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Very clever idea?

manc grecian

Very well known Exeweb poster
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Messages
22,247
Location
following through
I feel there's scope for it to do trade as a dedicated sports bar. Put a load of big screens up, show Premier League and Champions League / Europa League football, as well as rugby and even cricket. Instead of the location being detrimental, it can be more of an asset.
Someone has beaten us to it.
 

hern

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Joined
Jun 5, 2004
Messages
347
Location
bedfordshire
Hern, this isn't meant to dampen your enthusiasm but such an enterprise as described would require a very hefty six figure sum to get off the ground and in the absence of a detailed business plan wouldn't start delivering any return on that investment for at least five years and that would be if it was successful. I don't think the club or Trust could justify anything so high risk? I would advocate pump priming something commercial at a much lower level of investment as a trial though perhaps? Im also not sure something in Malta can be a barometer for something in Exeter? Just my thoughts
Hi Tony...It's not about enthusiasm, but perhaps a simple commercial set of realities. As two people who have invested in and run their own companies w both know ROCE is not an immediate reward...yet also, that without substantial investment, real reward rarely comes.
A previous point was made about insane levels of failure in cafe/bar start ups. I agree entirely, simply because it's a very easy entry business, commenced all too often by half baked life choice entrants.
Something less ambitious will take just as long to show meaningful return and will reward on a smaller scale. As I said, it is not something one sees the Trust leading, but supporting.
It would need sound business planning..that goes without saying, and I accept entirely the implied suggestion that something of this nature is unlikely to happen...Just pointing out it has happened elsewhere, and successfully so, given the necessary motivation and commitment. Five years is not an unreasonable amount of time to wait for returns to be meaningful as I am sure you both know and appreciate. For me it was a little longer, but boy was it worth it in the end. Take care now.
 

IndoMike

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May 9, 2010
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34,044
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Touring Central Java...
Notwithstanding all the discussion about how to retail, greater attention should also be paid to the type of product to be sold..
 

hienzeECFC

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Joined
Apr 20, 2008
Messages
843
Location
IN A CITY WONDERLAND
Out of interest what kind of revenues would you anticipate getting ?

Personally I cannot see the profit covering the rent, staffing etc etc.
Agree that the idea of a shop or a bar is a whole other issue, with far greater expense and risk.

The idea of the vending machine struck me as a workable alternative.

Realistically on match days I am unlikely to go into the club shop and buy a shirt. As a millennial (sorry everyone) I am used to lower levels of interaction when I make purchases and fast gratification when I buy...be it free one day deliveries from amazon or self service in shops. (I dont even need to go to the bar to order a drink in some pubs any more) I hardly ever carry cash unless i'm abroad, and I do make impulse buys on a regular basis. In fact I would say that when i shop online i am more careful about how i spend my money. I check the price and I weigh up my options and have in the past had second thoughts on a product because of a few £ extra for delivery. I would say this is relatively typical of people of my generation - perhaps some people on the site have more knowledge in retail to answer to this less anecdotally?

I'm wearing the same city shirt that I got for xmas about 8 years ago now, and could continue to wear it to games until it falls apart. If i was walking up to the ground before a game (or away from after) I can honestly say I would consider splashing £40-50 on a shirt if i could get to it by pressing a few buttons on a machine and paying by card. I probably wont be buying one online and I can't remember the last time i popped into the club shop.

The point of this system seems to be that for a relatively low level expense and risk, an opportunity to have an alternative outlet to sell club merchandise which would, imo, have the potential to increase sales. I have no idea what the actual costs would be of having one or more of these units, but compared to a shop, there wouldn't be rent, you wouldn't need as much of a stock inventory and you wouldn't need staff - just a spot on the pavement and a power source. Depending on the cost of the unit to rent, i believe it would be worth a trial period.
 

Boyo

Active member
Joined
May 5, 2004
Messages
4,024
Agree that the idea of a shop or a bar is a whole other issue, with far greater expense and risk.

The idea of the vending machine struck me as a workable alternative.

Realistically on match days I am unlikely to go into the club shop and buy a shirt. As a millennial (sorry everyone) I am used to lower levels of interaction when I make purchases and fast gratification when I buy...be it free one day deliveries from amazon or self service in shops. (I dont even need to go to the bar to order a drink in some pubs any more) I hardly ever carry cash unless i'm abroad, and I do make impulse buys on a regular basis. In fact I would say that when i shop online i am more careful about how i spend my money. I check the price and I weigh up my options and have in the past had second thoughts on a product because of a few £ extra for delivery. I would say this is relatively typical of people of my generation - perhaps some people on the site have more knowledge in retail to answer to this less anecdotally?

I'm wearing the same city shirt that I got for xmas about 8 years ago now, and could continue to wear it to games until it falls apart. If i was walking up to the ground before a game (or away from after) I can honestly say I would consider splashing £40-50 on a shirt if i could get to it by pressing a few buttons on a machine and paying by card. I probably wont be buying one online and I can't remember the last time i popped into the club shop.

The point of this system seems to be that for a relatively low level expense and risk, an opportunity to have an alternative outlet to sell club merchandise which would, imo, have the potential to increase sales. I have no idea what the actual costs would be of having one or more of these units, but compared to a shop, there wouldn't be rent, you wouldn't need as much of a stock inventory and you wouldn't need staff - just a spot on the pavement and a power source. Depending on the cost of the unit to rent, i believe it would be worth a trial period.
I don't like putting a pound into a vending machine to buy a mars bar, because of the fear it will get stuck, let alone buying something for £40-£50. I also don't like buying clothes online, as invariably the sizes are all over the place.
 
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