How To Start A Track and Field Merch Shop

Starting a track and field merch shop takes about 30 minutes from a coach, parent organizer, or program advisor. The result is a free branded online store at a custom URL, the first five products live for athletes and parents to order, and a markup the program keeps on every order. Below is the full launch walkthrough with specific product picks, pricing math for the first season, and the announcement playbook that drives the first orders within days.

Decide Who Owns The Shop

The shop needs one owner. Options:

• Head coach — most common. Multi-year continuity. Direct line to athletes and parents.
• Athletic director — good for programs across multiple seasons.
• Parent volunteer — works for youth and club programs where coach is part-time.

Pick The Plan

Two plans to start:

• Free plan — $0/month, 3 live products, slightly higher catalog base. Good for first-year exploratory shops, programs under 25 athletes, or youth clubs.
• Self-Service VIP plan — $59/month, 200 live products, lowest catalog base, highest per-piece program revenue. Pays off at 100+ pieces sold per year.

Most established HS and college club programs start on Free for the first month, then move to VIP after the launch validates demand.

Pick The First Five Products

The proven launch lineup:

1. Performance Workout Tank (meet uniform) — $19.88 VIP base.
2. Sport-Tek Moisture-Wicking Tee (practice) — $23.86 VIP base.
3. Comfort Soft Hoodie (team identity warmup) — $36.88 VIP base.
4. Sport-Tek Performance Polo with embroidery (coach) — $34.88 VIP base.
5. "TRACK MOM" or "TRACK DAD" tee (parent) — $19.88 VIP base.

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Set The Retail Pricing

Standard launch pricing:

Product	VIP Base	Retail	Program Per Unit
Meet tank	$19.88	$32	$12.12
Practice tee	$23.86	$32	$8.14
Team hoodie	$36.88	$58	$21.12
Coach polo	$34.88	$48	$13.12
Parent piece	$19.88	$30	$10.12

Year-One Revenue Math

Realistic year-one for a 35-athlete HS program with parent piece offering:

Run	Units	Markup	Total
Meet tanks (2 per athlete)	70	$12.12	$849
Practice tees (2 per athlete)	70	$8.14	$570
Team hoodies (0.7 per athlete)	25	$21.12	$528
Coach polos (3 coaches)	3	$13.12	$39
Parent pieces (1.5 per athlete)	52	$10.12	$526
State meet and banquet windows	50	$12	$600
Year One Total	270		$3,112

Net after VIP plan cost ($708): $2,404 to the program in year one.

Launch Announcement

The single highest-converting launch announcement:

• Email parents and athletes Saturday morning at 9am.
• Subject line: "[School] Track shop is live."
• Body: link, the five products with images, ordering window, deadline for first meet uniform delivery.

Send Sunday evening Instagram story with an athlete wearing the team tee, swipe-up to the URL. By Tuesday, expect 15 to 30 orders.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the shop take to launch?

About 30 minutes from start to first product live.

Does the program pay for anything up front?

On the Free plan, $0 up front and $0/month. On the VIP plan, $59 per month. The catalog base is paid only when an athlete places an order — the program pays nothing for inventory.

When does the program get paid?

Markup revenue is paid out bi-weekly to the shop owner via the platform payout system.

What about taxes on shop revenue?

Shop revenue is reportable income for the entity that receives it (school, club, or coach personally). Consult an accountant on how the program should handle this — varies by school district and club legal structure.