How to run a uniform polo program without an online store
Battle Born Clothing does not run team or company webstores. We do not think most companies under 300 people need one. Here is the simple system that works instead.
Why not a webstore
Company stores sound convenient, but for most programs they add cost, split orders into tiny per-person shipments, and push the price per shirt up because nothing ever reaches a quantity tier. A batch order from one contact gets the 48-71 or 96-119 rate and ships to one place.
The five-piece system
1. One program spec
Write down the styles, colors, logo placement and who gets what. Example: office staff get a K500/L500 in navy, techs get an ST650 in navy, lead techs add a back-yoke title. We keep this spec with your digitized file.
2. A size roster
A spreadsheet: name, role, style, size, quantity. Update it when someone joins or leaves. It is also the name list if you personalize. Order from the roster, not from memory.
3. A kept logo file
Your logo is digitized once ($18.99) and kept on file with the thread colors. Reorders stitch from the same file, so the logo on a reorder matches the first run.
4. A reorder cadence
Pick a rhythm: quarterly for most, monthly for high-turnover teams. Collect new-hire needs on the roster and send one batch. Small batches are fine; one to 23 pieces price at the 12-23 tier and still get the same logo.
5. One contact on each side
One person at your company sends the batch; one person at Battle Born Clothing quotes and proofs it. Quotes usually go out the same business day. Standard turnaround is 28 days from proof approval, so plan reorders a month ahead.
Sample annual plan for a 40-person company
| Quarter | Order | Tier | Embroidery each | Example total (all K500) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 launch | 120 polos | 120-143 | $5.00 | 120 x $18.55 + $18.99 = $2,244.99 |
| Q2 top-up | 9 polos (3 new hires) | 12-23 | $6.00 | 9 x $19.55 = $175.95 |
| Q3 top-up | 15 polos | 12-23 | $6.00 | 15 x $19.55 = $293.25 |
| Q4 replacements | 30 polos | 24-47 | $6.00 | 30 x $19.55 = $586.50 |
Totals exclude 2XL+ upcharges ($1-7 by size), shipping and any adds. Note how much of the year's value sits in the launch order: that is where the tier savings live, so order launch quantities generously.
Handling new hires between batches
Keep two or three undecorated spares per common size on hand, or keep a few decorated spares in the most common sizes (L and XL). A new hire gets a spare on day one and a sized polo in the next batch.
Setting the budget
Budget per person, not per shirt. Three polos per person is the usual launch quantity for staff who wear them five days a week; two is enough for part-time or spirit-day use. At the 120-143 tier a K500 program costs $18.55 per polo, so three polos per person is $55.65 before 2XL+ upcharges and shipping. Top-ups during the year run at the small-batch rate, so expect reorders to cost roughly $1 more per shirt than the launch.
Departures and returns
Decide up front whether leavers return polos. Most companies do not ask for them back; a used, named polo has no reuse value. If you do not personalize, unworn spares can go back into the pool. Either way, update the roster when someone leaves so the next batch is sized correctly.
Program checklist
- Written spec: styles, colors, logo placement, who gets what.
- Size roster with cut and size for every person.
- One digitized logo on file at Battle Born Clothing ($18.99, kept at no charge).
- A reorder cadence on the calendar, 28 days before shirts are needed.
- Two or three spares per common size.
- One sender on your side, one contact on ours.
When a webstore does make sense
Very large companies with hundreds of locations, or programs where employees pay for their own shirts, are the cases where a store earns its keep. If that is you, we are not the right fit for the store itself; we are happy to be the decorator behind a batch program. Start with the quote form.
Questions
Will you keep our logo file?
Yes. The digitized file and thread colors stay on hand for reorders at no extra charge.
Can reorders ship to different locations?
Yes. Give us the split on the quote and we price shipping per destination.
What if a new hire needs a polo in a week?
Standard turnaround is 28 days from proof approval. Rush is quoted per job, which is why we suggest keeping spares.