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The Secret to Buying Uniforms Order Early!
It's that time of year soccer season is creeping up on us! While the lead-up is an exciting time for players and parents, it can distress the volunteer buyers inside clubs who are charged with the responsibility of outfitting players from head-to-toe.
As a volunteer buyer, there are a number of factors that you will consider. Among the important factors in your decision process:
Price versus budget what can we afford?
Style of the jersey and overall look of the uniform does it match the club look"?
Quality of the product does it meet our expectations?
Availability of colors does the company offer what you require?
What vendor am I going to select to purchase the uniforms? Who do I trust?
The single issue that drives each buyer's extreme stress level is on-time delivery. Every buyer who has been faced with hoards of angry parents without uniforms on Opening Day will attest, The Bitterness of poor quality or an untimely delivery remains long after the sweetness of low price is gone!" Every buyer will agree that it is far better to have your second (or third or fourth) uniform choice on-time than your first uniform choice late. No other consideration can compare to ensuring you have your uniforms at kick-off time!
Since everyone in the country begins playing soccer at about the same time of year (after Labor Day), the most important aspect of being successful in your uniform pursuit is ordering early. Clubs can help volunteer buyers immeasurably by registering players early (or holding tryouts early). Do it in June instead of July May instead of June April instead of May - you get the point. By signing up players early, teams can be formed and the volunteer buyer will be prepared to place an order that meets all of the club's considerations in a timely manner instead of being relegated to other less desirable or more costly options at a later date. If you wait until July 15th the time at which every other club is ordering your club isn't being fair to buyer or your players. It risks the heart of taking the field in style and on budget.
Once you make your decision on a uniform, your job isn't quite over. Don't forget all of the other field equipment that you need to take the field. Take an inventory of the available equipment (that is still useable) left behind in the club house: balls, cones, goals, nets, scrimmage vests, field marking paint and plan what you will need to supplement so that every player and team will have the right equipment for the upcoming season. While items such as balls and cones are always abundantly available, an item like a goal does take time between manufacturing and delivery to your facility so you need to plan ahead. Typically, selecting a single-source vendor for both your uniforms and your field equipment allows you to consolidate your purchase and accrue volume pricing (big savings) as a result.
All of these decisions are based around knowing how many players will be involved in your club. To ensure your club's success, make the change to early registration today! You won't believe how much easier it makes the process.
You can learn more tricks of the trade by visiting The Insider's Guide to Buying Soccer Uniforms and Equipment presented by TotallySoccer.com. Jerry Macnamara, the owner of TotallySoccer.com, is a fifteen year industry veteran who has traveled both the US and internationally for soccer. As a result of his experience, he has been certified as an expert in the US retail soccer industry. TotallySoccer was formed to help clubs save time, money and tons of stress in the buying process.
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