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Band T-Shirt Sales Ideas


elbow

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We've sold shirts in the past, but we always got the black T with white graph/lettering. We're ready for another shirt order and a new design.

 

What are experiences with different color shirts? Pocket T's vs. plain? Serious design vs. something humorous? Multi-color design vs. single color?

 

We don't have much of a problem selling the cheaper single color design on black shirts, but just thinking about something bringing something different now. Is it worth the additional cost? Will people pay more for it? etc etc......

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We have sold a ton of different colors.. grey, black, blue, red, brown, etc.... We have a couple of the current designs up on our website (www.theridemusic.com) if you want to see what has worked for us. We're in the midst of ordering new shirts as well, and I think these one set is going to be a darker grey, and the other will be a green.

 

Here's what we've found works.

1. Buy a very comfortable quality shirt. We use American Apparel and have sold tons more shirts just because the shirt is comfortable... some people buy two so they can sleep in one! (some people have qualms with AA, and that is cool. Just find a product that you want to wear. if it is not comfortable, people won't wear it). It costs more, but if the shirt is scratchy, mishapen and wears poorly, people won't wear them! No Hanes Beefy Tees!

2. We avoid pockets.

3. We generally use one color ink shirts. When we release a shirt in context with an album, we use that album's color schemes to tie it all together if we can. We've done black shirts with white on them, but when sitting next to a shirt that is vibrant or a rich color, the black one nearly always stays unsold.

4. We have found overwhelming response to printing women's shirts. A lot of girls at our shows come up and thank us for printing shirts cut for women. They say they get tired of goign to merch booths at shows and having to try and make a "men's small" work for them. Having a shirt cut for them means we sell those incredibly fast.

 

That's my thoughts. Of course these are only my opinions. Other people have found tons of success selling shirts with other rules. This is just what works for us!

 

Good luck.

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Stuff I've found:

 

Black with white lettering/logo seems like a good stand-by, but I've got boxes of those in my basement that will never be sold.

 

Color variety is good, but don't go too crazy. Again, I have stacks of lime-green shirts that will never be sold.

 

Make sure you don't skimp on white T-shirt quality. Most people won't wear shirts that allow their nipples to show through.

 

Make it a shirt that is just cool to wear...like something your typical mall-goer might want to pick up and wear out regarless of whether it has your name on it. Advertising is everything, of course, but putting www.yourbandname.com on the shirt is kinda cheezy and that shirt often won't get worn except by your mom.

 

+1 on the girly shirts.

 

Also, to move T-shirts, we did T-shirt/CD/Button/Sticker package deals. Very helpful when you want to seperate a 15 year old girl from the $20 that her parents gave her...and you don't have change...:freak:

 

:D

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Yes, package deals are the best!

 

Good advice on making a tshirt that is cool to wear as well. We only have one that has our name on the front. Usually we just put the name on the back right shoulder. We like the way it turns out.

 

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