https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62256634 “Only 44 out of 92 clubs currently have both their 2022-23 season kits on sale.” I’ve ordered 2 junior kits at £90 over 2 months ago, going on our 2 week holiday tomorrow without them, summers going to be half done by the time they get here. Really wish the club had come out and said this weeks ago rather than left us guessing. I’ve got no issue with the delay, it is what it is, out of the clubs hands, but I’ve had to find out why there’s a delay from the national news, rather than the club. I rarely complain but it’s poor. Imagine ordering clothes online from say Next and not hearing anything for 2 months, it would never happen. Fan loyalty is taken for granted sometimes, where as a retailer would lose a customer for good if they didn’t let you know.
One of the biggest criticisms I have of our communications is that we're generally very slow to deliver bad news, even when it's zero fault of the club. Get ahead of the problem and manage expectations, especially when it's created by global issues that are affecting multiple industries in many countries.
Is the lack of shirt sponsor an issue for us as well? Or are we selling the shirts without a sponsor on them?
I don’t think it’s linked after reading this, I’m sure someone said we released a sponsor-less shirt several seasons ago in similar circumstances, with the sponsor being added later in the season once one was found.
That’s how I would do it, let fans know there’s an issue, say you’ll keep them informed and that your doing everything you can to speed it along, but that it’s out of your hands. some people would still take issue, but most wouldn’t, they’d know it wasn’t the clubs fault, which is better than us all thinking it was the clubs fault, and then finding out the reason of the delay from someone else
The first team played in a kit without a shirt sponsor in that season (1994-5), but shirts didn't go on sale to fans until after the deal with Ora was agreed. This followed the collapse of the original deal with FPW, when it was discovered that they were a pyramid scheme.
Any idea where they are made? I'm guessing not in the UK, so it could be logistics issues with imports.
The Puma stuff I have ordered for kids football tends to be from Eastern Europe, I think the last was from Romania
Our kits are made in Vietnam. I think the lack of transparency from our club is disappointing. They could be appologising to the fans for the delay when they have a full year every season to plan to make sure they are here on sale in plenty of time. They could be answering why the £8 discount wasn't extended until fans knew what the kits the discount would be on would look like. They could answer when they expect kits to be available to wear. They could answer if fans will have the option of buying one with or without a sponsor. They could be telling us what's happening with regards to a sponsor.
Thanks for the info @Sheriff, hopefully there won’t be a sponsorship delay added onto the manufacturing one. More than happy for my kids to have a sponsor-less one if it means they get it sooner! I’m going to have to stop feeding them at this rate, they’ll grow out of the kit size!
If the delayed any longer then surely the club should consider keeping at least one of the kits for next season aswell
Sad to say but probably won’t buy any of them now. Whilst I understand out of the clubs hands so to speak they should have kept supporters informed and then to charge more for something that’s going to offer much less time in longevity with the season just about to start. Would imagine this going to be another unwelcome financial hit to the club.
Yes they should be aiming for kits to be available as soon as the previous season is over so ideally they would have been on sale two months ago now just about so people get more value from their purchase from warmer weather to wear it in, June holiday sales, Father's Day sales etc. They have even missed the start of six weeks holiday and open day sales. I can imagine sales of replica shirts will be way down this year. By the time you can get one you might get about a month to wear showing before it's too cold and gets hidden under a jumper/coat for months on end.
I order both a home and away shirt last night, the website said both shirts were in stock. After reading this I wish I had not ordered now.
