How to Start a Rec Gymnastics Merch Shop in One Afternoon
Quick Answer- Start a rec gym shop in one sit-down at the studio in about an hour.
- Upload logo, pick 8-10 starter products, set retail prices, share with parents.
- No upfront cost, no inventory, no front-desk admin.
- Free plan available, VIP plans for the lowest per-piece pricing.
A rec gymnastics merch shop is one of the few projects a gym owner can finish between morning and afternoon class blocks. The setup takes about an hour. The shop is live the same day. From that moment forward, every enrolled family, every grandparent, every sibling can order gym apparel direct, the gym banks the markup, and nobody has to manage size piles at the front desk. Below is the step-by-step from cold-start to live shop.
Step 1: pick the plan
- Free plan: 3 live products, higher per-piece base price, no monthly fee. Right for gyms that want to test the model.
- Self-Service VIP ($59/month): 200 live products, lowest per-piece base price, full control. Right for gyms ready to run a real catalog.
- Done-For-You VIP ($109/month): same lowest pricing plus monthly design support, full shop layout, theme drops handled for you. Right for owner-operators with no time for design.
Step 2: upload the gym logo
The gym logo gets uploaded one time. From that moment forward, every product in the shop gets the logo applied automatically. PNG, JPG, SVG, or AI files all work.
If the only existing logo is on a sign or the studio wall, snap a phone photo and upload it. We will clean it up. Done-For-You VIP includes design polish.
Step 3: pick 8 to 10 starter products
- Cotton tee in the gym color ($19.88 base)
- Performance moisture-wicking tee ($23.86)
- Comfort Soft Hoodie ($36.88)
- Womens Cropped Hoodie ($47.88)
- Signature Leggings ($54.88)
- Performance Training Shorts ($44.88)
- Youth Hoodie ($36.88)
- Sport-Tek Polo for staff ($34.88)
- Womens Favorite Tee ($19.88)
- Youth Cotton Tee ($19.88)
Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.
Step 4: set retail prices
Default profit margin: base price plus $10. For premium pieces (hoodies, leggings, polos), most gyms set base plus $15 to $25. See full profit math.
Step 5: share the shop URL
Five places to share on launch day:
- Email blast to enrolled families
- Pin on gym Facebook and Instagram
- QR-code poster on the front-desk wall
- Footer of the welcome email for new families
- QR-code card in the new-family packet
Step 6: bank the markup
Parents start ordering. Each sale credits the gym the markup, paid out weekly via direct deposit. Gym treasurer just receives the deposit. No invoicing, no inventory accounting.
Open Your Rec Gym Shop in Under an Hour
Free plan available. Upload your gym logo, pick three products, share with parents. Live the same day.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does setup actually take?
About one hour from sign-up to live shop. Most gym owners do it between morning and afternoon class blocks.
Do we need a separate website?
No. The shop is hosted on a Bear Grips subdomain that the gym configures. No domain, no hosting, no web design.
How does the gym get paid?
Weekly direct deposit. The gym provides bank info during setup and the markup on each sale gets deposited automatically.
What if we mess up a product or price?
Everything is editable any time. Fix it from the dashboard, change goes live the same day.
Sarah CaldwellCrossFit and Functional Fitness Coach
Sarah owns a CrossFit affiliate and coaches HYROX teams in her off-hours. She has been in the functional fitness space for nine years and writes about box-life logistics, custom team apparel, and the new wave of hybrid training.
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