Custom Ink Alternative for Sales Teams: Lower MOQ, Faster Lead Time

Custom Ink built the modern custom apparel category but their model is built for one-time bulk orders, not ongoing sales team swag operations. A team that needs to onboard a new SDR next week with a single polo cannot order one polo from Custom Ink. A presidents club drop of 8 premium hoodies sits below the volume that makes their pricing competitive. Bear Grips Pro Shops fills the on-demand sales team gap: open store, no MOQ, per-rep ordering, year-round.

Side-by-side comparison for sales team use

Feature	Custom Ink	Bear Grips Pro Shops
Minimum order	6 pieces typical, often 12+	1 piece, no MOQ
On-demand per-rep ordering	No (bulk model)	Yes (open store year-round)
Setup fee	Per order screen setup	No setup fee
Lead time	2 to 3 weeks typical	About 1 week
Embroidery	Available	Available, included in base
Free shipping to end rep	Conditional	Yes, always
Year-round company store	Available (separate product)	Default offering

Where Custom Ink still wins

Custom Ink has scale that we do not match: massive bulk orders over 500 pieces, brand recognition with finance and legal teams, and a UI optimized for one-time event orders. For a 1,500-rep annual SKO single drop, Custom Ink can compete on per-piece price.

Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.

Where Pro Shops wins

• Small sales teams under 50 reps: per-rep on-demand model beats the bulk MOQ.
• On-demand swag closet: open store for new hires, departing reps, and presidents club tier.
• Distributed remote teams: ship-to-home per rep, not bulk to one office.
• Fast turnaround: about a week vs 2 to 3 weeks.
• Mixed cut and size: mens and womens, every size, no premium for off-standard sizes.

Switching cost analysis

Three things to confirm before switching from Custom Ink:

• Logo file portability: most logos transfer cleanly. Embroidery files digitize fresh on our side.
• Pantone color matching: brand colors match on screen-print and embroidery to brand standard.
• Existing reorder history: Custom Ink reorder data does not transfer. New store, new history. Most ops teams treat the switch as a clean break.

Pricing comparison on a typical SKO drop

Order	Custom Ink est.	Pro Shops VIP
40 embroidered polos, 3-color logo	~$1,800	$1,395
40 hoodies, front emblem plus back graphic	~$2,200	$1,475
One new hire welcome kit (4 pieces)	Not available below MOQ	$121.50

Numbers are estimates. Get a real quote from both before committing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Custom Ink more expensive overall?

For low-volume on-demand orders, yes. For very large single drops (500+ pieces), the per-piece price can be similar or lower.

Can I run a Custom Ink store alongside a Pro Shops store?

Yes. Many ops teams use Custom Ink for the once-a-year bulk SKO and Pro Shops for the ongoing on-demand swag closet.

Does Pro Shops support the same garment brands as Custom Ink?

Most overlapping brands: Bella+Canvas, Sport-Tek, Champion, Gildan, Next Level, Independent Trading Co., Richardson, Yupoong.

What happens to my Custom Ink reorder history if I switch?

It stays on the Custom Ink account. Pro Shops builds new reorder history under the new store.