Yea, with the M's it's very unfortunate. I slammed my head into the wall for years trying to get them to change their practices when I worked there. All I ever got back every time was, the person in charge is doing the job just fine we see no need to change it now yes, even with 80% of the inventory staying unsold in the shop all year.

Yet it seems after each season most of the shirts sit and sit then get wholesaled to Kruk. You know if you offered those same prices or even something more reasonable than the current opnes to your local fans I bet they'd buy more. Whats worse is that ALL game used stuff is 100% profit for the team store, every single gu item they get is purchased under the Operations budget and then given to the store once they're done with it. The money doesn't go back to Operations it goes right into the retail bottom line.

One time I was even told it was against MLB policy to run an email sales list such as the ones that the Tigers, Braves, Giants, etc. send out to promote sales. Hmm, if that's the case wonder why MLB hasn't stopped them

The best prices are during special sales or the M's care auction and/or garage sale. Even the M's care "Buy it Now" auction prices beat the Mariners team store prices most of the time.

In the end I don't think it's a bad thing for teams to brings their gu sales in house as long as it's done by someone who knows and follows the hobby and prices things to sell. Doesn't sounds like any team does that very well yet.