A boat club merch store does not have to be a logistical project. Bear Grips Pro Shops gives the club a free branded store, hosts the catalog, prints and ships each order, and pays the club margin on every sale. The setup is roughly one hour. The store stays open year-round. New members joining mid-season order from the same store as season-one members.
The full setup takes about an hour for a club that already has a logo and burgee file:
Members start ordering as soon as the store is live. Each order is printed and shipped by a US print partner. The club director sees margin land in the dashboard.
A clean opening lineup for a boat club merch store:
Six to nine SKUs covers every member without overwhelming the store with choices. Add more variety after the first season once the club sees what sells.
Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.Pricing is set by the club. Pro Shops shows the base print cost for each piece, and the club picks the retail price. Common boat club retail pricing:
| Item | VIP Base | Common Retail | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton tee | $19.88 | $30 | $10 |
| Performance polo | $34.88 | $50 | $15 |
| Cotton pique polo | $34.88 | $52 | $17 |
| Pullover hoodie | $36.88 | $60 | $23 |
| Embroidered hat | $29.86 | $40 | $10 |
Most clubs settle around $10 to $20 per-item margin. Hoodies and pique polos earn the most per piece.
The store needs to live somewhere members can find it. Common placement:
The traffic that converts best is the season opener email. Members are already thinking about the upcoming season, the store link is in front of them, and the apparel feels like a natural club purchase.
The free plan and the $59/mo Self-Service VIP plan both let the club director run the store themselves. They pick products, set prices, and manage the catalog. Most boat clubs run self-service: it is straightforward once the burgee is uploaded.
The $109/mo Done-For-You VIP plan is for clubs that do not have a member-volunteer who wants to manage the store. The club sends the burgee, picks the broad direction (formal yacht club vs active sailing club vs cruising club), and the Pro Shops team builds the storefront, picks the products, writes the descriptions, sets retail pricing, and updates the seasonal collection. The club just shares the link.
Active sailing clubs and large yacht clubs with engaged membership tend to run self-service. Smaller cruising clubs and clubs without a dedicated apparel volunteer tend to go DFY.
Free branded store, no inventory, members order their own pieces. Set up in about an hour.
Start FreeAbout one hour for a club with a logo file ready. Sign up, upload the burgee, pick six to nine products, set prices, share the link. The store is live the same day.
No. The free plan starts at $0 per month. The Self-Service VIP plan at $59 per month unlocks lower base prices on all 200+ products in the catalog. The Done-For-You VIP plan at $109 per month adds full white-glove setup and monthly seasonal updates.
Freedom Boat Club is a national membership boating franchise with hundreds of US locations. Local franchise operators set up their own member-facing apparel store the same way any boat club does: free branded store, embroidered franchise-name polos, hoodies, and hats, no inventory required.
Yes. The catalog is editable at any time. Add a new hoodie for the fall, swap in a regatta tee for an event, drop an underperforming piece. Members see the updated catalog in real time.
Bear Grips Pro Shops