Cracker1234 Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 General Krulak here: 2. Although some feel that we are not discounting our mechandise enough, there does have to be a margin that is acceptable in business terms. I hope most would recognize that fact. I hope you will recognize people not buying these shirts when they finally get made and why they're not going to buy them. You can't expect people to fork out for a top that's only going to last 6 months then buy another. If you don't sell as many as expected, you know the reason why. I personally don't know what solution to offer as I don't think there is one, I don't think dropping the price does the club any favours, but I also think that if you don't not many will get sold. It hasn't been the best of starts to this season to be an Aston Villa fan. It could be worse I guess, we're not West Ham atleast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkinsk11 Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 Hi Gen, Good to have you back. Just want to say i feel really sorry for everyone at the club at the moment it like nothing can go right! i dont blame the club for the Kit, the sponsor, GH problems with the French fa (god knows french football has its problems) or the MON. I really dont like it when fans come on here and complain about these issues. I have cancelled my orders for both home and away shirts for the moment.This is in no way a protest against the club its purely a cost/value issue. I understand you are limited as to what you can do kit cost wise. I do intend to reorder but I hope some other kind of gesture is given by Nike NOT THE CLUB maybe throw in a bootbag or those nike gloves that Ashley wears when it gets cloudy outside, i had a pair but left them at an astro park last winter and as the weather is turning a free set would be nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeps Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 Hi Gen, You say we have one year left on our Nike contract? Will the club be renewing this? I for one like the Nike gear and would love for the club to stick with it for the long term. UTV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvillian Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 General Krulak here: 2. I am not sure what we will be doing with the shirts next year. Obviously this incident is going to cause some reevaluation. I have not reviewed our contract but I am sure our legal people are doing that. Although some feel that we are not discounting our mechandise enough, there does have to be a margin that is acceptable in business terms. I hope most would recognize that fact. Hi General, welcome back. Alot of fans will also have to make a buisness decision on purchasing a product that will (as far as we're aware) have its shelf life halved and the discount offered is £5 or about 2%. It doesn't really make finanical sense for us to purchase. Mon and Randy for the last 4 yrs ran this club and a very sound financial footing. But your asking fans to make a unsenseable financial decision. One of two things has to happen in my opinion. Either AVFC/Nike extent the contract for another yr and dont release another jersey next yr or the price is reduced to nearer the 50% mark to offer true value. Again thanks for your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleet_avfc Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 General, Firstly, welcome back to the messageboards. 1) Personally I am very happy at the appointment of Houllier as manager, bit gutted that he won't be able to take charge of the first game, and maybe the first couple of games, but as you said, he is honouring committments, so that has to be respected. Well done to the board for getting the best available manager in to the club. 2) Regarding the kit, as you've said, its frustrating. A lot of people who have pre-ordered the kit will be dissappointed, and others will not feel like they want to go out and buy the kit anymore. Just a thought for you to consider, as tvillain has said, why not make this years kit a 2 year kit, and then fans will still buy the kit, instead of just waiting for 6 or 8 months for a new kit to be released again? And General, thanks for taking time out to read what fans think and respond to them, very much appreciated and respected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbonus Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 General with regard to the kit. I understand the club has to maintain a financially viable price, so I imagine you are putting pressure on Nike to do the honourable thing and reduce cost price on a product they are so late in producing. Similarly if the contract is for a new shirt every year, I would guess pressure is also being applied to forego next years shirt. However if neither of these options are acceptable to the club or Nike and with people on this forum obviously unhappy with the discount promised so far, can I suggest that the club guarantees a discount for next years shirt for anyone who purchases this years kit. I would hope from a marketing point of view this would increase sales in both this and next years shirts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 To be fair, the shirt was an 'issue' when it was delayed until September...now it is rediculous. The only solution is to chare full price and NOT change the away kit next year. General, Does the club have the courage and integrity to do this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banger75 Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Hi General I can honestly say that I appreciate your time on these boards, and the site has been the better for your presence. I'm sure that there are plenty who have had an issue or gripe resolved following a quick post on this site. What people don't often equate is the time taken to post VS the time taken to resolve, but that is another issue entirely... Anyway, regarding the kit (surprise!!). I am disappointed....obviously. But it is clearly out of the club's control, and I suspect the outrage from a shoddy product would have far exceeded the outrage we are currently experiencing. I will still buy the kit, and I will still wear it with pride, regardless of when it changes. This is a situation where the fans can help the club, and I for one am happy to do it. Cheers, BJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissmith921 Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 General Krulak here: 1. Marketing the brand: Yes, we are very interested in moving our brand world-wide...and have been focusing on doing that ever since we teamed with Nike. Obviously, we need to do our part...which is that part that we all want...to win!! BUT, I can say that I do a good deal of traveling and I have been seeing Villa shirts more than ever. Anything like ManU? No! This point I have to agree with - went to New York in April 2007, visited a lot of sports shops in hunt for NFL jerseys - never saw anything Villa. Went April 2010 - and saw them in pretty much every shop that handled football shirts. Good work there General - a question I'm wondering is have the club got any major ties with any MLS/Australia A-League teams? Reason I ask is because these two are growing year after year in terms of both quality and revenue - they're also potential markets for us - if not, are we open to the possibility? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pricey_1984 Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Hi Gen, You say we have one year left on our Nike contract? Will the club be renewing this? I for one like the Nike gear and would love for the club to stick with it for the long term. UTV same here general, even with this seasons issues with the kit, nike have definatley made the best kits we have had in a long time as well as the training wear and they are big name brand that which help us when people see there logo on kit. If we are to get rid of nike though i hear there a another big name brand adidas that i think we would do a dam good job with our kits. I know its not as easy as that though. keep up the good work. UTV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissmith921 Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Also general, if you visit http://avfc.co.uk it takes you to a 400 error - easy to fix - pass onto your IT team (ie no www.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob182 Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Welcome back Gen, Excellent work on the appointment of Houllier! Also, I don't mind that the shirt is delayed as I'm certain it's not the clubs fault. All I really care about is wearing claret & blue, whether it's this years or last years - I'm not fussed! I'll still be buying this years and I'll be happy if a new shirt is released next year. Whatever happens, I just want to wear my colours Is there any chance we can have a few more updates on the Official Site? They're usually quite efficient with 2 or 3 articles per day, but lately there seems to be a lack of updates. There are a few minor things that could make a difference and keep the club informed - injury updates? Andy Wiemann/ Delph/ Stephen Ireland etc. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefdoc2000 Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Good Day General, Hope you are well. We regard to the kit and the delay, as we know you have a contract to put out a new shirt every year with Nike. We do not however has a contract that says the kit will not be released until November. So now that Nike has broken part of the contract there is a legal case that we should not have to release another kit next year (I am sure we are looking into this - may you comment?) If this was to happen I believe that we will take in a lot more money in kit sales over the next year and a half we would with this year and next years kits being released as it stands now. Thank you. I welcome any feedback Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristian1 Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 General, Do you think we can expect more attractive and attacking minded football under GH than MON, and was this at all important for the BoD when appointing a new manager? All the best and thank you for your time!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulanddonya Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Gen You said our legal team are looking into the shirt. The fans MUST have an idea what is happening with next seasons shirt before this goes on sale. From my point of you - you tell me this shirt will be for two seasons, gues what my son and daughter will be having in their stocking at Xmas, and guess what I will be putting on mine !. If it lasts until May - forget it - I ain't wasting £150. We MUST know. 2. About the shirt - surely FXPro have something to say on this. They have just given us a tidy little amount of money, which presumably they gave thinking there would be around 25000 people advertising their company around the streets of Birmingham for the past 4 months. Surely, if our legal team are looking into it - aren't theirs ? Paul PS By the way, apart from the fiasco - I like Nike kits. They are plain - but thats what is right about it - Claret Shirt, Blue sleeves. No fancy patterns, no silly colours, plain claret and blue thank you ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_allcott Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Hi General re: The Kit, perhaps looking at this from both a commercial and loyalty perspective you could potentially make one of the kits a 2 year release, preferably the home kit. This would then appease some of the fans, but allow you to then release a new home/away kit next year to drive business income? Surely then any loss of income could be picked up by NIKE. Everyones a winner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little8Rioch Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 General Welcome back. I wasn't bothered when Mr Quitter quit. I'm not bothered that the new kit won't be available until November or that Gerald Houllier might not be available until November. However having watched him in the youth team, I will be bothered if we lose Gary Gardener because we allowed his contract to run out. I don't know if the paper rumuours are true but please assure me we are going to keep him and contract negotiations are already underway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted September 13, 2010 Moderator Share Posted September 13, 2010 Contract status is a worry for fans on a number of players General with Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor's status being particularly concerning. Are we making any progress on any of these and is it something that's being delayed to allow the new manager time to look at his squad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 General Have a minor irritation, I have ordered the away kit plus some other gear from the Villa shop. While I understand the kit issue, I sent overnight to your customer service team that seeing as the kit has been delayed could they send me the other items I ordered in a part shipment. This is not allowed as I am overseas, they need to cancel the shirt on the order, I would then submit the order to the sales line, and then separately have to re-order the shirt. Very minor irritation but surely we can part-ship orders as I thought the idea was to make ordering easier for customers. I thought it was down to overseas shipping costs but they say no the other items would be shipped for free. I have a tendancy to buy a lot of items off the internet and always pre-order items and companies always part-ship items as and when they come available. Even in this instance surely because of the Nike delay all orders that have other items should be viewed and those items be shipped to customers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 General 1) When will Houllier officially become our manager? 2) when will he start work at the club? 3) if you don't know, why don't you know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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