How do I check a sporting goods store’s team uniform and custom printing orders?
Ask for a list of open and recent team orders showing what was promised, the deposit taken and the delivery date. Check how the printing is done, by whom and on whose equipment. Then look at how dependent the store is on a few teams and leagues.
Team orders are a business within the store. Ask for the order book: which teams, which items, what stage each one is at and when it is due. Orders in progress are promises that the new owner must keep, so a careful list with deposits and delivery dates is essential. Look for orders that ran late and ask why.
Next, find out how the custom work is produced. Does the store print and stitch in-house, or does it send the work to an outside shop? If the equipment is in-house, ask about its age, its service record and who knows how to run it. If the work is outsourced, check the supplier’s reliability and whether the arrangement depends on the owner’s relationship.
Finally, study the customers. Teams, clubs and schools often return year after year, and the decision may rest with one coach or organizer. Ask which groups matter most and how the store keeps them. Do not assume repeat orders will follow the sale; speak, if the seller allows, to a few of the larger customers about what they value. Ask also how artwork and logos are stored, because teams expect last season’s design to be reproduced exactly.
Key takeaways
- Review the order book with deposits, stages and delivery dates.
- Learn whether printing is in-house or outsourced and who can run it.
- Find out which teams and organizers account for repeat orders.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentUnderstanding post-merger operational integration
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