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Peargirl · July 20th, 2008

hello everyone,

I was wondering if anyone has read or studies all the big t-shirt sellers roads to success.
I just read the story behind "Life is good" shirts. Who wouldn't want to be selling as many shirts as they do?
First, I need some other name brands of huge sellers so I can look up their stories.

Second, I have to look for the success clues that they all have in common.

Does anyone know what they are? Or is it all right place right time situations.

Thanks,
Lara

Catbox · July 20th, 2008

If you figure it out... let us know...lol
have a cool product.... believe in it... do whatever it takes to make it work... and be a little lucky

Solmu · July 21st, 2008

Most of them work really hard. Some brands might spin some yarn about lucky breaks, just fell into it, all so easy, etc. - but even then underneath all that the reality is usually a lot of (boring) hard work. It just doesn't make for a very interesting story

That doesn't mean hard work will necessarily be enough to get you through it, but it's the one thing they'd all have in common.

Peargirl · July 21st, 2008

I'm not afraid of hard work. I just wanted to know if there was a path to refer to while I work. Selling shirts that are text based and inspirational (feel good) are a special niche in the t-shirt world.
I'm working at thinking outside the box when it comes to my marketing but it takes a lot of energy to make your own path all the time.

Heres to working hard.

Lara

SBEMedia · July 21st, 2008

I can't remember the site for the life of me, perhaps someone can help me remember, but I was reading in Inc. magainze about a new apparel company which bases its products solely off member voting. Essentially, designers, artists, etc. post their designs of their website and then the members vote on the 'winning' design. The company, in turn, prints out that design, and the customers of the forum purchase it. It seems to be a winning combination as of last year they had $30M in gross sales, which profit margins in the 8 to 10% range, which caught the eye of angel investors who just placed a few more million in equity to grow the company larger. If I can find the magazine I'll post the company name and website.

DREAMGLASS · July 21st, 2008

Hi. Two ways you can make the bigger money with tee shirts.

1. Put a riduclously high price tag on your garment, then sell it on its perceived exclusive merits. It's a 'designer' garment.

2. Come up with a whole bunch of usable designs and sell thousands a a year at a lower price.

People with high turnovers usually have crippling overheads, employee issues, constant decision making and persistent ulcers.

innothread · July 21st, 2008

Be original...99% of people fail because they copy ideas from the 1%.

SBEMedia · July 21st, 2008

Where most people make money, is copying and refining the first innovator, the 3rd generation imitators are the ones that typcially fail, too far removed from what go them there in the first place

tshirt0mania · July 21st, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by SBEMedia


	I can't remember the site for the life of me, perhaps someone can help me remember, but I was reading in Inc. magainze about a new apparel company which bases its products solely off member voting...

Threadless?

SBEMedia · July 21st, 2008

That's it, thanks for the help.

Cheers

Peargirl · July 21st, 2008

I've read about them. That story is amazing. My t-shirts don't have designs....pure text. I've thought about doing something simular and selling it as a limited addition.
Thanks for reminding me.
Lara

Jasonda · July 21st, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peargirl


	I'm working at thinking outside the box when it comes to my marketing but it takes a lot of energy to make your own path all the time.

One thing I've learned about marketing is that there's really no reason to "think outside the box" and try to come up with brand new ideas when you are just starting out. Most of the established marketing methods out there are used again and again because, simply, they work. You just need to customize the method to your company and your customers. Once your brand is more established then you can start to get really creative and invest more energy in thinking of new ideas.

I'd say marketing is definitely one of those things that you will need if you want to be successful, and there are tons of posts on the subject here:

marketing related topics at T-Shirt Forums

aoshi1 · July 21st, 2008

I got lucky, I do building and property maintenance, and one of the high rises we frequent is home to the Phoenix SBA office. I know all of them pretty well, and a few folks in the office are helping me out with the process. Things are indeed looking up.

t_shirtfort · July 21st, 2008

Have connections and luck.

I hate when you see someone on Oprah and she bills the show as how a housewife made millions with her at home company designing schrunchies, or cookies, or whatever and they conveniently never mention that the womans company was at first bankrolled by her rich husband (like Mrs. Fields cookies). Or that the "housewife" used to be a high powered magazine editor who just happened to live next door to Martha Stewart and had a bunch of other major connections.