Conversation Threads: How to Make Bookstore Merch
This thread was created by Danny Caine from Raven Book Store. Comment anywhere on this thread and the author of the document will post a reply. You can also email Danny at danny@ravenbookstore.com.
So you want to make store swag. You’ve seen all the great shirts and totes and mugs and you think it’s time for your store to start selling store-branded stuff. Okay! Good idea!
Why Store Merch is a Good Idea
- People love your store; all of your customers have brand loyalty and merch is a good way for them to show it
- Unlike books, you can set your own price on store merch, so if you do things right you’ll get some sweet sweet margins
- Bookstore merch is a very good gift for bookish people. If you’ve got customers shopping for the person who’s read everything, there’s nothing better than bookstore merch
So what sells?
- For my store (The Raven in Lawrence, KS) tote bags are number one, with stickers in a close second. Mugs also sell well, followed by Tee shirts and everything else
- We’ve tried koozies, baseball caps, stocking caps, onesies, Baggu reusable shopping bags, pins, postcards and magnets. They all sell, but not as well as tote bags and stickers.
Some things to keep in mind
- Keep prices low: merch sells best if it feels like a bargain. Our tee shirts are $16-18, and the totes are $12.
- We offer most merch as small-batch limited edition designs. That way we don’t have to worry about keeping each size in stock, and it creates a sense of demand. Each new shirt is an event.
How to Make a Design
- If you’re not proficient in Illustrator/Photoshop:
- Maybe one of your employees is?
- Your local print shop might have design consulting services available
- Collaborate with a local artist, and that way they can help promote the merch
- Use your logo from the MIBA road map!
- The first step is to get in touch with your local print shop. There are tee shirt printing places everywhere.
- If you don’t know where to go, find a small business near you that has good merch and ask where they got it. That’s how we found Blue Collar Press, and we love working with them.
- We use Blue Collar Press and they’ll work with anybody anywhere, and they can basically print anything on anything. They’ve made our shirts, ball caps, totes, mugs, onesies, and Baggu bags.
- For stickers, we’ve had great luck with StickerGiant
- Wisconsin Knitwear makes really cool knit stocking caps
- A button maker is pretty cheap and will pay for itself pretty quickly
- Let the print shop know what you want to do and work with their rep to discuss design, sizing, production, budget, and more.
- Speaking of budget: many places will want you to pre-pay, which is a bit different from books. Store merch can be very profitable but it can require upfront investment.
- Once you get your merch, merchandise like crazy!
- Give shirts to your staff so they can wear them.
- Place mugs and totes all over the store so customers can see them in many sections
- Put your merch all over social media!