THOUGHTS AND IDEAS
What's the Difference Between a Print Shop and a Done-for-You Apparel Partner?
When gym owners tell me they "already have a guy for shirts," I ask them five questions: Does your vendor create original designs for you? Do they send you garment samples before you order? Do they set up an online...
How to Market a Gym Apparel Drop to Your Members
Here's the hard truth most gym owners don't want to hear: if you spent 3 weeks on the design and 3 minutes on marketing, you're doing it backwards. Marketing is where participation lives or dies, and understanding why programs fail...
Webstore vs Front Desk: What's the Best Way to Sell Gym Merch?
You've got two main options for collecting apparel orders from your members: run an online webstore or manage orders at the front desk. Both work. But they serve different situations, and the right choice depends on how you run your...
What Is a Zero-Inventory Apparel Model for Gyms?
A zero-inventory apparel model means your gym never purchases, stores, or risks unsold merchandise. Every single item is sold before it's produced. You collect money first, print second, and deliver third. Your financial exposure is zero. This is the opposite...
How to Price Custom Apparel at Your Gym
If you're selling gym shirts for $15 because "that's what I'd pay," you're leaving thousands of dollars on the table every year. Pricing gym apparel isn't about what feels right — it's about understanding your market and your margins. After...
How Often Should a Gym Sell Custom Apparel?
The short answer: 3-5 times per year. The longer answer depends on your gym's size, culture, and how seriously you treat apparel as a revenue stream. Most gym owners fall into one of two camps. Either they do one big...