What is Print-on-Demand?

Print-on-demand is simple: it means that your designs print as they are ordered. When you place an order, the printer receives it, prints it, and ships it to you. Simple!

Print-on-demand is:

👍🏼 Easy

👍🏼 Flexible

👍🏼 Affordable

👍🏼 Sustainable

It’s as easy as setting up an online shop, and fulfilling orders based on what people like the best. With print on demand technology, you can have a variety of designs and sizes to suit EVERYONE’S taste, without printing hundreds of the same item that may or may not sell. And just like that, you’re:

✅ Eliminating waste

✅ Inclusive with sizing

✅ Giving people options on what they get

✅ Empowering your community

✅ Creating merch that people are more likely to keep in the long run

What’s a piece of merch you would create RIGHT NOW if you could?

Say No to Matching T-Shirts

Buying the same t-shirt in bulk to give all of your employees is unsustainable and unthoughtful. Think about how often it is that people wear matching t-shirts. Here are some places where it’s cute and appropriate to have a group wear the exact same t-shirt:

  • Elementary school singalongs 🖍
  • Twins, Triplets, and Quadruplets… under the age of 5 👯‍♀️
  • Sports teams 🏈

Basically, you should either be under the age of 10 or playing a team sport.

One place I’m certain where people don’t want to all wear the exact same t-shirt?

The office.

Here are just a few reasons why:

➡️ Style: whether it’s the shape / fit of the shirt or the color, people have very different opinions of what looks best on them.

➡️ Modesty: what’s showy to one person may feel really covered up to another.

➡️ Body size: you might not have the right size for everyone, and some people just aren’t comfortable in t-shirts.

It’s easy to offer people options in design, shape, and size, so why choose for them? Tell me, where else is it cute and appropriate for people to all wear the same tee? I’m SURE I’m missing some good ones 😉

Our Opinion on Reunion Swag

It was just my 20 year college reunion at Barnard / Columbia, and it was SO. MUCH. FUN. to see my classmates and wander through our freshman year dorms! It brought back so many memories that had us all laughing through the night. The reunion team worked to make a beautiful experience for everyone who attended.

Now, onto the merch and swag: they gifted everyone a Barnard Alumnae tote bag and a Barnard fanny pack. The tote bag is fine — I generally love anything that says Barnard — but I’m not a fan of tote bags in general. Now that we all have to take bags to the grocery store, I am absolutely overrun with extra bags and have completely run out of space for them.

But the fanny pack. The fanny pack. Why the fanny pack? It’s not a cute cross-body bag that’s useful and in style. It’s a flip-phone hold-my-scrunchie bag. Here’s the thing— attendees are eager and happy to go to the Barnard merch shop and spend money. Instead of giving out tote bags & fanny packs, take the exact same amount of money you were going to spend and give people credit to the merch shop instead. There are two huge benefits to giving a gift card instead:

  1. No waste from unwanted tote bags and fanny packs
  2. Get people into the college store and SHOP.

They will absolutely spend beyond what’s on the gift card. With that being said, how about gift cards in 2024? What do you think?

4 Most Fatal Swag Mistakes 

Navigating what merchandise works best for your brand can be tough, but we’re here to make sure you’re on the right track. With that being said, are you making any of these 4 fatal swag mistakes? 

1. Your swag only has your logo on it.

Your brand is so much more than your logo! Think about your core values and which ideas from your brand mean the most to your audience. Your fans want something that connects them to your brand or company and that they can relate to and feel inspired by. 

2. You print and buy in bulk.

When you print too much of the same thing, a good chunk of it is inevitably going to be thrown out or given away. 

3. PENS.

Unless you’re a business that is directly related to writing, you don’t need pens. They do not strengthen or build relationships like higher-quality goods.. Even if the pen gets used, people will likely never think twice about what the pen says. 

4. Assuming you know peoples’ sizes.

Body size varies quite a bit, and some people aren’t comfortable in certain types of apparel. Most companies make assumptions about the size distributions of who will be receiving their stuff, and a lot of the times they are completely wrong. Yikes! 

All of the above problems can be solved by switching to Print on Demand merchandise and swag (with us 😉).

Tips for Creating Branded Swag

At Go To Market, we are merch connoisseurs and love seeing different kinds of swag in all kinds of businesses. I’m frequently noticing the abundance of merchandise in restaurants and bakeries I visit. From trendy bakeries like Levain Bakery to local eateries, these establishments have recognized the importance of branded merchandise. However, a lot of the shirts and tote bags I see are mass produced with their logo slapped on them.

In this blog post, I’ll share some tips on how bakery and restaurant owners can leverage the power of swag to promote their brand and boost sales.

  1. Embrace Merchandise. The answer is always YES to creating and investing in swag that reflects your brand and makes your customers feel like they are a part of your community. Whether these customers are regulars or tourists, they like having a piece of the places they frequent or a souvenir to remember and tell their friends about. In a city like NYC, tourists are a significant customer base for the majority of businesses. Offer memorable souvenirs that represent your brand and the city, and even consider exclusive or limited-edition swag that will make tourists feel like they’ve discovered something unique to take home with them. 
  1. Be Memorable. When walking down the street you aren’t necessarily intrigued by someone’s T-Shirt that just says a brand’s name on it. However, when you see something beautiful, inspiring or funny, you’re more likely to feel a connection to the brand that created it. A cookie shop making a “cookie monster” T-Shirt or a dumpling restaurant with a unique drawing will catch attention and start a conversation. 
  1. In-Store and Online Experience. Although you’re using print on demand, that doesn’t mean you can’t have some inventory on hand! People visiting from out of town or even regular customers have impulse buys, so having a handful of pieces available for purchase is smart. For the rest of the merchandise, you can set up an online store where people can shop more styles and sizes. This offers a wider range of variety for all body and style types without buying every size and style in bulk to keep in store. 

Branded merchandise is more than just a shirt with your logo on it. It’s a powerful and creative marketing tool that allows your community to connect with your brand on a deeper level. By investing in print on demand merchandise, you can create a sense of brand loyalty, enhance customer experience, and attract new customers through word-of-mouth and social media exposure. Next time you visit your favorite eatery, take a moment to appreciate the swag on display and consider how it can benefit your own business. 

Have you ever purchased restaurant and/or bakery swag? Let us know what you got in the comments!