Scouts has a multi channel approach though, including through their districts, local independent ‘scout shops’, and even John Lewis. But they (including leaders) have to pay for all their uniform.
They don’t have a partnership with John Lewis anymore, but at least they have the advantage that there is much less uniform to buy.
The question does exist, and yes, I genuinely do.
My absolute personal preference when buying online is to buy from shops that have a physical location in my local city centre. It is actually often more convenient to use this as my “local address” than to try and work out when I’ll be at home (or work, pre the new norm). As such, the analogy with uniform will be to have it delivered to WHQ and pick it up from there.
I don’t - but maybe I’m just weird 
Coincidentally I’ve heard a rumour that a WExO somewhere in England sent out an email last week saying that they knew of 1 unit that was charging a deposit, and that if any other units were also doing that then it must stop with immediate effect
I send my eBay purchases to Argos - especially expensive or large ones (but less so cheap, letterbox sized ones).
I use click and collect food shopping for a big shop.
It works better in terms of fitting collection around my schedule.
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I’m also not convinced about “direct to cadet” shipping.
They’re less likely to spot errors, I’d rather have a chance to double check the fit before they take it home, talk them through the prep one more time before they’re let loose with the cold mess tin, etc.
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Cadets and their parents have 12 years of experience buying clothes before they get to us, it’s hardly rocket science.
If Uniform were to still be delivered to WHQ for staff to collect then there is no point in Cadets having a direct order function, unless you want to be going to WHQ once a week because Cadet Bloggs has ordered a new tie.
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Presumably the system could be set to aggregate orders so there’d only be one delivery a month or whatever.
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I’ve never once had a cadet come in who already owned a beret…
And I’m pretty sure they have envelopes at WHQ and a tie would fit in one.
Even once per month is far too often to expect volunteers to have to travel to WHQ to collect uniform, especially in some of the more remote areas.
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I’ve acknowledged that:
And to clarify I meant geographically large.
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but where would it be sent to? on the basis it is being sent to WHQ as Cadet’s don’t have an suitable address to accept uniform?
it maybe a tie this week, but next it could be a new shirt, or jumper…find an envelope for that to send to an address which isn’t viable
this and also - what advantage does a WHQ delivery offer over what we currently have?
it has little benefit for the Cadet and more burden for the volunteer to complete a round trip to WHQ.
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What’s the point in debating the ins and outs of a process we’ve invented that we all know will never be implemented?
Could we not wait until we actually know what’s happening…?
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welcome to ACC, this is what happens.
we discuss the faults in a RAFAC system knowing it won’t change anything (unless it is a system James Elliot is involved in and then there is a element of “user feedback” welcomed
Discussing the faults in a system that exists is one thing.
We’re discussing the faults in a system that’s barely been theorised… We might as well discuss how the Bronze Flying Badge prepares cadets for flying the F35…
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I will get that thread started immediately
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This.
This and let’s put at least SOME of the onus and responsibility on the parents for goodness sake.
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I’m still.not driving to WHQ once a month for uniform collection.
If a cadet genuinely has issues having post delivered… then that 0.0001% of caders can make the effort to drive to WHQ to collect.
Rather than make 100% of Sqns drive.
We need to stop lowering the bar to the lowest denominator… let’s try raising it for a change!
Sorry, but if some of the little darlings and their keepers cant cope… really we shouldn’t be taking them. Are we that desperate for numbers that we are prepared to accept dross that needs constant spoon feeding?
I’m not.
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to be fair it won’t un-prepare them…there are more steps to take (Silver and Gold for example 
) but it is not an invalid suggestion
had you suggested firing a 0.22 rifle prepares a F35 pilot for pushing the cockpit button to fire arsenal …now we have a discussion
But…
The sizing for civvie clothes is different to uniform sizes.
For example, male jeans are usually sized in inches and length e.g. 36S. Blue Uniform male Trousers are in cms and waist seat and length measurements. And then you have female sizes (size 12 for civvie skirts, vs the waist, seat, and length in cms.)
And then you have MTP sizes, which are linked to height.
There is plenty of opportunity for confusion, and mis-measurement, which would lead to lots of ordering of the wrong size, having to return in etc etc.
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Cadets manage perfectly easily to buy their own MTP, there is no reason why parents can’t look at a sizing guide and order clothing.
We need to stop treating people like they are idiots, give them the size guide and let them get in with it.
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