I was wondering if anyone would be able to tell me what a good number of shirts per size I should start off with.
I'm selling online and will be starting off w/ a unisex style and will have a total of 5 sizes per design.
So should I have 5 smalls, meds, lrgs, and xl's?
From experience would anyone suggest that 3 or 4 per size would be too small of an amount?
Just don't want to have too many shirts per size when I'm just starting out. Hope this makes sense.
"Just starting out" doesn't tell us that much. There's "just starting out" and I have contacts. There's "just starting out" and my trust fund is providing $20k of advertising. There's "just starting out" as an optimist on Etsy unlikely to sell more than 2 shirts. There's "just starting out" with a modest advertising budget, and orders will trickle through.
These would all need different minimum stocks.
It also depends on your printing method, and whether or not you're printing yourself.
I do not think there is a formula for this as it is very hard to predict. I started off with a sample of t-shirts from size small to 2XL. I stopped stocking small shirts three years ago. If I need small shirts I can always run up to Broders or Alpha and grab them. This year alone I have only printed 6 mediums t-shirts so I have also backed off on stocking the mediums as well. Now I am buying mostly XL to 3XL, and a few Large shirts but that could change at any time. It just depends on the orders I get.
My guess would be that this number would be different for every shirt shop as it is based on several unknowns / variables.
Thx for the replies! You are all correct in reminding me that each case is different. From what you have all mentioned, I will make the decision based on the current following I already have...guess I just second guessed myself. I have around 60 people who'd like to order from me and I haven't launched yet. No I am not printing myself, just selling shirts.
Thanks again.
t shirt inventory, sizes 
