What does your sports club do about club kit?

[Firststop]

Any recommendations?

I'm involved with two different clubs and we don't seem to be able to get kit ordering right.

In one, the club orders the kit and sells it on to members, but that means a big up front payment, finding somewhere to hold the stock, and guessing what sizes will be needed, then a long lead time when the next order goes in/if we run out of certain sizes.

The other has recently tried the suppliers where members order logoed kit directly from the supplier, but we've tried two (big name) companies and customer service has been woeful.

What's a better way?

One person takes charge of kit order.
Sends out size guide and deadline.
People place order for shirt (size, name, number) with the point of contact, and pays them by deadline.
Point of Contact had to do some hassling.
Point of Contact places order the day after deadline.

Thank you, so you only order to order and don't hold any stock?

Our match kits are paid for by sponsorship (small local firms, sometimes owned by a relative of a team member).
Training kits are optional but most buy them - every so often the trainer puts a message in the WhatsApp group to sign up with size if anyone wants/ needs anything, orders, and it's payment on collection.

Sometimes the trainers use team funds to buy a training jacket for each team member as a Christmas present, given out at the Christmas party - same sign up procedure. We have team funds from cake stands at home matches , bigger food and drink sales at full day tournaments and summer fairs etc.

At the clubs I’m involved in people order their own kit but the supplier does have a physical shop so you can go and try stuff and buy there and then which helps. Very good long standing relationship with this shop. Previously one of the clubs ran quite a large shop from the clubhouse as well with branded items from several suppliers but the people running it ‘retired’ so that’s gone now. This club also orders whole team sponsored kits etc from shop mentioned above. Where are you located? The supplier covers a large area if you need a recommendation.

I play for a hockey club. All the logo-ed kit is purchased by the player direct from TK - who have a local warehouse and are nothing short of fabulous when it comes to customer service.

All clubs I have played for previously have either had the player pay direct or the player pays the club who then order in order to get a discount - at which time the club will put out a message to all existing players if they want anymore kit - hoodies, shirts, dry robes etc