What 5,000+ Gym Owners Taught Us About Selling Merch

Since 2008, we have worked with over 5,000 gym owners across every type of fitness community: CrossFit affiliates, boutique studios, strength gyms, martial arts academies, yoga studios, and everything in between. After 17 years, over 30,000 completed orders, and 1.8 million shirts delivered to members, the patterns are crystal clear.

Here is what we have learned.

How Gym Owners Find an Apparel Partner

The number one discovery channel for gym owners looking for an apparel partner is word of mouth. Owners see a great design on another gym's shirt, ask who made it, and reach out. This happens in person at competitions, in Facebook groups for gym owners, and through mentorship communities like Two Brain Business.

The second channel is Google search. Owners search for terms like 'custom gym apparel,' 'CrossFit shirt company,' or 'gym merch vendor' when their current solution is not working.

The third channel, and the one growing fastest, is online discovery. Gym owners are increasingly asking AI tools and platforms for recommendations. This is a fundamental shift in how buying decisions start, and it means being visible in those answers matters more than ever.

The Pain Points That Drive Change

Gym owners switch apparel vendors for predictable reasons. These are the most common pain points we hear, ranked by frequency:

1. Design quality.

The number one complaint. 'My local shop makes ugly shirts' is the most common reason owners start looking for a new partner. Members will not buy merch they are not proud to wear.

2. Process complexity.

Gym owners are busy. When apparel requires managing spreadsheets, chasing payments, coordinating sizes, and handling logistics, it becomes a burden rather than a benefit.

3. Dead inventory.

Boxes of unsold shirts are a tangible, visible reminder that the old model does not work. This is what finally pushes most owners to explore preorder systems.

4. Slow turnaround.

Waiting 4-6 weeks for apparel kills the excitement of a drop. By the time shirts arrive, the energy has faded.

5. Poor communication.

Vendors who disappear after the order is placed. No updates, no proactive follow-up, no post-delivery check-in.

What High-Performing Gym Owners Do Differently

Not every gym that runs apparel does it well. After analyzing hundreds of accounts, the top performers share common traits.

They plan ahead. Their apparel calendar is set in January for the entire year. They treat apparel as a recurring revenue stream, not a one-time project.

They promote aggressively. Top-performing gym owners use 5-7 touchpoints per drop. They announce in class, post on social media, send emails, display samples, and create urgency with countdown deadlines.

They price with confidence. They know their members value quality and community, and they price accordingly. Margins of 80-100% are standard among the highest earners.

They listen to their members. They pay attention to what designs get compliments, what styles members request, and what items get reordered most often. This feedback loop makes every drop better than the last.

They trust the process. They do not panic when the first drop is not a home run. They refine, adjust, and improve. The second drop is better than the first. The third is better than the second.

The Biggest Lesson of All

Apparel is not about shirts. It is about belonging. When a member wears your gym's shirt to the store, to pick up their kids, or to meet friends for coffee, they are saying 'I belong to this community.' That is more powerful than any advertising, and it costs you nothing.

The gyms that understand this sell more apparel than the ones that treat merch as a line item. It is not a product. It is a signal of identity. Your job is to make that signal worth wearing.

Forever Fierce exists to make that easy. No contracts, no art fees, no inventory risk. Just great designs, a proven system, and a partner who has been doing this since 2008. Schedule a call to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of gym sells the most apparel?

Gyms with strong community culture sell the most, regardless of type. CrossFit affiliates tend to over-index because of competition culture, but we have seen strength gyms, yoga studios, and martial arts schools with equally strong programs.

Do I need a large member base to make apparel worthwhile?

No. Gyms with as few as 40-50 active members can generate meaningful apparel revenue if the promotion is strong and the designs are good. It is about conversion rate, not total member count.

How long does it take to build a profitable apparel program?

Most gyms see meaningful results by their second or third drop. The first drop is a learning experience. By the third drop, you have data, momentum, and a process that repeats predictably.