How to Start a Cheer Gym Apparel Shop on Bear Grips

Starting a cheer gym apparel shop takes about 20 minutes the first time. The gym signs up, names the shop, uploads gym artwork, adds starter products, sets retail pricing, and shares the link with the gym community. Bear Grips Pro Shops handles printing, packing, and free US shipping. The gym does not carry inventory or coordinate fulfillment. This guide walks through every step for cheer gym owners.

Step 1: Sign Up and Pick a Plan

Go to shops.beargrips.com/for/all-star-cheer and create the gym account. Pick a plan:

• Free plan. Supports 3 live products. Higher base prices. Good for gyms testing the platform with a starter trio (practice tee, gym hoodie, cheer mom shirt).
• Self-Service VIP, $59/mo. Supports 200 products. Lowest VIP base prices. Full apparel program coverage. Most active gyms land here.
• Done-For-You VIP, $109/mo. The gym sends logo and gym colors, and Bear Grips builds the entire shop: 15 trending products with mockups, professional product titles and descriptions, optimal retail pricing. Good for gyms wanting hands-off setup.

Step 2: Name the Cheer Gym Shop

The gym shop name shows up in the URL and shop header. Standard format options:

• 'Stars Cheer Academy Apparel'
• 'Elite All-Stars Shop'
• 'Top Gun Cheer Merch'
• 'Cheer Athletics [City] Shop'

The shop URL becomes shops.beargrips.com/[gym-name]. This is the URL athletes, parents, and families will use to find the gym shop.

Step 3: Upload Gym Artwork

Upload the gym design files:

• Gym logo as a PNG with transparent background. The primary gym design element.
• Gym mascot if applicable. Some gyms have a mascot character that pairs with the logo.
• Team-specific designs. If the gym has team-specific designs from prior seasons, upload those too.
• Event-specific designs. Worlds, Summit, or competition season designs if the gym has them.

Vector files (SVG, EPS, AI) scale at any size without quality loss. Low-resolution screenshots do not work well; clean the artwork first or use the DFY VIP plan.

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

Step 4: Add Products to the Cheer Gym Shop

Free plan starter trio:

• Gym practice tee (Airlume Cotton Athletic Tee, Bear Grips, $19.88 VIP base).
• Gym hoodie (Comfort Soft Hoodie, Bear Grips, $36.88 VIP base).
• Cheer mom personalized shirt (Women's Favorite Tee, Bella+Canvas, $19.88 VIP base).

VIP plan expanded lineup:

• Cropped tee (Oversized Boxy Crop Tee, Comfort Colors, $24.88 VIP base).
• Practice tank (Performance Workout Tank, Bella+Canvas, $19.88 VIP base).
• Cheer leggings (Women's High-Waist Pocket Leggings, Bear Grips, $54.88 VIP base).
• Embroidered gym hat (Classic Flat Bill Snapback, Yupoong, $29.86 VIP base).
• Cheer dad shirt, coach polo, cheer crewneck, etc.

Step 5: Set Retail Pricing

Standard cheer gym pricing:

• Gym practice tee: $30 retail ($10.12 gym margin).
• Gym hoodie: $52 retail ($15.12 gym margin).
• Cheer mom shirt: $30 retail ($10.12 gym margin).
• Cropped tee: $34 retail ($9.12 gym margin).
• Cheer leggings: $72 retail ($17.12 gym margin).
• Embroidered gym hat: $40 retail ($10.14 gym margin).

The gym can set higher retail for premium positioning or lower retail to maximize accessibility. The gym keeps the full margin between the VIP base and retail.

Step 6: Share the Cheer Gym Shop Link

The shop is live as soon as products are added. Share the link where the gym community already is:

• Gym parent group chats and GroupMe channels.
• Each team's parent chat individually.
• Gym Instagram bio link.
• Gym Facebook group.
• Gym alumni email list.
• End-of-class announcements at gym.
• Gym newsletter and email updates.

Most gym shop traffic comes from gym-shared links rather than organic search. The link is the marketing channel.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to set up a cheer gym apparel shop?

About 20 minutes the first time if the gym has logo art ready. The DFY VIP plan ($109/mo) handles full setup within 30 days for gyms wanting hands-off setup.

Does the gym need design files to start?

Gym logo as a PNG (transparent background) is enough. Vector files work too. Gyms without clean artwork can use the DFY VIP plan for design services.

Can the gym run multiple team designs on the same product?

Yes. The same product (e.g., Premium Cotton Crew Tee) can carry the gym practice design and multiple team-specific designs as separate products in the shop.

What plan should a cheer gym start on?

Most gyms start on the Self-Service VIP plan ($59/mo) because the 3-product cap on the free plan limits growth. Gyms wanting hands-off setup start on the Done-For-You VIP plan ($109/mo).