Karl Baxter thought he was onto a winner when he printed the shirts ahead of the World Cup quarter-finals, but his gamble didn't pay off, with Gareth Southgate's side being sent home after losing 2-1 to France.
A businessman has been left with 18,000 useless T-shirts which wrongly herald England as World Cup champions.
Football fan Karl Baxter was so convinced the Three Lions were going to return home from Qatar as winners that he had the tops printed ahead of the quarter-finals.
Sprawled across the back of the shirts are the slogans 'England, Cup Winners 2022, It's Finally Home' and 'The Day It Came Home'.
But the gamble didn't pay off, with Gareth Southgate's side losing 2-1 to France in their quarter-final match on Saturday after Harry Kane missed the chance to score an equalising penalty.
"We had a load of blank football shirts that we bought a couple of years ago, which we had not done a great deal with, so I decided to take a gamble on the crest of the wave England were riding and get some shirts printed in anticipation of success," Mr Baxter, 46, told Sky News.
"Well over and above the shirts we have, as an England fan I am absolutely gutted we went out in the way we did," the managing director of Poole-based Wholesale Clearance UK said.
https://news.sky.com/story/firm-left-with-18-000-england-world-cup-winners-t-shirts-after-gamble-backfires-12767260
He's selling them for a tenner now.
It's coming home gamble
posted on 13/12/22
I could say he's an idiot but, I could also say, it's getting him a fair bit of publicity too.
posted on 13/12/22
Why put the fckin year on it. Just put World Cup winners or it’s coming home, save them. Moron.
posted on 13/12/22
comment by FFS Mike. (U1170)
posted 18 minutes ago
Why put the fckin year on it. Just put World Cup winners or it’s coming home, save them. Moron.
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There's a concept of 'late stage customisation' in fast moving consumer goods. You get the base product manufactured in bulk and digitally print the promotional / season / news-response content at the latest possible moment. Your suggestion would work if England ever win the World Cup before shirts become obsolete.
posted on 13/12/22
comment by Diafol Coch 77 (U2462)
posted 1 hour, 17 minutes ago
I could say he's an idiot but, I could also say, it's getting him a fair bit of publicity too.
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Uer
If he can get $10 each 4 em then thatsa nice profit
posted on 13/12/22
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 51 minutes ago
comment by FFS Mike. (U1170)
posted 18 minutes ago
Why put the fckin year on it. Just put World Cup winners or it’s coming home, save them. Moron.
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There's a concept of 'late stage customisation' in fast moving consumer goods. You get the base product manufactured in bulk and digitally print the promotional / season / news-response content at the latest possible moment. Your suggestion would work if England ever win the World Cup before shirts become obsolete.
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Think soon we will bbwaring clithing that we can change color/oattern/logo/pucture on in real thyme from a app
posted on 13/12/22
This just sounds like a typical business man. I doubt he was sooo convinced, he took a risk assuming should it pay off his ROI will be absolutely massive.
To print 2k t shirts probably cost him around 4-5k
If he sold each one at the time for £10 a pop he’d pocket a very hefty profit.
Well worth taking the risk from a business perspective in my opinion!
posted on 13/12/22
comment by UmaThurmans_BigToe (U22864)
posted 16 minutes ago
This just sounds like a typical business man. I doubt he was sooo convinced, he took a risk assuming should it pay off his ROI will be absolutely massive.
To print 2k t shirts probably cost him around 4-5k
If he sold each one at the time for £10 a pop he’d pocket a very hefty profit.
Well worth taking the risk from a business perspective in my opinion!
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Bawz daft cos there are guys out there ready to 'roll the presses' at FT or even if (no laughing at the back) they are 3-0 at HT and in bigger volumes than this guy. To be fair, if his business model was to descend on drunk guys in the pub on the day and fleece them of their £30 a pop then fair enough there will be plenty takers.
posted on 13/12/22
Welcome to England
posted on 14/12/22
What’s the problem?
Those tiny little Cambodian children got their 37 cents, right?
posted on 14/12/22
comment by Beeb (U1841)
posted 1 minute ago
What’s the problem?
Those tiny little Cambodian children got their 37 cents, right?
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Minus tax