A Response from Everton FC
Andy Hosie gives some background to current supply problems with replica shirts

29 November 2002

I'd like to make a few points which will hopefully help people understand the current situation.

1. I was as frustrated as any other blue about the shortages of some sizes of kits in the shop.  One of the first actions I took coming in (on October 28th) was speak to Guy Buzzard about how we could avoid going out of stock on kit.  Kit is 60% of our business and being out of stock on such an item is just not acceptable.
    
2. There are 2 reasons why we have no XL shirts.  Firstly Puma work on 6 month leadtimes (hard to understand, I know, but that is how all sports clothing manufacturers work).   Secondly, the fact that it is a tight-fitting shirt has meant that many Large customers have moved up into XL — something Guy predicted but not in the numbers that eventually did. (Are all the people wanting an XL aware that an XXL will probably fit?) 
   
   Guy spoke to Puma in early October when the kit was selling beyond his greatest expectations (48% more than the last home kit sales) and was told that they could supply us with nothing until mid-February 2003 at the earliest!  Guy predicted a 35% uplift in Kit sales.  No-one could have predicted in March last year that we would sell 50% more shirts.
    
3. We summoned Puma in in early November and tried to explore every possible opportunity to get kit to us — no matter what the cost — and we are still pushing them.  The simple fact is that, whilst we may find a few XL shirts here and there (we have found 24!), we will not find enough to meet demand.  Puma cannot produce any more until next year and we have a new kit celebrating our 125th anniversary coming out in May.  The kits we do have will be allocated out to those on the waiting list on a first-come, first-served basis.  I hold my hands up and can only apologise that incorrect information has been given out to some people — all the staff now know the size-by-size delivery schedules of the stock we are expecting.
    
4. Guy Buzzard has revolutionised the Megastore in the year or so he has been with us and he is an exceptional retail manager.  He has just about completed Phase 1 of his 5-year plan (making it profitable, reducing stock levels and simplifying the range).  The next couple of years will see greater profit, a fantastic payment and stock management system which will reduce queuing times and improve forecasting; meaningful range extensions (like the new retro range of kits); and yes, we are examining the feasibility of getting a (profitable) shop in the centre of Liverpool. 
   
   We are staffing up mail order (a new new catalogue was mailed to 40,000 fans last week and is also available in the shop) and have just completed Phase 1 of a 3-phase e.commerce website which will revolutionise the money we take online from around the world (half-price delivery if you order online).
    
5. We have just put in orders for the 125th anniversary kit in May which are 50% up on this years sales (Guy spent a week analysing sales by size and shirt type) — if sales of this again go wild we will be able to order another slug straight away to ensure delivery before Christmas.  I do not want the same to happen again next year.

I will not have the time to respond to all the issues that are raised by fans but I felt this was a major issue with complex causes that are not widely understood   I want every Evertonians to be in no doubt that myself and my team are doing everything possible to generate the level of revenue required to help the club compete with the best.

Regards

Andy Hosie
Head of Marketing
Everton Football Club