Ordering logo apparel for employees often begins as a simple project.

A manager selects a shirt, collects sizes, submits an order, and distributes the finished merchandise. As the organization grows, however, the process becomes considerably more complicated.

Different departments may need different products. New employees may start throughout the year. Team members may work in several locations. Employees may want to purchase additional apparel with their own money.

An employee company store can centralize and simplify that process.

The Challenges of Manual Apparel Ordering

Traditional apparel programs frequently rely on spreadsheets, email chains, paper order forms, and manual payment collection.

Someone must:

• Select the products
• Gather employee sizes
• Confirm quantities
• Collect payments
• Correct incomplete orders
• Submit the final order
• Sort the completed apparel
• Coordinate distribution
• Address exchanges or questions

Each additional product, location, color, or size increases the complexity.

Manual ordering also makes it difficult to offer merchandise throughout the year. Organizations may limit ordering to one or two large group orders simply because managing individual requests is too time-consuming.

One Organized Place to Order

An online employee company store gives users one convenient location to view approved logo merchandise and place orders.

Rather than sending sizes and product selections through email, employees can select available items directly from the store.

Depending on the program, they may be able to:

• Choose approved apparel
• Select colors and sizes
• Review product descriptions
• Use a company-provided credit
• Pay for merchandise personally
• Enter shipping information
• Select available delivery options

This creates a more consistent ordering experience and reduces the amount of information managers must gather manually.

Reduce Administrative Work

An employee store can eliminate or reduce many repetitive tasks associated with apparel ordering.

The organization no longer needs to create a new spreadsheet for every order, manually combine employee selections, or collect individual payments for every program.

This is particularly valuable for human resources, marketing, office management, and administrative teams that already manage numerous responsibilities.

The time saved can be significant when the store serves:

• A large workforce
• Multiple departments
• Several company locations
• Remote employees
• New hires throughout the year
• Seasonal programs
• Recurring uniform needs

Improve Order Accuracy

Manual apparel orders are vulnerable to transcription errors.

A handwritten medium may be entered as a large. An employee may forget to specify a color. A product code may be copied incorrectly. Size information may be stored in several different email conversations.

An online ordering process allows users to enter their own selections directly.

Although no system can prevent every mistake, a structured storefront can reduce the number of times information must be manually transferred from one person or document to another.

Maintain Brand Consistency

An employee company store also helps protect your brand.

Without a centralized program, employees may purchase logo apparel from different suppliers. The result can include inconsistent colors, outdated logos, poor-quality garments, and incorrect logo placement.

A managed store limits ordering to merchandise that has already been selected and approved.

Your organization can establish:

• Approved products
• Approved logos
• Decoration locations
• Thread or imprint colors
• Available garment colors
• Department-specific options
• Purchasing rules

Employees still receive choices, but those choices remain within established brand standards.

Offer Different Payment Options

Not every employee apparel program is funded the same way.

Some organizations pay the full cost of required apparel. Others allow employees to purchase optional merchandise. Some divide the cost between the company and employee.

A company store may support options such as:

• Company-paid apparel
• Employee-paid merchandise
• Shared-cost products
• Store credits
• Gift certificates
• Coupon codes
• Department allowances
• Recognition awards

The appropriate structure depends on the purpose of the program.

[Read: Company-Paid, Employee-Paid or Shared-Cost Stores: Which Is Best?]

Support Year-Round Ordering

A company store may also reduce dependence on occasional group orders.

Rather than waiting several months for the next apparel program, employees may be able to access approved merchandise throughout the year.

This can support:

• New employees
• Replacement garments
• Employee purchases
• Seasonal apparel
• Department needs
• Special events
• Recognition programs

The exact ordering model will depend on whether products are stocked, produced after orders are placed, or offered during limited ordering periods.

Work With an Experienced Company-Store Partner

The online storefront is only one part of an employee merchandise program.

Product quality, decoration, artwork, fulfillment, shipping, and customer support all contribute to the user experience.

IMS Branded Solutions combines company-store technology with custom embroidery, screen printing, promotional products, product sourcing, and fulfillment.

We help organizations create merchandise programs based on their actual needs—not a generic store filled with products that do not support their workforce or brand.

Make Employee Apparel Easier to Manage

A well-designed employee company store can reduce administrative work, improve order accuracy, protect your brand, and give employees a more convenient way to order logo apparel.

To learn more about available program structures, visit our complete guide to company logo merchandise stores.

Contact IMS Branded Solutions to discuss a customized employee apparel and merchandise program.