A youth group merch store does not have to be a project the ministry takes on for a season. Bear Grips Pro Shops gives the youth group a free branded store, hosts the catalog, prints and ships each order, and pays the ministry margin on every sale. The setup is about an hour. The store stays open year-round. Teens and families that joined mid-year order from the same store as long-time members.
The full setup takes about an hour for a ministry that has a logo file ready:
Teens and families start ordering as soon as the store is live. Each order ships directly to the family address. The youth pastor or director sees margin in the dashboard.
A clean opening lineup for a youth group merch store:
Six to seven SKUs covers every teen, leader, and parent in the ministry. Add a youth-sized cotton tee and youth hoodie if the ministry includes middle school programs.
Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.Pricing is set by the ministry. Pro Shops shows the base print cost; the ministry picks the retail price. Common youth group retail pricing:
| Item | VIP Base | Common Retail | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton tee | $19.88 | $26 | $6 |
| Womens cotton tee | $19.88 | $26 | $6 |
| Pullover hoodie | $36.88 | $55 | $18 |
| Crewneck sweatshirt | $41.88 | $58 | $16 |
| Cropped hoodie (womens) | $47.88 | $65 | $17 |
| Lifestyle hat | $25.88 | $32 | $6 |
| Leader polo | $34.88 | $45 | $10 |
Most youth groups land on $5 to $20 per-item margin. The lower end keeps the apparel affordable for families. The higher end on hoodies and crewnecks contributes most of the revenue.
The store needs to live where teens and families can find it. Common placement:
Traffic that converts best is the retreat email blast. Teens are preparing for the event, the apparel is timely, and the store link is in front of them.
The free plan and the $59/mo Self-Service VIP plan both let the youth pastor or director run the store themselves. They pick products, set prices, and manage the catalog. Most youth groups run self-service: it is straightforward once the logo is uploaded.
The $109/mo Done-For-You VIP plan is for ministries that do not have a volunteer who wants to manage the store. The ministry sends the logo, picks the broad direction (church youth group, community youth program, parachurch ministry), and the Pro Shops team builds the storefront, picks the products, writes the descriptions, sets retail pricing, and refreshes the design for retreats and events. The ministry just shares the link.
Smaller youth groups and ministries without a dedicated apparel volunteer tend toward DFY. Larger youth ministries with engaged volunteers usually run self-service.
Free branded store, no inventory, families order their own apparel. Set up in about an hour.
Start FreeAbout one hour for a ministry with a logo file ready. Sign up, upload the logo, pick five to seven products, set prices, share the link. The store launches the same day.
No. The free plan starts at $0 per month. The Self-Service VIP plan at $59 per month unlocks lower base prices across the catalog. The Done-For-You VIP plan at $109 per month adds full white-glove setup and seasonal updates.
Yes. The catalog is editable at any time. Add a retreat-specific tee a few weeks before the trip, swap in a winter hoodie color, drop an underperforming piece. Teens and families see the updated catalog in real time.
Margin accrues to the ministry account with each sale. The ministry requests payouts from the dashboard. Most youth groups direct the apparel margin back into ministry budget: retreats, supplies, mission trip subsidies, and volunteer appreciation.
Bear Grips Pro Shops