Discuss the process of getting your t-shirt line into brick and mortar stores and selling offline. Topics include industry tradeshows, events, line sheets, sales reps and other retailing tips and advice.
I do a small amount of screen-printing shirts in a smaller town in Texas. I had some shirts (high school football) in a small store for sale. The owner would not buy the shirts unless she sold one and then we split the profits. Any shirts left unsold were given back to me. I sold a few, but not a lot and had leftovers.
I think for large chain stores that you need to have a BIG PRODUCING shop to handle the exactness, quality, and demand if needed on short notice.
__________________ Palmtree68 www.t-shirtsetc.net Cheapest tees and apparel!
If you read through these threads, you'll find all types of great information on how to get your t-shirts in stores and how to sell wholesale to retailers: retailers related topics at T-Shirt Forums
We have been wholesaling our brand since march this year and have been doing really well from it.
Its all about knowing your target audience/market and being confident with what you are selling. If you dont believe that people will want to ear your clothes then the stores arent going to be interested at all.
Make sure you present your designs well and have some well made samples take some decent photos and then email/phone/write to/speak to in person as many store owners/potential buyers as possible. The outcome from this can only be three things.
1. They will say no and that it wont appeal to their customers. If you hear this don't be disheartened stay confident with your brand and say thats fine thank you for your time we will be in touch again in the future to see if circumstances have changed. Make sure you do contact them again in 6-12 months.
2. They will love it and say yes. Easy.
3. They will think about it. Dont pester them. Leave them a week or so then just follow it up in a polite manner and see how it progresses from there it should go back to either number 1 or 2 if not 3.
I like robo's reply. As a retail store owner, it was about the approach I received from a potential vendor. Structure of the presentation, timeliness(make it quick and to the point), and well laid out/high quality samples. Once an order has been placed and your product is on the shelves, follow up but do NOT pester for reorders. If your designs sell well, the store owner will certainly seek you for more.
We have been wholesaling our brand since march this year and have been doing really well from it.
Its all about knowing your target audience/market and being confident with what you are selling. If you dont believe that people will want to ear your clothes then the stores arent going to be interested at all.
Make sure you present your designs well and have some well made samples take some decent photos and then email/phone/write to/speak to in person as many store owners/potential buyers as possible. The outcome from this can only be three things.
1. They will say no and that it wont appeal to their customers. If you hear this don't be disheartened stay confident with your brand and say thats fine thank you for your time we will be in touch again in the future to see if circumstances have changed. Make sure you do contact them again in 6-12 months.
2. They will love it and say yes. Easy.
3. They will think about it. Dont pester them. Leave them a week or so then just follow it up in a polite manner and see how it progresses from there it should go back to either number 1 or 2 if not 3.
Thanks very much for that. Straight to the point. Precise.
I watched a special on Walmart sometime ago..and what vendors/potential suppliers had to go through just to get an appt with a buyer..it was an eye opener. I wonder if you did a search on the net under something like Walmart how to become a supplier or something similiar it may show you a listing of it you can watch.
I know from what I saw it was real real tough but then again - our local Walmart here in town carries t-shirts for the local H.S. in the area..and I am sure those did not fly all the way to Walmartville to do the presentation. I called the label and sure enough it was a local guy.
I am a very strong believer (tried and true) in going up the ladder to where you want to get to and getting the endorsement as you climb.
I don't know how many corporate angels called receptionists that have opened the doors for me over decades by simply asking them for their help, stating your lost or new to this and could they walk you through where you need to get to and whom.
And when they give you the first rung be honest with the person your speaking to ...tell them your absolutely new at this and could they spare a 15 minute timeslot in their schedule to meet with you - if anything to gain their opinion on what your attempting to do or their insight.
I have found in 35 years of being on the road, on the phones, banging on doors, looking over directories in buildings and solicating in corporate hallways when your minutes from being thrown out of the building...receptionists, security/meet and greet guards, even the guys on the dock (and I have gone in that road as well) will help you if your nice, pleasant, humble and just plain honest.
It doesn't matter what your selling, or if it is retail, corporate, industrial or commecial - buyers are buyers and people are people. Everyone likes to feel good at the end of the day knowing they did something to help someone out.
And if your really stuck...then find someone who is alot older than you are..who has done it before and ask if you can talk with them and if they could help you - mentor you. You will be surprised how many wonderful souls are with the SBA (Small business Associations) in the country who have been there, done that and who are wanting to contribute.
Another thing I would try - is find someone who is not related to your product, not your competition and would help you with info and perhaps some introductions. ie - your doing tees..they could have done wrenches..or something totally non-related.
I just mentioned this in another thread, but I feel it's worth repeating directly to you. I'd suggest finding a sales rep that sells to stores that you want to target. Sales reps will generally take 10-15% of your sales prices, but it's worth it as far as I'm concerned. Sales reps can get your product in the doors of stores that you couldn't reach on your own. There are sales reps that sell to stores large and small. Buyers are generally more likely to buy from sales people with whom they already have an established relationship.
i agree with the above! it depends on the store and who their customers are. if a store owner says no, you can follow up again in 6 months.
as far as selling to bloomingdales, etc. it doesn't make sense unless you already have a good wholesale program in place where you've figured out all your kinks. if a department store might want your shirts, do you have money to produce them and not get paid sometimes for up to six months? what if they place an order for 5000 shirts - do you have at least $20,000 to produce those shirts, pay to ship them and get barcodes made and then not get paid until months later? and if they don't sell, then you will have to take them all back... oftentimes people think that they want to go the department store route, but it really can make you go out of business if you don't have all your wholesale ducks in a row and if you don't have financing to make the products that they need. i wouldn't recommend it unless you have been in business for at least 5 years and have all the necessary funds and systems in place to fulfill their orders.
interestingly, most department stores charge you money if you don't have your boxes marked the right way, if you don't use a certain carrier, etc...
how to get your shirts sold in stores? 
