centre without additional costs, why not do a deal with a local business to sell tickets/merchandise on a commission basis with perhaps a sign in the window or sandwich board to advertise games and other promotions? Something in the Arndale with lots of footfall would be ideal. Maybe one of our current sponsors would be a good place to start?

[KenH]

In terms of getting a presence in the town centre without additional costs, why not do a deal with a local business to sell tickets/merchandise on a commission basis with perhaps a sign in the window or sandwich board to advertise games and other promotions? Something in the Arndale with lots of footfall would be ideal. Maybe one of our current sponsors would be a good place to start?

Indeed, it's a fairly common business model. People such as artists and jewellery makers put their products in shops on a sale/return basis and just take money once items have been sold, the shop getting a commission. Same with dry cleaning - loads of shops take in dry cleaning on the same basis. Going back a couple of decades, corner shops used to take in films for processing. You used to be able to go into several local shops dotted around the area to buy tickets for coach trips run by Battersbys. Plenty of options for ticket and merchandise sales if they chose to partner with suitable local shops.

But, we're getting away from the OP which was about the lack of products in the club's own shop. It does seem a little short-sighted to have a shop with little to sell when the staff are there selling tickets etc. Lots of stock could be bought relatively cheaply and the range could be increased massively to try to generate more income.

But it's the same with the catering counters around the globe. Pretty poor choice of "impulse buys", - i.e. either fruit pastilles or Mars bars! Again, on the assumption that someone will buy one or the other. It's like being in the old Soviet regime where you should be grateful for what they choose to offer you. What on earth would be the harm in expanding that "counter" selection to a few more lines - cost is minimal.

If you've got premises, staff, and all the other infrastructure, you need to offer the biggest range of goods possible to get people to buy stuff - it's lesson 1 of the dummies guide to business!

[Bara brith]

Maybe Franchise the club shop, income received from renting club shop, normal 10% fee from turnover, plus no capital expenditure for the club for stock, franchisee with a bit of business acumen, then puts stock in the business plus enthusiasm, it's a win win situation , and a better return for the club than at present

[Gone_Shrimping]

In terms of getting a presence in the town centre without additional costs, why not do a deal with a local business to sell tickets/merchandise on a commission basis with perhaps a sign in the window or sandwich board to advertise games and other promotions? Something in the Arndale with lots of footfall would be ideal. Maybe one of our current sponsors would be a good place to start?

Indeed, it's a fairly common business model. People such as artists and jewellery makers put their products in shops on a sale/return basis and just take money once items have been sold, the shop getting a commission. Same with dry cleaning - loads of shops take in dry cleaning on the same basis. Going back a couple of decades, corner shops used to take in films for processing. You used to be able to go into several local shops dotted around the area to buy tickets for coach trips run by Battersbys. Plenty of options for ticket and merchandise sales if they chose to partner with suitable local shops.

But, we're getting away from the OP which was about the lack of products in the club's own shop. It does seem a little short-sighted to have a shop with little to sell when the staff are there selling tickets etc. Lots of stock could be bought relatively cheaply and the range could be increased massively to try to generate more income.

But it's the same with the catering counters around the globe. Pretty poor choice of "impulse buys", - i.e. either fruit pastilles or Mars bars! Again, on the assumption that someone will buy one or the other. It's like being in the old Soviet regime where you should be grateful for what they choose to offer you. What on earth would be the harm in expanding that "counter" selection to a few more lines - cost is minimal.

If you've got premises, staff, and all the other infrastructure, you need to offer the biggest range of goods possible to get people to buy stuff - it's lesson 1 of the dummies guide to business!

If they had a fridge/freezer in the shop they could sell our award winning pies.

[Bara brith]

Half a dozen club scarves draped over every open the box/ programme sellers arm would generate at least 10 sales per game x£10 =£100 x23 games =£2,300 all sales attributed to the clubs shop that's how to generate sales as a starter

[KenH]

Half a dozen club scarves draped over every open the box/ programme sellers arm would generate at least 10 sales per game x£10 =£100 x23 games =£2,300 all sales attributed to the clubs shop that's how to generate sales as a starter

And a few club logo's mugs and pens on the food counters. The club actually make it hard for people to spend their money - that's no way to run a business. The club may be good at marketing the function rooms and corporate hospitality but they're really poor at selling stuff to the core supporters.

[morecambegeek]

Half a dozen club scarves draped over every open the box/ programme sellers arm would generate at least 10 sales per game x£10 =£100 x23 games =£2,300 all sales attributed to the clubs shop that's how to generate sales as a starter

Minus the cost of the scarf and applicable taxes, and commission to the seller (assuming open the box sellers work on commision).

Are we saying that 1 in 4 people through the gate over the course of the season will buy a scarf?

[Bara brith]

Half a dozen club scarves draped over every open the box/ programme sellers arm would generate at least 10 sales per game x£10 =£100 x23 games =£2,300 all sales attributed to the clubs shop that's how to generate sales as a starter

Minus the cost of the scarf and applicable taxes, and commission to the seller (assuming open the box sellers work on commision).

Are we saying that 1 in 4 people through the gate over the course of the season will buy a scarf?

You must work for the club shop pal GIVE IT TRY

[Bara brith]

Half a dozen club scarves draped over every open the box/ programme sellers arm would generate at least 10 sales per game x£10 =£100 x23 games =£2,300 all sales attributed to the clubs shop that's how to generate sales as a starter

Minus the cost of the scarf and applicable taxes, and commission to the seller (assuming open the box sellers work on commision).

Are we saying that 1 in 4 people through the gate over the course of the season will buy a scarf?

You must work for the club shop pal GIVE IT TRY

Or was it British Home Stores

[morecambegeek]

Or was it British Home Stores

I think even those who worked for British Homestores could work out the difference between takings and profit.

[Bara brith]

Or was it British Home Stores

I think even those who worked for British Homestores could work out the difference between takings and profit.

Selling nothing =NO PROFIT

[morecambegeek]

And ordering custom made stuff and not selling enough of it means a loss, so let's not make out it's as easy as some people on here are saying.

[Christies Child]

I assume that any item for sale in the Club Shop has to be funded by the club itself and due to the finances of the club (at the moment) it is hard to see how any serious investment in new product could be made in the short to medium term.

It's also a gamble in deciding exactly what to stock in terms of numbers bearing in mind that manufacturers / suppliers will insist on minimum quantities which will determine the initial cost to the club.

We'd all like to see an increased selection but we can't ignore that initial cost factor that governs selection in my opinion.

[KenH]

I'm involved with a cycling club that bought a hundred logo'd caps for just a couple of hundred pounds and sold them at a fiver a time. You don't have to pay thousands!

Also, I don't know the detail, but Morecambe Golf Club did a deal with Chas Jacobs to produce a print run of a painting of the golf club, where the club marketed the prints, with various options for framing etc., presumably getting commission on the items they sold.

A local St John's ambulance group commissioned a batch of "dinky" style ambulances in St Johns' branding.

That model railway shop that used to be on Peddar Street commissioned a small run of a truck with a local business theme on it.

Lots of ways to generate sales without spending huge sums of money upfront. Just needs a little imagination.

With several local businessmen on the Board of Directors, I really can't understand why there is so little marketing to the core supporter and Joe Public.

[Bara brith]

We are on the same wavelengths Ken

[morecambegeek]

No one is saying don't do anything.

Some people on this thread are suggesting we should commission a hundred of this or a hundred of that and simply by doing that we'll sell them.

Whatever we do has an upfront cost - and the club need to be sure whatever they do brings in more than it costs. We all have our own ideas of what will and what won't work. And it's easy for us to say that they will work without us having to stake our own money on it.

[KenH]

No one is saying don't do anything.

But that's exactly what's happening. Nothing.

It's an ideal time to sell stuff in the shop when people are going in to pick up season tickets, but there's bugger all to "cross-sell" to them. Having a virtually empty shop at one of the busiest times of the year in terms of footfall isn't exactly the most sensible business decision!

[Gone_Shrimping]

The new kit was due to be in the shop yesterday to coincide with season tickets being available to collect but the supplier has let the club down and they may not be here for a week or two

[Christies Child]

The new kit was due to be in the shop yesterday to coincide with season tickets being available to collect but the supplier has let the club down and they may not be here for a week or two

I can't imagine a club like Newcastle or even Portsmouth having to accept a late delivery.

Whenever I ordered product for my use at exhibitions I always put a clause into the purchase contract that penalised the suppler for late deliveries. Surprisingly I never had any problems...possibly because they didn't want to pay a fine or put in doubt repeat business. Whatever it was, it worked.