[Albion] BHAFC: Premier League club with League One retail department

[Weststander]

Full Breakdown: The Price of a Football Shirt

The financial dynamics behind football clubs' kit sales have been a subject of interest among fans and experts.

www.footyheadlines.com

This would suggest that where the club retails directly to fans (as opposed to selling through a sports shop chain) the margin for the club is just under 40%.

Calling @El Presidente .... what's a typical percentage a club such as Brighton would retain within retail sales of Nike gear, please?

I thought you'd mentioned in the past that it was a very low margin. The club's money is made instead on the set figure per the kit deal sponsorship.

 

[ukros]

My OH wanted some BHA slippers. His normal size was out of stock online, so I decided to visit the shop at Falmer to see how much larger the next size up was.

The shop didn't stock the slippers, I was told they were online only. I commented then that it was a pity they didn't have click and collect.

The sales assistant helpfully said that they came up 'a bit on the narrow side' and it would be best to order a size larger. This I duly did.

When the slippers arrived, I took one look at them and realised they were ridiculously narrow and shallow. My OH could not even get his toes into the slippers!

I took them back to Falmer and suggested that the postage should also be refunded. The sales assistant (a different one) said he would refund the purchase price, but that I would have to email in to ask for the postage to be refunded.

I emailed in and said that I had ordered a size larger than normal and that my OH could not even get his toes in them, therefore I thought the slippers were 'not fit for purpose'. I got an email reply stating that postage was only refunded if the goods were faulty. I emailed back and said that in the eyes of the law, 'faulty' and 'not fit for purpose' were pretty much the same.

The next email (from a different person) said the goods were fit for purpose, because they did function as slippers - albeit that a size larger needed to be ordered! Clearly they had not read my original email.

It's totally ridiculous that they don't offer click and collect - the online stores that don't offer this mostly don't have retail premises.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Think the rise in demand for items from the retail operation has caught the club unawares. Each season they’re woefully unprepared for demand and PB hates overstocking and wastage (a reason why we never have old kit on clearance) so it means we’ll always be playing catch up.

The production costs of kit and toot can’t be high. The amount of profit made on this stuff should mean that any left over could be offloaded to overseas charities and create more brand awareness.

 

[Beanstalk]

I think a majority of the issue is Nike and the nature of kit deals in general. When it comes to producing Albion merchandise for market, the club shop is the only place you can buy it. The club are Nike’s only customer when it comes to Albion stock (unlike big six who will sell shirts in high-street shops) and therefore it is not good business for Nike to consistently produce more stock with a limited market, and for the club to buy additional stock that they can’t/won’t sell.

What you end up with is a merchandising strategy where success = empty shelves. This might mean a merchandising profit for the club, but leaves many fans annoyed and disappointed.

 

[Zeus]

OP is right the club shop is an absolute shambles. Never any kit available at obvious peak times of demand. Kids kit items around Xmas, forget it. Let people down on items ordered. Completely failed to have anything in to capatilise on the Mitoma Mania last season and our Japanese tourists. Overstocking shouldnt be an issue if the supply and supplier chain is managed well. If Nike cant turn orders to demand then why are we with Nike? If someone in the shop cant get the orders right then why are they in a job? And someone mentioned the BHAFC non-nike range, wow, did they hire the product buyer/designer from Matalan?

 

[Notters]

I think a majority of the issue is Nike and the nature of kit deals in general. When it comes to producing Albion merchandise for market, the club shop is the only place you can buy it. The club are Nike’s only customer when it comes to Albion stock (unlike big six who will sell shirts in high-street shops) and therefore it is not good business for Nike to consistently produce more stock with a limited market, and for the club to buy additional stock that they can’t/won’t sell.

What you end up with is a merchandising strategy where success = empty shelves. This might mean a merchandising profit for the club, but leaves many fans annoyed and disappointed.

Interesting one this - I see SportsDirect sell 16 of the current Premier League clubs' kits - presumably the club don't think it's worth them doing this. https://www.sportsdirect.com/football-shirts/premier-league-football-shirts

 

[Wozza]

fair do's, different strokes n'all that jazz, me I don't care if it is out of stock so be it, I will keep my money or buy something else.

Wait, you don't care if you see something for sale on a retail website, select it, pay for it, wait three days (whilst fielding multiple equiries from your son, in my case), receive an email advising that it's not in stock and asking if you'd like something else (?) or a refund, send a reply, wait for refund.... and end up with nothing. All this twice in three weeks, in my case.

You don't mind that?

Your expectations are lower than mine. Or maybe you have more time to burn.

Absolutely not the end of the world, but undeniably sh1t service (and just one example of it). If it was any other type of business, I'd 100% go elsewhere.

 

[WestYorkshireSeagull]

It's always baffled me that the Albion shop quality is SO low!

You see some of the content created by Dogma, NSK or any other of the brilliantly talented creators around the city/county being jaw dropping at times... It doesn't seem like a difficult fix if you ask me

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Mrs GCCM ordered something for my upcoming birthday. A week after they took the money, they've decided they won't be able to supply the items. Seems a little odd but I suppose I can cope at 57 with some missing presents, luckily I'm not 8.

Still annoying though

 

[Terry Connor]

It's always baffled me that the Albion shop quality is SO low!

You see some of the content created by Dogma, NSK or any other of the brilliantly talented creators around the city/county being jaw dropping at times... It doesn't seem like a difficult fix if you ask me

Completely this. The fan/fanzine marketed stuff is SO much better I never buy anything from the Club shop. The quality/value/service offer there takes us for mugs.

 

[Insel affe]

Wait, you don't care if you see something for sale on a retail website, select it, pay for it, wait three days (whilst fielding multiple equiries from your son, in my case), receive an email advising that it's not in stock and asking if you'd like something else (?) or a refund, send a reply, wait for refund.... and end up with nothing. All this twice in three weeks, in my case.

You don't mind that?

Now you put it like that, nah

Your expectations are lower than mine. Or maybe you have more time to burn.

They are not lower or higher.
I just don't have time to burn worrying or getting frustrated by that kind of thing.

Absolutely not the end of the world, but undeniably sh1t service (and just one example of it).

That it might be.

If it was any other type of business, I'd 100% go elsewhere.

Why anyone would want slippers with a crest of Brighton and Hove Albion on is beyond me in the first place.

 

[Wozza]

Why anyone would want slippers with a crest of Brighton and Hove Albion on is beyond me in the first place.

Huh? I'm ordering (and not getting - did I mention that?) kids' training kit. Not that niche.

 

[swindonseagull]

I recall that exact post, and the subsequent withdrawal of the item form the online store. I reckon if you searched a few Asian market sites you might find something similar.

Try Chinese

 

[Insel affe]

Huh? I'm ordering (and not getting - did I mention that?) kids' training kit. Not that niche.

Ah, Kids training kit, now I'm with you, sorry.

Second Isle on the left next to the size 7 extra narrow slippers and Lewis Dunk dog bowl.

 

[US Seagull]

Interesting one this - I see SportsDirect sell 16 of the current Premier League clubs' kits - presumably the club don't think it's worth them doing this. https://www.sportsdirect.com/football-shirts/premier-league-football-shirts

It does annoy me that I can find a Brighton shirt at any US based sellers. The only choice is pay through the nose for currency conversion and international shipping.

Or else try one of these dodgy sites selling what has to be a Chinese knockoff.

Or my other option, go without. Stick with the two old shirts I have in my closet (the centennial one and one from, I think, the last championship season. Or maybe it was the one before)

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Does anyone know if the club is aware that the merchandise situation - stocking, quality, selection, availability, marketing etc - is LIGHTYEARS behind the rest of the club (which is generally incredibly high level)?

Club has really dropped the ball on this aspect of their operations sadly. Badly in need of a complete overhaul

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I had a look around the Spurs club shop* today, as I was at the stadium for work reasons. It is absolutely RIDICULOUS Genuinely more than ten times the size of the Amex one, fitted with a CINEMA and with a load of separate themed areas (current kit / current TAT / leisure wear / spurs x Australia range / spurs x Beavertown range / WSL section / and a very well stocked, well thought out Son section). The latter was doing a very brisk trade in Sonny shirts, scarves, posters, mugs, key rings etc etc etc.


*it’s not called the club shop, it’s called the Tottenham Hotspur EXPERIENCE…

 

[ukros]

Why anyone would want slippers with a crest of Brighton and Hove Albion on is beyond me in the first place.

He didn't particularly, but he needed some new slippers and thought it would be good to support the club with the purchase. It has been a costly mistake, with two trips to the shop, postage and no slippers. We wish that we hadn't bothered and just gone to M&S!

 

[Superphil]

New training gear out today https://shop.brightonandhovealbion....ampaign=retail&dm_i=2D77,1ZTMV,3IPK3N,74A6I,1

 

[Superphil]

Try Chinese

Or Thailand, or India, which are also in Asia.