The Demonshop - needs more stock

[saka888 54]

Went to the Demonshop today with my wife and child which is a pain in the backside to park, after arguing with the security guard, because i wanted to get some new gear for the whole family to try and support our club.

Personally i wanted the duffle coat, however anything above a medium was out of stock. So i thought i would reluctantly settle for the rugby polo but also out of stock. My wife wanted the college jacket , sizes 10 and 12 also out of stock.

i did get a jumper for my son,not sure if the next kid who wants a size 8 will get one as i grabbed the last one.. however my point is i walked away with more than $200 than i should have.

Im not sure if we have just had a busy Xmas and ran out of stock ( which would be great) but not good enough..it concerns me that i may not be alone here.. and the MFC are not making the little bit of extra money it should be

[DeeSpencer 26,083]

Conversely having excess stock in January might be a way to lose money not make it.

It's a bummer they didn't have the gear but like you said I hope it's for good reasons.

Are they due to get the 2014 range in soon that could be one answer?

The shop and it's location intrigues me. Brunton ave not a great place for a shop on non match days. Could be an aspect of the business to be examined post fixing the core

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

this has been going on for years and it's a disgrace

yeah we only have XXXLARGE size guernseys

really? if all the smaller sizes sell out so quickly why do you stock so many more of the massive ones?

[hughtinkler 22]

They should also have a larger range like other clubs, such as demons trackies and jumpers..

[Little Goffy 14,645]

The whole merchandise arrangement is terrible. 'Buried under 100 tons of concrete in a lightless, silent cave with no parking and zero walk-past'. Who said 'that'd be perfect for a retail outlet'?

It's a joke. Literally a joke - become a running gag to go 'ooh here comes the Demon shop' when driving along Brunton Ave, partly because even if you know it's there it is hard to spot.

If each fan bought one extra major purchase, once every 20 years, it would cover the cost of relocating the shop to somewhere with actual retail merit, and with enough space to properly stock the floor.

Sigh. Should be below the level of the CEO - someone within the club structure should be pushing that change. I wonder if in the past they got pushback from higher level people who 'thought it was a good bit of tradition to have it at the MCG'.

[Biffen 12,947]

The whole merchandise arrangement is terrible. 'Buried under 100 tons of concrete in a lightless, silent cave with no parking and zero walk-past'. Who said 'that'd be perfect for a retail outlet'?

It's a joke. Literally a joke - become a running gag to go 'ooh here comes the Demon shop' when driving along Brunton Ave, partly because even if you know it's there it is hard to spot.

If each fan bought one extra major purchase, once every 20 years, it would cover the cost of relocating the shop to somewhere with actual retail merit, and with enough space to properly stock the floor.

Sigh. Should be below the level of the CEO - someone within the club structure should be pushing that change. I wonder if in the past they got pushback from higher level people who 'thought it was a good bit of tradition to have it at the MCG'.

Write a letter Goffy-a real one with a stamp and an envelope.

PJ looks like one of those letter reading/writing types.

Sounds like a reasonable proposal.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Pop into any AFL store....there's heaps of Dees stuff.

Your purchase will still help the Club.

[Matt Demon 1,482]

My fiance is a Richmond supporter so had to accompany her to the Richmond shop at punt road the other day. Honestly I started laughing when I walked in! Richmonds store is twice as big as ours and the range of stock was huge. They have all sorts of stuff I've never seen at the Demon shop.

Edited January 8, 2014 by Matt Demon

[jumbo returns 6,741]

My fiance is a Richmond supporter so had to accompany her to the Richmond shop at punt road the other day. Honestly I started laughing when I walked in! Richmonds store is twice as big as ours and the range of stock was huge. They have all sorts of stuff I've never seen at the Demon shop.

What do you expect?

They have double the membership, double the support and triple the coin.

[rpfc 28,780]

Stock is a short term 'who cares' issue, but the location of the Demons Shop isn't.

Surely the MCC can find us a place above ground?

Perhaps the math says that online is where it is at - we are slowly getting better at that.

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,408]

I earn decent coin but $60 for a hat(which I wouldn't wear) and $80 for a training tee is over priced. Would they make more money overpricing their merchandise and selling less or make prices affordable to more people and sell more?

[13thFlagIsComing 542]

Last year at the Annual General Meeting i asked our former CEO about The Demon Shop and why aren't we able to place it in a better location.

His answer was 2 fold.

1) We paid no rent for the current Demon Shop.

2) He beleived that most purchases would be through the website and therefore the investment in upgrading the shop wasn't required.

I disagreed with him and said whilst online is growing, supporters still want to visit a shop during days off work, school holidays etc. I asked also why during the redevelopment of the MCG Northern Stand that we were not able to secure part of the area there to setup a store facing Yarra Park as that is where most of the foot traffic comes from.

I also informed him that it is dangerous to park your car on a light tower roundabout and that the site was dark, depressing and didn't give supporters a positive experience before even entering the shop.

I also passed on the opinion that we should be having our jumpers and some stock at the Melbourne Visitors Centre in their souvenir shop as well as the shops @ Melbourne Airport as it would not only be another avenue for merchandise but overseas tourists who picked up a jumper would be spreading the word of the MFC wordwide with a uniquely Australian gift.

This suggestion was brushed over and i knew then not to push anymore as he was surrounded by other members.

[Sir Why You Little 37,149]

It must be free rent to have the Demon Shop on Brunton Ave. One would not pay to be in that ridiculous position. I have always said the shop should be in Fed Square or pRt of the Melbourne Town Hall.
Until it is i shall shop online.
The Demon Shop as it is stands is unusable to me.
Sadly.

Edited January 9, 2014 by why you little

[titan_uranus 25,045]

Last year at the Annual General Meeting i asked our former CEO about The Demon Shop and why aren't we able to place it in a better location.

His answer was 2 fold.

1) We paid no rent for the current Demon Shop.

2) He beleived that most purchases would be through the website and therefore the investment in upgrading the shop wasn't required.

I disagreed with him and said whilst online is growing, supporters still want to visit a shop during days off work, school holidays etc. I asked also why during the redevelopment of the MCG Northern Stand that we were not able to secure part of the area there to setup a store facing Yarra Park as that is where most of the foot traffic comes from.

I also informed him that it is dangerous to park your car on a light tower roundabout and that the site was dark, depressing and didn't give supporters a positive experience before even entering the shop.

I also passed on the opinion that we should be having our jumpers and some stock at the Melbourne Visitors Centre in their souvenir shop as well as the shops @ Melbourne Airport as it would not only be another avenue for merchandise but overseas tourists who picked up a jumper would be spreading the word of the MFC wordwide with a uniquely Australian gift.

This suggestion was brushed over and i knew then not to push anymore as he was surrounded by other members.

I think the real issue that's faced us over the years is the cost it would take to change location (including a new ongoing cost of rent which this location doesn't currently have) versus the potential benefit a move would entail. I'm with you in that I don't think online answers everything and I think that having a physical store is a hugely important thing for a football clubs like us, but I can understand that, with the financial pressures we've been under of late, this hasn't been an easy 'let's do it' kind of decision given the cost it would entail. It has to move in the long run, it can't stay where it is.

Hopefully if we start winning, more people will want to buy Melbourne gear, meaning more people go to the DemonShop, and thus more people notice how crap it is and complain about it.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,234]

Whilst I knew the Demon Shop was at the G I had to ring my father post training on Monday to find it. Even then it was that dark that I assumed it was closed only to find that if I tugged on the door it was open for business. I returned again post training on Wednesday to be well looked after and the store having everything I was looking for. I think we need to realise that most supporters would likely buy online or purchase merchandise on Match Day via the merch tents. A better spot would mean higher rent and I doubt the walk by traffic would justify the outlay.

Edited January 8, 2014 by big_red_fire_engine

[deanox 9,989]

I've only been on match days. The staff were fantastic and pumped up my footy (that I didn't buy there, in fact I only looked, didn't buy anything).

Might be a poor location but it sends we all know where it is?

I also wanted to throw a positive in for the demon shop and staff!

[Moonshadow 17,677]

If you go and watch the Dees at the G it is open on match days. Otherwise online purchasing is better. They pay no rent so its better for the club financially to be there, unfortunately. Until we get 50-60,000 members, it won't pay to move it. We just don't have enough demand.

[Machsy 2,858]

Last year at the Annual General Meeting i asked our former CEO about The Demon Shop and why aren't we able to place it in a better location.

His answer was 2 fold.

1) We paid no rent for the current Demon Shop.

2) He beleived that most purchases would be through the website and therefore the investment in upgrading the shop wasn't required.

I disagreed with him and said whilst online is growing, supporters still want to visit a shop during days off work, school holidays etc. I asked also why during the redevelopment of the MCG Northern Stand that we were not able to secure part of the area there to setup a store facing Yarra Park as that is where most of the foot traffic comes from.

I also informed him that it is dangerous to park your car on a light tower roundabout and that the site was dark, depressing and didn't give supporters a positive experience before even entering the shop.

I also passed on the opinion that we should be having our jumpers and some stock at the Melbourne Visitors Centre in their souvenir shop as well as the shops @ Melbourne Airport as it would not only be another avenue for merchandise but overseas tourists who picked up a jumper would be spreading the word of the MFC wordwide with a uniquely Australian gift.

This suggestion was brushed over and i knew then not to push anymore as he was surrounded by other members.

I agree with both points of the former CEO.

I usually spend a few hundred $ on gear each year, for most of the last decade, all via the website.

Never been to the shop, don't even know where in the stadium it is, although I could guess.

I had a feeling we'd get the current store essentially rent-free.

This makes sense, and the I doubt extra sales would outweigh the added cost of having the store in an area with easier access and greater foot traffic.

In any case, if it is to ever become a viable option, the time is not now.

If we can experience onfield success and generate genuine added interest in the club, then it may be a worthwhile venture.

I still think it would just mean the club hammers facebook, Instagram and twitter with offers through our website.

It's simply the way forward for retail.

[old dee 23,872]

My fiance is a Richmond supporter so had to accompany her to the Richmond shop at punt road the other day. Honestly I started laughing when I walked in! Richmonds store is twice as big as ours and the range of stock was huge. They have all sorts of stuff I've never seen at the Demon shop.

It may help Matt that the Tigers have twice the members and 10 times the supporters.

[old dee 23,872]

The problem with the D Shop is two fold

- it is a terrible location even for no rent

- we have low supporter numbers producing low sales, ask any retailer on why they have 2 of an MFC item and 20 of the Pies. Add the last seven years results and I am surprised they sell anything.

Win half our games over the next three years and people will want to walk around wearing MFC gear.

Until then it is put up with what we have.

[Red N Blue Society 165]

Agree with all your points here guys, it is a rubbish location for the Demons shop...but seeing as its rent free....the savings the club make must offset somewhere for it to be no concern.

Financially the last few years they wouldnt have considered a move..maybe in the future they will.

Hopefully Melbourne officaldom are trawling here daily to see what we as supporters want or suggest and its taken on board as a good idea.

I'm sure they do.

Online is probably now a better option, but I also like to see what I want first hand sometimes before I buy it like others here.

I have always gone to this shop when I wanted Demons gear because the $$$ goes direct to the clubs coffers unlike the "We prefer to not stock much Demons gear" AFL stores!

I couldnt care less who has the most support ala richmond coll ect....If you are an AFL store...you support all equally!!! Get it right AFL store! "Rant over here"

Also of late everytime I go to the Demon shop on matchday the line is from one end of the shop to the other...a little bit understaffed seems to be the issue on matchday..every year..

Maybe another register Demon officials please as I get tired of waiting for 30 mins in a line like most people..

[binman 43,820]

I think the real issue that's faced us over the years is the cost it would take to change location (including a new ongoing cost of rent which this location doesn't currently have) versus the potential benefit a move would entail. I'm with you in that I don't think online answers everything and I think that having a physical store is a hugely important thing for a football clubs like us, but I can understand that, with the financial pressures we've been under of late, this hasn't been an easy 'let's do it' kind of decision given the cost it would entail. It has to move in the long run, it can't stay where it is.

Hopefully if we start winning, more people will want to buy Melbourne gear, meaning more people go to the DemonShop, and thus more people notice how crap it is and complain about it.

[binman 43,820]

I think the real issue that's faced us over the years is the cost it would take to change location (including a new ongoing cost of rent which this location doesn't currently have) versus the potential benefit a move would entail. I'm with you in that I don't think online answers everything and I think that having a physical store is a hugely important thing for a football clubs like us, but I can understand that, with the financial pressures we've been under of late, this hasn't been an easy 'let's do it' kind of decision given the cost it would entail. It has to move in the long run, it can't stay where it is.

Hopefully if we start winning, more people will want to buy Melbourne gear, meaning more people go to the DemonShop, and thus more people notice how crap it is and complain about it.

[dpositive 1,698]

As a retailer I have some sympathy for all the arguments both supporters and club.

It is about markets and demand. No retail outlet would survive on sales of just Melb club colours. until we have more success and grow demand we will only feature in minority at AFL shops but that is the most appropriate outlet.

I did like the idea of the airport outlet where we should be more strongly featured as the club of the city and may pick upsome novelty sales but is it enough to warrant an outlet. A poster with a direction to get it at the G The home of football would probably be more effective.

An improved profile (location) at the G would be the best, the suggestion of an outlet facing Yarra park that could be used by other tenants may be more feasible. plus the selling of jumpers at a tent on game day has a real feel of involvement and could be why staff in the actual shop are diminished .

Its a very small opportunity window to make a sale

The online market is growing and probably is better suited to the considered purchase of a true supporter and can be more efficiently run by the club.

So it is marketing improve the success increase demand improve the profile increase demand. Increase demand increase sales

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,909]

Does anyone know how much revenue we make from retail overall and then broken down by (1) online, (2) the store at the MCG, (3) the AFL stores, (4) those caravans set up outside the MCG on match day (and presumably at other grounds, too) and (5) all other outlets? It's a bit difficult to claim what the best arrangement might be without that information.