How to Set Up a Doctor Office Merch Shop

Setting up a doctor office merch shop takes one afternoon. Five steps: create the practice account, upload the logo, add 8 to 12 starter products, build role sections, and share the link with the staff. Bear Grips Pro Shops runs the storefront. No upfront inventory. No minimum orders. No setup fees. The shop is live and selling within hours of the practice manager signing up.

Step 1: Create the Practice Account

Go to shops.beargrips.com/for/doctors-office and create the practice account. Pick a shop URL slug ('riverside-fm' for Riverside Family Medicine), enter the practice contact email, and select a plan:

• Free. 3 live products, higher base prices. Good for one-piece trial runs.
• Self-Service VIP, $59/month. 200 products at lowest base prices. Practice manager runs the storefront.
• Done-For-You VIP, $109/month. 250 products, Pro Shops advisor handles setup and seasonal updates.

Step 2: Upload the Practice Logo

The practice logo prints or embroiders on every product the practice sells. PNG with a transparent background works best. The logo should read at standard left-chest size (3.5 inches) and at front-center print size (10 inches). The Pro Shops design tool digitizes the logo into an embroidery file at no cost.

If the practice does not have a finalized logo yet, the Done-For-You VIP plan includes design assistance from a Pro Shops advisor.

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

Step 3: Add 8 to 12 Starter Products

The starter product set for most medical practices:

1. Sport-Tek Performance Polo (clinical staff)
2. Gildan Pique Cotton Polo (front desk)
3. Sport-Tek Quarter-Zip Pullover (cold exam room layer)
4. Comfort Soft Hoodie (break-room casual)
5. Bear Grips Cotton Tee (patient gift, casual day)
6. Bella+Canvas Women's Favorite Tee (women's-cut tee)
7. Premium Cotton Crew Tee (premium patient gift)
8. Classic Rope Hat (Richardson, printed)
9. Optional: NP-specific embroidered pullover (if practice has NPs)
10. Optional: Pediatric milestone tee (if practice is pediatric)
11. Optional: Annual flu clinic giveaway tee
12. Optional: Holiday party seasonal tee

Step 4: Build Role Sections

Most practices break the storefront into role sections so staff see what fits their role:

• Providers (MDs, DOs, NPs, PAs)
• Clinical staff (MAs, RNs, LPNs)
• Front desk and patient services
• Billing and back office
• Team gifts and casual day
• Patient gifts (if patient-facing program)

Each section shows the products tagged to it. A clinical staff member clicks 'Clinical Staff' and sees the performance polo, quarter-zip, and team apparel relevant to their role.

Step 5: Share the Link With the Staff

Standard places to share the practice shop link:

• New hire onboarding email. The first email a new staff member gets includes the shop link.
• Practice Slack or group chat. Pinned link or announcement.
• Annual benefits enrollment. Apparel-cost-share info shared during open enrollment.
• Staff meeting agenda. Quarterly reminder about new products and seasonal offerings.
• Practice manager handoff doc. The shop link is in the practice operations manual for staff to reference at any time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does setup actually take?

About 90 minutes for a practice manager with the logo file ready. Less time on Done-For-You VIP, which has a Pro Shops advisor handle the setup.

Can the practice start free and upgrade later?

Yes. Start with the Free plan (3 products) to validate the process, then upgrade to VIP for the lower base prices and higher product cap.

What if the practice already uses Custom Ink or a uniform vendor?

Pro Shops can run alongside the existing vendor. Most practices transition over 12-18 months as the bulk-vendor inventory phases out.

Is there ongoing maintenance once the shop is set up?

Self-Service VIP requires the practice to add new products or update seasonal items. Done-For-You VIP includes monthly seasonal updates from a Pro Shops advisor.