At long last, the Salut! Sunderland Shop is open at the page you find by clicking here for UK orders or here for overseas orders.
Just about open, I should have said. It may be the only shop in the world with only two products, but it has to start somewhere.
It has been a slow and laborious process but from today, we are offering – as a trial intended to lead to the addition of further products – what we will call the Classic Salut! Sunderland Mugs I and II, chunky red and white tea or coffee mugs using a design conjured up by our old friend, the Charlton-supporting graphics wizard Addick-tedKevin under the guidance of M Salut. The introductory price is £11, and there are discounts for buying two or four.
Make mugs of us? Well, yes, come up with better slogans than the ones we are launching with and we will see whether they appeal to others.
The idea is not to become rich – we know that to be way beyond our reach – but to make Salut! Sunderland viable. The site gets generous plaudits as well as the occasional rebuke but takes time, effort and money to keep going. I’d also very much like to be able to recognise Pete Sixsmith’s inspired contributions in a more tangible form than the herograms he receives from me now.
UK buyers get the items post-free. I have created separate payment facilities for overseas orders, which unfortunately attract postage charges.
I hope sufficient people like the mugs to make it worthwhile to offer them, and look forward to being able to add further items as we go along – including those based on your own suggestions as readers and fellow-supporters of Sunderland AFC.
The ordering system is likely to become more simplified, thanks to my friend Sam at footballunited.com, but I felt we had to make a start, even if the designated page for the shop is at another, overspill Salut! Sunderland site (where you may also find the odd thing of SAFC-related interest).
Now, if you feel like it, go to the main Salut! Sunderland Shop or the Salut! Sunderland Shop Worldwide. And thanks for your support. It meant a great deal to pass that million mark for readers a month or two ago.
That was quick! I thought when you were talking about it last week, it was still a little way off. But I’ve ordered one to be sent to my sister’s in Bishop.
Thanks! It was lumbering along so slowly – futd.com oddly enough don’t have time to nursemaid me through the order/payments system they propose, at any rate not as quickly as I wanted – so I decided to get the thing launched using my own cobbled together system
It seems to have worked for you and, already, one other purchaser (thanks Rob!) so eight more to go and I can place my first bulk order.