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'm doing my first big show next month and I don't know how much product I should take with me. I'd like to take enough to make a good profit, but I don't want to have so much left over that I have to lug a lot back home. So how do you know how much to take to a show?
__________________ You can learn a lot from the TSF.
Hey I have not done any t-**** trade shows, but my mom used to be a crafter and sold art prints and we also sold smoothies. I would believe you want to extra for your first couple shows until you can judge and know which product sells. Or you can always have some type of brochure or order form so if you run out you can at least have a sample on hand and fill orders with shipping or hand delivering, then you can also build some relationships. Running out also might might cause a demand.. I can hear the sales pitch now "I'm sorry sir that sold out in the first hour of the show, however I can fill some orders and get those to you by 1pm tomorrow."
__________________ INTEGRAL APPAREL - "Color outside the lines" Spawned Ware: :Malicious Intent:: Spring/Summer Line
Also, you should offer a give away. Have everybody that comes by your booth fill out a ballot with their info on it. That way even those who dont buy anything have still given you their contact info. Making sure that everybody takes a business card is good but when they fill out a ballot , its like getting a card from them too.Include a place for their email address. We bring a press with us to shows and print custom right there in front of them. We offer a choice of fonts and design layouts , and they can add photos , text etc... right on the spot. So we only bring blank shirts with us and a few pre-printed samples to let them see what they can get. I dont know what kind of show you are doing , but we make sure that we hit every other vendor with business cards and get their cards too. We have made more money off of other vendors than off of the customers at the shows.
All of this is what I'm working to get to. I want other vendors coming to me too. Thanks to you all. This is going to be a 3 day event. How much money do you take for change? I was thinking of putting a $150 - $200 in the cash box.
__________________ You can learn a lot from the TSF.
I don't know what type of show you are doing, but I remember my first show... only had three color shirts in short or long sleeve and took WAY too much, but better than not enough !!
However, I was embarking on a continuous show circuit, so too much wasn't a problem and have learned what inventory more or less works for me now. Good luck!
As to change, make sure you have one's & 5's and a couple of rolls of quarters, dimes and nickels. For some reason, one show will leave me with tons of 1's left over and the next show I'm begging for ones from other vendors once or twice a day.
Now I would like to know how many people do you get to work with you? I was going to use me and my wife. I did ask a friend if he would help. I was thinking that 3 would be good for breaks. That way we could work it to have 2 people at the table at all times. But I also need the extra money I would have to pay a third person. Could use it to pay for the next show.
__________________ You can learn a lot from the TSF.
How much product? 
