How Gym Owners Can Turn a Q4 Hoodie Drop Into $1,500+ Profit
Many gym owners think entering the apparel market is more trouble than it’s worth.
And who can blame them? After all, CrossFit founder Greg Glassman always maintained that coaches should stick to coaching.
- “A trainer trains and doesn’t do anything else,” Glassman said in a CrossFit video from 2012. “Once you’re [selling products], you’re not a trainer anymore…You have lost it. I don’t want a pro shop in my gym. I don’t want my lawyer to have one either. I don’t want the guy that does my colonoscopy to have a pro shop either…Professionals don’t sell shit.”
That, of course, was 13 years ago. We now live in a very different world where members value apparel that can serve as advertising for the gym and where gym owners can easily generate passive income if they do it right.
Case in point: Natalie Mejias, owner of CrossFit LYFE in Cooper City, FL, sometimes earns up to $6,000 each month through retail. She says her top-selling items are T-shirts and drinks.
According to Matt Albrizio from Forever Fierce – an apparel company that also manages design and other tasks to make things easier for gym owners – the fourth quarter of the year is usually the most profitable.
- “Members expect fresh apparel in the colder months, and hoodies, crewnecks, and zip-ups are natural high-ticket sellers,” he says. “This built-in demand makes quarter four a huge revenue driver if you drop your plan strategically.”
Albrizio says “one strong hoodie drop” could earn between $800 and $1,500 in apparel sales for gyms with 100 to 150 members during the fourth quarter alone.
A hoodie costs the gym owner about $36, and selling 65 of them at $60 each could net nearly $1,500 in profit from just one order, Albrizio explains.
- “With a well-executed plan, gyms in this size range should see $2,000 to $7,000 a year from apparel,” he says.
How To Do It – Five Tips from Albrizio
Great Design
Albrizio recommended several best practices regarding design, including:
- Keep it simple: Bold, clean, and wearable designs consistently outperform complicated graphics.
- Brand recognition: Lean into your gym’s logo or brand theme for a cohesive, professional appearance.
- Lifestyle first: Create apparel that members are proud to wear outside the gym, not just during workouts.
Less Is More
Albrizio also recommends avoiding “overloading options.”
- “Too many colors or garment types confuse buyers and slow orders,” he says.
Additionally, it’s better to maintain consistency in the appearance of each order rather than constantly trying to come up with a new creative idea.
Avoid Leggings
Though it might seem like a good idea, Albrizio says leggings generally don’t perform as well as T-shirts, crewnecks, hoodies, and zip-ups.
- “Members expect Lululemon-level quality, but wholesale options simply don’t compare,” he says.
Avoid Stockpiling Inventory
It can be tempting to order plenty of extras to sell later, but this isn’t a good idea, especially with more expensive apparel like hoodies.
- “Ordering extras just in case ties up cash and often leaves boxes collecting dust,” Albrizio says.
Create a Year-Long Plan
Albrizio says it’s simply too costly and time-consuming for most gym owners to design, order, and promote all of the apparel by themselves. That’s why Forever Fierce also assists with promotions and long-term planning for ordering and scheduling, in addition to helping with the design work.
In terms of best practices for creating an apparel plan for the year, here’s what Albrizio suggests:
- January to March (Q1): Order basic T-shirts and CrossFit Open T-shirts if your gym promotes them.
- April to June (Q2): Order Memorial Day or summer-themed apparel.
- July to September (Q3): Launch fall long-sleeves and restock any apparel that your coaches wear.
- October to December (Q4): Order hoodies and cold-weather apparel with one major launch in early fall and another in December.
The Big Picture: Q4 Playbook in a Nutshell
Like anything else in business, apparel needs a plan and a strategy. When executed well, Q4 can be an excellent time for gym owners to generate passive income.
For best results, Albrizio recommends choosing “one killer design” for hoodies and crewnecks, then running a seven-to-10-day pre-order period.
- “Promote it hard, fulfill it before the holidays, and watch your apparel line become a predictable revenue stream, not a stressor,” he says.
Featured image: Forever Fierce
