Season 2011-12
The Mail Bag
My Kingdom For An Everton Mug
34 Comments: Can anyone tell me what's going on at the club regarding its shambolic marketing of merchandise?
OK, so I don't attend the match as regularly as I used to (mainly due to work commitments), but I am still a loyal and very proud supporter and get to the games when I can. So the other day I thought I'd nip out and buy a mug to take into work (gotta keep the flag flying, no matter how small). Could I find one anywhere, or a flag, or book or even a bloody pennant???
In fact I could find absolutely nothing regarding our club. When I asked various shop staff, you could hear the wind whistling and the see the tumbleweed drifting by. For god's sake, we are the fourth most successful team in the English league. I did find plenty of gear for Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle and both Manchester clubs.
Now if I lived in Dubai or some other exotic far flung corner of the world I could understand this. The truth is I now live in Stockport a whooping 42 miles away from Goodison Park. Where I live, you can still spot someone wearing the famous Royal Blue shirt every now and then and this has got me to think: How can Everton ever compete as a global brand if they are missing out on opportunities on their doorstep?
I know about the Kitbag deal, so I won't mention club strips, but did this deal include everything connected to Everton FC?
Paul Matthews, Posted 26/07/2011 at 15:04:26
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Mark,
you are being ridiculous.
How can you possibly expect a club of Everton's standing to have merchandise for fans when they can just keep selling players to fund their habit.
you are being ridiculous.
How can you possibly expect a club of Everton's standing to have merchandise for fans when they can just keep selling players to fund their habit.
Went to the match in Washington - not an everton kit or merchandise of any kind to be found
Even DC United had some shirts with their name and everton's printed up!
The merchandising situation is shameful as it exposes the real lack of professional oversight for the club as a business entity.
Even DC United had some shirts with their name and everton's printed up!
The merchandising situation is shameful as it exposes the real lack of professional oversight for the club as a business entity.
fucked up credit rating thanks to Kenshite = no stock or suppliers willing to trade
tried to buy an Everton pennant to send as a gift to an Evertonian abroad, this was early June. So I looked on the website and there are no Pennants advertised, I left it at that and have just tried again today to find no Pennant again.
I have just spoke to a member of the Everton Direct team who told me this is because the club currently have no stock and they do not know when they will be getting any in... What kind of a fucking football club has no stock in of Pennants or flags or other souveniers?
From top to bottom, this club is a fucking shambles. I have since gone onto soccerbox.com and purchased one with no problem, no wonder this club is fucking skint.
I posted this the other day and have since spoken to a rep in the club who checked and told me that Everton have decided to stop selling items like these and that I shouldn't have been able to buy one from soccer box.com and she will be looking into it to stop them!!!
So Evertons marketing policy is we won't sell anything and neither will anybody else, fucking amazing strategy even by Evertons standards
I have just spoke to a member of the Everton Direct team who told me this is because the club currently have no stock and they do not know when they will be getting any in... What kind of a fucking football club has no stock in of Pennants or flags or other souveniers?
From top to bottom, this club is a fucking shambles. I have since gone onto soccerbox.com and purchased one with no problem, no wonder this club is fucking skint.
I posted this the other day and have since spoken to a rep in the club who checked and told me that Everton have decided to stop selling items like these and that I shouldn't have been able to buy one from soccer box.com and she will be looking into it to stop them!!!
So Evertons marketing policy is we won't sell anything and neither will anybody else, fucking amazing strategy even by Evertons standards
I've got half a dozen Everton coffee mugs.
They give them out free in the Chang pubs here in Thailand.
Got a couple of Everton / Chang beer glasses, water bottle, bottle openers and T-shirts too.
They give them out free in the Chang pubs here in Thailand.
Got a couple of Everton / Chang beer glasses, water bottle, bottle openers and T-shirts too.
When my season card came through, a booklet came with it.
In it was the usual stuff, like a letter from David Moyes and money off vouchers for various things, which will come in handy!
On the page for ?Retail Offers? there is a sentence: ?Remember, Everton Official Merchandise, including kit and training wear, is exclusive to Everton One, Everton Two and evertondirect.com?.
So, in other words, if you don?t live in Liverpool and don?t have access to the internet, then you cannot buy anything from the club.
No wonder we?re fucking skint! The people who run our club are a gang of mind bogglingly idiotic idiots!!
In it was the usual stuff, like a letter from David Moyes and money off vouchers for various things, which will come in handy!
On the page for ?Retail Offers? there is a sentence: ?Remember, Everton Official Merchandise, including kit and training wear, is exclusive to Everton One, Everton Two and evertondirect.com?.
So, in other words, if you don?t live in Liverpool and don?t have access to the internet, then you cannot buy anything from the club.
No wonder we?re fucking skint! The people who run our club are a gang of mind bogglingly idiotic idiots!!
Thanks for the comments, looks like I have a couple of choices:Move back closer to the official club shops... or get a flight to Thailand and find a fucking Chang pub. Funny, I thought all the pirates were in Somalia these days.
Eric
I would hang onto those mugs for dear life.
With Kenwright's policy on merchandising they will soon be collector's items.
When the Chairman states "Only Newcastle supporters buy shirts" you know what our attitude to marketing and merchandising is going to be.
And some idiots keep posting we could do worse than Kenwright!!
I would hang onto those mugs for dear life.
With Kenwright's policy on merchandising they will soon be collector's items.
When the Chairman states "Only Newcastle supporters buy shirts" you know what our attitude to marketing and merchandising is going to be.
And some idiots keep posting we could do worse than Kenwright!!
Paul,
In answer to your question, yes. The Kitbag deal covered all merchandise. All the stuff you are looking for is online in the club store, where its been for more than 10 years.
Kitbag are an exclusively online company, which reduces the overheads required to run a business as there are no need for shops, employee's etc. Previously our merchandise was only available in the UK, its now available to every country in the world.
I am not too sure what your point about the 'fourth most successful club' actually means? We haven't won the title since '87, and haven't been in the European Cup since '71. Does being the fourth most successful club mean we should be selling our stuff like hot cakes on the highstreet? When we had the JJB deal and our kits were in stores, even the (embarrassing) tiny bit of space we were afforded was never sold out. It makes no business sense to put things in stores at a cost, if you are getting no return for it. It surely makes better business sense to put it in a warehouse and supply it via the internet worldwide?
In answer to your question, yes. The Kitbag deal covered all merchandise. All the stuff you are looking for is online in the club store, where its been for more than 10 years.
Kitbag are an exclusively online company, which reduces the overheads required to run a business as there are no need for shops, employee's etc. Previously our merchandise was only available in the UK, its now available to every country in the world.
I am not too sure what your point about the 'fourth most successful club' actually means? We haven't won the title since '87, and haven't been in the European Cup since '71. Does being the fourth most successful club mean we should be selling our stuff like hot cakes on the highstreet? When we had the JJB deal and our kits were in stores, even the (embarrassing) tiny bit of space we were afforded was never sold out. It makes no business sense to put things in stores at a cost, if you are getting no return for it. It surely makes better business sense to put it in a warehouse and supply it via the internet worldwide?
Dan, a lot of the things are not in a warehouse and have not been ordered by the club and are not going to be ordered by the club, in other words we are not stocking things full stop, therefore you cannot buy them. Sounds fucking ludicrous to me.
Andy,
That's because we have very limited credit with suppliers I think.
We literally support the paupers of the entire English football system.
That's because we have very limited credit with suppliers I think.
We literally support the paupers of the entire English football system.
Andy, such as what? I have just been on the site, and searched through some random things (mugs, duvets, shirts, keyrings, baby clothes, etc.) and each one has said 'in stock'. Is that a lie? You can even buy an Everton Tape Measure now!! That to me is fucking ludicrous, but each to their own....
Gavin 4# & Mark 12#,
Could you please explain WHERE you have heard this information about limited credit. If I am honest, I think you are completely making it up.
Kitbag are sub-contracted to run the merchandising, it has nothing to do wth Everton. Our credit rating has no effect whatsoever on what Kitbag can Procure, Stock or Supply.
Could you please explain WHERE you have heard this information about limited credit. If I am honest, I think you are completely making it up.
Kitbag are sub-contracted to run the merchandising, it has nothing to do wth Everton. Our credit rating has no effect whatsoever on what Kitbag can Procure, Stock or Supply.
I sent an e-mail to the customer service team yesterday:-
And the response:-
Serioulsly - any other business run like this would have been bust days after starting up!!!
Please can you justify why a club the size and stature of Everton have such a woeful range of children's clothing?
I have a daughter and son, both of whom I have introduced to Everton from birth... however, all of the items they have are all bought away from the club!!
Surely the commercial opportunity to have a regular income stream from your supporters is commonsense, and therefore getting the young supporters immersed in the Everton brand should be paramount.
I have just visited the on-line store again to be dismayed by the comical lack of anything I can buy for my children.
Please can you pass this on to the relevant people who make the decisions on the products that are made available to supporters as it is plainly clear they are pretty clueless!
Thank you for your time.
S.Harwood
Evertonian for over 30 years.
And the response:-
Dear Simon Harwood,
Thank you for your email.
We shall keep your opinions in mind for any future stock updates.
If we can offer any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.
Kind Regards
Jacob Smith
Customer Services
Serioulsly - any other business run like this would have been bust days after starting up!!!
If anyones looking for Everton mugs, go to the first game of the season ? there's generally about 35,000 of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I remember being at Goodison close to Christmas three years ago. It was well cold and me and my mate decided we would head to the club shop to buy something to keep us warm. We were both large in size and to our amazement they had nothing left in anything large. It beggared belief that at a home match near Christmas that they could have not stocked the club shop to meet demand. It's beyond a joke. Kenwright Out.
Dan #14 - if you bothered to read this site you would have read it here - http://www.toffeeweb.com/season/10-11/comment/fan/17142.html
Oddly enough, Dan, you even commented on that thread.
Dan, any idea why Everton couldn't manage £150k for Lonergan as a backup keeper? Before you type, he trained with us for a few months and was most definitely on Moyes radar and fitted the cheap and cheerful new "Everton Way"
Preston officially reported it some time ago - http://www.pne.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=231278
Preston officially reported it some time ago - http://www.pne.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=231278
Gav, I understand the clubs finances. My question is, how does the clubs credit rating affect Kitbag's ability to procure, stock or supply merchandises.
Cant really answer the question about why we haven't signed that keeper Gav. I honestly don't know anything about the ins and outs of our transfer dealings. We can all assume its because we cannot afford it, but I don't believe transfer outlay is the problem we face. Its the wage bill that is currently strangling us. I don't think anybody anticiapted Yobo and the Yak to still be here, and on the payroll. Although I would honestly say that a 3rd keeper is not exactly top of our priorities at the moment.
Cant really answer the question about why we haven't signed that keeper Gav. I honestly don't know anything about the ins and outs of our transfer dealings. We can all assume its because we cannot afford it, but I don't believe transfer outlay is the problem we face. Its the wage bill that is currently strangling us. I don't think anybody anticiapted Yobo and the Yak to still be here, and on the payroll. Although I would honestly say that a 3rd keeper is not exactly top of our priorities at the moment.
Maybe Moyes just didn't want that crap keeper Lonergan. Perhaps he just suddenly realised that he wasn't good enough fo Everton and lo and behold only Leeds are chasing him. Maybe it's not always to do with how little money we have. The media take that angle on every single transfer target we reportedly miss out on and then everyone jumps on the bandwagon.
Of course we can afford £150k ? does anyone honestly believe we can't? It's only two weeks' wages for Arteta. I know we're skint but are people honestly going to lap up that story from the Mirror then proclaim it as the truth?
All major retailers have problems especially at Christmas. It's not unique to Everton, it happens at most Premier League clubs and nearly all retailers at some point. Bit too easy just to clutch at this straw and add it too the massive list of reasons why we're just the worst run club to ever have existed.
So Dan you are saying if we had already got rid of Yak and Yobo we would be ok financially? Think business 101 should be your next college class!
James, at this point I could not honestly tell you if we could afford £150k right now. I almost think they didn't take Yak to USA because of the extra cost to fly the big guy there... lol.
James #22, I twice posted links to media sources that stated Moyes wants Lonegan but the club can't raise the £150k needed to buy him as it was dependent on selling Mucha.
I also posted a similar story about our inability to fund a deal for N'Zogbia as the Yobo sale was supposed to provide the down payment.
Face it we're skint and can't buy unless we sell. That we can't get enough money to buy a £150k keeper or stock the club shop with a few coffee mugs is criminal.
KENWRIGHT OUT!
I also posted a similar story about our inability to fund a deal for N'Zogbia as the Yobo sale was supposed to provide the down payment.
Face it we're skint and can't buy unless we sell. That we can't get enough money to buy a £150k keeper or stock the club shop with a few coffee mugs is criminal.
KENWRIGHT OUT!
Blue alternative home shorts. Get them before Bluekipper buys the lot (allegedly). The online shop stocks a few goodies now and then you just have to make a look out for them. #1 Mark, I believe you can buy the spanking new kits in baby size? But it'll set you back a bit. Anyway I'll put my Everton coffee mug in a time capsule now for eBay. COYB
Kitbag have exclusivity on all Everton merchandise which means aside from Everton1, Everton2, Kitbag's online store and Everton's online store. You can't buy anything Everton related anywhere.
Put it another way. Aside from two shops both within a few miles of each other. You wont see another thing Everton anywhere else in the world.
Whoever signed this deal needs sacking immediately. It's only slightly less stupid than the other farce a few years ago when we closed all our club shops. There's building a brand and then there's being a bunch of useless fuckwits.
Our board specialise in the latter.
Put it another way. Aside from two shops both within a few miles of each other. You wont see another thing Everton anywhere else in the world.
Whoever signed this deal needs sacking immediately. It's only slightly less stupid than the other farce a few years ago when we closed all our club shops. There's building a brand and then there's being a bunch of useless fuckwits.
Our board specialise in the latter.
Always links to media sources isn't it. Have they reported one Everton story accurately this summer yet?
Rodwell will definitely be going... no he hasn't. Jagielka will be going... he hasn't either. Baines is off to Liverpool... They just make stuff up all the time.
If we have Mucha we don't need Lonergan. If he sells Mucha then he'll have the money for a new keeper. What we can't afford to do is waste £150k on a keeper we don't need but don't let the media twist that into Everton can't even afford £150k.
Dan, I don't believe any branded goods with our logo on them would ever be supplied sale or return, who the hell would want them back? Thus I believe the retail deal with kitbag requires funding to prcude and provide stock, JIT (just in time) is common place but nothing at all including pretty obvious stuff that has been regular sellers for years; kids kit and mugs etc smells a bit fishy to me like cash flow problems.
The club had the cheek to include player sales in its top line on its annual return making the sales of players one of it key business operating tasks now, thats not the end of the world if they are sold and replaced, trouble is they aren't. Who replaced Gosling? Who replaced Pienaar? Who replaced Yobo for the duration of his loan? Who replaced Yakubu during his loan? Who replaced Vaughan?
You can argue that we had other players who have played but that ignores the fact we are men down, several of the youth players aren't up to speed and being expected to replace experienced players a tad unfair; if they bomb out then its them that will get the flack from the fans, often through no fault of their own.
The club had the cheek to include player sales in its top line on its annual return making the sales of players one of it key business operating tasks now, thats not the end of the world if they are sold and replaced, trouble is they aren't. Who replaced Gosling? Who replaced Pienaar? Who replaced Yobo for the duration of his loan? Who replaced Yakubu during his loan? Who replaced Vaughan?
You can argue that we had other players who have played but that ignores the fact we are men down, several of the youth players aren't up to speed and being expected to replace experienced players a tad unfair; if they bomb out then its them that will get the flack from the fans, often through no fault of their own.
You have no idea! As a fan from the states we get nothing! The only thing you can find on American websites that sell ?soccer? gear is united crap and random country kits. To buy my Everton Mug I had to get it from Evertonfc.com. The mug was 5£ (us$10!) and the shipping here was 9£! When it was all said and done I got my mug for about $28us? that?s a lot for a mug!
Gavin, there was no intention to replace Yobo and Yak when out on loan. They were sent out to reduce the wage bill, replacing them would not have been particularly helpful in achieving that.
Vaughan rarely played for us, so didn't actually need replacing.
Gosling was not a loss to the team in my eyes. Financially, yes it was a big balls up. But I didn't consider him as a future great. I am much happier seeing Ross Barkley, who looks like a good player.
Pienaar had a great work ethic and was pleasing on the eye, but ultimately had no end product. Bily is the complete opposite, has the end product in spades but lacks work ethic and always looks uncomfortable on the ball. I am hoping he proves us wrong, and has a good season. If he can give some consistency, he will exceed Pienaars contribution to the team without a doubt. But its a big if based on what we have seen.
Ultimately though Gav, we are trying to reduce the wage bill, not fill it up. I am sure you would agree that 70% ratio between turnover and wages is far too high. Lets hope the youngsters that seem closer to the first team can give us a much needed boost in terms of decent first team players, and we can keep our top players realtively fit for a season!!!
Vaughan rarely played for us, so didn't actually need replacing.
Gosling was not a loss to the team in my eyes. Financially, yes it was a big balls up. But I didn't consider him as a future great. I am much happier seeing Ross Barkley, who looks like a good player.
Pienaar had a great work ethic and was pleasing on the eye, but ultimately had no end product. Bily is the complete opposite, has the end product in spades but lacks work ethic and always looks uncomfortable on the ball. I am hoping he proves us wrong, and has a good season. If he can give some consistency, he will exceed Pienaars contribution to the team without a doubt. But its a big if based on what we have seen.
Ultimately though Gav, we are trying to reduce the wage bill, not fill it up. I am sure you would agree that 70% ratio between turnover and wages is far too high. Lets hope the youngsters that seem closer to the first team can give us a much needed boost in terms of decent first team players, and we can keep our top players realtively fit for a season!!!
Dan, I know we are trying to reduce the wage bill but see what happens when we get injuries, we've already had a pre-season game without enough players to make the bench and play at least half an hour with ten men. I'm not saying the players named were all regulars but they were numbers, it's like a broken record the "smallest squad in the Premier" and it's getting worse not better.
The ratio of wages to income is down to a useless chairman and board, the fact we can't even afford a single loan player is down to the board, what would happen if Beckford gets injured? Saha can't play every game and Anichebe is never going to be a double figures striker in the premier league.
Ironically, if any of our kids do turn out to be decent they'll be out the door to give another stay of execution for debt servicing.
The ratio of wages to income is down to a useless chairman and board, the fact we can't even afford a single loan player is down to the board, what would happen if Beckford gets injured? Saha can't play every game and Anichebe is never going to be a double figures striker in the premier league.
Ironically, if any of our kids do turn out to be decent they'll be out the door to give another stay of execution for debt servicing.
Understood Gav. So the new owner is expected to come in, sign new players, pay top wages to keep the best players, AND lower the debt at the same time?
This is the part I have never got (I apologise for being thick). How can the new owner make 37,000 seats pay more without increasing ticket prices? How can the new owner increase the Sky money coming in?
Sponsorship is of course something that could be addressed. Now let's say the new owner managed to get us £35 million for a 10-year deal instead of £30 million. That in itself is a huge achievement. That will get us £500k a season. And he manages to increase merchandise sales through clever marketing, selling baby's bibs, putting up Cahill billboards in Oz, putting a megastore in Stockport etc.. And nets us an increase to the the tune of say 20%. That will net us around another £750k.
So after demonstrating some good business 'acumen', the owner has brought in an extra £1.25 million a season. Which in itself is a huge improvement. Whereas we need to find around an extra £20 million a season to sign players and pay top dollar wages. How is this achievable?
This is the part I have never got (I apologise for being thick). How can the new owner make 37,000 seats pay more without increasing ticket prices? How can the new owner increase the Sky money coming in?
Sponsorship is of course something that could be addressed. Now let's say the new owner managed to get us £35 million for a 10-year deal instead of £30 million. That in itself is a huge achievement. That will get us £500k a season. And he manages to increase merchandise sales through clever marketing, selling baby's bibs, putting up Cahill billboards in Oz, putting a megastore in Stockport etc.. And nets us an increase to the the tune of say 20%. That will net us around another £750k.
So after demonstrating some good business 'acumen', the owner has brought in an extra £1.25 million a season. Which in itself is a huge improvement. Whereas we need to find around an extra £20 million a season to sign players and pay top dollar wages. How is this achievable?
Paul, I live in Stockport as well, may as well be on another planet looking for anything Everton here.
Dan# 10. With all respect, as aN Australian in the mid-90s, I could walk into Rebel Sport here and pick up the latest Everton strip. I have the ghastly black, blue, and yellow strip, with quality sponsor stuck over another sponsor! I cannot believe that a club that has arguably the most marketable and popular sportsman in Australia is unable to sell anything in this country. What a shambles and a joke!
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1 Posted 26/07/2011 at 17:22:39
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I have recently found out that I am having a little baby boy in December and wanted to buy some officially branded Everton merchandise for when he arrived. Unfortunately there is nothing available on the official site, bar some cream-coloured stuff that doesn?t even carry the badge. There also appears to be a ban on anyone else selling branded gear, as I can?t find any other sites selling it.
This appears to me to be incredibly short-sighted by the club and a real missed opportunity. I?m sure I?m not the only person who has gone looking for blue Everton baby gear and been left disappointed. Is it really too much to expect a few baby grows, vests, hats and gloves with little Everton badges?
Does anyone happen to know somewhere I can actually get something like this, or am I just being ridiculous?