Sporting Colours

[The Large One]

Have you never heard of the maxim 'let the dog see the rabbit...'

How can you ensure that anything you are getting from eBay is of the quality promised - if indeed any decent quality is promised at all - let alone the fact that the garment is second hand and almost certainly pre-worn?

Bearing in mind that clothes depreciate in value to virtually nothing - a second hand shirt at £20 would make a new one at £42 (£37.80 to NSCers) quite a decent item to consider - if you were interested in the first place.

 

[The Large One]

This thread is boring the tits of me now.No more bouncing please

Then don't read it.

Like nerr.

 

[dwayne]

Have you never heard of the maxim 'let the dog see the rabbit...'

How can you ensure that anything you are getting from eBay is of the quality promised - if indeed any decent quality is promised at all - let alone the fact that the garment is second hand and almost certainly pre-worn?

Bearing in mind that clothes depreciate in value to virtually nothing - a second hand shirt at £20 would make a new one at £42 (£37.80 to NSCers) quite a decent item to consider - if you were interested in the first place.

I see ignorance is still bliss....

yet again Alan you fail to understand your market. There's even a Toffs shop on ebay which sells 100% geniune NEW gear and you can make requests to the guy that runs it for shirts you require, he sells most of his shirts at £14.99, he also has GREAT feedback.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/TOFFS-RETRO-FOOTBALL-SHOP


bargain

 

[The Large One]

I see ignorance is still bliss....

yet again Alan you fail to understand your market. There's even a Toffs shop on ebay which sells 100% geniune NEW gear and you can make requests to the guy that runs it for shirts you require, he sells most of his shirts at £14.99, he also has GREAT feedback.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/TOFFS-RETRO-FOOTBALL-SHOP


bargain

Those are either returns or factory seconds. I've got some of those shirts myself, for sale at far less than £42.00. I do talk to TOFFS on a regular basis you know.

 

[lovelyboy]

Dwayne you are being a tit.

By your reckoning all shops everywhere would close down because you can buy their merchandise on the tinternet.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Anyone want to buy a Newport County retro shirt?

Worn. Covered in dog hair.

Needs a wash.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Anyone want to buy a Newport County retro shirt?

Worn. Covered in dog hair.

Needs a wash.

Thought not.

This just PROVES how HOPELESS the internet is as a way of selling football shirts.

 

[Woodchip]

I may pop in on Monday then, and have a look upstairs. I thought it seemed a bit small for the amount of shirts you were meant to have in.

 

[tedebear]

Blimey this thread has it all!! Photos, support of non league teams, slagging off and of course Dwayne knowing it all...

I would say NSC gold but in reality - Dwaynes appearance sort of relegates it to Tin or Aluminium....

I hope you're recycling all packaging TLO and not offering too many paper receipts or plastic bags!!

and most importantly - hope its going well and you're enjoying it!!

 

[Beach Hut]

So moving on and and ignoring Dwaynes retail wisdom (or lack of).

The shop sells Toffs clothing (retro football kits etc or does it include other sports), subbuteo, footie related DVDs, BHSFC shirst (not sure), subbuteo equipment and some NSC slogan shirts.

Sounds very good but will he have a January sale a month or so after opening ?

 

[watsongooal]

Any plans for a website at this stage for us exiled further afield??

 

[Beach Hut]

Any plans for a website at this stage for us exiled further afield??

I think he will but remember it is early doors yet, part of the retail expansion I would imagine

 

[dwayne]

So moving on and and ignoring Dwaynes retail wisdom (or lack of).

The shop sells Toffs clothing (retro football kits etc or does it include other sports), subbuteo, footie related DVDs, BHSFC shirst (not sure), subbuteo equipment and some NSC slogan shirts.

Sounds very good but will he have a January sale a month or so after opening ?

Proofs in the pudding Beach Hut. I give it a year at best.

You just have to take one look at all the low margin, low selling goods on offer to realise that this wouldn't get far in somewhere like the Dragon's Den

Add in the overpriced goods (even general RRP for a Toffs shirt is £34.99)

and lack of competitive advantage and this venture will sink faster than Rick Waller in a sea of chocolate.

I've put good justification for all my reasoning here, but for all the people telling me Im wrong no one has actually offered up reasons why it WILL work

xx

 

[CHAPPERS]

That short sleeved Albion shirt in the front window is WELL nice. I might buy daddy one for Christmas.

Good work Alan! Tell me, have you lost some weight? You certainly look more on the lean side of things these days.

 

[Beach Hut]

Proofs in the pudding Beach Hut. I give it a year at best.

You just have to take one look at all the low margin, low selling goods on offer to realise that this wouldn't get far in somewhere like the Dragon's Den

Add in the overpriced goods (even general RRP for a Toffs shirt is £34.99)

and lack of competitive advantage and this venture will sink faster than Rick Waller in a sea of chocolate.

I've put good justification for all my reasoning here, but for all the people telling me Im wrong no one has actually offered up reasons why it WILL work

xx

Well we are all allowed an opinion but I think we should support TLO in this new adventure as opposed to just rubbishing it at the first available opportunity.

Many retail outlets take time to grow a decent customer base.

 

[tedebear]

Proofs in the pudding Beach Hut. I give it a year at best.

You just have to take one look at all the low margin, low selling goods on offer to realise that this wouldn't get far in somewhere like the Dragon's Den

Add in the overpriced goods (even general RRP for a Toffs shirt is £34.99)

and lack of competitive advantage and this venture will sink faster than Rick Waller in a sea of chocolate.

I've put good justification for all my reasoning here, but for all the people telling me Im wrong no one has actually offered up reasons why it WILL work

xx

This isn't Dragons Den Dwayne, and this isn't something that requires competitive advantage....In your haste to "diss" TLO's venture you've forgotten that football can be emotional as well as many other things, people will go far and wide and spend money on something they feel passionate about, haven't you ever hunted down a favourite shirt or a wanted sporting DVD?

Get you head out of the clouds and the high street and I think you'll find that properly done - this sort of thing can have a future...

Its a bit harsh to wipe someone off on their opening day mate!

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

Proofs in the pudding Beach Hut. I give it a year at best.

You just have to take one look at all the low margin, low selling goods on offer to realise that this wouldn't get far in somewhere like the Dragon's Den

Add in the overpriced goods (even general RRP for a Toffs shirt is £34.99)

and lack of competitive advantage and this venture will sink faster than Rick Waller in a sea of chocolate.

I've put good justification for all my reasoning here, but for all the people telling me Im wrong no one has actually offered up reasons why it WILL work

xx

No physical shop can ever hope to have a competitive advantage on an internet seller. TLO isn't trying to capture the people that think "I want a Toffs shirt, and I know exactly which one I want" those consumers will look into every possible means to get it.

IMHO TLO has opened the shop because he sees that there is a market for retro style football wear in Brighton. A town where people have a relatively large amount of disposable income and want to remain trendy even when they are past 30. That's why TLO has gone for a location in the laines. If he went for a shop in Western Road he wouldn't get the right sort of customers, but the laines has excatly the right sort of clientele for this to be a success.

Fact of the matter is that if you want something very cheap then you'll be able to find it if you look hard enough, but cost isn't always the principle driver.

 

[Cian]

There are also people who:

1. Don't have internet access
2. Won't shop online for security reasons
3. Won't buy clothes online
4. May actually want to try something on, or buy on impulse.

Based on the similar-ish area of Dublin - Temple Bar (well, I'm sure it has more pubs, and more stag nights...) and its host of niche sports and records shops (inline skating and one that specialises in U2 and Thin Lizzy vinyl) - all of which seem to be surviving fine despite the fact that what they sell is much cheaper on the net - I've a feeling that dwayne seems to have assumed that everyone is exactly the same as him.

Personally, I fall in to categories 3 and 4. I won't buy clothes online, ever; and I generally like to actually see what I'm getting before I buy it (which is a good reason to avoid Chavgos also). I don't care if I'm paying more than a net seller might charge, particularly as shipping to Ireland is usually pricey and the Revenue Commissioners usually catch most grey-market courier/postal imports. Its unlikely to work out any cheaper.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Blimey, you got David Baddiel to open it then.

Apart from the large quiz host obscuring the view, that looks fantastic - I shall pop in tomorrow lunchtime to say hello and buy stuff but please don't let that put anybody else doing the same.

Oh, one final thing: f*** YOU AND YOUR DEAD SISTER DWAYNE

 

[dwayne]

No physical shop can ever hope to have a competitive advantage on an internet seller. TLO isn't trying to capture the people that think "I want a Toffs shirt, and I know exactly which one I want" those consumers will look into every possible means to get it.

IMHO TLO has opened the shop because he sees that there is a market for retro style football wear in Brighton. A town where people have a relatively large amount of disposable income and want to remain trendy even when they are past 30. That's why TLO has gone for a location in the laines. If he went for a shop in Western Road he wouldn't get the right sort of customers, but the laines has excatly the right sort of clientele for this to be a success.

Fact of the matter is that if you want something very cheap then you'll be able to find it if you look hard enough, but cost isn't always the principle driver.

At least you've tried to address the points,...

I can see the niche and fair call with the location but I can't see the demand being great enough to make this a viable venture.

I wish you all the best though Alan.

Good Luck