TAG - Spring News

NSGA Management Conference & TAG Dealer Summit

By this time, all TAG dealers have received a registration packet from NSGA for the 43rd Annual Management Conference, May 20-23, 2007 being held in Bonita Springs, Florida. In addition our 10th Annual TAG Dealer Summit will be held in conjunction with this Conference on Sunday morning, May 20th. We encourage all TAG dealers to register for this Industry acclaimed educational event and to arrive on Saturday afternoon, May 19th so as to partake in our TAG Dealer Summit. TAG dealers receive a $100 courtesy discount from the NSGA for attending the Management Conference because of your affiliation with the TAG organization.

A list of scholarship providers is also included with your registration materials. Contact the vendors listed at the back of the registration pamphlet and receive a full scholarship to attend this years event. We have enjoyed the company of 20-25 TAG dealers for this premier event on a yearly basis and we look forward to seeing many of you again. If you have not attended this event and would like more information please do not hesitate to contact the TAG office. This year we will also be holding our May TAG product meeting on Saturday afternoon, May 18th. We will be providing all Conference attendees with a specific TAG Dealer Summit agenda in the next few weeks. If you are planning on coming for the TAG Summit to be held on Sunday morning, please make arrangements to arrive in Bonita Springs in time for our annual Saturday evening Cocktail and Dinner planned for all TAG dealers attending the conference. More details to follow............

From the Desk of Stan Morrison

As I developed goals for TAG, Inc. this past January, a long list of new opportunities and challenges surfaced for us in 2007. Prioritizing often is the hardest task. However, as I look towards the future of the group, New Dealer Recruitment emerges as the main challenge, and top priority, for TAG in 2007. I believe New Dealer Recruitment is essential for our growth in terms of vendor programs, TAG product and ultimately the TAG brand.

Currently, we are focusing our efforts on the states, or territories not currently represented by a TAG member. Georgia, West Virginia, Virginia, and Northern Florida are just a few examples of where we have been searching for a qualified Dealer. Over the past year, either through new Dealer Recruitment or current Dealer extension, we have added five new members who all fit very well into the TAG family. Within the next year, I believe we will add at least eight more Dealers, and complete our “National Footprint.”

You are essential to this process. Many of you have already been helpful in the completion of this project. If you have recommendations for members, please let us know.

Meet our Newest Member

Royal’s Team Sports, dba. Team Sports became a member in December 2006. Walter “Wally” and Susan Marshall bought the store approximately five years ago from Mr. Royal, but we have requested that they continue to use the name to avoid confusion with Team Sports in Ohio.

Wally is a CPA and continues his practice in a separate business. Susan his wife runs the day to day operations of the store. They are located in Chico, CA which is in Northern California. T & B Sports, First String, Kimmel Athletic, and Donnelly’s Sports were very helpful in convincing them to join.

Wally, Adrian Heym, Team Sales Manager, and Brent Kampf, Team Sales, were able to come to St Louis in January to meet the staff, review the TAG product line and tour the TAG Team Uniform factory. They are anxious to profitably grow their business and we think you will enjoy working with them.

They will be attending the show in Las Vegas, so please welcome them to the TAG family.

New Vendor Programs on the Way

You may have noticed that the programs our vendors are offering are not as good or easy to work as they used to. Many of them now make each individual member qualify on their own for their best program/price.

We believe this makes doing business more difficult for both our members and the vendor. Our dealers must choose which vendors they wish to qualify with as most cannot possibly qualify with all of them. The vendor on the other hand receives qualifying orders from some of the dealers and perhaps no business from the remaining dealers. This creates a couple of problems; dealers may be forced to buy more product then they really need on their stocking orders and they may miss the ability to buy a “hot item” from a vendor they don’t normally work with.

We have started working with the vendors to negotiate more dealer friendly programs and plan to have them all in place by the June show. Please let us know if there is particular situation that you want us to look into.

A Word from the President

I am pleased to see the return of our dealer newsletter format. Before the advent of the Internet, e-mail, laptops, blackberrys, and text messaging TAG-tales was our monthly group bonding communication. The year 2007 promises to be one of continuing change in our Industry and I can assure you that the TAG/TTU management team is hard at work creating additional means of profit for TAG dealers. Greater buying discounts, increased rebates, freight concessions - More meaningful vendor programs, additional import products, industry partnerships - New overseas relationships, better communication abilities, more advanced ordering techniques and significant warehouse advancements are all on the drawing board for this year. Additionally, plans are being finalized for our 2nd Annual TAG Sales Seminar to be held in Las Vegas this June. The expanded format of this 2nd seminar will provide professional speakers, sales and product education, and wonderful networking opportunities for all who attend.

Our new TAG Dealer Advisory Committee will be meeting in late March to discuss new opportunities and to help with the future direction of the TAG organization. In an Industry that is changing on a daily basis we must be willing to embrace change and compromise to ensure our success in future years. Although we face significant challenges with competitors coming at us from all directions, I can assure you that to stand still in this environment will hasten our demise. It is imperative we understand our combined strengths when we show a willingness to move forward, accept necessary changes, and realize together we can overcome whatever challenges appear on the horizon .

Get into the Game! Join us for the Second Annual TAG Dealer Seminar and Buying Show in Vegas!

Plans are well underway for the second TAG National Sales Training Seminar to be held in conjunction with the TAG Spring Buying Show & SGMA Spring Market this June. With this year’s venue in Las Vegas, we are developing programs to provide each roadman with an opportunity to check out the entire TAG line, to sharpen sales techniques, to learn about the latest industry technologies and to see products showcased by other exhibitors. It promises to deliver an educational weekend along with a bit of fun.

Hopefully by now each Dealer has received your packet for the seminar and show. Please fill out the Badge & Hotel Room forms. It is very important we have each Dealers confirmed arrival/departure dates for everyone attending. Make sure that you get the completed forms into Chris Foster no later than March 16, 2007. If you have any questions, call Chris at the TAG office.

TAG and TAG Team Uniforms are diligently working to create an exciting and educational event. Watch for future e-mail updates. As more details develop we will forward more information.

TTU Uniform Designer under Construction

We have been listening to you and are pleased to announce that finally the TAG Team Uniform Designer is under way. The designer will be a web based program and everyone will have access from the TAG Team Uniform website at www.tagteamuniforms.com. Completion of the sports of baseball, softball, football and basketball are scheduled for this year.

From your computer you will have the ability to choose from any style in our catalog, see the mock up in your school colors; change rib knit trim patterns and colors, and add screen print or twill decorations. Plus, you will be able to view the mock up in the team name, and in the font of your choice. Once complete, you will be able to print them off and/or save them to you computer for future use.

As with any new computer program, the development will take some time. We will be tackling baseball and softball first and our goal is to be able to preview the program and these two sports, at the TAG Dealer Seminar in Las Vegas. After that, football is scheduled for completion by October 2007 and we will go live with basketball by the end of the year. More sports will follow in 2008, however, while in development, or to see other sports not scheduled for completion, you can continue to order mock ups via the internet by going to www.tagteamuniforms.com/mockup.

Import News

Important Import Dates

March 1, 2007
Shoulder Pad Fill In Container Orders Deadline
Delivery 3

March 26, 2007
Delivery 1 Fall '07 Import Product Ships from the Orient

April 1, 2007
Letter of Credits Due

April 1, 2007
Delivery 1 Fall '07 Import Payment Due

April 23, 2007
Delivery 2 Fall '07 Import Product Ships from the Orient

May 1, 2007
Delivery 2 Fall '07 Import Payment Due

June 1, 2007
Delivery 3 (fill-in container) Fall '07 Import Product Ships from the Orient

Do you need more ALT Shoulder pads? Until March 1, 2007 we are collecting orders for a third delivery of shoulder pads and accessories with arrival into Seattle June 20, 2007. You should then expect delivery into your warehouses by the first week of July. Items available for these fill-in container orders are ALL SHOULDER PADS (class #203) and FOOTBALL ACCESSORIES (class #204) except stock numbers TRP640 and TRP645.

Orders can include the AFT shoulder pads along with the rest of the AFT product line, including the AFTHR integrated girdles and AFT Flex Shirts. Based on my initial sales information, the demand for this new exciting ALT shoulder pad line has been extremely heavy. This is a great opportunity, for all of you, who originally placed small orders, to fill in for the upcoming football season. There are just a couple of things we need from you. When faxing your PO’s to the TAG office, please mark them "June Fill-in Container Order". In addition, it would help the TAG staff if you could send in your AFT product under a separate purchase order.

On a couple of other notes, Reminder Invoices will be sent to all dealers for your Spring 2007 Import clothing purchase and payment is due by April 1, 2007. Finally, we mailed your Fall 2007 Import purchase packet on February 14, 2007. If you haven’t received it, please let us know as soon as possible. The information enclosed in the packet is vital for your Fall 2007 Import order and includes a copy of the master order confirmation, changes and/or cancellation sheet, Letter of Credit information and sample L/C, and payment schedules.

Did you see?

On February 8, 2007, TAG made National Headlines! When New Orleans native and top collegiate prospect, Joe McKnight signed with USC, photos featuring him in his high school uniform were splashed across numerous websites including this one from ESPN.com. McKnight has played football in a uniform by TAG Team Uniform for the past couple of years. Although Jim Esneault would have rather seen McKnight sign with LSU, we thank the crew at Grundmann’s for getting us this national exposure! Click on the image to see a larger picture.

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