How to Choose a Gym Merch Vendor: What Gym Owners Need to Know

If you've ever searched for a "gym merch vendor," you already know the options are overwhelming. Local print shops, online custom tee platforms, print-on-demand services, overseas manufacturers, and a handful of companies that actually specialize in the gym space. They all look similar from the outside. The differences only become clear after you've placed an order — and by then, you've either found a great partner or wasted time and money learning what doesn't work.

This page exists to help you skip the trial and error. After 17 years and over 30,000 completed gym apparel orders, we've seen every type of vendor relationship play out. Here's what to evaluate, what to avoid, and how to find a vendor that actually fits the way gym owners operate.

THE CHECKLIST: WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A GYM MERCH VENDOR

1. Industry-Specific Experience. A vendor who prints for corporate retreats, wedding parties, and church groups is not the same as one who understands gym culture. You want someone who knows what the CrossFit Open is, understands seasonal buying patterns for gym members, and can recommend garment styles that work for both training and casual wear. Industry knowledge translates directly into better design suggestions, smarter product choices, and marketing advice that actually moves units in a gym environment.

2. In-House Design with No Art Fees. Your vendor should create original designs — not just slap your logo on a blank template. Look for a partner who offers unlimited revisions at no additional charge. If a vendor charges $50-100 per design, that cost discourages experimentation and adds up fast over multiple drops per year. Design quality is the single biggest driver of whether your members buy.

3. A Preorder System That Eliminates Inventory Risk. This is the dividing line between vendors who understand gym apparel and vendors who don't. A preorder system means you sell first, then print. Your members pay during a 7-10 day ordering window, and only the exact quantities ordered are produced. You never front money for inventory, never guess on sizes, and never get stuck with unsold product. If a vendor requires you to place bulk orders with minimum quantities before you've sold anything, that's a red flag.

4. Garment Samples Before You Sell. Any serious vendor should send you physical garment samples — at no charge — before you open an order to your members. Members who can touch and try on the product are significantly more likely to buy. If a vendor won't invest in samples, they're cutting corners on the step that has the most direct impact on your sales.

5. Webstore or Order Management Support. Collecting orders by hand — pen and paper at the front desk, DMs on Instagram, Venmo requests — works but creates unnecessary admin work. A good vendor should offer to set up and manage an online webstore where members browse products, select sizes, and pay directly. This removes the admin burden from the gym owner entirely.

6. Transparent Pricing with No Hidden Fees. No setup fees, no screen charges, no minimum order surcharges, no surprise shipping costs. You should know exactly what each item will cost before you start selling, and your vendor should help you set retail prices that ensure healthy profit margins. Shipping should be minimal — around $1 per item, not a $200 freight bill.

7. Fast, Responsive Communication. When you're in the middle of a preorder and a member has a sizing question, you can't wait 48 hours for an email reply. Look for a vendor with a dedicated point of contact who responds in hours, not days. This sounds basic, but it's where most vendor relationships break down.

8. A Quality Guarantee. Mistakes happen — a misprint, a wrong size, a damaged item in transit. What matters is how the vendor handles it. Look for a no-questions-asked replacement policy. If they make you fill out forms and wait weeks for a resolution, that tells you everything about the partnership going forward.

HOW THE FOREVER FIERCE MODEL REMOVES INVENTORY AND ADMIN RISK

Forever Fierce was built specifically to check every box on that list. Here's how the model works in practice: We design your custom apparel with unlimited revisions and no art fees. We ship garment samples to your gym at no charge. We set up a private webstore for your preorder and handle payment collection. Your members order and pay during a 7-10 day window. We print only what's been sold — zero inventory risk. Finished orders ship to your gym in approximately 2 weeks. We cut you a profit check after every webstore order.

Your financial risk is zero. Your admin burden is minimal. Your time investment is limited to approving a design and sharing a link. Everything else is handled.

RED FLAGS WHEN EVALUATING A GYM MERCH VENDOR

Requiring bulk orders with minimum quantities before you've sold anything. Charging art fees, setup fees, or screen charges. No system for managing preorders or collecting member payments. Slow communication — more than 24 hours to respond during an active order. No garment samples provided before you commit. No gym-specific experience or case studies from actual gym owners. These don't necessarily mean the vendor is bad at printing — they may do great work for other industries. But for a gym owner who needs apparel to be a low-effort, consistent profit center, these gaps create problems that compound over time.

Q: What's the difference between a gym merch vendor and a regular print shop?

A: A regular print shop prints your design on shirts and ships them. A gym merch vendor who specializes in the fitness space also handles design, sampling, preorder management, webstore setup, marketing guidance, and proactive scheduling. The difference is whether you're managing the process or your vendor is.

Q: How do I know if a vendor actually specializes in gym apparel?

A: Ask for case studies or references from gym owners. Look for content on their site that demonstrates knowledge of gym operations — preorder systems, apparel drop timing, participation rate benchmarks. If they can't speak your language, they don't know your world.

Q: Should I prioritize price or service when choosing a gym merch vendor?

A: Service. A vendor who charges $8 per shirt but offers no design support, no preorder system, and no marketing guidance will cost you more in the long run through lower sales, wasted time, and missed revenue. A slightly higher per-item cost with full-service support almost always generates more total profit.