[Comin'OutSwingin]

Just wondering if anybody here does any t-shirt selling that's not done on their website, but in a one-on-one setting. If so, how do you go about presenting your merchandise? Do you give them a bag or something to carry it in? What about offering discounts for buying more than one? Do you give them a card, leaflet, flyer with your website?

I don't have my site set up yet, and I have been selling shirts this way for a few months. I am hoping to be up soon, just waiting to get some more designs done, so the site won't be bare. I just wanted to see if anyone else was doing this, too, and what that was like for you. Even if you do this in addition to your website.

Feedback?

 

[monkeylantern]

There's a few threads not too far down the Selling board about wholesale discount.

I'd recommend you have a brochure of all your work (as professional as you can muster), and several samples on-hand when visiting.

I've been lucky in that most of my old retailers found me (so i was in the bargaining position, as i knew they wanted my stock)

 

[Comin'OutSwingin]

monkeylantern,
I was getting more at selling to individuals than retail, although I've done a little bit of that. But more like family, friends, friends of family, and even total strangers. People will see my friends with something on and ask where they got it, and get them in touch with me, and I will sell them something. Sometimes they may want 2 or 3. In that case I may charge a little less per shirt. Let's say the shirt is $15, a may charge them $25 for 2 shirts, instead of $30.

 

[monkeylantern]

Ahhhhh..

Well, I guess family and friends would just want to see a shirt (or just you wearing one of your creations). I've had quite a few friends buy shirts off me (well, usually given one) because they saw me wearing it. Then their friends see them. Then their friends. Viral marketing.

I have my web address on my woven neck labels for this sort of situation.

As for strangers.......what are you, a t-shirt designer or a door-to-door salesman? That's the worst possible time vs profit investment you could possibly make! NOOO!

 

[Foxy]

monkeylantern vbmenu_register("postmenu_6311", true); has good points.

in addition, i find that visiting a gazillion retails etc. (pounding the sidewalk) to sell your stuff is a waist of time in the long run. Sure you may land a few wholesale accounts etc. but then comes the credit/receivables/terms and more problemas, set up a/c dep. etc.

i would recommend selling your stuff key Major Distributors, Retail Chains etc.
This way you sell your designs or work out whatever best deal you can come up with and that's it. You've done your job as a designer/self promo bit.

Ok, you may not get thru the door the first time, but who knows, some Buyer in some Big company might like your stuff.

The best way to get the big wigggggs to pay attention is to get some expousure via the web, tv, news etc.

just ideas here !!!!!!!

 

[monkeylantern]

monkeylantern vbmenu_register("postmenu_6311", true)

Is that my full title?

 

[Foxy]

not sure what happen there ????

cheers.

 

[Comin'OutSwingin]

Okay, okay!
monkeylantern, that's what I was talking about, the "viral marketing" you called it. I've sold lots of shirts that way, and not having my site up yet, that's really the only way to get some exposure. My demographic is a little different than most who belong to the forum. I am strictly going for the urban wear market. Young and urban! Alot don't have computers, much less internet access. Seeing a cool design on a friend sells lots of shirts. They are much more comfortable buying from someone they can see and relate to. I'm not doing much of the pavement pounding. I agree, that's really
a waste of time. But, my friends and family have sold lots of shirts for me because people see them in the shirts and want to know where they got them from. So all of my sales are coming from this "viral marketing". I have printed merchandise bags with my company name and logo on it, to give to customers, so I'm not just handing them a shirt and sending them on their way. Presentation is key. So is perceived value. Especially to the market I have targeted. When I get my site up, I'm sure I will do less of this, but right now, that's all I've got!

 

[monkeylantern]

Without you site up, how do you get further sales from friends of friends of friends? How do they know where to get one from?

 

[Comin'OutSwingin]

That's why I'm here. I realized I've been missing sales. I've got a business card and a pamplet that I give out with the shirts, but that only goes so far. I've had friends and family bring me money from people who wanted shirts (can't beat free salesmen!), I know I need a site. This forum has been a great resource. I am currently working on getting more designs for shirts(I know you've seen the other thread about the photo-realistic character), I want to make sure I have a nice body of work to go on the site. In the meantime, I'm learning about what I should be looking for in a webhost, how my site should be laid out, and things like that. Again, this forum has helped tremendously.