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The Club "shop"


gerrybritton9
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Had a good laugh reading through this topic. There is a certain amount of defending the indefensible. The shop is not your traditional shop. It is an industrial unit with a till with no passing trade via footfall. I am glad that sales are going well and passing expectation, but without knowing what expectation was, I have no idea if this is a great result.

 

Potty, You mentioned it was not puma who made the last kit. Who makes this one? Joma? TTL? My son has a few Spanish teams kits made by Joma, but they are far superior to the Thistle gear.

 

Apart from all that the range of gear is not the best. Any standard Joma stuff with a thistle badge on it for a pretty premium. Have a look at the range from that globally renowned team of superstars, Ayr United. Their web page and range puts us to shame.

 

If it puts us to shame, that's the clubs fault not TTL's.

 

The puma badges kit was made by a company in Liverpool who paid a licence to stitch the puma badge on their stuff.

 

Joma makes this kit, comes straight from their factory to the UK.

 

You mention your son having a few Spanish kits, does he have the red and yellow stripes Valencia kit with the blue shoulders and collar?

 

I haven't got a link to the Ayr shop, but if you get it I'll have a look.

 

I was in the St Mirren club shop today. Not one St Mirren strip on sale. Nothing by diadora. Can you imagine the uproar if our club shop at firhill didn't stock the thistle strip?

 

The club shop at st mirren is run by Provan Sports, who also do Motherwell, and maybe Ayr United... They certainly used to do Ayr. Privan sports do all the tat, while JD Sports with Diadora do all the st mirren sportswear.

 

The point being, TTL through Joma are not here to make player pics, bog standard Tshirts, key rings, pens etc.. If that is an issue, then take that up with the club. Because it's the club who aren't taking advantage of an income stream the fans crave.

 

Lionel with regards to the mark up, how much mark up do you think greaves were putting on the stuff? Have a look at their website and look at how much they are selling stock for. It's stupid cheap! Remember this is stock that folk on here claim is night and day better than joma stuff, yet they are now selling it for pennies, and folk still aren't buying it.

 

Jaggernaught used to spend hundreds of pounds a season in greaves apparently. How frustrated must he be when he sees all the stuff he bought at full price being sold for buttons!

Edited by potty trained
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So I'll ask you as well Colin, how much mark up would you deem acceptable for greaves to put on a home top, for them to make a profit, before they hand the 40 quid over to TTL?

 

When the ship lands at the dock with a delivery of kit for greaves, who will handle the transport costs to the greaves store? Or are you saying that TTL do all the handling work for greaves, split down greaves delivery, then deliver it to greaves free of charge?

 

You've obviously put a bit of thought into this, how many casual shoppers/tourist do you think there are in Glasgow willing to spend 40+ quid on a partick thistle football strip?

 

Greaves have always, as far as I can remember, stocked Thistle shirts. Couldn't have been a problem with previous suppliers? Use to always buy my strip from Greaves, going back a good 13/14yrs until Greaves became the official shop.

Edited by 1 John Lambie
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Greaves have always, as far as I can remember, stocked Thistle shirts. Couldn't have been a problem with previous suppliers? Use to always buy my strip from Greaves, going back a good 13/14yrs until Greaves became the official shop.

 

Well that's down to the club then and the agreement they have with TTL.

 

They should have tried to source a kit manufacturer with different distribution rights, no?

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An outstanding range of stuff at Ayr United, infact what I'd love us to have, and then some.

 

I'm pretty sure the non sportswear stuff is done by Provan's for Ayr United. I'll ask him tonight. I tried to get him in to do a cup final range for us last year but he enquired and was told due to the nature of the Greaves deal he couldn't. Which is a pity as his St mirren cup final range was brilliant.

 

I'd love for Thistle to carry that sort of range, but that's down to them to put the work in and decide if it's a viable income stream. But if they aren't willing to pursue TAG or a cup final DVD then I don't hold out much hope. We'll need to make do with what TTL offer.

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I have yet to visit the TTL outlet and this has been down to it's location and getting to it and the fact it might not be open if i did manage.

 

I knew of the Greaves deal and my only experience of buying anything Thistle was buying it online from Greaves.

This was last year when the deal was coming to an end but i did get a good few items and items that you can't source in the new shop.

 

My opinion for what it's worth is that Thistle need to get into the centre of town with products and compete as best they can with the other clubs.

 

The Ayr shop shows what can be achieved and surely Thistle must strive to achieve something similar and hopefully make some money from merchandise.

 

The "not having a scarf" is unbelieveable (although i believe this is now sorted) but fans shouldn't need to go to the street vendors when Thistle could be the one's getting the cash for the goods that the fans want..

 

Maybe the outlet will expand and get more goods in but the location isn't ideal. (imo)

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I think questions have to be asked about the tender process which ultimately awarded TTL the contract. How many parties submitted bids for this tender? How were these bids evaluated? Who evaluated them?

 

What contractual obligations are in place between TTL and PTFC?

 

I personally am not interested in tat like pens and baby bibs, but I accept that a lot of people are and I also accept that other clubs make a good earning from this stuff.

 

Therefore I find it hard to believe that we didn't make other arrangements with a different supplier for this kind of product.

 

It's another example of how badly the commercial side of the club has been handled over the last 6-9 months.

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Well that's down to the club then and the agreement they have with TTL.

 

They should have tried to source a kit manufacturer with different distribution rights, no?

 

This was my point.

 

Greaves sell random strips from all over the world but are unable to sell Thistle strips because of whatever deal we have with Joma/TTL.

 

Also, the situation with club badges being ironed on to basic Joma gear to order (as experienced by a guy in my work buying a polo shirt for his dad last week) is most definitely a step own from the embroidered Puma gear.

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So I'll ask you as well Colin, how much mark up would you deem acceptable for greaves to put on a home top, for them to make a profit, before they hand the 40 quid over to TTL?

 

When the ship lands at the dock with a delivery of kit for greaves, who will handle the transport costs to the greaves store? Or are you saying that TTL do all the handling work for greaves, split down greaves delivery, then deliver it to greaves free of charge?

 

You've obviously put a bit of thought into this, how many casual shoppers/tourist do you think there are in Glasgow willing to spend 40+ quid on a partick thistle football strip?

 

Not on the wind up here, but do you work for, or have a connection with, TTL? You seem to be batting away all comers who are criticising any aspect of our retail strategy, the strip, its distribution, or having our club's only retail presence (outwith the stadium) in an industrial estate. I do admire your dogged defending, but it looks a bit like PR.

 

I'll tell you how many casual shoppers/tourists will buy Thistle kit from the industrial estate - zero. If anyone bought any merchandise from somewhere in the city then the club would have increased its profile and potentially made some money. Maybe I am alone in this but when I'm abroad on holiday I often pick up some local club stuff - maybe not a strip, but a casual top, or a mug, or a pennant, whatever. Mark ups are not a reason to just give up on wider sales. Didn't someone say earlier on this thread that a kids' strip was £50 at "the shop"? No mark up on that??

 

My main point is that despite being a top-league team, only one of two in the biggest city in Scotland, we are invisible in Glasgow city centre. No doubt you will now explain to everyone how invisibility is in fact excellent and just what we need and much better than being in Greaves....?

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This was my point.

 

Greaves sell random strips from all over the world but are unable to sell Thistle strips because of whatever deal we have with Joma/TTL.

 

Also, the situation with club badges being ironed on to basic Joma gear to order (as experienced by a guy in my work buying a polo shirt for his dad last week) is most definitely a step own from the embroidered Puma gear.

 

I take it you know that Greaves have a badge making machine upstairs and just added the thistle badge to everything that got delivered?

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Not on the wind up here, but do you work for, or have a connection with, TTL? You seem to be batting away all comers who are criticising any aspect of our retail strategy, the strip, its distribution, or having our club's only retail presence (outwith the stadium) in an industrial estate. I do admire your dogged defending, but it looks a bit like PR.

 

 

I work in retail, in a shop in an industrial estate in Edinburgh so I know exactly the pitfalls of being in that situation. After reading this thread there is no way on this earth PT works in retail, he's no clue about it judging on his comments. If this is PR then TTL are f**ked.

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Not on the wind up here, but do you work for, or have a connection with, TTL? You seem to be batting away all comers who are criticising any aspect of our retail strategy, the strip, its distribution, or having our club's only retail presence (outwith the stadium) in an industrial estate. I do admire your dogged defending, but it looks a bit like PR.

 

I'll tell you how many casual shoppers/tourists will buy Thistle kit from the industrial estate - zero. If anyone bought any merchandise from somewhere in the city then the club would have increased its profile and potentially made some money. Maybe I am alone in this but when I'm abroad on holiday I often pick up some local club stuff - maybe not a strip, but a casual top, or a mug, or a pennant, whatever. Mark ups are not a reason to just give up on wider sales. Didn't someone say earlier on this thread that a kids' strip was £50 at "the shop"? No mark up on that??

 

My main point is that despite being a top-league team, only one of two in the biggest city in Scotland, we are invisible in Glasgow city centre. No doubt you will now explain to everyone how invisibility is in fact excellent and just what we need and much better than being in Greaves....?

 

I think what I've done in the main is ridicule folks strange complaints, like trauma of going into a shop with boxes on the floor or having to type a post code into a sat nav.

 

Or the possibly the strangest of the lot... People buying faulty goods, aware they are faulty... Then complaing about the quality of the product on here instead of to the club or TTL.

 

I then corrected folk who think that TTL should be stocking a wider range, when it's not their job to and pointed to the fact that folk should be pointing the finger at the club.

 

Folk have complained about TTL's mark up... Yet seem to ignore the fact that Greaves were doing exactly the same.

 

It seems that folk believe TTL to be an easy target, possibly due to a lack of understanding on what they actually do, compared to what they previously had.

 

I've merely provided an alternative view.

 

It's disappointing that I'm being lambasted for supporting the product when a group seem to be against it... But I suppose it's very similar to when myself and a few others criticise the board, whilst one or two vocally defend them.

 

I say this in all honesty, the only connection I have is that the club asked me to be involved in choosing the casual range. Due to that I have built a relationship with them... I talk to them, they ask me advice as a fan and ask me for feedback on negatives.

 

With regards to your point on our face in Glasgow... Yes I am sure we would benefit in some way... But money wise, I don't know if we would, that's dependEnt on the contract... Have the club received a one off payment per season, or is our contract based on a % of sales.

 

But again I would point you to our commercial department, it is they who agreed the contract, I'm sure they would have discussed distribution and if the strip can be sold outside TTL? Wouldn't they?

 

So rather than focusing people's ire towRds the people doing their job... Why not direct it to the club... Email them, ask our club some questions... Ask our trust to bring up issues you have...

 

 

 

Edit to add... Can I ask again, the scenario is proposed in having a second company selling our kit... Would you accept greaves adding a fiver to a top just so we had a face in Glasgow?

Edited by potty trained
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I work in retail, in a shop in an industrial estate in Edinburgh so I know exactly the pitfalls of being in that situation. After reading this thread there is no way on this earth PT works in retail, he's no clue about it judging on his comments. If this is PR then TTL are f**ked.

 

PT, cheers for your message. Yes that looks like a personal attack but it wasn't ment to be so I'll apologise for that.

 

Regards

 

i@n

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I think what I've done in the main is ridicule folks strange complaints, like trauma of going into a shop with boxes on the floor or having to type a post code into a sat nav.

 

Or the possibly the strangest of the lot... People buying faulty goods, aware they are faulty... Then complaing about the quality of the product on here instead of to the club or TTL.

 

I then corrected folk who think that TTL should be stocking a wider range, when it's not their job to and pointed to the fact that folk should be pointing the finger at the club.

 

Folk have complained about TTL's mark up... Yet seem to ignore the fact that Greaves were doing exactly the same.

 

It seems that folk believe TTL to be an easy target, possibly due to a lack of understanding on what they actually do, compared to what they previously had.

 

I've merely provided an alternative view.

 

It's disappointing that I'm being lambasted for supporting the product when a group seem to be against it... But I suppose it's very similar to when myself and a few others criticise the board, whilst one or two vocally defend them.

 

I say this in all honesty, the only connection I have is that the club asked me to be involved in choosing the casual range. Due to that I have built a relationship with them... I talk to them, they ask me advice as a fan and ask me for feedback on negatives.

 

With regards to your point on our face in Glasgow... Yes I am sure we would benefit in some way... But money wise, I don't know if we would, that's dependEnt on the contract... Have the club received a one off payment per season, or is our contract based on a % of sales.

 

But again I would point you to our commercial department, it is they who agreed the contract, I'm sure they would have discussed distribution and if the strip can be sold outside TTL? Wouldn't they?

 

So rather than focusing people's ire towRds the people doing their job... Why not direct it to the club... Email them, ask our club some questions... Ask our trust to bring up issues you have...

 

 

 

Edit to add... Can I ask again, the scenario is proposed in having a second company selling our kit... Would you accept greaves adding a fiver to a top just so we had a face in Glasgow?

 

To be fair, you've ridiculed your own version of the complaints. Who described there being boxes on the floor of the shop as being a trauma? Did you just think that sounded better? For my part, I described it as messy and an embarrassment. From driving into the estate, finding and entering the compound and then going into the shop, everything is a mess, and I am embarrassed that this is how our club is represented. This is only my opinion and I respect that you are happy (or at least accepting) with this. Others may be happy also, but why you feel that you have to ridicule legitimate observations is beyond me.

 

I found the compound without any issues, but I don't have a sat-nav and genuinely have no way of using my mobile legally while driving. I don't think i'll be alone on this. I think most people are aware of how to locate somewhere not familiar to them. Can I suggest that your attempt to ridicule people on this perhaps failed a little when you asked somebody for a link to the St.Mirren online shop? I know you've got access to a computer and the internet. Have you tried google? It's like an internet sat-nav.

 

I also never described the issue with the strips as being a fault, and i'm not sure anybody else has. I see this as a by-product of an inferior manufacturing process. I think the scale of the recurrence of the issue probably backs this up. It's been highlighted as being present from day one. Having looked through the tops available in his size, I choose the one I felt was best, but they all had the issue. I honestly didn't even consider that there would be one without it. Ridicule that if you want.

 

This is a genuine question - when you were asking them to go through every top in your size so that they would find one without what you are calling a fault, do you know if the tops you rejected stayed on the shelves? How many did they have to go through before they found one for you? Has the issue every been discussed when you have been providing feedback to them? What was their response?

 

I hope you don't feel i've been personal in anything above - you are just the only one voraciously defending TTL and you seem to have had different experiences to the rest of us. It does seem sometimes that any issues are the clubs fault and not TTL, whereby previously Greeves were to blame for any perceved issues. With regards to the part in bold - to me this reads like the scope of the arrangement with TTL is much reduced compared to what we had with Greeves - is this fair or did you mean something else?

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It's a pity that so many folk find it frustrating, but what are they going to do, rent a berth in the Savoy Centre?

 

Whilst it's not in a city centre location. There are advantages to it.

 

10 minutes walk from the underground.

10 minutes from Caley Uni.

 

2 minutes drive from the motorway.

Free parking.

10 minutes from firhill.

 

I'm sure folk who don't want to go through the pain in the arse of paying for city centre parking and driving think its a good site.

 

It's all about people's perception,

 

The whole google the location thing I find bizarre... I meN is that really an issue? Google maps are on our phones, I use it all the time. Used it last night to find two pubs in Glasgow... But once you've used it, you now know the location, so you'll never use it again. Why is that a stick to beat TTL with? Oh the pain, I had to use an app to find it, the first time I went!

 

They offer a map on their website, can you imagine the bloody uproar if they didn't?

 

You think 10 mins to the location from an underground station? Which station, and how fast can you run?

 

10 mins from Firhill - REALLY?!?!?

 

How do you know what people think about a city centre location? It seems that more people would like this than dislike.

 

You mentioned that the OP MAY have arrived during a delivery, then proceeded to talk as though this was a fact - how do you know this is the case?

 

You, sir, are TTL, and I claim my £10!

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To be fair, you've ridiculed your own version of the complaints. Who described there being boxes on the floor of the shop as being a trauma? Did you just think that sounded better? For my part, I described it as messy and an embarrassment. From driving into the estate, finding and entering the compound and then going into the shop, everything is a mess, and I am embarrassed that this is how our club is represented. This is only my opinion and I respect that you are happy (or at least accepting) with this. Others may be happy also, but why you feel that you have to ridicule legitimate observations is beyond me.

 

I found the compound without any issues, but I don't have a sat-nav and genuinely have no way of using my mobile legally while driving. I don't think i'll be alone on this. I think most people are aware of how to locate somewhere not familiar to them. Can I suggest that your attempt to ridicule people on this perhaps failed a little when you asked somebody for a link to the St.Mirren online shop? I know you've got access to a computer and the internet. Have you tried google? It's like an internet sat-nav.

 

I also never described the issue with the strips as being a fault, and i'm not sure anybody else has. I see this as a by-product of an inferior manufacturing process. I think the scale of the recurrence of the issue probably backs this up. It's been highlighted as being present from day one. Having looked through the tops available in his size, I choose the one I felt was best, but they all had the issue. I honestly didn't even consider that there would be one without it. Ridicule that if you want.

 

This is a genuine question - when you were asking them to go through every top in your size so that they would find one without what you are calling a fault, do you know if the tops you rejected stayed on the shelves? How many did they have to go through before they found one for you? Has the issue every been discussed when you have been providing feedback to them? What was their response?

 

I hope you don't feel i've been personal in anything above - you are just the only one voraciously defending TTL and you seem to have had different experiences to the rest of us. It does seem sometimes that any issues are the clubs fault and not TTL, whereby previously Greeves were to blame for any perceved issues. With regards to the part in bold - to me this reads like the scope of the arrangement with TTL is much reduced compared to what we had with Greeves - is this fair or did you mean something else?

 

Compound? And you have a go at me for using the word trauma.

 

I didn't ask for a link to the st mirren website. I asked for the link to the Ayr United site. It was duly provided and I looked through their full range which I complimented.

 

You may have found the place easily, but many people seem to have issue with its location. People aren't even bothering going to it because of its location.

 

I have no idea how many tops they went through, they were next door in the store room. Yes I have brought it up and I believed they are speaking to Joma about it. Has anyone else spoke to them or the club, or has everyone just accepted it?

 

I'm not sure what specifically you mean with regards to blame between TTL, the club and greaves, I'm sorry if I've not explained myself, I'll try to again, if you need.

 

Yes I'd say the scope of the agreement is greatly different, TTL are by definition not a retailer, they are more of a wholesaler, in that I mean that they do not diverse into key rings, bed sheets and wallpaper like Ayr United... They have added a small selection of goods to their range of sportswear, but I think this is more to do with them pinpointing a gap, as opposed to it being in the deal that they must stock stuff like water bottles and sweets. If you need clarification tho' I'd urge you to contact the club.

 

I really can't keep saying this... The information I have been given is because I ask, I start a discussion, build a relationship,,,

 

How many people have stopped and talked to the staff, given them feedback on the range, talked to them about issues they have, how many folk told them, I don't like this top, it feels cheap, I don't like the way the badge is stitched, can I get another?

Edited by potty trained
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You think 10 mins to the location from an underground station? Which station, and how fast can you run?

 

10 mins from Firhill - REALLY?!?!?

 

How do you know what people think about a city centre location? It seems that more people would like this than dislike.

 

You mentioned that the OP MAY have arrived during a delivery, then proceeded to talk as though this was a fact - how do you know this is the case?

 

You, sir, are TTL, and I claim my £10!

 

10 minute walk from cowcaddens

10 minute drive from firhill, down to kings cross, turn left to Saracen, turn right passed Elliott David's flat and turn left at the second roundabout, it's that easy.

 

I'm not sure about your point re a city centre location, I think everyone would love that, but it's just not feasible. Why would TTL do it? Does the contract allow for the product to be sold from another retailer, you'd need to contact the club.

 

I think the fact there'd boxes on the floor makes it obvious there was a delivery. There was 4 boxes on the floor today as there had been a delivery. I spoke to them about it, they are refurbishing an area out back to hold delivery in until it can be unpacked.

Edited by potty trained
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Let's differentiate between the products and the outlet...,

My main point is that for a retail unit it is in the wrong place and I am bewildered that anyone would think otherwise

 

But that's what we have, so we need to make do. TTL aren't going to buy a shop in Glasgow City centre, so that's the way it goes, there is nothing productive in highlighting it repeatedly. It is what it is, I'd love us to have a city centre location selling all sorts of magical stuff, but we are a business that had 3000-4000 customers, not all of them will buy merchandise and of them, not all of them will be repeat spenders, that leaves having stock sold through an independent sport shop, so that rules out JD and sports Direct. It leaves greaves.

 

So if greaves is the only place for us to get a footprint, you need to look at why we no longer have that? Why was the contract not renewed, more clubs in Scotland are using the puma name, so it's not that... We were going to the premiership, that must have been an attraction... But it didn't happen... Go and ask the club why it didn't.

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You know what, I'm going to draw a line under this, I'm bored shitless discussing this, I only got involved to make sure we had a good range of clothing to choose from.

 

If folk don't agree with my opinion I'm sorry, I can only speak honestly from the information I've taken from speaking to them.

 

I'd suggest you do the same, pop in to the club shop at firhill, talk to them, tell them what you don't like, tell them what you like, they really want to make it work.

 

If you have questions, email the club, they are answerable to us, it's our club, if you are unhappy with anything that carries our name, bloody complain, ask questions, put these people under pressure... Don't put up with it then moan on a forum. Because if that's all you do, You'd be better off doing nothing,

 

 

 

If anyone wants to discuss this in PM by all means give me a shout, but I won't be posting on this or any future Joma thread, it serves no benefit to me at all.

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