If you want to start selling t-shirts online, it might seem as though there’s a whole lot to learn.
And I won’t lie: there is.
But the good news is that Mae Cee is ready to help. And the reason she’s doing it is because she didn’t get a whole lot when she started her own online t-shirt business.
Let’s roll things back for just a minute so that I can tell you about this very special woman. Mae, who is a single mom, wanted to find a way to create a bright future for herself and her children. She felt that starting an online business offered that future.
As to why she chose to sell t-shirts, it was an easy choice for her: she lives in an area where there are clothing manufacturers. She knew she could get quality shirts easily, which meant in turn she could make her customers happy. Heck yeah!
Here’s what else she knew: print on demand and drop shipping options were not what she wanted to pursue. She also didn’t want to buy graphic tees from a wholesale supplier.
Mae wanted to make sure that every shirt she and her children sold in their online store met their high standards. So basically, Mae was and is a bit of a control freak—but in the very best sort of way, I promise.
Okay, here’s the downside though: Mae had never printed t-shirts or sold them online. Ecommerce was also new to her, which meant that starting an online t-shirt business required an awful lot of learning (and fast!)
Thankfully, she’s never let that scare her. Mae forged ahead, and when mistakes happened, she and the kids got up, dusted themselves off and kept right on going.
(Forgive me while I go off-track for just a second, but I’ve GOT to give a shout-out to Mae’s daughter Izy here. You’ll see why when you hear what Izy did to help her Mom get started AND keep the business growing.)
Today, Mae and her kids are KILLING it. And by killing it, I mean that they now have a 7-figure business that keeps on growing. How amazing is that?
They serve both wholesale and retail clients, and they’ve expanded their business to also sell really fun stickers.
And if that’s not enough, Mae is now opening an Academy to help others start selling t-shirts online. She’s ready to provide the help that she never had.
Mae's Tips for Selling T-shirts Online
Even in my interview with her, she shared multiple tips to help you save a whole bunch of time and money if you want to start your own ecommerce business /online store selling t-shirts.
Here are 5 of them:
- Simplify, and use the resources you have available.
Can I get an amen to this? Too many people getting started in ecommerce complicate the process far too much and too often spend money they don’t have. Get creative, brainstorm, and find ways to put the talents, knowledge, and even options in your local community to work for you as you build your online store.
- Use transfers to get started instead of trying sublimate or screen print on your own.
This is such a great recommendation, and I love that Mae shared it. You will avoid so many expensive, frustrating problems if you use this option to start your online t-shirt business. You can still design your graphics, you can still have tons of control over your final product…but cost-wise you come out much further ahead!
- Start with the basics, which means getting a high-quality heat press.
T-shirt printing equipment is expensive. Period. And if you’re just starting out, trying to pay for everything you’d need for a print shop is NOT a great idea. Pinky promise that you’ll follow Mae’s advice on this one. Start with a single piece of equipment—a high-quality heat press—that you can use to apply those transfers mentioned in Tip #2. And by the way: you can find used commercial heat presses that will keep you going for YEARS.
- Start with 2 colors of t-shirts with a wider number of sizes, instead of offering lots of colors while not being able to afford a balanced inventory.
You might see someone offering 18 different colors of t-shirts and think that you need to do it too. Don’t. Do Not Do It. Start with a light t-shirt and a darker-colored t-shirt and purchase a small amount of inventory for each. You can always expend later! (And you’ll want to hear why this is so important in the podcast!)
- Sell quality pieces; you’ll keep garbage out of landfills while also increasing customer satisfaction and the likelihood of repeat business.
This is the absolute truth: landfills are overflowing with clothing that has been thrown away. So how can you help reduce it? Create quality products that people love. The kind of piece your customers will reach for and wear for years.
If you think those recommendations are great, wait until you hear the rest of the information Mae shares in this podcast episode. Plus, you’ll have the chance to learn about her new Graphic Tee Academy she’s launching right now to help people who can’t wait to follow in her selling t-shirts online footsteps.
Top 10 Takeaways
- Be in control of what you sell.
- Sell items that people already use (you don’t have to invent something new.)
- Remember there’s room for everyone when it comes to online selling.
- Sell quality products; nobody likes cheap stuff that will end up in the landfill.
- Use your products to connect with people—and help them connect with each other.
- Once you have momentum, keep on going and DO NOT QUIT.
- Entrepreneurs need to be hang out around other entrepreneurs.
- Be willing to share what you’ve learned with others.
- Start small, start simple (and don’t buy the “dang everythings.”)
- Want to sell t-shirts? Mae’s first tip: Invest in a great heat press first.
Additional Resources
Want to learn more about Mae? Listen to my previous discussion with her, found here: Increase Sales, Don't Be the Low-Priced Leader
