Founded in 2018, The Terrace has become one of the fastest growing sporting retail companies in the industry.
The organisation’s company ethos is “more than just an order number” and their hands-on interaction with fans is proving to be a hit so far.
In their first 17 months of operation, the company has sold over 10,000 units of merchandise to a worldwide customer base.
Seen by over five million people worldwide each month, The Terrace have also entered licensed partnerships with various Premier League and English Football League clubs.
“We are delighted to partner with The Terrace to bring supporters a fantastic range of official licensed retro products,” Sean Davies – the retail and licensing director for Fulham FC, told FC Business.
“The Terrace team have been great to work alongside and this exciting new licensing partnership is one we expect to grow and develop quickly over the coming season.”
So, what is the secret behind their rapid growth? To put it simply, the products that they produce are innovative, creative and appealing to a broad market.
For example, one look at their online store will show retro West Ham merchandise, ranging from pint glasses to Santa sacks, as well as couch cushions designed from previous kits in the club’s history.
In what can be quite a stale market with extremely similar templates across the board, The Terrace has created something fresh.
The clubs they are in partnership with continue to benefit from these diverse product designs.
“Many of our fans will be familiar with The Terrace brand already and it’s great to be able to endorse a range of quality products with an official partnership,” said director of retail operations at Ipswich Town, Lee Hyde. “It’s a very exciting licensing partnership for both parties; one I can see growing quickly.”
The organisation’s plan is to further improve a sports retail industry that has stalled, by giving customers a larger array of options.
An in-house design team bring their nostalgic ideas to life through an exceptional eye for detail, which give fans the chance to reminisce about their sporting teams’ favourite moments through kit culture.
The Terrace operates a print on demand service for customers wanting to buy merchandise. As a result of this, there is no stock risk or potential for wasted investment.
The products provided, such as phone cases, blanket throws and towels are items club shops don’t invest heavily in or stock. This is therefore an attractive proposition for clubs to partner with the company, to help them fill a gap.
The Terrace director Carl Swell states: “The Terrace has become a successful and trusted retail platform for fans, but from the very start, Paul [co-director] and I have firmly stood by the principle that you can still earn a living whilst remaining loyal to your core values; those being that sport is a community, a passion, and a lifestyle.
“That’s why we proudly became a charity partner to CALM, the men’s suicide prevention charity, to help raise money through sales for such a worthy cause; sponsor grassroots football teams, from supplying kits to installing much-needed improvements at grounds; and sponsoring fan-led ventures as much as we can. As part of a community, we look after our customers because they look after us.”
This year the company aims to increase the volume of sales for the 20,000 unique visitors they have on a weekly basis. Faster delivery times are also a strong focus, refining the customer experience.
They hope to at least double their licensed portfolio by the second quarter of the year, opening the door to all sporting clubs that are interested. With the success they’ve had so far, it would be hard to believe they would be short of any suitors.
