Best Apparel Solution for Gyms With 50-300 Members

If you run a gym with 50 to 300 members, you sit in a sweet spot for apparel. You have enough people to generate real revenue from merch drops, but not so many that you need a full-time retail operation. The question is whether your apparel system matches your size.

Most gym owners in this range are stuck between two bad options. Bulk ordering means guessing quantities and sitting on unsold inventory. Print-on-demand means thin margins and a passive storefront that nobody visits. Neither is designed for the way a mid-size gym actually operates.

What the Numbers Look Like at Your Size

After completing over 30,000 custom apparel orders for gym owners since 2008, we have clear data on what mid-size gyms can realistically expect from their apparel programs.

50-100 member gyms:

A well-run preorder typically converts 20-35% of your member base per drop. That means 24 to 35 orders per order. At healthy margins, you are looking at $300 to $800 in profit per drop. Run 4-6 drops per year and you are adding $1,200 to $4,800 in annual revenue with zero inventory risk.

100-200 member gyms:

This is where apparel gets exciting. The same 20-35% conversion rate gives you 20 to 70 orders per drop. Your cost per unit drops as quantity increases, so margins widen. Expect $600 to $2,000 per drop. With consistent seasonal drops, that is $3,000 to $10,000+ annually.

200-300 member gyms:

At this size, you are moving serious volume. 40 to 100+ orders per drop is normal. Margins can reach 80-100%+ on quantity. Annual apparel revenue of $8,000 to $15,000+ is realistic for gyms that run the process well.

Why Preorders Are Built for Mid-Size Gyms

The preorder model works because it matches how gym communities actually buy. Members see designs in class, try on fit samples, order during a limited window, and receive their gear a couple weeks later. There is no dead stock, no cash flow crunch, and no guesswork.

This is different from bulk ordering, where you commit to sizes and quantities before knowing what will sell. For a 150-member gym, ordering 10 of every size in every style can mean $3,000 to $5,000 tied up in inventory, with a portion that may never sell.

It is also different from print-on-demand, where a passive online storefront sits unvisited because there is no urgency, no in-class energy, and no community around the drop. POD conversion rates hover around 2-3%. In-gym preorders with a limited window consistently hit 20-35%.

What to Look For in an Apparel Partner at This Size

At the 50-300 member range, you need a partner who understands that you are not a retail store. You are a community-driven business with seasonal rhythms, limited admin time, and members who want to feel proud of what they wear.

Here is what matters: original design work included in the price, free sizing samples sent to your gym before every order, a preorder system that handles collection and payment, transparent per-unit pricing with no hidden fees, and a turnaround time that keeps the excitement alive.

You should not be paying art fees, signing contracts, or fronting cash for inventory. If your current vendor requires any of those things, you are overpaying for a worse experience.

The Bottom Line

A gym with 50 to 300 members does not need a complex apparel operation. It needs a repeatable system: design, promote, preorder, deliver, profit. Do that 4-6 times per year with the right partner, and apparel becomes one of the easiest revenue streams in your business.

Forever Fierce has served over 5,000 gym owners since 2008 with exactly this model. No contracts, no art fees, no inventory risk. Schedule a call to see what your gym could be making.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many shirts will my 150-member gym sell per drop?

Based on our data, expect 20-35% of your active members to order per drop. For a 150-member gym, that is roughly 30-50 orders per cycle when the preorder is marketed well.

How much profit should I expect per apparel drop?

For a mid-size gym ordering 30-75 pieces, expect $600 to $2,000 in profit per drop depending on product mix and pricing strategy.

How often should a mid-size gym run apparel drops?

Four to six times per year is the sweet spot. Align drops with seasons and events: New Year, the Open, summer, fall, and holiday.