Pop-Up vs. Perpetual: Which Online Store Type Is Right for Your Team?

With Chattanooga rec league’s fall registration and the start of the school year around the corner, lots of events are about to fill up your calendar. If you’re stressed about organizing fundraisers or getting sports gear into the hands of your team, consider the benefits of an online store. Digital shops serve as an easy-to-use platform for players, parents, and supporters to find and purchase your merchandise all in one place!

Whether you’re selling hats with your team’s logo to kick off the season or t-shirts for your school’s booster club, The Athletic Shop will design and build an online spiritwear store to house your custom apparel. This article differentiates between pop-up and perpetual stores to determine which one is best for your team. Get ready for all your upcoming events without feeling overwhelmed this season!

Pop-Up

Pop-ups are temporary stores that are ideal for events and fundraisers. They serve a specific purpose, like the company’s annual softball game or the school’s PTA fundraiser.

For example, the Junior League of Chattanooga hosts the Tour du Jour to raise money for A League of Learners, and Hixson High School’s band holds its Annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser. Events like these—ones where your team is looking to celebrate and increase awareness for a cause—are a great choice for an online apparel pop-up shop. You can sell custom fan gear to commemorate your event and donate a portion of the proceeds to the charity you’re representing.

In addition, the limited-time nature of a pop-up store can generate more buzz around an event by adding an element of exclusivity to the items being sold. A strong message like “Get these hoodies now before they’re gone!” makes these items memorable keepsakes for years to come—just like the treasured, threadbare Homecoming game t-shirt that’s still in your closet.

This limited-edition tactic was used by the Nigeria Super Eagles for the 2018 World Cup. The team launched a bold, lime-green-and-white jersey, which broke record sales at Nike with a staggering three million preorders. Fans were so eager to get their hands on the custom piece before it became unavailable that the jersey sold out within minutes.

Perpetual

Unlike pop-ups, perpetual stores have a consistent presence and are designed to support ongoing sales. The merchandise on these sites is more general and doesn’t relate to any one particular event or game. This can include jerseys, shorts, hoodies, practice outfits, or hats, with your team’s logo and colors on display.

Perpetual stores work well for creating brand presence and a customer base, as the apparel is available on demand. A supporter can snag your team’s t-shirt for the upcoming game, and then go back online as a repeat customer to pick up the matching shorts and hat. The long-term nature of perpetual sites requires a larger inventory, but allows you to track sales and discover which items are best sellers.

Take, for example, the Chattanooga Football Club, whose clothing collections and accessories are available year-round in their online store. This kind of perpetual inventory makes their brand easily accessible and builds customer loyalty.

Build Your Online Store

The Athletic Shop hosts online stores for sports teams, tailored to your message and target audience, which makes it easy for parents and players to purchase branded gear and premier sporting equipment.

Additionally, we build team stores for organizations and businesses. If you’re hosting a fundraiser, we’ll donate a percentage of the proceeds back to your program or nonprofit. The Athletic Shop also creates custom corporate apparel to help businesses promote their brand, establish their identity, and get the team decked out in merchandise worth wearing.

From jerseys, athleisure wear, and sideline gear to fundraising merchandise and corporate apparel, The Athletic Shop does it all! Ready to start? Contact us today to build your team’s website.