All-Star Late Uniforms

[RaRaMama]

Rebel Athletics. Fully blinged uniform, gym of 125 kids, ordered mid October, received all uniforms less than one month later. Great quality, $250.

Ditto-contacted them end of August after having continual problems with Varsity. Provided us 5 designs to choose from, shipped us proto after final approval in 2 weeks, had fit kit to us in less than a week. All sizes sent to them October 9th. We were promised a delivery date of Nov 23rd. Uniforms were delivered Nov 19th.

Mini, Senior 3 and 5 were perfect. Turns out the youth/junior uniforms were not made with mystique as requested-just black bodyflex (the factory used the wrong final design). They let us keep the entire shipment of the "wrong" uniform and completely remade and shipped within a week and are PERFECT. The BEST part of this whole thing was that Rebel (specifically Karen) communicated with us during the entire process. There was never a time where we didn't know what was going on and what to expect. Best of all, when they messed up, she owned it and said "Here's what we are doing to fix it".

You may think I'm crazy for posting how great they were when we had a hiccup, but how they handled it makes me very confident to use them again and to recommend them to anyone. The other thing that impressed me was that they recently said "We're at our max for this year-contact us to get on the list for next year." A company that knows when to say "when" so that they can continue to provide excellent service for their current customers is on top of their game in my opinion.

Oh-and prices were better than GK or Varsity.

 

[5-6-7-8]

Ditto-contacted them end of August after having continual problems with Varsity. Provided us 5 designs to choose from, shipped us proto after final approval in 2 weeks, had fit kit to us in less than a week. All sizes sent to them October 9th. We were promised a delivery date of Nov 23rd. Uniforms were delivered Nov 19th.

Mini, Senior 3 and 5 were perfect. Turns out the youth/junior uniforms were not made with mystique as requested-just black bodyflex (the factory used the wrong final design). They let us keep the entire shipment of the "wrong" uniform and completely remade and shipped within a week and are PERFECT. The BEST part of this whole thing was that Rebel (specifically Karen) communicated with us during the entire process. There was never a time where we didn't know what was going on and what to expect. Best of all, when they messed up, she owned it and said "Here's what we are doing to fix it".

You may think I'm crazy for posting how great they were when we had a hiccup, but how they handled it makes me very confident to use them again and to recommend them to anyone. The other thing that impressed me was that they recently said "We're at our max for this year-contact us to get on the list for next year." A company that knows when to say "when" so that they can continue to provide excellent service for their current customers is on top of their game in my opinion.

Oh-and prices were better than GK or Varsity.

I agree, people are understanding of hiccups, especially when there is an attempt to make it right. And I lie hearing that they accepted their "max" capacity an didn't try to over promise anything.

Under promise, over deliver...pretty basic customer service.

 

[CheerPrincessMomma]

My CP's team has a comp this weekend and no uniforms. There are too many new athletes to wear last years uniform so the teams will be wearing their t-shirts/shorts they practice in. By the way...it's not a cute, blinged-out sports bra...it's a t-shirt!! We ordered the uniforms from Varsity. I'm very disappointed...I honestly know nothing about order dates or when we received samples or whatever. I find the less I know, the less upset I get! My first instinct? "I WANT SOME $$ back!!!" I paid $XYZ and I'm technically not getting my money's worth as I can't use it for its intended purpose, I'm missing the alloted time I can use it for as well! What a waste!! (Does this make any sense or has the rage taken over??!!??)

 

[magical mom]

So are you trying to say when a uniform company tells you let's say 10 weeks, and it doesn't come in 10 weeks it's the gym's fault?
So let's say you ordered some furniture for your house and, again you should get it in 10 weeks, but it comes in late at 25 weeks. Now I really hope you aren't going to say its your fault...

No Im not saying that at all. Im just saying if they didnt wait till the last minute then it wouldnt be down to the last day to get them. I am a rep and I know completly how things go. I dont believe if companies are going way over schedule that it is right at all. I think that if you are told 12 weeks and it is at 12 weeks then there should not be complaining, even if the 12 weeks is the wednesday before your competition. I have customers who ordered before August and dont have the worry of receiving them in time.

 

[magical mom]

I wish this were true. In fact I think it's fair to get a uniform later if you order it later. The problems I am speaking about is when the uniform company promises it on a certain date and doesn't deliver on time from their own estimate.

Edited to add: sorry, didn't mean to repost the same as @Cheer4lifex we just happen to be thinking the same thing I guess. Kinda looks like we're beating up on you.

Yes agree. Dont promise what you cant produce. We at GK give estimated ship dates, so they are not always acurate but most of the time are. I see it both ways from being on the rep side to also being on the gym side. Dont worry I didnt think you were ganging up on me :)

 

[glitterdiva]

Ditto-contacted them end of August after having continual problems with Varsity. Provided us 5 designs to choose from, shipped us proto after final approval in 2 weeks, had fit kit to us in less than a week. All sizes sent to them October 9th. We were promised a delivery date of Nov 23rd. Uniforms were delivered Nov 19th.

Mini, Senior 3 and 5 were perfect. Turns out the youth/junior uniforms were not made with mystique as requested-just black bodyflex (the factory used the wrong final design). They let us keep the entire shipment of the "wrong" uniform and completely remade and shipped within a week and are PERFECT. The BEST part of this whole thing was that Rebel (specifically Karen) communicated with us during the entire process. There was never a time where we didn't know what was going on and what to expect. Best of all, when they messed up, she owned it and said "Here's what we are doing to fix it".

You may think I'm crazy for posting how great they were when we had a hiccup, but how they handled it makes me very confident to use them again and to recommend them to anyone. The other thing that impressed me was that they recently said "We're at our max for this year-contact us to get on the list for next year." A company that knows when to say "when" so that they can continue to provide excellent service for their current customers is on top of their game in my opinion.

Oh-and prices were better than GK or Varsity.

exact same experience with rebel Karen is amazing!!!

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

Yep going into comp season starting uniform free second year in a row because they had to order more. For me as a parent I'm not entirely sure that it is the companies fault as I hear tell that they were ordered late because they didn't expect to need to buy extras (we rent uniforms currently) but as that is parent rumor mill I choose not to comment to owner as it isn't going to change the situation and I don't have all the facts and that is not what the owner told us in the email. Still I am frustrated because I do all my payments on time and make sure my CP is always on time and works 100%. I give it one more year (because next year we are buying new uniforms which I am happy not to be renting) would hope by that point they would switch companies, or order earlier, or have some sort of plan based on previous experiences.

 

[catlady]

SharkDad I used to buy for a major retailor that put out major mailings and expected merchandise to be there on time. Some suggestions for holding their feet to the fire:

The larger the order the better the negotiations. If there are gym owners that are willing to put their orders in together with the same expectations, you will get more desirable results. As a buyer we would demand a prototype by a specific date, the manufacturer would then demand a time we had to have all corrections in and the sizing run. Set a specific ship dates and, also, set specific terms. In the retail world that meant if the merchandise was late for its first advertisement, they would pay for first markdowns of 25%. Many times, merchandise was flown in overnight from the manufacturer to meet deadlines. If a uniform is retail $300, it's cost is probably around $100-125 to manufacture, I would personally work a by week cost scale. Example: If here by this date, we pay this much. So on and so forth.

 

[SharkDad]

No Im not saying that at all. Im just saying if they didnt wait till the last minute then it wouldnt be down to the last day to get them. I am a rep and I know completly how things go. I dont believe if companies are going way over schedule that it is right at all. I think that if you are told 12 weeks and it is at 12 weeks then there should not be complaining, even if the 12 weeks is the wednesday before your competition. I have customers who ordered before August and dont have the worry of receiving them in time.

I've never heard anyone complain that a uniform arrived on the promised date whether that is 3 weeks or 20. People mainly get upset when it arrives late.

If a uniform company provides a uniform later than they promise, I beleive it is the gym owner's responsiblity to hold them accountable by getting a discount for their parents and athletes. The next year that gym owner should seriously consider whether they want to use the same company. If they did I would expoect them to be smart and have a compensation system in the contract similar to what has been described.

As a parent I think it would be fair to demand the discount for my child's uniform. If you get it then it would be equally fair for it to come out of the last tuition payments for your child. That is fair business and getting what you paid for. I have seen many examples personally from Varsity where the uniform had this problem, then that problem and it finally arrived before the last competition of the season. Why would anyone pay for a uniform that they never used or only used once?

 

[fullinitup]

This same thing could be used for music. There are so many teams still without music and its basically December. It sucks.

 

[KikiD22]

Did anyone hear from their gym about a "new design and prototype process" with Varisty that caused delays as well? This was one of the reasons we were given for the delay this season. Unfortunately, I'm not buying it because we had issues with our last new uniform from them as well. And it wasn't a timing issue on the part of the gym. Our athletes were all fitted the first weekend in June, and according to our program manager, the original designs were submitted in July.

We are heading into our 4th competition of the season this weekend with no uniforms. I know that there are a lot of unhappy parents right now and I wouldn't be surprised if the question of discounting the uniform has already been raised. This is literally almost halfway through our season now. I don't think a discount would be unreasonable.

Apparently, the uniforms are supposed to be in hand tomorrow, but obviously with teams competing tomorrow, there's no time to hand anything out.

 

[Cheer4lyfe]

The easiest fix for this is to have the gym owners order by August. They drag their feet with the design, payment and making decisions. It's not always the companies fault but the fault of waiting till the last minute and expecting it in october. in actuality if everyone orders in September then everyone will be filtered through the funnel like everyone else. This is why the long production.

While this may true in some cases, its certainly not in all, I ordered our programs uniforms in August and we STILL don't have them, more mistakes and mishaps then I care to explain, but moral is, we don't have them

 

[mstealtoyou]

My question is this. If you've always been a gym that ordered Varsity uniforms and you've decided to explore other options for next season.........how easy would that be really?

I guess I want to know would there be any fallout for that program if after years of their $$$$ going to the Big V they suddenly decided to go with some little guy uniform company. Has anyone had experience with this?

 

[SharkDad]

My question is this. If you've always been a gym that ordered Varsity uniforms and you've decided to explore other options for next season.........how easy would that be really?

I guess I want to know would there be any fallout for that program if after years of their $$$$ going to the Big V they suddenly decided to go with some little guy uniform company. Has anyone had experience with this?

What fallout do you think could happen?

 

[mstealtoyou]

What fallout do you think could happen?

I'm not really sure. I was just thinking out loud. LOL