How to Run a Youth Team Apparel Order Without Spreadsheets or Chasing Checks
If you've ever run a team apparel order the old way, you know the drill: a size spreadsheet nobody fills out, Venmo requests, one kid's hoodie that never showed up, and a box of leftover XLs in your garage. Here's the better way.
The Old Way vs. the Team Store Way
The problem with bulk orders is that you become the middleman: collecting sizes, collecting money, fronting the cost and handling every mistake. A team store flips that. We build your team a free online store, every family orders and pays for their own gear, and the whole order goes into production together.
How It Works
- Tell us what you want. Team name, colors, logo and which items: hoodies, tees, jerseys, warmups, whatever fits your program. Email info@towngearessentials.com to start.
- We build the store. Your team gets its own page with its own gear, free. Mockups of every product arrive within 5 business days.
- Families order during the window. Everyone picks their own sizes and pays directly. No spreadsheet, no cash collection, no fronting money. (Here's how the preorder window works.)
- One order, 2–3 week turnaround. The gear arrives together, in one shipment to you or straight to each family.
Want It to Raise Money Too?
A team store can also earn money for your program through a share of sales. Every program is different, so the details are agreed with you before the store opens. See the Fundraising Program. Spirit wear the families were going to buy anyway becomes uniform money, tournament fees or new equipment.
Timing Tips
- Open your store 5–6 weeks before you need gear. Two weeks of ordering plus 2–3 weeks of production leaves a comfortable margin.
- Fall teams: start in July or early August. That puts the gear in hand before the first games.
- Lock the roster before adding names and numbers. Personalized items are final sale.
Coach a team? Get in touch and we'll start on your store's mockups.