How to Start an Online Merch Store Without Inventory

Do you want to start an online merch store without inventory? Well, honestly, with the right platform, it only takes a few minutes. Many businesses are using a custom merch store to give their brand a stronger identity. To build the store, you simply need to choose a platform, select products from suppliers, choose artwork, and set up your store. 

Key Takeaways

• If you don’t want to stock a single product, you need to choose a platform that automates the whole process, including logistics
• You do not require technical skills to set up an online merch store
• Simply choose a platform like E1OD. Select your niche, select products from suppliers, upload your artwork, set the pricing, and launch the product
• Do not skip niche selection, launch too many products, or avoid marketing. Otherwise, it can lead to poor sales.

Why Start a Merch Store Without Inventory 

You actually don’t want to lose money on unsold products, right? It’s quite obvious. Honestly, if I were in your place and I could not afford to lose money, I would have taken the same decision. 

A report shows that U.S retailers are sitting on $740 billion in unsold goods. And being able to start a merch store without inventory? That’s the biggest advantage. Isn’t it? Here’s why you should start a merch store without inventory:

Zero Upfront Investment

Imagine if you could automate your whole store, even the logistics side? You don’t even need to invest in stocking products. With an automated merch store, you pay only when the customer actually places an order. So, there’s no risk of losing money because of unsold products.

Design Flexibility

At first, you might think you have to rely on just one supplier. But hold on. There is a better option out there. In some merch stores, you can choose products from multiple vendors and suppliers and add them to your store. Then you can view those products from the respective suppliers on a single dashboard.

No Logistics Hassles

Stocking products in the warehouse, packaging, and tracking take a lot of time and effort. But what if you don’t have to do any of it? An automated online merch store does not require a warehouse. 

When a customer places an order, it is directed to the decorator. The decorator customizes the product based on the customer’s preference. Then they send the product directly to the customer’s address. 

More Time For Marketing 

Handling operations manually consumes a lot of time. And then you need to focus on the marketing aspect too. This does sound tiring, right? 

But with an automated merch store online, you can give your full focus to growing your brand. The operational process will happen automatically once you set up the store properly.

Step-by-Step Guide to Launch Your Store

With E1OD, you can create multiple types of stores based on your business goals. It is also user-friendly and requires no technical knowledge. Here’s how you can create a store in the E1OD platform –

1

Step 1

Choose Your Niche

At first, decide what you are going to sell in your online merch store. If it’s apparel, you can choose clothes, T-Shirts, or Hoodies. Here, I have decided to sell “Tumblers” as hardgoods.

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Step 2

Create Store on E1OD for Complete Automation (Order Placement To Fulfillment)

Add Products

Now, go to Products > Add NewProducts > Add New. You can see different suppliers or vendors here. Choose the supplier who is offering products that you want to keep in your store.

Add Products

Select the product you want to export. Here I have chosen the Tumblr & Insulator. Then you will also be asked to choose the product color. I have chosen “Black” as the color.

Screenshot — Select Product

Add Product Details

Now, you need to add the following data which will appear in the customer’s interface in the store:

• Product Title
• Brand Name
• Gender
• Category
• Product Description
• Features
• Details

Screenshot — Add Product Details

Add ArtWork

Select which artworks you want customers to choose from. Simply click on “Select Artwork” & choose a maximum of 25 artworks. Then, click on “Done”.

NOTE: This feature gives customers the option to choose the best artwork out of many. The artwork size selection is also automatic. So, they can create the perfect merchandise item that gives them satisfaction.

Screenshot — Add Artwork

Now, you can view the product with its category and subcategory under the “Published” section. And you can customize the category section from the store settings.

Screenshot — Review Product

Click on the “Store URL”. You can find it over the right corner of the store. Check the image below to spot it:

Screenshot — Preview Store

Finally, you can view the product. Just check how the product looks from a customer perspective.

Screenshot — Set Product Price

Price Your Products Smartly

Here, you can adjust the sell price based on the profit you want to gain. And besides, if you think that you are not making enough profit, you can contact the decorator and adjust other costs.

Screenshot — Add Custom Domain

NOTE: If you are planning for the long term and not just a temporary store, then you can also add a custom domain with E1OD. It helps people recognize you through a unique name and gives you credibility.

Best Products That You Can Sell

I have chosen the “Tumbler” as the product here. But you can create multiple categories and add different products in each category. Here are some popular products that are in demand –

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Starting an Online Merch Store

Why You Should Use Our E1OD Platform to Create an Online Merch Store?

E1OD is one of the most effective decorate-on-demand platforms to create an online merch store. With E1OD, you can not only print but also make embroidery designs on your merchandise. 

What makes the platform different is that you can create a variety of stores, such as hybrid stores, pop-up stores, and reward stores. It depends on your business goals and strategy. And this is just the beginning.

You can also let customers log in to the store with social media integration that includes Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, and X. And if you want full back-end control of your store, then this platform is the perfect choice. Want to give it a test? Book a demo here right away and experience it yourself!

Conclusion

Now, do you feel that creating or launching an online merch store is hard anymore? You do not, right? What you need is the right platform to create the store.  You need to ensure that the store is not complex to understand. And if the store has good in-house control, then you can make it a lot easier for customers to access the whole store. 

Frequently Asked Questions