Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

At the Railway we sell lots of memorabilia. There are the cheap impulse buys that sell through the shop - these include pens, pencils, notebooks etc. There is higher quality stuff that sells through the website and general mail order.

I think the CH memorabilia should be more in the second category. For us this includes CDs, calendars, Christmas Cards (and other notelets), and branded clothing. As CH with the Housey uniform, our double engines are a unique selling point. We have jigsaws in various sizes and styles showing the engines, which sell well. When I go into work today, I will have a good look around and report back later!

jtaylor wrote:Can we canvas other schools to see what sells in their memorabilia??

J

I've already been making comparisons of product / prices from other alumni organisations. This information will be used in the final proposals.

jtaylor wrote:One other thought - an approach to cost-saving might be to get pre-orders for the more expensive items. i.e. group-buy approach, that orders will be placed once 10/20 have been ordered? Might reduce any risk on the bigger stuff, and enable us to offer more for less risk?

This is being discussed as well.

cj wrote:I've just thought of something else (I'm on a roll now), you could something nice with the school crest on a glass decanter and wine glasses, with a silver (plate) tray.

Yes, this would be possible. Then again, if it's just a simple matter of engraving anyone could get these sort of things made for themselves anyway.

One observation from my vicarious previous experience.

It is very important to price the goods competitively as people simply will not buy if they feel that they are in anyway being ripped off. Loyalty to the selling institution appears to count for little or nothing when people are dipping into their pockets.

I have assisted a Friendly Society for some years comprising artists who pay a subscription and display fees to the Society which will put on exhibitions of the artists' work to enable them to sell to a wider audience. The Society takes a small commission on all paintings sold to further contribute to covering costs. It is a non-profit making organisation.

To the point: they decided to stock up on merchandise some years back both for the benefit of the members and to raise funds. However they pitched their prices far too high and sold very little. Items like Christmas cards appear "shop soiled" when they are a year old and people will not want to buy them. They therefore have little or no residual value.

In short make people think that they are getting a good deal by buying through the CHA.

I've noticed that Oxford University do Fairtrade Hoodies and jumpers

That might be a line to go down?

Funny that all the things people have suggested were available as memorabilia merchandise in the past : replica 'museum' mugs and other china; engraved glass (the engraving was the 'marching boy') - glasses, paperweights, decanters.....; lots of different cards/notelets; books; cds/tapes; scarves; ties; lapel and brooch 'badges'; cuff links; keyrings; sweatshirts; boxes of fudge/sweets etc; engravings; and much more.
What went wrong I suspect was CH Enterprises' eventual inability to properly market the materials, linked with the Foundation's need to save the costs involved in producing and selling them.
On the last Old Blues Day, tables were set up in Big School, where the residual 'stock' was given away against whatever people wanted to pay (so yes there were lots of bargains!).
When we (the CHA) 'resurrect' the production and issue of appropriate merchandise, my guess is its not so much what we produce (or how much of it) but how we resource the marketing as well as the taking of the money and the physical acts of selling (?posting sometimes?) the items. The CHA Office is already pretty loaded with work and everyone else is a volunteer....

We frequently have people coming into tuckshop on Open Days asking where thet can buy small souvenirs - all we have to offer in the "small/cheap" range is ancient postcards!

kerrensimmonds wrote:Funny that all the things people have suggested were available as memorabilia merchandise in the past : replica 'museum' mugs and other china; engraved glass (the engraving was the 'marching boy') - glasses, paperweights, decanters.....; lots of different cards/notelets; books; cds/tapes; scarves; ties; lapel and brooch 'badges'; cuff links; keyrings; sweatshirts; boxes of fudge/sweets etc; engravings; and much more.
What went wrong I suspect was CH Enterprises' eventual inability to properly market the materials, linked with the Foundation's need to save the costs involved in producing and selling them.
On the last Old Blues Day, tables were set up in Big School, where the residual 'stock' was given away against whatever people wanted to pay (so yes there were lots of bargains!).
When we (the CHA) 'resurrect' the production and issue of appropriate merchandise, my guess is its not so much what we produce (or how much of it) but how we resource the marketing as well as the taking of the money and the physical acts of selling (?posting sometimes?) the items. The CHA Office is already pretty loaded with work and everyone else is a volunteer....

Wasn`t there a website at one point so people could order online?

Yes..but it was outsourced from the School Shop (i.e. an external company, which took its rake off). I think that only ran for a year. At one point, also, there was a 'shop' selling memorabilia down in the Sports Centre, too.

Fully agree with what Kerren and Andrew have just said.

On types of product, I wonder if some more fun/alternative items might do well, as the catalogue can tend to look rather "middle-aged" - cuff links, coasters etc. Of course they are the bedrock of what people would want and expect to buy, but some fun things might draw in a younger OB (or current pupil) audience.

Looking at EtonCollege.com (a minor public school I believe) ....they have mugs saying things like "I'd Rather Be An Old Etonian", so why not "I'd Rather Be an Old Blue", "I'd Rather Be A Squit", "I'd Rather Drink Kiff" etc. on mugs, T-shirts etc......plenty of scope for witicisms.....

sport! wrote:Fully agree with what Kerren and Andrew have just said.

Looking at EtonCollege.com (a minor public school I believe) ....they have mugs saying things like "I'd Rather Be An Old Etonian", so why not "I'd Rather Be an Old Blue", "I'd Rather Be A Squit", "I'd Rather Drink Kiff" etc. on mugs, T-shirts etc......plenty of scope for witicisms.....

Great idea!

I think that it is good that you can buy them at old blues day, but i think it should also be sold at occasions like Beating of the Retreat.

The target audience shouldn't be just old blues but also current pupils.

blondie95 wrote:i think the college school scarf would be popular, i have mine and know many others would have liked them

I kept my hoodie with CH badge on from games when i was there and my broadie and buckle!

I think things that can still be used by people may be good such as ties, cuff links, hoodie, mug, cds of choir/big band

My daughter hated wearing her CH hoodie for sports - but now wears it around town quite happily!!

peter2095 wrote:I think that it is good that you can buy them at old blues day, but i think it should also be sold at occasions like Beating of the Retreat.

The target audience shouldn't be just old blues but also current pupils.

I`m not sure that current pupils (with, perhaps, the exception of Grecians) would be particularly interested in much of this sort of merchandise, unless they were buying it for presents etc. But I may be wrong...!