£5 Comic Relief Red Reading Footy shirt

[Pepe the Horseman]

I heard none of the management even bothered to be in yesterday.

#GomesOut

[paultheroyal]

I heard none of the management even bothered to be in yesterday.

No need for them to be in. Shirts sold, refunds being applied, other staff able to deal with enquiries. Job done.

[paultheroyal]

I heard people were buying them in baulk.

That explains the cue

Tbf I think someone should give the club a break

We’re there any free baize in the car park?

Wish we took a punt on Virgo when we had an opportunity to buy him in 2009

[URZZZZZZZZ]

I heard none of the management even bothered to be in yesterday.

No need for them to be in. Shirts sold, refunds being applied, other staff able to deal with enquiries. Job done.

On face value yes, however I would be absolutely mortified if one of my subordinates would have been fed to the wolves in the manner that those poor Megastore workers were. A lack of accountability springs to mind here.

[Elm Park Kid]

I heard people were buying them in baulk.

That explains the cue

Tbf I think someone should give the club a break

We’re there any free baize in the car park?

Who would have the balls to do that??!!

If I had done that I would have felt bad the next day.

[Forbury Lion]

I heard people were buying them in baulk.

That explains the cue

LOL. It's queue.

and it's bulk, not baulk (an area of a billiards table, hence the billiards puns)

[Forbury Lion]

Following the success of this, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Reading football shirts in a variety of new colors, now that this proves a link between the replica kit and the kit the players actually wear isn't really the thing that sells them.
I imagine a pink shirt would sell well.

The lower price point is also a consideration, clearly people are prepared to buy more merchandise if the price is right - get the sweet spot and the megastore will not only make more money but the fanbase will be more tied down.

[RoyalBlue]

Yes, it's easy to 'be wise after the event' but it doesn't need to come down to that if you employ experienced people who have been there, done it before and maybe even managed to get the T shirt! They know how to run these sort of things efficiently and effectively, even when asked to do so at short notice. They also know how to retrieve situations when it's looking like the proverbial might hit the fan.

As someone else pointed out, it would seem that quality staff have been lost under prior business management. They need to be replaced asap. Commercial activities are far too an important revenue stream to try to undertake on the cheap with unqualified/inexperienced staff. Top quality highly experienced staff in this field will easily recoup their additional employment costs and earn the club a fortune on top.

And my own anger was more about the farcical and thoroughly unprofessional manner in which this was organised/run, together with the waste of my personal time, than my failure to secure shirts for two passionate Royals supporters based in the US - much as I was disappointed for them.

[WoodleyRoyal]

club issue apology https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/foot ... r-15918477

[John Smith]

club issue apology https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/foot ... r-15918477

Looks like slopey shoulders to me, Woodley

[RoyalBlue]

The club are definitely hanging their 'third party online software provider' out to dry.

If this was down to the inadequate software/support from the provider then hopefully the club will be reviewing their partnership with that particular organisation.

Mind you, that doesn't really cover the complete apparent failure to get even close to predicting the very high levels of demand, failure to limit purchases in person till it was too late, poor queue management and communication etc. at the Megastore, all of which probably sit at the door of the club's own commercial department.

[John Smith]

The club are definitely hanging their 'third party online software provider' out to dry.

If this was down to the inadequate software/support from the provider then hopefully the club will be reviewing their partnership with that particular organisation.

Mind you, that doesn't really cover the complete apparent failure to get even close to predicting the very high levels of demand, failure to limit purchases in person till it was too late, poor queue management and communication etc. at the Megastore, all of which probably sit at the door of the club's own commercial department.

Absolutely. If the club had an ounce of credibility then the Commercial Manager and senior staff at the Megastore would all walk.

[Elm Park Kid]

I still, just completely fail to understand what they were thinking . . . . . . .

You're selling a football top for less money then what it would cost to buy an equivalent, generic top in Sports Direct. You know that you have a fan base of at least a few thousand that are crazy for everything Reading. At what point was you not going to have ridiculous demand?? I mean - seriously?

I guess that what happened is one of the owners decided it would be a good idea to do this and then issued an ultimatum to the staff to make it happen. But you would have thought that someone would have had the common sense to at least manage the process better.

I'm not that fussed about people who wasted 30 mins trying to buy online - you didn't get a red shirt, move on with your life.

But it's pretty crappy for people that went to the megastore and queued for all that time. That's not cool .

[lewesroyal]

Following the success of this, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Reading football shirts in a variety of new colors, now that this proves a link between the replica kit and the kit the players actually wear isn't really the thing that sells them.
I imagine a pink shirt would sell well.

Brighton do this. I often see pink & white striped shirts around these parts.

[East Grinstead Royal]

The pink and white Brighton shirts are (I believe) cut differently to suit the female figure. Reading used to sell ladies' shirts, but always in the blue and white hoops (possibly still do).

[muirinho]

The pink and white Brighton shirts are (I believe) cut differently to suit the female figure. Reading used to sell ladies' shirts, but always in the blue and white hoops (possibly still do).

General gripe because it doesn't just apply to sportswear, but t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and the like are almost always better quality for the menswear. Women's stuff is generally flimsy and light. Replica shirts are about the only thing that is actually comparable.
So I wouldn't get anything aimed at a "female figure" except a replica shirt.

[CavershamRoyal]

Mine arrived out of the blue today, despite never actually receiving an email confirmation (but money being taken from my account). Looks pretty nice.

Hopefully the club have learned from the mess - it was a great idea in principle.

[Pepe the Horseman]

The pink and white Brighton shirts are (I believe) cut differently to suit the female figure. Reading used to sell ladies' shirts, but always in the blue and white hoops (possibly still do).

General gripe because it doesn't just apply to sportswear, but t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and the like are almost always better quality for the menswear. Women's stuff is generally flimsy and light. Replica shirts are about the only thing that is actually comparable.
So I wouldn't get anything aimed at a "female figure" except a replica shirt.

Wait. Are you a girl? x

[muirinho]

The pink and white Brighton shirts are (I believe) cut differently to suit the female figure. Reading used to sell ladies' shirts, but always in the blue and white hoops (possibly still do).

General gripe because it doesn't just apply to sportswear, but t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and the like are almost always better quality for the menswear. Women's stuff is generally flimsy and light. Replica shirts are about the only thing that is actually comparable.
So I wouldn't get anything aimed at a "female figure" except a replica shirt.

Wait. Are you a girl? x

Yup. Although "girl" is stretching it - I have adult children....

[Forbury Lion]

General gripe because it doesn't just apply to sportswear, but t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and the like are almost always better quality for the menswear. Women's stuff is generally flimsy and light. Replica shirts are about the only thing that is actually comparable.
So I wouldn't get anything aimed at a "female figure" except a replica shirt.

Wait. Are you a girl? x

Yup. Although "girl" is stretching it - I have adult children....

Unless you also have grandchildren, I'd say this was a wasted grooming effort from Pepe.