Club Shop- could be better?

[Mr Popodopolous]

First time a mate has been in a while.

Not saying that it's terrible but it hasn't really kept pace with the development of the ground.

 

Not the biggest and neither is the range. One thing that surprised a mate of mine is that they seem to have no City masks.

Masks are a necessary evil atm and if any I'd quite like to wear a City one from time to time, they nipped down too for a mate who is looking for some rugby ones.

Surprisingly, not only do they have none but they don't know when they'll have any. One for @JerrySLO perhaps.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Mr Popodopolous

[Wiltshire robin]

It is terrible tbh 

i have taken many friends who are season ticket holders at other champ and efl clubs and they couldn’t believe how small the shop is and how little merch we have there.

Also people with me couldn’t believe that with how small the shop is half of it is filled with rugby and basketball ball stuff which was just embarrassing.

I think it’s without a doubt the smallest and worst store in the champ let alone league one . 

[Selred]

I don’t know who is in charge of the store, but honestly they need replacing. 

The range is so limited, the pricing is massively too high, and the stock keeping is frankly embarrassing.

[54-46]

Was genuinely better years ago when it was just a portacabin in the car park

[Red Army 75]

Just trying to get a basic woolly hat with the badge on is impossible. Instead they got some sort of American football design. 

[Bristol Rob]

Should be am entirely online enterprise with a match day pop-up shop for impulse purchases.

 

[Slippin cider]

A lot of it is taken up by Rugby stuff, never go in there now .

[daored]

45 minutes ago, Selred said:

I don’t know who is in charge of the store, but honestly they need replacing. 

The range is so limited, the pricing is massively too high, and the stock keeping is frankly embarrassing.

I’ve had this conversation with people from the club, was even given the contact details of the lady who runs the shop but no reply.

Considering our losses announced, the club should be looking at all options to increase revenue, including merchandise but for some reason they don’t seem to be

[Redrascal2]

50 minutes ago, Wiltshire robin said:

It is terrible tbh 

i have taken many friends who are season ticket holders at other champ and efl clubs and they couldn’t believe how small the shop is and how little merch we have there.

Also people with me couldn’t believe that with how small the shop is half of it is filled with rugby and basketball ball stuff which was just embarrassing.

I think it’s without a doubt the smallest and worst store in the champ let alone league one . 

Agreed and we need to generate more income and they ignore the club shop. Once again piss poor management. Only hope is Gould being reasonably new might look to address this issue 

[Tin Soldier]

Just another part of the Bristol Sport shitshow. Embarrassing, so never go in there nowadays.

[1960maaan]

It is absolutely pathetic, I have been complaining for ages. Not sure if they have a manager or not, but if they do they should be ashamed. Nothing remotely Christmassy , except a card. Our mascot's a Robin FFS, do baubles, decorations and Jumpers, it's a no brainer you'd think. I highlight Christmas as it's so obvious. The other thing is cheap impulse buy stuff. When kids wander around with Mum/Dad and point to something that's a pound or two.  

Like people have said, it's an income stream that is massively been wasted for the whole time the shop has been open. The shop that Beryl ran was full of bits, Nic naks and little things you would grab without thinking, but I'm not sure the clothing range was any worse back then. 

[Davefevs]

They recently advertised for a store manager (think that was the job title).

The plan was to locate it somewhere else originally.  Don’t know if that is still the plan?

I can’t believe it gets enough non-match day footfall, and therefore becomes a difficult thing to get right.

[CyderInACan]

57 minutes ago, Slippin cider said:

A lot of it is taken up by Rugby stuff, never go in there now .

Well of course it is! Why wouldn’t it? It’s not the good old “City Shop” any more is it! It’s the Bristol Sport Store and, shock horror, I’ve even seen Flyers merch in there. 
 

Irrespective though, they’re amazingly shit on stocking the correct products for the correct time of year. Bobble hats aplenty in the summer and T-shirts galore come winter. It’s a farcical operation 

[spudski]

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

First time a mate has been in a while.

Not saying that it's terrible but it hasn't really kept pace with the development of the ground.

 

Not the biggest and neither is the range. One thing that surprised a mate of mine is that they seem to have no City masks.

Masks are a necessary evil atm and if any I'd quite like to wear a City one from time to time, they nipped down too for a mate who is looking for some rugby ones.

Surprisingly, not only do they have none but they don't know when they'll have any. One for @JerrySLO perhaps.

Thank **** for that.

At which point did people think having a mask as a fashion statement or showing support was normal or even acceptable? 

So many ' brands' taking people's money for a mask protecting lives. 

It's disgusting imo. Really low. And people have just gone along with it...like it's friggin normal

[1960maaan]

31 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

The plan was to locate it somewhere else originally.  Don’t know if that is still the plan?

I can't remember where I heard/saw it, but I think one of the plans was to relocate into a bigger site in the new build for the Basketball . Whether that's still the case, who knows . They could have all the replica kits etc, under one roof though. 

[Dredd]

It would be good if they could stock it appropriately for the event. With some rolling clothes rails and a space for storage it wouldn’t take too long to make it a City shop for City games, a Bears shop for Bears games and a bit of each in the week. You possibly miss out on the few people who pick up Bears bit at a City match and visa versa but if you can get more decent varied stock in for each team then that should be offset. Click and collect could still be an option for those who want to get something for the other side

[Taz]

1 hour ago, daored said:

I’ve had this conversation with people from the club, was even given the contact details of the lady who runs the shop but no reply.

Considering our losses announced, the club should be looking at all options to increase revenue, including merchandise but for some reason they don’t seem to be

They are.

I know somebody who works at the club, and it is one avenue that is/was being looked at for improvement.

Pretty sure that longterm, the shop will move across to the new phase of building works to a bigger and better unit. Until then though, I think it's a case of living with it in it's current state, whilst trying to house as much of as many different lines as possible.

I know that they used to stock more football stuff when we were playing, more Rugby when Bears were playing etc. Whether that's still the case I don't know as I don't go as often anymore, and when I do I can't be bothered to push past people to look at stuff in there.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Taz
The online store leaves a lot to be desired though still so there's no excuse for that.

[Bristol Oil Services]

2 hours ago, 54-46 said:

Was genuinely better years ago when it was just a portacabin in the car park

We were reminiscing about this Christmas Day - our old muh had bought @Huntstile Red a ticket for City v Stan Collymore, Christmas early 90s. Only someone went and lobbed it on the fire Christmas Day amongst some used wrapping paper.

So what does our muh do? She goes and sees Dame Beryl in said portacabin early doors on the day of the game and explains the situation. Beryl knows "the boys" and without question produces another ticket.

Then Stan Collymore chucks our Christmas on the fire.

 

[Tinmans Love Child]

1 hour ago, 1960maaan said:

I can't remember where I heard/saw it, but I think one of the plans was to relocate into a bigger site in the new build for the Basketball . Whether that's still the case, who knows . They could have all the replica kits etc, under one roof though. 

That’s what I thought was happening, this is almost a temp site (hence why not that big) as plan always to have a ‘superstore’ when the arena is built

[1960maaan]

1 hour ago, Taz said:

They are.

I know somebody who works at the club, and it is one avenue that is/was being looked at for improvement.

Pretty sure that longterm, the shop will move across to the new phase of building works to a bigger and better unit. Until then though, I think it's a case of living with it in it's current state, whilst trying to house as much of as many different lines as possible.

I know that they used to stock more football stuff when we were playing, more Rugby when Bears were playing etc. Whether that's still the case I don't know as I don't go as often anymore, and when I do I can't be bothered to push past people to look at stuff in there.

The thing is though, with todays online accessibility , you don't need to have a big shop. They could have a nice amount of stack available online, and sate it will not all be available at the shop, or rotate the stack. I think the choices are poor and very little effort or thought put in.

[The Wild Bunch]

4 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

The thing is though, with todays online accessibility , you don't need to have a big shop. They could have a nice amount of stack available online, and sate it will not all be available at the shop, or rotate the stack. I think the choices are poor and very little effort or thought put in.

Online offering is very poor also.

[1960maaan]

2 minutes ago, The Wild Bunch said:

Online offering is very poor also.

Exactly.

[Bristol Rob]

Isn't it about this time in the knocking the club shop thread someone posts a pictures of the prices when Beryl ran it, before someone mentions the museum?

Have to wonder if there would be more money to be made turning the shop floor space over to hospitality however.

[Taz]

37 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

Isn't it about this time in the knocking the club shop thread someone posts a pictures of the prices when Beryl ran it, before someone mentions the museum?

Have to wonder if there would be more money to be made turning the shop floor space over to hospitality however.

Has been mentioned about the possibility of restraunt/bar expanding into that space when it's moved. Not sure if that's an official line, or just a suggestion from people on here though. Makes sense when you think about it though.

[54-46]

55 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

Isn't it about this time in the knocking the club shop thread someone posts a pictures of the prices when Beryl ran it, before someone mentions the museum?

Have to wonder if there would be more money to be made turning the shop floor space over to hospitality however.

Here you go.  Prices AND Beryl

Edited December 29, 2021 by 54-46

[ralphindevon]

I think the amount of threads we’ve had like this on OTIB over the last few years says it all.

[Sweeneys Penalties]

5 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

First time a mate has been in a while.

Not saying that it's terrible but it hasn't really kept pace with the development of the ground.

 

Not the biggest and neither is the range. One thing that surprised a mate of mine is that they seem to have no City masks.

Masks are a necessary evil atm and if any I'd quite like to wear a City one from time to time, they nipped down too for a mate who is looking for some rugby ones.

Surprisingly, not only do they have none but they don't know when they'll have any. One for @JerrySLO perhaps.

Not shocked. I've even bought random masks like Bayern Munich as I cant get a City one. Its quite ridiculous. 

[phantom]

44 minutes ago, 54-46 said:

Here you go.  Prices AND Beryl

Forget the obvious price difference, I'd bet the vast majority of those items would still sell today if available 

I can always remember the old club shop, it was like a dream seeing all the various items for sale 

All the talk about relocating to the new site, we've not got permission or even started working on that yet, that's years away. 

[Wiltshire robin]

4 hours ago, Redrascal2 said:

Agreed and we need to generate more income and they ignore the club shop. Once again piss poor management. Only hope is Gould being reasonably new might look to address this issue 

Agreed and I don’t think I can make an opinion on Gould as he hasn’t been here long but what worries me is successful clubs at this level get in decent football CEO’s whilst we’ve employed a cricket man .

[Agard Days Night]

This is an interesting take. Things must have changed as I don’t think anyone has ever found fault in the club shop yet.