Has anyone here gone through the process of ordering club uniforms? If so, how big a pain was it? I am frustrated by my recent experience with club apparel and I'm wondering how the process can be improved.
I just received a Sugoi race singlet that I ordered and paid for in JUNE. The order was placed by the owner of our sponsor bike shop. What I got was substantially different than what I expected. (I expected a fitted tri singlet with a rear pocket -- that was the design mock-up I was sent. I got a mesh run singlet that reminds me of a basketball jersey.)
In my dreams there is a club apparel vendor with a site like cafepress.com. You submit a design. The vendor creates a mock-up and maybe sends a sample to a club rep. Then club members order the pieces directly online through the vendor's e-commerce site -- with a deadline of when the final order is placed. The vendor ships the items directly to the individual club members.
Is there any company that does? It would eliminate the middle-person in the club who has to make up a list of the orders, collect payments, send the vendor the big check, hunt down people who begged to get on the list with a promise to pay, and then distribute the items (and always have a box of straggler items in their car/office/home).
I know there are complicating issues: These garments can't economically be made one-off, so people still have to place orders within a certain time frame. Minimum order numbers must be met and often affect the final price per item. Team apparel manufacturers aren't all in the retail business and may not have distribution systems in place. And getting the designs just right will still be complicated. But doesn't it seem like an obvious solution?
I just received a Sugoi race singlet that I ordered and paid for in JUNE. The order was placed by the owner of our sponsor bike shop. What I got was substantially different than what I expected. (I expected a fitted tri singlet with a rear pocket -- that was the design mock-up I was sent. I got a mesh run singlet that reminds me of a basketball jersey.)
In my dreams there is a club apparel vendor with a site like cafepress.com. You submit a design. The vendor creates a mock-up and maybe sends a sample to a club rep. Then club members order the pieces directly online through the vendor's e-commerce site -- with a deadline of when the final order is placed. The vendor ships the items directly to the individual club members.
Is there any company that does? It would eliminate the middle-person in the club who has to make up a list of the orders, collect payments, send the vendor the big check, hunt down people who begged to get on the list with a promise to pay, and then distribute the items (and always have a box of straggler items in their car/office/home).
I know there are complicating issues: These garments can't economically be made one-off, so people still have to place orders within a certain time frame. Minimum order numbers must be met and often affect the final price per item. Team apparel manufacturers aren't all in the retail business and may not have distribution systems in place. And getting the designs just right will still be complicated. But doesn't it seem like an obvious solution?