# Who knows the secret clues to success from the big t-shirt sellers?



## Peargirl (Mar 4, 2008)

hello everyone,

I was wondering if anyone has read or studies all the big t-shirt sellers roads to success. 
I just read the story behind "Life is good" shirts. Who wouldn't want to be selling as many shirts as they do? 
First, I need some other name brands of huge sellers so I can look up their stories.

Second, I have to look for the success clues that they all have in common. 

Does anyone know what they are? Or is it all right place right time situations.

Thanks,
Lara


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## Catbox (Oct 3, 2007)

If you figure it out... let us know...lol
have a cool product.... believe in it... do whatever it takes to make it work... and be a little lucky


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

Most of them work really hard. Some brands might spin some yarn about lucky breaks, just fell into it, all so easy, etc. - but even then underneath all that the reality is usually a lot of (boring) hard work. It just doesn't make for a very interesting story 

That doesn't mean hard work will necessarily be enough to get you through it, but it's the one thing they'd all have in common.


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## Peargirl (Mar 4, 2008)

I'm not afraid of hard work. I just wanted to know if there was a path to refer to while I work. Selling shirts that are text based and inspirational (feel good) are a special niche in the t-shirt world.
I'm working at thinking outside the box when it comes to my marketing but it takes a lot of energy to make your own path all the time.

Heres to working hard.
Lara


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## SBEMedia (Jun 26, 2008)

I can't remember the site for the life of me, perhaps someone can help me remember, but I was reading in Inc. magainze about a new apparel company which bases its products solely off member voting. Essentially, designers, artists, etc. post their designs of their website and then the members vote on the 'winning' design. The company, in turn, prints out that design, and the customers of the forum purchase it. It seems to be a winning combination as of last year they had $30M in gross sales, which profit margins in the 8 to 10% range, which caught the eye of angel investors who just placed a few more million in equity to grow the company larger. If I can find the magazine I'll post the company name and website.


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## CUSTOM UK (Jun 28, 2008)

*Hi. Two ways you can make the bigger money with tee shirts.*

*1. Put a riduclously high price tag on your garment, then sell it on its perceived exclusive merits. It's a 'designer' garment.*

*2. Come up with a whole bunch of usable designs and sell thousands a a year at a lower price.*

*People with high turnovers usually have crippling overheads, employee issues, constant decision making and persistent ulcers. *


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## innothread (Jul 19, 2008)

Be original...99% of people fail because they copy ideas from the 1%.


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## SBEMedia (Jun 26, 2008)

Where most people make money, is copying and refining the first innovator, the 3rd generation imitators are the ones that typcially fail, too far removed from what go them there in the first place


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## tshirt0mania (May 27, 2008)

SBEMedia said:


> I can't remember the site for the life of me, perhaps someone can help me remember, but I was reading in Inc. magainze about a new apparel company which bases its products solely off member voting...


Threadless?


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## SBEMedia (Jun 26, 2008)

That's it, thanks for the help.

Cheers


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## Peargirl (Mar 4, 2008)

I've read about them. That story is amazing. My t-shirts don't have designs....pure text. I've thought about doing something simular and selling it as a limited addition.
Thanks for reminding me.
Lara


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## Jasonda (Aug 16, 2006)

Peargirl said:


> I'm working at thinking outside the box when it comes to my marketing but it takes a lot of energy to make your own path all the time.


One thing I've learned about marketing is that there's really no reason to "think outside the box" and try to come up with brand new ideas when you are just starting out. Most of the established marketing methods out there are used again and again because, simply, they work. You just need to customize the method to your company and your customers. Once your brand is more established then you can start to get really creative and invest more energy in thinking of new ideas.

I'd say marketing is definitely one of those things that you will need if you want to be successful, and there are tons of posts on the subject here:

marketing related topics at T-Shirt Forums


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## aoshi1 (Jul 10, 2008)

I got lucky, I do building and property maintenance, and one of the high rises we frequent is home to the Phoenix SBA office. I know all of them pretty well, and a few folks in the office are helping me out with the process. Things are indeed looking up.


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## t_shirtfort (Nov 16, 2007)

Have connections and luck. 

I hate when you see someone on Oprah and she bills the show as how a housewife made millions with her at home company designing schrunchies, or cookies, or whatever and they conveniently never mention that the womans company was at first bankrolled by her rich husband (like Mrs. Fields cookies). Or that the "housewife" used to be a high powered magazine editor who just happened to live next door to Martha Stewart and had a bunch of other major connections.


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## Ramsey (May 18, 2008)

DREAMGLASS said:


> *People with high turnovers usually have crippling overheads, employee issues, constant decision making and persistent ulcers. *


What do you mean "high turnovers?" (Sorry about the newbie question.  )


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

SBEMedia said:


> I can't remember the site for the life of me, perhaps someone can help me remember, but I was reading in Inc. magainze about a new apparel company


The company (and article) that you're describing is definitely Threadless, except they're not at all new. Hence the millions of dollars in sales: it didn't happen overnight.



SBEMedia said:


> the customers of the forum purchase it


The site is an online store first, with a forum second. The forum is definitely an important part of how they've built up a larger and larger sense of community (and to a certain extent, captive audience), but the order of things matters when you're looking for examples. In the case of Threadless it wasn't add-on sales to a pre-existing forum community, people came to buy t-shirts and then stayed because they liked buying t-shirts so much. They built up friendships and communication structures around an orgy of commerce. Threadless works, I like them for the most part, and they're an interesting example of many things: but first and foremost they are the pinnacle of consumer culture.


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