Bear Grips Pro ShopsHow to Start a Debate Team Apparel Store
- Five-step setup guide for a debate program apparel store.
- Pricing math: how to set margins that fund the program.
- Revenue projections for small, medium, and large programs.
- No inventory, no upfront cost, every order ships direct to the debater.
Starting a debate team apparel store takes about 30 minutes of work, zero upfront cost, and no inventory. The store funds the program through margins set on every shirt, hoodie, and polo a debater, parent, or alumnus buys. Here is the five-step setup, the pricing math that funds the program, and the revenue projections for programs of every size.
Step 1: Sign Up and Upload the Program Logo
Create a free account at Bear Grips Pro Shops. The free plan stocks three live products with no monthly fee. The VIP plan ($59/month) opens 200 live products and lowers per-item base costs by $4 to $11. Most programs start free, prove the model with two or three live items, and upgrade once they have a season of data.
Upload the program logo or design file. A vector file (SVG, AI, EPS) prints cleanest. A high-resolution PNG works too. If the program does not have a logo yet, use the free logo design tool to build a debate-team crest in minutes.
Step 2: Pick Three to Six Core Items
The high-revenue debate program store carries six core items: cotton tee, performance polo, performance quarter-zip, comfort hoodie, crewneck sweatshirt, and a snapback hat. A free-plan store carries the top three (tee, polo, hoodie). A VIP store stocks the full six plus seasonal limited-run items.
For full item-by-item guidance, see debate team merch: full apparel lineup.
Step 3: Set Retail Prices and Program Margin
The program sets retail prices. Bear Grips charges the base cost per item. The difference between the retail price and the base cost is the program margin, paid directly to the program after every sale. Suggested margin per item:
| Item | VIP Base | Suggested Retail | Margin per Sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton tee | $19.88 | $30 | $10 |
| Performance polo | $34.88 | $52 | $17 |
| Quarter-zip pullover | $29.88 | $46 | $16 |
| Comfort hoodie | $36.88 | $54 | $17 |
| Champion crewneck | $41.88 | $58 | $16 |
| Mesh snapback | $25.88 | $36 | $10 |
Step 4: Share the Store Link Everywhere
- Program email list. First message of the season.
- Parent group chat or text thread.
- Program Instagram and Twitter accounts.
- Pinned message in the team Slack or Discord.
- Coach laptop screensaver at practice.
- QR code printed on the back of the season schedule handout.
- Banquet program insert at year-end.
Stores that get shared in all seven channels in the first two weeks of the season earn 3 to 5x more first-month revenue than stores that only get shared in the email.
Step 5: Revenue Projections by Program Size
| Program Size | Annual Buyers (75%) | Items per Buyer | Margin per Item | Annual Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 debaters | 11 | 2.0 | $15 | $330 |
| 40 debaters | 30 | 2.2 | $15 | $990 |
| 80 debaters | 60 | 2.4 | $15 | $2,160 |
| 150 debaters | 113 | 2.5 | $15 | $4,238 |
| 250 debaters (district) | 188 | 2.6 | $15 | $7,332 |
Add 30 to 50 percent for parent and alumni purchases at banquet week and gift-season peaks. Programs that activate booster groups typically double these numbers.
Where the Margin Money Goes
Margin paid to the program lands in the program account. Programs typically allocate apparel revenue to one of three buckets: travel scholarships for debaters whose families cannot fund tournament fees, equipment and supplies (timer apps, flow paper, prep tubs, debate camp scholarships), and the banquet itself (food, awards, venue). A 80-debater program clearing $2,500 in apparel margin per year funds about half the season banquet outright.
Open Your Debate Program Apparel Store
Free signup, no minimum, no inventory. Have a working store in 30 minutes. Every sale pays margin back to the program.
Start FreeFrequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to start a debate team apparel store?
Nothing on the free plan. The VIP plan is $59/month and lowers per-item base costs by $4 to $11. Most programs start free and upgrade once they have proven the model.
Do I need a business or 501(c)(3) to open a program store?
No. Any program coordinator, coach, captain, or booster parent can open the store under their own name. Revenue is paid out per the payout schedule. Programs that want the revenue to go to the school directly typically work with the booster club to route the payments.
Can the program switch from a screen-printer model to Pro Shops mid-season?
Yes. The Pro Shops store can launch in the same week. Existing screen-printed shirts stay valid as program apparel. New buyers and reorders flow through the Pro Shops store from day one.
Who handles returns, refunds, and customer service?
Bear Grips handles all order issues directly with the customer. The program does not field returns, defects, or shipping problems.
