Commercial · 72 practices
Merchandise & Retail
The badge is a brand. Product, drops and e-commerce turn it into a twelve-month retail engine.
- 01
Launch or upgrade the webshop
Mobile-first store with guest checkout, wallet payment and clear shipping.
Impact high · effort medium
How to do it
- Audit your current shop on a phone, from home page to payment, and list every step where a fan would have to stop or create an account.
- Choose or configure a shop platform with guest checkout, a mobile-first layout and wallet payment, and agree the delivery options and costs with your courier.
- Show shipping cost, delivery time and returns terms on the product page, before the basket, so nothing surprises the buyer at the last step.
- Load your hero products first with clear photos, then link the shop from your site header, social bios and match emails.
- Each month review completed orders against started checkouts, split by phone and desktop, and fix the step where most fans drop out.
- 02
Renegotiate the kit deal toward margin share
Move from buying at discount to sharing margin or earning royalties.
Impact high · effort medium
How to do it
- Gather your current kit supplier contract and last three seasons of purchase volumes, discounts and unsold stock into one sheet so you know your real position.
- Find out how comparable clubs structure royalty or margin-share deals and decide which model you want, before approaching your supplier.
- Agree your priorities in advance: margin share, minimum volumes, design say, and who carries unsold stock, ranked from must-have to nice-to-have.
- Open talks with your supplier well before the contract ends, bring your sales data, and ask for a trial of the new model on one line.
- Review each season whether your margin per shirt and your unsold stock improved against the old terms, and report it to the board.
- 03
Treat the kit launch as the retail event of the year
Teasers, pre-orders, launch night, player content, planned like a campaign.
Impact high · effort medium
How to do it
- Set the launch date at least a season ahead and work back to a simple calendar of teasers, pre-order opening, launch night and first matchday.
- Agree with the first team and the supplier when players are available for photos and video, and book that time early.
- Open pre-orders on launch night and tell your fan list and members first, with a clear date by which orders will arrive.
- Plan the launch night itself: a small event or livestream, shirts on show, a place to order, and someone filming content for later.
- Afterwards compare orders by day, channel and size against your plan, and write down what to repeat and what to change next year.
- 04
Measure sell-through per SKU
Units sold ÷ units bought, reviewed monthly; reorder winners, kill losers.
Impact high · effort low
How to do it
- List every product you stock in one sheet with units bought, units sold and the date it arrived, taken from your till and webshop reports.
- Calculate sell-through for each line by dividing units sold by units bought, and sort the sheet from best to worst.
- Once a month, reorder the top sellers in the sizes that ran out and mark the slowest lines for a promotion or a stop.
- Agree a simple rule with whoever buys stock: no repeat order on a line until its last order has been reviewed.
- Track the share of stock left unsold at season end against the previous season, and keep reviewing monthly so the trend stays visible.
- 05
Cross-sell merch at ticket purchase
Offer the scarf or shirt in the ticketing flow and post-purchase emails.
Impact high · effort low
How to do it
- Ask your ticketing provider whether you can add an optional merch step after seat selection, such as a scarf or shirt, and what setup it needs.
- Choose two or three products that suit a matchday visitor, such as a scarf, cap or kids item, and price them for an impulse buy.
- Add a short merch block to the order confirmation email with a direct link to those products and a simple collection or delivery choice.
- Send a second email a few days before the match to buyers who have not ordered, mentioning what they can pick up at the ground.
- Review each month how many ticket buyers also bought merch, and swap the offered products when one clearly sells better.
- 06
Plan the range around hero products
Shirt, scarf, cap, kids line, depth in what sells, not breadth for its own sake.
Impact high · effort low
How to do it
- Rank your range by units sold and margin over the last full season, and mark the handful of products that bring in most of your revenue.
- Name your hero products, usually shirt, scarf, cap and a kids line, and make sure each one is always available in every common size.
- Reduce the long tail by not reordering slow lines, and put the freed budget into deeper stock of the heroes.
- Give hero products the best shelf space, the first place on the webshop home page and most of your photography.
- Review each quarter whether the heroes still carry most sales and whether any newcomer deserves hero status.
- 07
Build one fan view across ticketing, shop and digital
Link webshop, store and ticketing records to one fan profile so merchandise offers reflect everything the fan does.
Impact high · effort high
- 08
Get ready to produce shirts fast after a marquee signing
Plan printing, stock and webshop capacity so a big signing or title win can be turned into sales within days.
Impact high · effort medium
- 09
Reserve the right to launch your own ranges outside the kit deal
Write clauses in the kit contract that let the club create product lines with other partners beyond the supplier inventory.
Impact high · effort medium
- 10
Use one login across website, webshop and app
Give fans a single account for the club website, online store and mobile app so activity can be joined up.
Impact high · effort medium
- 11
Make the full webshop experience work on mobile
Test every shop step on phones so fans can do on mobile everything they can do on desktop.
Impact high · effort medium
- 12
Launch a same-night player shirt offer after a hero moment
Prepare a shirt campaign for the player who just scored a late winner and send it to fans within hours.
Impact high · effort low
- 13
Upgrade the matchday retail presence
Visible pop-up near the gates, card-only, hero products at eye level.
Impact medium · effort medium
How to do it
- Walk the routes fans take to the ground and choose a visible spot near the gates where a stand or container will not block the flow.
- Equip the stand for card and phone payment only, with a reliable connection, so queues move quickly and cash handling is avoided.
- Fill the display with hero products at eye level, add a clear price sign, and keep the stand tidy and well lit.
- Staff it with people who know the stock, open it early enough for fans arriving before kick-off, and keep it open after the final whistle.
- After each match record sales, items sold and the busiest hour, and adjust opening times and stock for the next home game.
- 14
Offer name & number personalisation
High-margin add-on on matchday and online; kids' names sell shirts.
Impact medium · effort low
How to do it
- Check with your supplier or a local printer what lettering options, turnaround and cost per shirt are available, and set a fair selling price with a clear margin.
- Add a name and number option to the webshop product page, with a preview and a note on delivery time.
- Offer the same option at your matchday stand, with an agreed pick-up point or delivery for orders placed on the day.
- Promote kids' names and players' numbers in your social posts and in the kit launch, showing real examples.
- Review monthly the share of shirts sold with personalisation, and check returns and printing errors to keep quality high.
- 15
Build a kids & baby range
Low-cost entry products that recruit the next generation of buyers.
Impact medium · effort low
How to do it
- Decide which entry products suit young children and babies, such as bibs, rattles, small scarves and mini kits, and ask your supplier for quotes.
- Keep the range small and affordable at first, ordering low quantities in a few sizes so the risk stays limited.
- Photograph the products with real young fans and present them as a distinct section in the shop and at your matchday stand.
- Share the range with your youth membership, the academy and local schools or nurseries through a short message or flyer.
- Review sales per product each quarter, and widen the lines that sell while dropping those that do not.
- 16
Run limited drops and derby specials
Scarcity creates urgency and gives fans reasons to buy mid-season.
Impact medium · effort medium
How to do it
- Pick two or three moments in the season, such as the derby or an anniversary, and plan one limited item for each.
- Keep the item simple: a special design, a numbered scarf or a commemorative print, produced in a fixed quantity you can reasonably sell.
- Announce the drop with a date and a visible quantity, and tell your fan list and members before the public.
- Sell it through the webshop and the matchday stand, and do not reprint once the stock has gone.
- Afterwards compare sell-through, time to sell out and margin against your regular lines, and decide whether to repeat the format.
- 17
Take pre-orders on the new kit
Pre-orders fund the buy, size the order correctly and cut overhang.
Impact medium · effort low
How to do it
- Choose the new kit or next product line and set a pre-order window with a clear closing date and a promised delivery date.
- Set up a pre-order page on the webshop that takes payment now, lets fans choose size, and explains when stock will arrive.
- Tell your fan list, members and social followers about the window, and remind them as the closing date nears.
- When the window closes, count orders by product and size, and use those numbers to set your main order with the supplier.
- After delivery, compare what you ordered against what sold and keep adjusting how much you add above pre-orders.
- 18
Integrate POS and webshop inventory
One stock pool so derby day and online never fight over the same shirt.
Impact medium · effort medium
How to do it
- Map every place you sell, such as the webshop, the club shop and the matchday stand, and note how each tracks stock today.
- Agree who owns the stock count and set one master list of products and sizes that every channel uses.
- Choose a system or a shared process that updates stock when anything sells anywhere, and test it with a small range first.
- Count physical stock on a fixed schedule and fix any gap between the system and the shelf straight away.
- Review how often a product was sold out in one channel while available in another, and keep working to cut those cases.
- 19
Run CRM merch campaigns
Segmented email pushes: new members, birthdays, lapsed buyers, gift season.
Impact medium · effort low
How to do it
- List the merch moments you can email about: new members, birthdays, lapsed buyers, gift season and new releases, and pick the first two.
- Build each segment in your CRM or email tool from purchase and membership data, and check a sample of addresses by hand.
- Write one short email per segment with a single product and a clear link, and make sure consent covers marketing.
- Schedule the emails so they run automatically, and leave a calendar note to refresh the content each season.
- Track opens, clicks and orders per segment each month, and stop or rewrite any campaign that produces no orders.
- 20
Give season-ticket holders a retail benefit
A standing discount that rewards loyalty and drives first purchases.
Impact medium · effort low
How to do it
- Decide what benefit you can afford, such as a standing discount on regular items, and confirm the margin still works on your main products.
- Define who qualifies and how the club will recognise them, for example by login or a code tied to their season ticket.
- Set up the discount to apply automatically in the webshop and give a clear process at the matchday stand.
- Tell holders in the renewal pack, the welcome email and at the ground, with a simple note on how to use it.
- Check each quarter how many holders have used the benefit, how many bought merch for the first time, and the effect on margin.
- 21
Create bundle offers
Shirt + scarf, kids pack, new-member pack, higher basket, easier gifting.
Impact medium · effort low
How to do it
- Pick pairings that make sense for fans, such as shirt plus scarf, a kids pack or a new-member pack, and check the margin on each combination.
- Price each bundle a little below the items bought separately, so the saving is clear but your margin holds.
- Set bundles up as single products in the webshop and as a printed card at the matchday stand.
- Promote them at gift moments, such as the start of the season and before the holidays, in emails and social posts.
- Compare average basket value and bundle sales with the previous period, and drop bundles that do not move.
- 22
Set a price architecture
Entry (€10–15), mid (€25–45) and premium tiers so every fan has a buy.
Impact medium · effort low
How to do it
- List every item with its price and margin, and group them into entry, mid and premium levels to see where gaps are.
- Set a clear price range for each level, making sure there is something small and affordable that any fan can buy.
- Fill the empty levels with products that fit, such as keyrings or stickers for entry and a special jacket or jersey for premium.
- Show the levels on the webshop and in the shop with a good-better-best layout so fans can compare easily.
- Review sales by price level each quarter, and adjust prices or products where one level carries too little volume.
- 23
Plan the end-of-season clearance
Structured markdowns that clear stock without training fans to wait.
Impact medium · effort low
How to do it
- Decide when the clearance starts and set it for after the main buying period, so full-price demand is not undermined mid-season.
- Plan markdowns in steps, such as a small cut first and a deeper cut later, and set a floor price per item.
- Keep the hero products and the new kit out of the sale, and tell staff which lines are included.
- Announce the clearance to your fan list and the stand with dates, so it feels like a planned event, not a constant discount.
- After the sale compare stock cleared, margin kept and any drop in full-price sales, and use that to plan next season's buy.
- 24
Review the retail P&L quarterly
Revenue, margin, sell-through and stock cover per channel, one page.
Impact medium · effort low
How to do it
- Choose a one-page layout showing revenue, margin, sell-through and stock cover for each channel: webshop, club shop and matchday stand.
- Pull the figures from your till, webshop and stock records into a shared sheet and agree who prepares it each quarter.
- Meet for thirty minutes after the quarter closes to read the page together and mark any line or channel that drifted.
- Write down two or three actions with an owner and a date, such as reducing orders on a slow line.
- At the next review check whether the actions were done and whether the drifting measures moved back in the right direction.
- 25
Add hats and everyday apparel beside the jersey
Stock hats and casual apparel next to replica shirts so fans can show loyalty with items other than a kit.
Impact medium · effort low
- 26
Sell through online and sporting goods retailers too
List official products with online marketplaces and sporting goods chains so fans who prefer those channels can still buy.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 27
Push official channels after a signing so the club keeps the revenue
Promote the official shop first when shirt demand spikes so sales stay with the club and kit partner.
Impact medium · effort low
- 28
Release vintage-inspired retro kits and lines
Reissue designs from the club archive and work with fashion partners to turn them into new lines.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 29
Collaborate with a designer on aspirational leisurewear
Co-create a leisurewear capsule with a known designer or brand to reach younger fans who see clubs as brands.
Impact medium · effort high
- 30
Keep club shop prices and service competitive with rivals
Benchmark prices and service levels against other sellers because loyal fans still want the best deals.
Impact medium · effort low
- 31
Align offers and messaging across store and online
Use the same prices, products and promotions in the physical shop and the webshop to avoid delayed purchases.
Impact medium · effort low
- 32
Add product recommendations to the webshop
Use customer data to show personalised product suggestions at the webshop to lift order value.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 33
Promote women's team merchandise through player-led social content
Use the women's team players' social following to push local merchandise sales.
Impact medium · effort low
- 34
Sell replica kits for goalkeepers and women's team stars
Check which players fans ask for and make their shirts available, including goalkeeper kits.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 35
Pair athlete storytelling with merchandise drops
Tell player stories on social media and release matching local merchandise and events alongside them.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 36
Track which memorabilia and merchandise drive each fan's purchases
Record which items each fan buys so future offers can be tailored to them.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 37
Offer signed shirts as rewards in the club app
Let fans earn points through polls and quizzes in the app and redeem them for signed jerseys.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 38
Reward top fans with limited edition merchandise
Give the most loyal supporters access to limited editions alongside early ticket access and VIP interactions.
Impact medium · effort low
- 39
Capture online, in-store and matchday purchase data per fan
Record each fan's shop, webshop and matchday purchases to build their buying profile.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 40
Run fixture-timed offers and refer-a-friend gifting
Schedule shop offers around important fixtures and give fans a way to refer friends or send gifts.
Impact medium · effort low
- 41
Reward shop interactions with points or small games
Give fans rewards for browsing and buying in the webshop, using game-style mechanics.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 42
Award loyalty points for merchandise purchases
Include shop purchases in a club loyalty scheme next to memberships, season tickets and attendance.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 43
Build shop rewards on club memories, not only discounts
Offer rewards linked to club history and shared values instead of relying on discounts alone.
Impact medium · effort low
- 44
Take only cashless payments at matchday shops
Switch matchday shops to card, mobile or loaded-value payment to speed up service and simplify operations.
Impact medium · effort low
- 45
Host player signing sessions for shirts and merchandise
Invite players to meet fans and sign shirts or merchandise at the stadium or shop.
Impact medium · effort low
- 46
List all stock online with accurate images and descriptions
Publish the full range on the webshop with fast, correct product images and descriptions to cut returns.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 47
Advertise merchandise on social media with direct shop links
Run social ads for merchandise that link straight to the product page.
Impact medium · effort low
- 48
Add shop links to club video and social content
Place product links inside the video and social content fans already watch to shorten the path to purchase.
Impact medium · effort low
- 49
Partner with a fashion or lifestyle brand on exclusive collections
Create limited collections with a fashion or lifestyle partner to strengthen fan identity.
Impact medium · effort high
- 50
Open merchandise outlets in target overseas markets
Set up shops or partner outlets in the foreign markets where the club wants to grow.
Impact medium · effort high
- 51
Run pop-up stores in fan zones and busy locations
Open temporary shops near the stadium, in fan zones or in busy hubs to sell hyperlocal products.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 52
Run hyperlocal fan events that draw traffic to the shop
Hold community events at or near the club shop to bring in new visitors and create social media buzz.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 53
Include year-round retail space in stadium redevelopment plans
When redesigning the stadium, plan retail space alongside dining and entertainment so the shop trades beyond matchdays.
Impact medium · effort high
- 54
Brief merchandise suppliers on goals, scope and KPIs
Give each supplier a written brief with goals, target audience, products, customisation options and KPIs.
Impact medium · effort low
- 55
Bundle exclusive merchandise into digital membership tiers
Include exclusive products in a paid digital membership alongside content and access.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 56
Tailor merchandise offers to distinct fan segments
Segment fans by type and give each group the products and offers that suit them.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 57
Treat every shop touchpoint as a personal relationship
Use each fan's past interactions to shape what the shop, webshop and emails show them.
Impact medium · effort medium
- 58
Consult fans before any rebrand that changes club merchandise
Ask supporters before changing the badge, name or colours, since failed rebrands cost clubs money.
Impact medium · effort low
- 59
Partner with local retailers
A shelf in local sports shops extends reach without new fixed costs.
Impact low · effort medium
How to do it
- Identify two or three local sports shops or gift shops near your fans that would suit your products and whose owners you already know.
- Offer a simple consignment arrangement where the shop pays only for what sells, and agree the share of each sale in writing.
- Supply a small starter range of hero products in a branded display and a price list, and agree who restocks.
- Visit each shop regularly to check the stock, take back unsold items and keep the display tidy.
- Review sales per shop each quarter, keep the ones that sell, and move stock to where it earns more.
- 60
Auction player-worn and signed items
Matchworn shirts and boots monetise scarcity and fund community projects.
Impact low · effort low
How to do it
- Choose items that carry a story, such as shirts from a notable match or boots from a player, and ask the players for permission.
- Pick a cause, such as a community project or youth team, and say clearly how the money will be used.
- Decide the format, online auction or matchday raffle, set a start price and a closing date, and prepare photos with proof of origin.
- Promote the auction through your fan list, social channels and the stadium announcer, with the player involved where possible.
- After it ends, publish the result and the amount passed to the cause, then decide whether to make it a regular event.
- 61
Fix sizing info and returns
Size guides and painless returns remove the top two online objections.
Impact low · effort low
How to do it
- Check how sizes are described across your products and add a simple size chart to each product page, ideally with measurements in centimetres.
- Write a clear returns policy in plain words covering time limit, condition and who pays postage, and link it from every product page.
- Offer a simple way to start a return, such as a form or email address, and answer within one working day.
- Record the reason for every return in a sheet, and update size guidance for products that come back for fit reasons.
- Review returns monthly by product and reason, and check whether the same sizing complaints keep appearing.
- 62
Sell at community and school events
Camps, clinics and town fairs put entry products in front of new families.
Impact low · effort low
How to do it
- List the community events in your calendar, such as holiday camps, school visits, clinics and town fairs, and choose the ones with families.
- Prepare a small box of entry products, such as scarves, kids items and keyrings, along with a card reader and a simple price list.
- Ask the organiser for a visible table or corner, and send a staff member or volunteer who knows the stock.
- Collect email addresses with consent from interested parents, and follow up with a short welcome message and a link to the shop.
- After each event record sales and new contacts, and keep only the events that justify the staff time.
- 63
Add a local / sustainable story line
Locally-made or recycled items differentiate and suit gifting buyers.
Impact low · effort medium
How to do it
- Decide the story you can tell honestly, such as items made by a local maker or from recycled material, and find a producer nearby.
- Ask for samples and a quote, and test the line with a small first order of one or two products.
- Tell the story clearly on the product page and the packaging: who made it, where, and why it matters to the club.
- Promote the line at gift moments and to local press and partners, who may share it with their own audiences.
- Review sales and feedback after the first season and decide whether to widen, keep or end the line.
- 64
Make packaging social-media worthy
Branded packaging turns every online order into shareable content.
Impact low · effort low
How to do it
- Choose packaging that carries your crest and colours, such as a branded box, tissue or sticker, and ask for quotes from a printer.
- Add a small card inviting fans to share their unboxing, with your social handle and a short hashtag.
- Pack orders neatly by a standard routine so every parcel looks the same when opened.
- Repost fan photos and thank buyers on your channels, which encourages others to do the same.
- Check monthly how many fans posted about their orders and whether the extra packaging cost is worth the visibility.
- 65
Basic brand protection
Register marks, monitor marketplaces, act on counterfeits near the ground.
Impact low · effort low
How to do it
- Check that your crest and club name are registered as trademarks in your country, and ask an adviser to fix any gaps.
- Keep a short folder of your official products and designs so staff and marketplaces can tell genuine items from fakes.
- Search online marketplaces and social shops every month for items using your crest, and note the sellers and links.
- Report fakes through the marketplace's own process, with your registration details attached, and keep a log of each case.
- Tell fans and local police about sellers near the ground, and review the log quarterly to see whether the problem is shrinking.
- 66
Send location-based merchandise offers to nearby fans
Use fan location to send merchandise offers linked to the ground, fixtures or local events.
Impact low · effort medium
- 67
Watch fan campaigns that ask for missing products
Monitor social channels for fan requests for unavailable kits and respond with a product.
Impact low · effort low
- 68
Let fans co-design merchandise through votes or contests
Run a fan design contest or vote for a shirt, scarf or memorabilia item and sell the winner.
Impact low · effort medium
- 69
Ask supporters which merchandise and pricing areas to improve
Survey supporters on what marketing and merchandise areas they want improved, especially affordability.
Impact low · effort low
- 70
Gather feedback from fans and suppliers after each merchandise campaign
Collect feedback after each campaign to see what worked and keep the supplier relationship going.
Impact low · effort low
- 71
Place QR codes in the stadium that open the webshop
Put QR codes on screens, signs and seats that link fans straight to the online shop during matches.
Impact low · effort low
- 72
Partner with local influencers to promote merchandise abroad
Work with local influencers in target overseas markets to reach fans on the channels they use.
Impact low · effort medium