[Archived] Rovers So Called Club Shop. Problems Anyone?

[hawaii501]

Lets face it the Club Shop is a bag of sh*te. There is very little Rovers products and why the bloody hell are they selling France, Brazil & Japan shirts hey. It's a disgrace. the Rovers track suit bottoms look very cheap and nasty. the material is crap. When we had Kappa, Uhlsport & Asics making our kit they where always good Rovers products. I noticed in the club shop they are selling Rovers shirts saying Arte labor rather than Arte Et Labore. The labour of love, well I've no love for that club shop.

[gumboots]

I dont understand some of these criticisms - there is Rovers merchandising in shop including hats, scarves badges so whats the problem? Might be a good idea to go and check it out before commenting.

Unless they've restocked since last week they haven't had woolly hats for more than a year. They no longer carry the range of sweatshirts, fleeces, jumpers etc that they had even when Sportsworld first took over. The club are aware of the problem and I did hear from someone who knows that there are steps being taken to address the problem but it will take a while, probably not this season.

[bob fleming]

The "club" shop is a sad reflection on the club as a whole. How anyone in their right mind could have signed over all image rights (presumably, as we don't sell / can't be bothered to sell Rovers merchandise anywhere else) to the shower that is Sportsworld is beyond a joke.

I don't care that we may make more money this way. It's not good enough. If it was about making money then just sell the ground to bloody Tescos or something. The fact that you can't buy anything of any decent quality and that what little choice they do have is beyond pitiful should be a complete embarrasment to the powers that be.

Why the hell can't it be sorted out this season? How hard can it be to order a few Rovers scarves / mini kit's etc, put a margin on them and sell them in a shop that is opposite the Blackburn End?

Let's be honest, they just can't be arsed.

[FourLaneBlue]

I dont understand some of these criticisms - there is Rovers merchandising in shop including hats, scarves badges so whats the problem? Might be a good idea to go and check it out before commenting.

That's what I have done.

I've been before to buy a scarf and they had none in. In the end I bought one from a guy who sells a load of Rovers memorabilia near the Aqueduct pub. I haven't been the club shop for the last few months as most of the stock was of poor-quality, cheap tat. In past years and prior to the involvement of Sports World I have spent a lot of money all told in there. How many customers have they lost through poor management and low quality merchandising? Funnily enough if it had been by Rovers then I would have forgiven poor standards (though not liked them) as the money does help Rovers. Now I feel no loyalty to it whatsoever and am more than happy to..rightly...criticise when standards are not maintained.

[Paul]

As an observation I was in the Reebok ASDA yesterday. I was impressed to see ASDA stock a good range of Bolton Wanderers shirts etc. I don't mean replicas, polos, T-shirts etc.

[Eddie]

Been in to a PSG and Stade Francais store today which both stock a great range of replicas, "casual wear" and other bits and pieces. It puts our stuff to shame. Yes, PSG are a big city team and have a larger support, but Stade Francais are just a rugby team and there is no reason why we shouldn't be able to match them. I know that this is a Sports World thing rather than Rovers themselves, but it is something that should be addressed. I would buy much more from the club if there was some nice looking good quality stuff to be bought, but there simply isn't. Maybe the club have figured out that they make more money from this sort of deal then from making sure that the fans have good stuff available to them, but it is a shame for us supporters.

[John Howarth]

I dont understand some of these criticisms - there is Rovers merchandising in shop including hats, scarves badges so whats the problem? Might be a good idea to go and check it out before commenting.

A few years ago before Sports Soccer took over, the Rovers shop was great for Christmas presents like mirrors, glasses, wine goblets, bottles of wine, pictures of the ground, etc. etc. Now it is mainly cheap clothing that shrinks went washed once and a few shirts and hats. Not very satisfactory for what should be a club shop.

[daheri]

A month ago I visited to rovers online clubshop to buy some new shirts and shorts and whatever. It looked allright and I even wanted to buy several t-shirts, hats and other rovers clothing. So I went ahead to order... but oh, most of the stuff was sold out, and the other was not available in the right size... So basicly I was stuck with a pair of socks and a hat. Needless to say I didn't even bother.

I have checked in a couple of times after that but it seems they always are out of stock and sizes. Not even the home-shirt has been available in my size (medium) for as long as i can remember. But maybe it is a good thing considering that the bet24 logo is remarkable ugly, my other shirts will do until a new sponsor arrives.

[Driftpeasant]

A month ago I visited to rovers online clubshop to buy some new shirts and shorts and whatever. It looked allright and I even wanted to buy several t-shirts, hats and other rovers clothing. So I went ahead to order... but oh, most of the stuff was sold out, and the other was not available in the right size... So basicly I was stuck with a pair of socks and a hat. Needless to say I didn't even bother.

I have checked in a couple of times after that but it seems they always are out of stock and sizes. Not even the home-shirt has been available in my size (medium) for as long as i can remember. But maybe it is a good thing considering that the bet24 logo is remarkable ugly, my other shirts will do until a new sponsor arrives.

Yeah - I wear kit to work on occasion and have been forbidden from wearing this year's because my employer thinks the Bet24 logo is too lowbrow for the office.

The guy who supports Chelsea can wear his kit till the cows come home, but all I can wear is my AMD kit.

[Ewood Spark]

Spoke to a lad at work today who I have been in the process of converting to a Rover for the last two years. He has just got to the stage where he was not relying on me to purchase tickets for himself and his daughter. He was telling me that last week he drove over from the Fylde to get tickets for the Liverpool game and thought he would pop in to the club shop to buy his daughter a hat and scarf for Christmas. He couldn't belive that he could not purchase the said items in a premises within the boundary of the club. The only thing he bought in the end was a £2.50 T-shirt with the Rovers crest on .... when he got it home and inspected it further he was amazed to find that the Latin motto on the crest read 'Arte et Lapore'!! It's a bloody disgrace .... WE HAVE GOT TO REMOVE THESE TAT- MERCHANTS FROM OUR CLUB.

[rover_groo]

I noticed in the club shop they are selling Rovers shirts saying Arte labor rather than Arte Et Labore. The labour of love, well I've no love for that club shop.

How about the typo on the club-calendar...

David Bently.

The players didn't even notice this despite signing 100's already. I was chatting to a few and they are going to try and rub the wonder-kid up a bit about the spelling.

[AndyH16]

Reading through all these posts and my own experiences with the shop I find it embarrasing that in this day and age a club in the Premiership techincally doesn't have a club shop.

[Paul]

If there are overseas fans, or long distance UK fans, who are struggling to get replica kit, or other bits an pieces, we can help through this site. Send me a PM. Can't do it in time for Christmas though

[AggyBlue]

I've been in the shop this morning. There were three assistants behind the counter, one serving me, printing some shirts. Two others were messing around with a till which must have been playing up.

Beside me was a woman with four items waiting to be served.

The two girls messing with the till totally ignored this woman. Eventually after about five minutes waiting she threw her items on the floor and walked out of the shop.

They were still there when I left. I commented that I thought she had got sick of waiting, just to be ignored.

Great Service, well done.

Edited December 19, 2006 by AggyBlue

[vyeo]

If there are overseas fans, or long distance UK fans, who are struggling to get replica kit, or other bits an pieces, we can help through this site. Send me a PM. Can't do it in time for Christmas though

hey mate, are the jerseys still going at 31 pounds a piece?

[BlueMonday]

I've been in the shop this morning. There were three assistants behind the counter, one serving me, printing some shirts. Two others were messing around with a till which must have been playing up.

Beside me was a woman with four items waiting to be served.

The two girls messing with the till totally ignored this woman. Eventually after about five minutes waiting she threw her items on the floor and walked out of the shop.

They were still there when I left. I commented that I thought she had got sick of waiting, just to be ignored.

Great Service, well done.

The very same thing has happend to me TWICE. On one occassion it took two of them to answer the phone and one appeared to be the manager ! I did the same and threw the items on the counter. The manager gave me a look as if to say you better put those back. UNBELIEVABLE !! and a £60 sale lost.

Even though its franchised Rovers are implicated by association, and it makes my blood boil.

The sooner Rovers can exit this arrangement the better.

[Jordan]

Someone mentioned this before - If someone has an email address for the club why dont we forward them a link to this page so they can see what the fans think.

They probably will not do anything but there is no harm in trying and atleast they cannot turn around and say 'well we were not aware of any of this'.

I was in the club shop before a game recently and I thought the attitude and the customer service skills of the staff was awful. Even if the club shop was half the size but sold just Rovers material it would be an improvement.

I remember going to the Pre-Season games in Germany. We were playing Hamburg but in a town about 500 miles from there and they brought a lorry full of Hamburg shirts, scarves, pennants, badges etc. I must have spent about €100 which is more that I would dream of spending at the sol called 'club shop'.

Edited December 19, 2006 by Jordan

[BlueMonday]

Someone mentioned this before - If someone has an email address for the club why dont we forward them a link to this page so they can see what the fans think.

They probably will not do anything but there is no harm in trying and atleast they cannot turn around and say 'well we were not aware of any of this'.

I was in the club shop before a game recently and I thought the attitude and the customer service skills of the staff was awful. Even if the club shop was half the size but sold just Rovers material it would be an improvement.

I remember going to the Pre-Season games in Germany. We were playing Hamburg but in a town about 500 miles from there and they brought a lorry full of Hamburg shirts, scarves, pennants, badges etc. I must have spent about €100 which is more that I would dream of spending at the sol called 'club shop'.

I'm sure its something Lee could feed back to the commercial Dept. However given the contractual arrangement, there's probably nothing Rovers can do. But surely they can see the damage its causing ?!

[FourLaneBlue]

Someone mentioned this before - If someone has an email address for the club why dont we forward them a link to this page so they can see what the fans think.

They probably will not do anything but there is no harm in trying and atleast they cannot turn around and say 'well we were not aware of any of this'.

Good idea Jordan. Although if the club doesn't have someone (or it should be a few people) to check the messageboards which their fans post their feelings onto then we really are in trouble.

[Krillin]

Sadly I can only add to the list of people who have 'put stuff back' after not being able to hand over my money.

I used to spend quite a bit fairly regularly in the old Roverstore/Rover The Moon, but find it increasingly difficult now to find stuff to buy. That is why it is annoying that when you do finally find another LONSDALE sweatshirt (why can't we have them with a Rovers badge on like we used to?) in a colour that you haven't already got, the counter service is such that it's hit and miss as to whether you actually get purchase it or not.

I still go in the store regularly (not as often as I used to though) but very rarely buy anything at all.

The store went downhill dramatically when the first manager left (Duncan ??). The decline continued under the next magager(ess?) until it fell off the radar completely when Sportsworld got their hands on it.

I suppose The Club must be happy with the financial benefits they receive from it, although it is hard for them to criticise fans for not being bothered to turn up to watch the games when they can't be bothered to run a decent merchandising operation themselves.

Seemingly sitting back and letting someone else take care of the merchandising is OK for the store, but fans who adopt a similar attitude and sit at home to let someone else take care of the supporting is seen differently by The Club.

Still, hanging around the tills is a good place to catch up on what the various assistants really think of the various store managers............

[OJRovers]

I started a new job last week - I said to one Man Utd fan that I was a Rovers fan and the first thing they asked me about was the club shop i.e. why is it so rubbish.

I also saw some Newcastle fans in there before the game who were looking surprised at how little stuff was available.

Its a bit of an embarrasment to the club at the minute.

[ABBEY]

PREM TEAM

sunday morning pub club shop...

[Wolverine]

OK, had enough. Only worked on this for an hour so please be gentle. It probably wont work out but what the hell?!

If anyone has anything they want me to include, either post it here, pm me, or email me.

Not done any nice design work or pics but it is coming.

Should have done this ages ago...

NOT THE ROVERS STORE

Edited December 21, 2006 by Wolverine

[tchocky]

Excellent start! Just what the world needs. Now if the Champions video could be re-released as a DVD... Surely there's a market?

[mickygray316]

i cannot believe they didnt release a champions 95 ten year anniversary dvd in 2005, they even had access to all the players as most of them played at parkes testimonial.....