Merchandise : Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:27 am  

I have just felt compelled to E-mail the club about our lack of any suitable merchandise this season. I went into the Carlton lanes shop yesterday and, other than replica shirts, there was no merchandise whatsoever in ladies sizes and the majority of the mens sizes are XL and above. Add to that the complete lack of knowledge of the staff about whether we are getting any & I was completely frustrated.

We are coming up to one of the most publicised weekends of the Superleague calendar and, despite the club having been asking us to buy tickets for months, they haven't used their forsight and provided us with any new merchandise to advertise our allegiance. Would it not have been an ideal oppportunity to make a few bob?

I can remember not many years ago when other clubs' fans have commented on the wide range of T shirts, sweats etc. In a very short period of time we go from that to my only option being a replica shirt for Murrayfield and then only if I put on 3 stone to fill it out!

Let's see if I get a reply and what it is.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:16 am  

I couldn't agree more with you mitch, before the trip to catalans i went in to see about getting polo shirts for me and the girlfriend to show our colours on plane etc, but ended up getting a plain polo from sports direct. ITS SHOCKING!!!!!

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:26 am  

we appear to be light years behind other clubs and sports for getting good quality merchandise out into the market in substantial quantities to meet demand.

i do not for one minute believe you would have the same problem at headingley!!!

the club lose substantial money by poorly furnishing the club shop and miss out on much needed revenue as a direct consequence. as rave on said - many fans before catalans wnated a polo and shirt etc but failed to get a service and many fans will of spent 2 or 3 days wearing the same top

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:47 am  

I agree i went in to buy a replica top and like urself only one there was xxxl so i asked if their were any other tops coming in "hopefully next week" week later none, week after none, so then asked for a hoodie none so frustrated i bought neither and dont intend to if they dont want to sell them or even try to sell them i dont want to buy them!!!

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 11:25 am  

Seems like this problem has existed for the last couple of years, how long till the club do something about it?? Surely someone, somewhere at the club must be getting the negative feedback regarding our club shops? We may be getting things right on the field but off it we are sadly light years behind even some NL1 clubs when it comes to merchandising

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 11:39 am  

irish tiger wrote:

Seems like this problem has existed for the last couple of years,

Since Puma took over? The sad thing for me is I thought the club were finally starting to get it right with Kukri.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:29 pm  

irish tiger wrote:

Seems like this problem has existed for the last couple of years, how long till the club do something about it?? Surely someone, somewhere at the club must be getting the negative feedback regarding our club shops? We may be getting things right on the field but off it we are sadly light years behind even some NL1 clubs when it comes to merchandising

Exactly what I said in the E-mail Irish Tiger (and more) but as yet no reply - surprise surprise!!

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:11 pm  

Disco wrote:

Since Puma took over? The sad thing for me is I thought the club were finally starting to get it right with Kukri.

Totally agree about Kukri.

My main 'Going Out' shirt is the all white with Castleford Crest t-shirt, puma seem to be light years behind, is it the same at ST's where they've had them for a while I wonder or is it mainly down to the club parting with its cash to get the stock in?

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:24 pm  

I usually get a Cas shirt for crimbo off someone, and because they weren't ready i didn't get one bought. I haven't bothered to buy myself one this season so the club are down a shirt.

At crimbo, i was asked by a relative what they could get my lad from the Cas shop. I told them i'd seen a rugby ball on the website which he didn't have. They went to the shop and guess what? They didn't even have any in and weren't getting any. So along comes his birthday and i thought, i know i'll get him that rugby ball as something else to wrap up. Guess what? They didn't have any in the Cas shop. Luckily though, the guy on the inside market had the exact same ball, so i bought it from him. So the club are also the sale of a ball down.

I went for a hoodie a few months back and all they had was size xxxl, and those that know me know i'm not anywhere near that size. I went back again another time and they only had xxxl again. The third time....oh you know already don't you! So that's the sale of a hoodie the club lost out on.

I went back another time for a hoodie, but this time i wanted the other one (1926 hoodie) and guess what? No, they actually had one this time! Woo hoo! Wait, it's not as it seems. I picked up the hoodie and carried on browsing. Another customer asked me what size i had as they were roughly my size and thought they would get one. But guess what? The one i had picked up was the last one in that size. So yet again, another sale lost.

We went in the shop before our trip to Perpignan for a couple of tops for me and my lad. No joy, came out empty handed again. Nothing worth buying or in either of our sizes.

No doubt if any of this info was passed on to the club they would think we were all making it up, that there's always plenty of stock in the shop and we're just a set of whinging buggers.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:24 pm  

SportsDirect have our shirts in stock in the main sizes