Success in Servicing Professional Football Clubs
Summer 2023 was a big one for Kitlocker.com. After a highly competitive tendering process, we were confirmed to be partnering with three EFL Football League clubs. Whilst we have worked with a large number of big non-league clubs over the years, this was our first venture into the Football League.
AFC Wimbledon of SkyBet League Two, plus, Cambridge United and Carlisle United, both of SkyBet League One, each selected Kitlocker.com to become their kit suppliers ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Offering More Than Simply Supplying Kit
Working with legendary sportswear brand Umbro, we now supply each of the three clubs with match kit, trainingwear, replica merchandise and everything in between. But the partnerships go far beyond simply supplying kit.
There are a number of factors that differentiated Kitlocker.com during the tendering process and ultimately have led to a highly successful opening period for these partnerships…
Creative Design
Working with the clubs every step of the way through the process, and considering both their unique individual specifications and our own in-house design expertise, we were able to create a set of kits and training garments for each club that received praise from not only their supporters but the wider football community and beyond.
Flexibility and short lead times
One sticking point for many clubs when procuring kit is high minimum order quantities. This is something that we’ve identified and worked hard to eradicate from our offering.
Clubs working with us can be more agile when it comes to stocking their kit for both teamwear and retail purposes throughout the course of the season. This, coupled with our short lead times, makes us stand out from other less agile suppliers.
New Lines Throughout the Season
We also offer multiple drops of new lines throughout the season, rather than all at once. Whether this is Umbro branded training and off-field garments, or tailored white label merchandise.
We believe that this not only provides more potential revenue opportunities but also ensures that a club’s retail offering is fresh, more seasonal and keeps fans engaged throughout the course of the year.
In-House Printing Capabilities
We have a large, highly skilled team of production operatives that are trained in the latest embellishment techniques. We are constantly investing in new machinery and technologies to ensure that we are offering a best in class service to our partners.
This also means that we can quickly turn around any request that a club may throw at us. For example, special one-off garments for cup finals, club events or marketing purposes.
Dedicated Account Managers and Marketing Assistance
We believe that good communication is a key component to any kind of partnership. Each club we take on is provided with a dedicated account manager who acts as a point of contact for all of their needs, big or small.
And we don’t stop once the kit is delivered. We’ve also had the pleasure of sending our in-house marketing team to film and photograph both Carlisle United and Cambridge United’s kit launches. Helping to save them significant time and resources when creating marketing material.
Record Sales and Social Media Coverage
All three clubs achieved record sales, with Carlisle United in particular requiring multiple swift restocks in the opening months of the season. The retro home kit design, inspired by their 1993-95 kit, went viral across social media and their kit launch saw fans queuing outside the ground to get their hands on the new kits.
Their eye-catching “Fruit Salad” away kit also got lots of people talking on social media. All of this buzz meant that by September, the Cumbrians had already sold double the number of shirts they had throughout the whole of the previous season.
Surpassing Expectations
Carlisle United Chief Executive, Nigel Clibbens: “The sales to date have been far beyond anything we have ever seen before – by a big margin.”
“The third order we have just placed is the biggest single order for kit in the history of the club.”
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