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.
A proffessional trade show, carnival, car show, rodeo, trade day flea market are all different animals. One has folks dressing in suit and ties another has a guy in shorts munching on a turkey leg and pawing your gear. Common sence is the law here and appropriate actions in your booth follow.
go to your local event/conference centers that hold the trade shows and ask them for a calendar. Online calendars may not give you the contact information you are looking for.
I just picked up a buffalo conference center calendar....great contact info for the rest of the year. Even tho most of the year is done, it will give you the contact info for those same shows that will likely happen next year. You could ask them to put you on their mailing list.
While I have never sold t's at a festival me and my wife have been vendors at a few festivals, car shows, sport tourneys in the last couple of years. All were outside and most were in the summmer.
First off sometype of cover is necessary. Don't bother with those cheap tents with all the piping that take hrs to put together. Invest a little more money into an instant pop up. We have a 10'x10' we bought at Wal-mart for less than $100. They take minutes to set up. It's easy enough where I can do it by myself if needed. Second you must need protection from the sun. Sunscreen and some type of headwear is a must. Also bring a cooler and your favorite drinks. Remember you will be outside all day and will be drinking lots of fluids. These events make a killing selling over-priced drinks. (You can also bring your own snacks if you want. We usually don't.) If you have power and they allow it a fan is nice but not necessary. I know Jasonda prefers to stand, but down here in the TX Gulf Coast with temps nearing 100 degrees and 100% humidity, in the summer, a chair is necessary to take plenty of breaks.
For cold weather events be sure to dress in layers. It makes it easier to adapt to the changing weather conditions. Other than that not much advice for winter events other than avoid them if you can. lol. A thermos with a warm drink is nice but it will only last so long. Again if you have power and it is allowed a portable heater is nice.
For any outdoor event be sure to bring some tarps and something to tie them down over your merchandise. Because you will encounter rain and nothing sucks more than water ruining your merchandise. Also try to carry your merchandise in something waterproof. It doesn't take much water to go through cardboard boxes. Also try and keep and umbrella and or rain poncho handy.
I know there's alot more advice I'm forgetting or left out but I think I've gone on enough.
I know Jasonda prefers to stand, but down here in the TX Gulf Coast with temps nearing 100 degrees and 100% humidity, in the summer, a chair is necessary to take plenty of breaks.
If you're outdoors in the Texas summer, the whole standing/sitting thing is the least of your concerns. You've got to fight just to survive!
I probably should have mentioned this in my original post - A director's chair is the next best thing to standing (nice and high).
I would like to know how everyone is displaying their t-shirts. I am using stuff from IKEA called "PLAGGIS". I hang 3 or 4 of these on racks also from IKEA. It works really well, but I would like to know how others are doing it.
I am also trying to upgrade this system into a more refined profossional method. Yet keep the mobility and convenience of it.
That's a good question, but since I wasn't selling t-shirts, I can't really help you out with that one - Hopefully someone else will.
If you go to a large retail trade show, are you expected to have the shirts there? I would think taking orders is the goal but I have never been to one but plan on it. No one has yet to answer the question, for a large retail show, how many t-shirts should I bring? Is it smart to give away samples at these shows?
If you go to a large retail trade show, are you expected to have the shirts there? I would think taking orders is the goal but I have never been to one but plan on it.
Are you selling to the public? If so, then yes, you need to either have shirts ready to sell or bring a heat press and make shirts on the spot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by czy4unc
No one has yet to answer the question, for a large retail show, how many t-shirts should I bring?
If you're selling to the public, no. If you're selling to people who buy large quantities of shirts for resale, it's probably a good idea as long as you don't go overboard. It just depends on what kind of tradeshow you're attending.
Re: Tips for Trade Shows 
If you go to a large retail trade show, are you expected to have the shirts there? I would think taking orders is the goal but I have never been to one but plan on it. No one has yet to answer the question, for a large retail show, how many t-shirts should I bring? Is it smart to give away samples at these shows?
