Lack of nouse for sales
 

Been upto to club shop twice today in hope of spending me vouchers & money but could i have the pleasure - errrrrrrr no it was shut!!:mad:

So while other retail outlets were booming with customers - sadly not a whisker up at Stanley for potential sales today, nor was there any opening hours details on fishy site or owt, beats a non too happy stanley customer [& possibley more customers itching to spend their xmas money] today:mad::mad::mad::mad:

Mmmm not a good advert really is it, again another side of the club thats forgotten & u wonder why we dont have money available to put back into the club [for players, expansion etc] when the merchandising retail end [no dis-respect to Lee] just isnt capitalizing on anything - especially day after a good away win, doesn't make sense at all!!

Eric/management u need to sort the tinpot out!! I will have to wait now & im no good at waiting just hope my money doesn't dis-appear before i have chance to spend it when u decide to open - also update the site with openings & info on merchandising deals, sell it a bit more!

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

They probably have no stock again. No point opening if there's nothing to sell. ;)

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Typical! Absolutely typical of the non-league, smalltime, tinpot mentality that pervades at this club. It's a normal working day, the shops are open, so why isn't the store open? And if there's an unavoidable reason, why it isn't, couldn't it have been posted on t'fishy site?

How are we ever going to progress as a club while this sort of attitude pervades?

StanleyMad, I just hope you can hang on to your dosh until the club makes up its mind that it actually wants to sell something to its supporters. but who could blame you if you went and blew the lot downtown? :rolleyes:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Thats wishful thinking TM they were still selling some of last years stuff:rolleyes: probably cos they forgot to open shop last year hehe:D

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Thats exactly it, i went all that way for nowt even went back just in case was shut for dinner but not a car or light on in sight all locked up, i was really hacked off about it, but begs to think how many others thought of sales & wanted to spend it at the club like moi:rolleyes:

Sales for me is mosleying down to club shop as hadnt the opportunity to spend owt before xmas & my happiness was ruined:(

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

If the club had the slightest bit of enterprise, they would have opened the store today and plugged it with a bit of blurb on t'fishy site along the lines of "Come along to the great Stanley Christmas sale...lots of bargains to be had...plus our new line of winter fleeces...just the thing for the Bradford game etc etc". They could have got rid of plenty of old stock and done a roaring trade in all those great new lines they've introduced. :rolleyes:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Spot on again wynonie the winter or xmas fleeces i had my eye on, but would of loved to have nosied properly today - dont get much of a chance pre/after matches:(

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

How about the new year sales when hopefully someone will take a certain ex- Burnley player off our hands?? Or even that chap who has a surname that sounds like it would go a long way???;)

And before it's pointed out by anybody...yes I'd accept that the club would probably have to give them away!!!

Seriously though, what does our esteemed chairman think the club stands to gain by keeping what is a vital source of revenue closed on a day where everything else seems to be open. I'll bet that the majority of our rivals' club shops were open today:confused:

So much for all the blurb about help out YOUR club, buy an extra program blah,blah blah when it won't even help itself by opening to potential customers on what is considered by many to be a "normal working day":(

If you read this Mr. Chairman take a quick look at the signature below !! There's a message in there somewhere ;)

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

As far as I know the Club shop is not open till New Years Eve:confused:
Did try myself at Ossy Mills today for a fleece there was one size small left the others were kiddies sizes, couple of hoodies left not sure on sizes plenty of shirts did ask if they had any other fleece sizes and said the man usually re-stocks on a Thursday but with it being holiday's was not sure if they would? They did have some of the new t-shirts which are quite smart for £8 & £12 respectivley. The quality of the fleeces for £20 are very good value and well chuffed with the Hoodie I bought last month it is warm & washes well, but as others have said it is a golden oppurtunity spurned:confused:
Last week we were applauding the late night opening etc. I know it is holiday's etc. but that is exactly the problem, supporters are wanting to spend more of their hard earned at the Club with the various bits of merchandise and are not given the oppurtunity for whatever reason even the Crown could have been perhaps a viable selling point or just advertised they were going to open the shop for a morning/afternoon if it came to that I would have volunteered to staff it.:)

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

New Years eve :eek: erm why then than during working day after xmas & boxing day ?????????????????

Gawd how stupid is that, Eric moans on aout crowds & people putting money into the club & YET giving nobody a chance to either!!:(

Have fleeces gone down ???? Club shop were selling em for £25

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

One of them actually has extended hours for today, despite being open yesterday. :rolleyes:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

The sticker on the hanger said £20:confused:
Did try to make it fit but with my orang-utan arms and my coca cola belly I was on a hiding to nothing:D

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Is that so everyone who got a Home shirt for Christmas could go back and exchange them for Away shirts?:D

Maybe that's something we need to look into?:)

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Behave...... :p

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:rofl38: i was lucky i got an away shirt for xmas in time for yesterdays match - lucky shirt :D

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

We are Blue & Yellow
That's what makes us so mellow
Stanley! Stanley!

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

I was another one that stupidly thought the clubshop would be open today only to find that they didn't want to sell me anything. And yes I also called back later just incase it was "closed for lunch".

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Blimey thats 2 of us wanting to spend our wads in there only to find a locked door:rolleyes: & the mental thing is we both went back just in case lol:D

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

A couple of years ago, I bought a ticket from Cheltenham Town to see them in a play-off game at the Millennium Stadium. I am not one of their supporters, and indeed had never seen them play before that game. Since then, I receive about 3 emails per season telling me about the latest offers, including one a few days ago about the post-Christmas sale. It means nothing to me - but the club is keen to keep in contact with me. And now let's compare that to our beloved Stanley which is unable to send tickets I wish to order and which cannot keep in touch with its own fans, never mind very occasional visitors.

Has anyone noticed any change following the appointment of the new "volunteers"?

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

The question is, will the shop be open tomorrow? Nobody really knows because the club haven't bothered to tell us. Of course, if you want one of those fleeces or hooded tops, you could order them on-line...oh no, you can't because the club haven't bothered to put them in the on-line store. :rolleyes:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Thats true they haven't but cant pay with vouchers online hehehe clubs already got half my money & ran for the holidays. Those new fleeces & tops are nice & they could of sold much more if the online shop was updated, specially for exiles [probably they wondering what they look like or least on about], shame that these things are not taken to consideraton tho im sure we've all had this convo before about the club shop, tho not about opening during xmas.

In Peter Kay styley .........new years eve......new years eve :eek:......why then tho:confused:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Ah, but how do you know it'll be open on New Year's Eve? Best get a certain someone to give you a lift up there on Saturday morning, before he escapes to the Turf! ;)

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

if anybody has a picture of the fleeces or hoodies then send them to the OSC site and we'll get some pics up. I'll use paypal and post some out myself if anybody wants any.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Well done Macca... thinking on your feet and careing for other's:)

pity the club doesnt think this way.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

With deep regret I've just had to order Phil Whalley's book from Amazon, none at club shop. :o

The 2008 calendar has been brought up on another thread, is there such a thing?

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

:mad: I'm going to have to stop reading this forum.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

The same thing happened with Derby County this year, while i was working down there a few months ago they were playing Newcastle on a Monday night so we decided we`d go, however the prices were way too much and we didn`t end up going, but the club still send me emails telling me of their latest offers and specials.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Once you're paid for your connection, emails cost nothing to send. Even if you factor in the time to write one, it's only done once and can be sent to hundreds (or more).
Unfortunately the club is stuck in the early part of the last century and so haven't developed the ability to use modern technology yet (at least, not to anywhere near its potential).

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

thats why there is a pidgeon on my doorstep its one of erics carrier pidgeons with details of the club shop opening hours over xmas:D

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Shop not open today either:rolleyes:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

first thing this morning rang Fraser Eagle Worldchoice as I wanted to avoid another wasted trip to Accy guess what no fleeces:eek:

I did get it on very good authority as I made a call while I was at Ossy Mills yesterday trying to find a fleece that the shop was not open till Monday:confused::confused:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Just off to Trafford Centre maybe I will find a fleece there:p:

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Thats the thing that dont make sense, is why shut after xmas open new years eve when we play new years day, i suppose i'll wait till then, but its strange when money has been lost this week when revenue is important, seems there was a few of us after official merchandise, & not being sold any, bet the fleeces would of sold out by time shop opens :(

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Yup but not with ASFC on it................how good is your embroidery work :rofl38:

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A classic example of ASFC non-proactive public relations. The shop should have been open yesterday, but, OK, it wasn't. Surely, someone from the club must have seen the kerfuffle on here about it? Would it have taken much to open up the shop today, supported with a "Get your Stanley merchandise- lots of bargains to be had - shop open today" announcement on t'fishy site. I'm sure it could have been done with a little bit of initiative and enterprise!

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Trouble is Eric will open it when he wants to open it errr - new years eve, i cant do an eric impersonation :(

Who's is the silver exec car??? it was parked there on its lonesome this afternoon:rolleyes:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Does the shop employ people, or is it run by volunteers?

Not that it makes any difference, the opening times should be made public. Even if everyone is down with the flu, a note could be stuck on the door, as well as it being posted on the offical site.

Most retail companies make more in the period just after Christmas, than they do in the first three weeks of December. You have lots of people off work, itching to spend their lolly, plus having a sale means you can get rid of lots of dead stock.

The tills should be ringing, and raking in much needed wonga.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

The thing is, it's still not too late to recover some of the lost sales. Why don't the club open the shop tomorrow and push it with a little cross-promotion? I'm sure an announcement could be made on t'fishy site along the lines of "Stanley shop open tomorrow, Saturday - come along and spend your Christmas vouchers and money - lots of unrepeatable bargains - get them before they're gone - don't miss our fantastic new fleeces and hooded tops PLUS spend a minimum of £50 and get 10% off food and drinks in the Crown up to 5pm Saturday. So drop in, pick up your merchandise, then relax with a drink and meal as you watch the score updates from Mansfield."

Sadly, nothing like this will happen and yet another golden opportunity will slip by. Oh well, it was just a thought... :rolleyes:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

In fairness football clubs don't generally have sales this week. They usually wait until they see how the season goes, if they are having a good season then they can still command full price for merchandise.

The club I support usually starts clearing stuff out in February :D

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Don't you mean September!!!! hahaha

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

No, that would mean there would be no point them being open this week with stock to sell :p

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Although it is easy to critise being a fan sometimes and to say that the Google Page Ranking is crap and that the marketing is rubbish and I will probably take some stick for this, but just who do you think does the marketing and Google Page Ranking?

ASFC have 6 full time members of staff including the chairman. who most cover a multi tude of jobs and in my opinion do a cracking job to just put a game on, come each saturday, yet still endeavour to take the club forward with each tentative step. Here at Burnley we have 4 people employed for Google Page Ranking, 2 for marketing and a further 4 just in commercial, with an operations manager on top. We struggle to cope sometimes and I think ASFC have a much harder time, having only poor Lee to cope with everything commercial, Google Page Ranking and marketing wise.

If the shop isn't open then we can complain, if they don't provide information then we can complain. But dont for one second think that they havent done it by choice. It is with pure effort and endeavour that there is a club shop that is stocked with anything at all in the first place.

There is no budget for marketing, no one to concentrate on making the ideas I know they have work and to carry them out. ASFC is growing and will learn from it's mistakes, It's about time we really started to appreciate the club we have on our doorstep.

Just my thoughts and opinions, like everybody else. :)

On Stanley On.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

thanks for posting Lew, everything going alright with the Dingle doer's?

most of us realise the problems we have at the club with staffing etc but a lot of it has been avoidable over the past few years and we now reap what we have sewn in that time. For example we know that Lee does what he can, yet last week he spent hours out on the pitch dragging covers on and off, meanwhile the phone and emails aren't being answered or nobody is putting the opening hours on the website. It's not Lee's fault but he will get the flak for it. Too few people spreading themselves far too thin, yet in the past people have helped out gratis but got no recognition or thanks for it so consequently don't do it again. When the call comes for volunteers most people look the other way cos people have been bitten previously by trying to help.

Until such time as somebody picks up the mantle and tries to drag the club into the present century then we'll have these arguments time and again. Maybe a start would be to contact North Lancs Training Group and see how many youngsters we can take on, youngsters whose jobs would be subsidised by the government under schemes equivalent to YTS. Get a few more bodies around the place so that people employed to do specific jobs can do so to the best of their ability.

The frustrating thing is that we can see where money can be made but haven't the money to spare to make it! To say that there is no marketing budget at all is absolutely ludicrous - yet understandable - yet crazy!

We need a marketing gimmick to exploit locally and ensure that any profit from that goes into a marketing fund. Without pushing the name from other avenues we are left only with the team itself to try to get into the public - yet the manager won't talk to the paper?

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Welcome back posting Lew:D

Way it all sounds to me that its not a business he's making of it but still treating it as a hobby to Eric:rolleyes:

I agree with what macca says about volunteers its been argued before & that stanley are still in the dark ages with things. Dont get me wrong i know Lee has a lot on his plate & does the best he can as still under Erics reins as is the rest of them.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Maybe why not offer the shop to a franchise or whatever they call it. Let someone who has retail experience take over the shop pay rent to the club and sell the football stuff that everyone wants and the club take a cut on the stanley merchandise. That way then everyone is happy the fans have the stuff they want, the club gets a cut and rent for the shop plus having a shop that people will want to visit.

Its only an idea.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

To say that a company operating in the entertainment industry has no budget for marketing pretty much sums it all up.

We will never see any changes at the club until this attitude changes, but I've been saying this for so long that I'm even boring myself. I'm not surprised that the club hasn't appointed anyone to the role of commercial manager. Who'd want to operate in an organisation like that? You could have the most creative, innovative person in the world, but you'd soon crush them when they were faced with the kind of obstacles that Stanley (Eric) puts in their way.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

True has anyone got 3m to solve the problem then:rofl38:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Come on, Lew, as a marketing man, you know better than that. So someone wants to spend their Christmas dosh on merchandise, but can't because the shop is closed on two of the most important shopping days of the year...someone else wants to join Stanley Legends but hears nothing about their application...a long distance fan orders something on line and is kept waiting for weeks...someone emails the club and gets no response...what is their reaction going to be? "Oh well, they only have six fulltime staff, so I don't really mind." No way, they're going to take their money, and perhaps their loyalty, elsewhere. We are supposed to be a professional organisation, operating in a modern consumer market and we should start to act like one. Mark my words, if we continue with this make-do, flying by the seat of your pants , "it'll be alreet on t'neet" mentality we will inevitably return to the outer darkness from whence we came!

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

this is why stanley should have a half decent outlet in the town centre even share with gibsons or sumthin like that with a decent stock try and attract the youngsters to buy anything stanley.the outlet at fraser eagle is useless as they dont have much room for stock and its not their priority to sell anything stanley ...or even abbey street as all the youngsters always have to go in their for their school uniforms.or even reverse roles give abbey street a bit of competition by having a shop that sells school uniforms and have stanley merchandise just an idea..........

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

I'm guessing you don't work in marketing ? :)

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

:Dits that mad it might work.theres only one shop in accy that sells school uniforms that would be steady income with a bit competition that would pay for rent .school kids need sportswear for their p.e.where do you put stanley stuff right next to the sports stuff . then have adult sizes in the adult area plus other merchandise .plus start a diffferent company so if it goes pear shape just wind the company down if you dont try you will never know...:D:D:Dmad mad :D:D

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Somehow i think that might be a little too extreme for Stanley whom have enough trouble with their own tiny shop of merchandise nevermind branching out [soz oggy for the pun] LOL:D

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Not good but this the really funny thing, I wore my beloved Stanley hoodie and if I would have a pound for everyone who said who are they while in various outlets today? I would have had enough to buy another one, I know it was meant in a joking way but with a serious side it does mean that people do know who we are and remember something that was over twenty years ago:eek:

But even better while I was in Waterstones and my sons were spending their Christmas cash I was having a quick browse through a league ground book and who should be in there in black & white but Oggy:eek:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

LOL we're the most famous club in the land even when we weren't gracing above the Lancs combination, that advert really stuck lol i used to get it abroad on hols when i was young pmsl

OGGY?????????????? which league book was that:eek:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Somebody might correct me but I beleive the first time colour started to be used was in the 1930's, so if it was black and white then it may help you to date it :D

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

no more fleeces aft this lot have gone,shame really wanted some for my 2 lads for xmas,lee was sorry something to do with the surplyer stopped making them!but hopefullhe could find soneone else in the new year to surply

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

****** that cheered me up, they were good quality fleeces an all, typical get a job lot & thats it [sorry lee again not u personally]:(

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

** see me for fleeces Lee **
** see me for fleeces Lee **


as for a shop in town, I have it on good authority that we are in talks with the council about getting a shop - prominent and cheap. Should be open before the new season

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

as for a shop in town, I have it on good authority that we are in talks with the council about getting a shop - prominent and cheap. Should be open before the new season[/quote]

That would be a good move!
I was very impressed with the outlet at Ossy Mills very neat & tidy with a lcd screen giving various bits of information on it with reference the Club:)

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Most of my stories started life in black and white, very funny Dave, btw. :rolleyes:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

The shop in town is a cracking idea and I'm sure would go down really well would have great sales too.

The points raised after my last post are far more positive and I'm sure the club are listening. Some top ideas, especially abut the franchising out of the store or outlets. Out sourcing it would make it more profitable with loads more stock and well presented with appropriate offers too.

Some of the ideas like Gibsons in town were discussed when I was there but trust me on this, were not viable, A proper outlet would be fantastic. Sell the brand as they say.

On Stanley On.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Very true Haz its been said many a time that stanley just simply haven't taken the opportunity to capitalize on league success by thinking ahead, we were discussing when we debuted in the league about having a shop in town centre & taken over a year to be discussed in club circles.

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Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

I hate to say it, but "exactly". I've been saying this for years - Stanley occupies a unique position in the affections of football fans everywhere. The club needs to exploit our fame to the max with a more effective merchandising operation!

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

:rolleyes:Not wanting to put a dampner on this store in town idea cause if handled in the correct manner it could be a decent money spinner but maybe more importantly highlight the Club where it need's to be which is the heart of the town.


My doubts would be:

How would this sit with our main sponsor having already a prescence in the centre? (you do not bite the hand that feeds you)

Would there be enough footfall to make it a viable option in the centre?

Wages would have to be paid for staffing or are we looking at volunteers? (or do we use our already stretched resources)

Will it only open Certain days?

Most importantly it needs to have a broad enough appeal to get the good folk of Accrington and surrounding area through the door so at least there is a chance of making a sale or potentially getting people up to the FES who wouldn't normally bother

The franchise idea is not a bad one and if it was me I would give serious thought to ******** well it should be obvious?

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

I did virtualy all of my Christmas shopping online, all ordered in plenty of time for the parcels to be sent out in time to arrive for Christmas. All but one order arrived before Christmas... can you guess which it was?

Yup, that's right; the one from the Stanley store.

The order was placed in plenty of time, but it didn't arrive (in fact, it's still not arrived); since placing that order I subsequently placed orders to places based in America and New Zealand, and they managed to get my orders to me on time...

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Out of curiousity how many of you have actually bought from the shop in town ? Is it just a case of having a presence in town or do they actually take an interest in what they are selling.

Personally I would think they would much rather stick to selling holidays.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

I have at the worldchoice shop, bought my red shirt from there, tho lucky there wasn't many holidayers in there so it wasn't too bad.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

I have used them this season in buying a Home shirt & a Scarf and they were very helpful and polite as they were yesterday when I rang them about availability of the Fleeces.:)

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Think it would be better that stanley just had their shop rather than in worldchoice, especially when holiday season sales start - think it would put the name out there & be more noticable on its own, selling merchandise & OPENING retail hours LOL.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

I'm just hoping there's some hoodies left in the shop when they open on Monday, I got one for Christmas but it's a little well, snug shall we say & I need to change it for a bigger size. Think I'll ring before I go up there though just to make sure they're open :)

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If its open let us know saves people wasting their petty money getting up there to an empty carpark & shut shop:D

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This epitomises exactly what is wrong with our merchandising operation. Sad...really sad.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

:not_ripe::Banane13::Banane13::Banane13::Banane13: :Banane13::Banane13::Banane25::Banane25::Banane25: :Banane25::Banane25::Banane25:next year is a new beginning on stanley on stanley:):Banane13::Banane13::Banane13::Banane13:: Banane13::Banane13:

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Will do - although it's only a short walk for me I still don't want to trail up for nothing - been there & done that a few times :)

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Of course, it'd be far too difficult for the club to actually tell us themselves with a quick bit of blurb on t'fishy site or even a post on here. :rolleyes:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Don't be silly, the blurb on the front of the fishy site still says the next game is vs Shrewsbury :D

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Was at a party last night and was talking to someone there who was a stanley fan until they shut up shop in 62 and seeing as he had everything red and white went down to man utd, instead of buying claret and blue. But even last night when i said you know what they did yesterday .... and he said course i do he looked for them after man utd.

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Unless the rental on a shop was very, very cheap, I can't see there being much life in a town centre outlet. How much business do you think it'll do?

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

In my view, an in-town store will have limited sales potential, anyway. Instead, the club should be concentrating on developing the on-line store with a wider range of merchandise and much, much faster response times (judging from the number of complaints we see on here!). They should also be making greater use of ebay, not just for auction items, but for standard lines as "buy now" products, too.

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It would be interesting to get Lew's views on this from his current employers. We had a town centre store a couple of years ago. It didn't work and closed down. The club shop is packed on match days and I suspect not very busy during the week.. As far as I know they do a lot of sales online as many of our fans no longer live in the town. I think Wynonie may have it spot on.

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Hiya,

Think Lew would probably agree, Burnley did have a shop in Burnley town centre right next door to Marks and Sparks but it shut down after 7 months.

I know they have recently refurbished their club shop and have introduced new lines, but they can afford to I guess, but you can bet your bottom dollar come Christmas they'll be stock there that hasn't been sold and maybe getting sold at trade price just to get rid.

At our level, it's not a means to an end and every penny counts, so justifying new lines of products is vey difficult as there has to be a need to justify the initial outlay in the first place as a lot of places/businesses you have to buy in bulk and a lot of places do not give you any lee-way on that. Especially when you say you are a football club!!

I know when I worked at Stanley we looked into getting the old style Stanley shirts pre-60's but the initial outlay would not have covered how much we would have got back in return and in this instance that is key!

But I reckon if something does sell then in the long-run they will get it back in stock, no doubt there!!

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

The issue isn't really with the variety (always nice to see new, popular lines of course), but the way that the club markets its merchandise. What Wynonie says above is spot on, but we've been saying the same thing for years now. Internet marketing is a relatively cheap way selling stuff (an Ebay Store is less costly than a town centre shop) and you could have a steady flow of sales, but only if the customer service is spot on. Merchandise should be sent the same day that it is ordered.... stock levels should be controlled effectively, so that popular lines don't sell out.... emails should be answered within a day.... and on and on and on.

I'm not going on about this anymore, as I'm sick and tired of it all. I think I'm going to add a new resolution to my list... no more forum, as it's bad for my health. :(

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

you'd miss the daily gripe though wouldn't you? :alright:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

:rofl38: now macca has a point there TM hehehee:D

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

Burnley are an established league Club with a support far in excess of us, there were probably many reasons for the Shop in the centre and it's demise and the building of the superstore at the ground.

But the answer is simple where will be the largest contingent of people likely to buy merchandise and when would that be?

The question of supply is one that can be got around by negotiating the price so it remains the same whether buying one or a thousand (no minimum orders) and that the quality always remains the same high quality from first supplied till last supplied.

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Griping or whatever you want to call it usually involves commenting on the team, play, manager, etc. That's part and parcel of the game of football.

This is a completely different matter. Saying 'we have a famous name' and 'everyone has heard of us' is worthless if you don't cash in on it. Having a town centre shop in a town where the majority of people couldn't care less, is simply silly. Sell stuff on the internet, where people miles away will spend their money, but do it properly! I would have offered my services, but decided that there would be too many obstructions to be able to do the job to my satisfaction.

It's very, very frustrating and I can't see things changing.

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Don't let the superstore tag fool you, I can assure you most of us still call it the club shop :yelrotflm

I would still maintain the largest contingent of people buying merchandise and when, would be at the ground on match days.

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True this is griping over not being able to spend your wonga on some nice merchandise at the club shop & best still not having a clue of its opening hours around the xmas hols & a not so good online service to compensate either :pnowink:

Re: Lack of nouse for sales
 

back to the shop ..... provided that the right sort of deal is made available by the Council then a shop is a essential addition to the Stanley family.

The shop we have is nowhere near big enough to accomodate the stock lines we need, either for just display or more importantly the actual stock of it. Part of the problem in the club shop is the lack of space to keep stock of all the different sizes that you really have to have. With the OSC stuff we made the decision to just stock Medium and XL purely down to where do you keep 20 of each size? We are quick to knock the lack of choice and the lack of stock but if you imagine 10 different lines of product in 6 or 7 different sizes it starts to become a little more difficult.

A proper shop would enable a little bit more stock and probably with it would come extra lines. Also it becomes a focal point IN TOWN where folk can drop in a get a bit of info on this and that (you could try ringing but it aint the same to some folk). I would hope that (space allowing) there would be room for a little table and a couple of chairs where folk could stop by for a brew. It's about integrating more with the fans and appearing to have time for them, and appearing to care about them.

Also, there are a hell of a lot of people who visit Accy but don't go anywhere near the ground. I am sure that many of these would probably go in and buy a bit of summat for footy fan relatives back home. Done right it could almost become a sort of Tourist Information Centre for footy tourists!

It's also about starting to have a presence in town. The whole town knows there is a football club and they all know exactly where it is. The fact they choose not to come is for a multitude of reasons and I think muddy car parks etc are closer to the bottom of that list. WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO start getting in peoples faces more and this is the starting point. Worldchoice and Ossy Mills are fine to get a little bit of free money in the bank but our own shop has to be celebrated and it has to be used.

We all feel obligated some times to go and buy something that we wouldn't ordinarily buy just because it is Stanley. I'd still have my Vauxhall tax disc in the window if Stanley didn't do one! So I really hope that they have plenty of ideas for stuff to put in. stanleys' merchandise will definitely be offered. They need to have a cheap range, a mid range and then the expensive range - currently we have only the expensive stuff.

I also hope they put in a TV with Stanley related stuff on a permanent loop.

Good luck Stanley with this venture and if you need any assistance with it then give me a call.

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How about the two T-shirts they produced when we got into the league? Firstly, they didn't bother to tell anyone about it - I think it was Sparky who noticed them in Ossy Mills. Then, when they ran out of stock, they never produced any more, despite the fact that I and quite a few others had already ordered them. As for the vintage shirts, if they're so uneconomic to produce, then The Old Fashioned Football Shirt Company must be heading for ruin, as they are currently offering no less than FOUR retro Stanley shirts from our league days!

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The shop would have to be in a position to smack people in the face. When I was buying a Stanley shirt the other week I actually forgot there was a town centre seller and went traipsing up to the club shop, despite me passing World Choice about 2 or 3 times a week. :dork:

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Do it TM you will feel better I do, the bottom line is why waste anymore energy you only end up getting annoyed. Until Eric Whalley goes it's pointless wasting your time on matters that need putting right, just come and watch the footy and save yourself for the day Whalley finally gives us all a break.

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Just rung the club and the shop is open, Lee wasn't sure what time till though so if anyone's thinking of going up might be an idea to ring first to check.

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Cheers Accymad, but do u know what i want to tell them after that pathetic unprofessional response u got...................F*K it i'll go elsewhere, wonder how many would think that an all, lucky im a fan or else there may not be a change of heart, i so hope no-one gets me vouchers for the club shop for my birthday now after that.:psad:

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To add to what i mean most retailers even small ones have displayed opening hours or even know what time they are open till ie 10 - 2pm etc but a "i dont know what what time till" response from shop manager is a bit un professional [no personal offense Lee]. This is a problem that definately needs sorting im afraid.

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Dont blame Lee here guy's... The club is run by Eric and he will decide what time the shop will shut.

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What a pity he hasn't bothered to tell the shop manager!