Custom Merch for Small Businesses: The Complete Guide

Custom merch used to be a bulk-order decision. A small business had to guess at sizes, pay a screen printer setup fee, and store boxes of shirts in a back room. That model does not fit a business with five employees and a tight budget. Bear Grips Pro Shops builds a branded online shop for the business, prints each order only after it sells, and ships it free to whoever bought it, whether that is a new hire, a walk-in customer, or the owner. This guide covers the full picture: how the model works, what it costs, which products to start with, and how to get a shop live this week.

Why a small business needs a merch program at all

Branded apparel does three jobs for a small business that advertising cannot do as cheaply:

• Staff uniforms that build trust: a customer trusts a technician, server, or trainer in a matching branded shirt faster than one in street clothes.
• Walk-around advertising: every employee wearing a logo tee is a moving billboard the business already pays for through payroll.
• Client and customer gifts: a branded hoodie handed to a repeat customer costs less than a discount and lasts longer in their closet.

A tight budget does not rule this out. The base prices below are built for a business that cannot commit to a bulk order.

How the no-minimum, no-inventory model actually works

A small business signs up at shops.beargrips.com/for/company-swag, uploads its logo, and picks products from a 63-item catalog covering tees, hoodies, polos, joggers, leggings, and hats. Each order is printed only after a customer, employee, or the owner buys it. Nothing sits on a shelf. There is no minimum order quantity: a single hat or a single hoodie prints at the same base price as a hundred. Free US shipping applies to every order, and delivery runs about a week from print to doorstep.

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

What does it cost to start?

Plan	Monthly cost	Live products	Notes
Free	$0	3	Higher base price per item
Self-Service VIP	$59	200	Lowest base prices, full control
Done-For-You VIP	$105	250	Full white-glove setup, mockups, and pricing

All three plans have full catalog access and no inventory purchase required. The Free plan is the lowest-risk way for a brand-new small business to test whether merch sells before committing to a monthly fee. See the full cost breakdown for per-item math.

Which products should a small business start with?

Do not launch with thirty products. Start with the pieces that match how the business actually operates:

• One tee for staff and casual customer sales, $19.88 to $25.88 VIP base depending on style
• One polo for client-facing staff, $34.88 VIP base
• One hoodie for team wear and colder months, $36.88 to $45.88 VIP base
• One hat for counter staff or retail add-on sales, $25.86 to $29.86

The full product lineup guide breaks down every option by use case.

How to get a shop live this week

1. Sign up at shops.beargrips.com/for/company-swag
2. Upload the business logo (PNG, transparent background, ideally 1500 pixels wide or larger)
3. Pick 3 to 5 starter products from the catalog
4. Set retail prices. Default profit is $10 per item, most businesses charge more on hoodies and joggers
5. Share the shop link with staff, on the storefront, in email, or on social

A shop can go from signup to live storefront the same day the logo is uploaded.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a minimum order to start selling merch?

No. Every product prints one piece at a time at the same base price whether one person orders or a hundred do.

What if I only want 3 products right now?

The Free plan covers exactly that at $0 per month. Upgrade to a VIP plan later when you want more products live or lower base prices.

Who ships the orders to my customers or staff?

Bear Grips prints and ships every order directly to the buyer with free US shipping, in about a week.

Can I set my own prices?

Yes. There are no restrictions on retail pricing. Default recommended profit is $10 per item, and vendors keep the full margin.