Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

If you get the attention of the current pupils, then you get the attention of the proud parents, who i reckon would buy.

Maybe an idea is to also sell at Carol concerts and Theatre productions?

Its all about getting maximum publicity

Just as an idea, gonna cost a bit of money and also take up a bit of time

Why don't you put a Market research form, you could send it out in the next issue of the blue or old blue, asking what pupils / Parents / Old blues would consider buying in the future from the CHA.

I think you need to find out what people would buy now, then 6 months down the line when you have, say 100 Decanters that you can't move

Please can I have a Harris Tweed coat?

I bought my daughter a winter coat just before Christmas and although she has worn it quite a bit, it is already looking 'tired'. She is not a hoyden, just a normal young lady. (she has had one knitted coat for 4 years) but those Harris tweeds went on forever.

A Harris Tweed coat ! I loved mine, and wore it during the holidays - but would hate to think what they would cost now . BTW, who was the benefactor who paid for them ?

I agree with a Harris Tweed coat!

I have been having a look around our shop and a chat with our shop manager. He suggests mugs, one of the companies we deal with supplies polystyrene boxes so they can be posted easily. We also do place mats. The embroidered garments can be done in orders of 25 once they have the crest set up. He will give me details of the companies we work with if relevant.

What is the market for these? Are we selling to OBs though mail shots etc or are we selling over the counter to Mrs C's customers in the Tuck Shop? Do we need different items for the different clientele?

I presume that an Ebay shop will be set up ? It works wonders for Oxfam !

I believe that is Richard's thinking, Barbara...but even so, someone will have to run it. Once the original items are placed on eBay, the taking in of money, the parcelling up and sending out of the goods, the leaving of feedback, will not 'just happen'.
That's what I meant by needing to consider the resources not only for marketing but also for selling - cos that's where I think CH Enterprises crumbled, on the same endeavour.

Euterpe13 wrote:I presume that an Ebay shop will be set up ? It works wonders for Oxfam !

That is certainly one of the proposals as well, and is already under discussion.

Another thing under consideration is getting C.H. to register for 'ebay for charity', whereby anybody can donate a percentage of whatever they're selling on ebay to a specified charity which would, in this case, obviously be C.H.

This might also be something for the BSB to consider.

I agree with Kerren that the marketing by Christ's Hospital Enterprises was not all that it might have been, particularly with regard to having facilities to purchase on-line.

As a matter of interest, the old catalogue is still hanging around on the web : http://www.checom.com

Euterpe13 wrote:A Harris Tweed coat ! I loved mine, and wore it during the holidays - but would hate to think what they would cost now . BTW, who was the benefactor who paid for them ?

A big problem I suspect unless made to measure. I'm sure you ladies are all different sizes (and what about the men's fits) and the "shop" could not be expected to carry so much stock.

Also cost prices vary. Some time ago I was able to pick up in a full price store in that haven of tourist shops, Gretna Green, a harris tweed flat cap for a quarter of the price of a poorer copy in Carlisle just down the road.

Thanks for that link, Richard! I'd forgotten that catalogue. Members of the Forum could click on it and have a look through to see what used to be available - and could vote on here as to which sorts of item they would like to see 'resurrected' if this new endeavour gets off the ground. We MUST get Ali Burns to model any new menswear (whether sporting or otherwise) - and I'd love to own another blue Harris Tweed coat (whoever modelled it..) but guess the cost of such an item would be prohibitive and beyond the remit of 'memorabilia'!

(I wonder if 'Half to Remember' would tell us who the original benefactor was? It must have been later than Sir Harry Vandepant)

Looking at that website, here is my opinion of items that would sell

Page 8
Housey Slang book
Rhymes for Life

Page 7
Housey button cufflinks

Page 6
Polo shirt
Blazer, not that colour though

Page 5
Pens / Pencils
Mousemat
Post-its

Page 4
Rugby Jersy - Blue with CCC on looks great
Socks - Yellow
Umbrella

Page 3
Scarf
Tie
Cufflinks

Also
Hoodies
Broadie buckles
Music - CD's / Downloads
There was something else but i have forgotten

Would it be worth talking to the OBRFC and finding out where they get their stock from?

peter2095 wrote:Just as an idea, gonna cost a bit of money and also take up a bit of time

Why don't you put a Market research form, you could send it out in the next issue of the blue or old blue, asking what pupils / Parents / Old blues would consider buying in the future from the CHA.

I think you need to find out what people would buy now, then 6 months down the line when you have, say 100 Decanters that you can't move

I have already done a fair amount of looking at other alumni associations and I would imagine that, having drawn up a list of the most popular items across the board, the needs of the Old Blue community would not differ too much.

Of course, each association has its idiosyncracies: former pupils of Scottish schools may want to purchase tartan regalia, former pupils of Slough Grammar, as I believe Eton is known, may want to invest in engraved servants, etc. but by and large it's ties, cufflinks, socks (which surprised me a bit), umbrellas, mounted crests etc. which feature strongly.

For us, this all needs to become self-financing pretty sharpish so we'll probably try to start with a limited range and see how it goes, in terms of income, stockholding, and the feasability and development of sales channels.

peter2095 wrote: Would it be worth talking to the OBRFC and finding out where they get their stock from?

Already doing so......

Hi Richard

I do think it would be a good idea to do hoodies

I think the problem with ties and cufflinks is that younger old blues won't wear them, i very occasionally wear a tie and cufflinks

Completely understand about becoming self financing and also about limited range, however I think that starting off with the right range is viatally important, it might be better to get 3 or 4 of everything then getting 20 of 1 item and nothing of another.

If you were to get T-shirts and hoodies with the CH name and logo put on them, would you want them embroided or printed on?

Enbroiding will cost alot more but last longer where printing them on will cost significantly less

Katharine wrote:The embroidered garments can be done in orders of 25 once they have the crest set up.

Or even smaller quantities. One the crest/logo is set up the people that do this sort of thing can do what you want, even specials. This probably depends on chosing garments that are stcok items for them.