Despite market uncertainty and an increase in consumer budgeting, back-to-school shoppers are actually spending more this year, according to a report from the National Retail Foundation (NRF).
Our research for the Q1 2025 Online Store Benchmark suggests shoppers are being more intentional with their purchases, with a greater focus on essentials, like purchasing required equipment and gear needed to participate in team sports.
With these market trends in mind, we’ve put together key strategies to help you maximize your back-to-school sales, especially for team sports and spirit wear, so you can have an epic season.
Awesome Gear & Team Vibes: Looking Good, Playing Great
Athletes are always on a quest to get better, no matter if they’re in the thick of the season or taking a breather in the offseason. This constant drive means there’s always a need for cool gear to help them train.
Having the right gear isn’t just about performing well, it’s about building a strong team spirit and showing off that awesome team identity. This helps create a meaningful connection between the student athletes, the school, and the local community. It also opens up powerful sales opportunities for branded merchandise.
Training tools for student athletes: Think about the individual tools that help athletes sharpen their skills. Things like agility ladders, cones, stretchy bands, hurdles, and sport-specific balls or nets. These trusty tools are for athletes who are serious about their game, and ready for whatever comes their way.
Team practice gear: Cool, branded practice clothes set the tone for the whole journey. Help teams feel connected and pumped up from day one with comfy, practical outfits that show off their team pride, and allow them to train hard. Stock your online stores with performance tees, moisture-wicking shorts, breathable mesh jerseys, and lightweight track suits made from polyester blends or technical fabrics.
Layers for any weather: Fall weather can be a bit of a wild card. Make sure your shop has those essential layers and weather-friendly gear so athletes can stay cozy and perform their best, even when it gets chilly. Plus, putting together little gear bundles can help student athletes get exactly what they need, while also allowing you to drive more sales. Stock hoodies, fleece jackets, rain jackets, long-sleeve performance shirts, and windbreaker vests made from water-resistant nylons, softshell materials, or thermal fleece.
Athlete must-haves and hard goods: While sharing equipment is common, most athletes like having their own gear for comfort, cleanliness, and optimal performance. Fill your online stores with personal water bottles, towels, and specific protective gear like helmets, gloves, and pads, if relevant. And keep an eye out for the growing trend of earth-friendly sportswear – a cool way for your clients to stand out and support the environment. Include stainless steel water bottles, quick-dry microfiber towels, padded compression shorts, and eco-friendly apparel made from recycled polyester or organic cotton.
Topping It Off: Headwear for Every Fan and Player
Back-to-school isn’t just about textbooks, it’s prime time for headwear! Everyone’s on the hunt for caps that look great, feel comfy, and can handle anything from practice to game day. What’s hot right now? Think breathable perforated caps, classic curved-bill snapbacks, laid-back unstructured “dad caps,” and cool retro-inspired truckers. The best part? They all come in core team colors with tons of ways to customize them.
As team stores become bigger than ever, headwear is flying off the shelves for more than just athletes—parents, super fans, and all the students want a piece of the action. This opens up awesome sales opportunities for booster clubs and school spirit wear. With low minimums and solid margins, caps are that easy-to-grab, high-visibility product that delivers both on and off the field.
Team Insight has an awesome discussion with industry suppliers on hat and headwear trends, as well as the sales opportunity of this category here: https://www.formula4media.com/new-articles/heads-up.
Cheering Squad Central: Engaging Fans and Building Community
Fans are the heart and soul of any sports crew. Connecting with their excitement opens up cool ways to make money and brings everyone closer.
Spirit wear that connects: Offer a fun variety of awesome spirit wear – from classic tees and hats to fresh designs and personalized fan gear. Show how these items create a feeling of connection and team pride, really getting fans pumped to cheer on their teams.
Easy fundraising: OMG’s fundraising shops are a fantastic way to bring people together and help teams reach their goals. Show how simple it is to set up a dedicated shop, use the Fundraising Tracker to see how things are going, and help clubs and teams get the money they need.
Making game day even better: Beyond the usual spirit wear, think about things that make being a fan even more fun. Blankets, comfy stadium chairs, and towels are always a hit. While face coverings aren’t as common now, remember that cozy layers for cooler weather are always a fan favorite.
Zero Hassle, All Impact: The Power of Print-on-Demand
Want to make the most of the back-to-school frenzy without the inventory headaches? Print-on-Demand (POD) stores are your secret weapon! They’re super smart, super low-risk, and make selling custom school merchandise a breeze—no need to manage stock or logistics yourself.
With OMG’s POD solution, you can quickly launch online stores for schools, clubs, and events. Offer awesome spirit wear, cool team gear, and practical items like water bottles and laptop sleeves. The magic? Products are printed and shipped only when an order comes in. This means zero upfront costs, no leftover inventory taking up space, and absolutely no shipping stress for you.
Whether it’s for fundraisers, faculty apparel, or getting everyone pumped for a pep rally, POD stores give you the flexibility to meet fast-changing school needs while growing your business efficiently. It’s a win-win!
Your Trusty Companion: How OrderMyGear Powers Back-to-School Sales
OMG Pop-up Stores are built to support your back-to-school business, help you sell more, and make things run smoothly. Here are a couple of recommended features to start using today.
Online Store Templates: Don’t just wait around for the official start of the school year, have some online store templates ready to show coaches and team leaders before your pitch. This go-getter approach powered by OMG’s online store templates lets you lock in sales and make the whole process smoother, giving you a valuable head start.
Live Inventory: Sell with confidence and avoid running out of products by seeing what’s available in real-time from top suppliers and brands. This helps you pick the right products and get them to your customers without a hitch.
Fundraising Tracker: Make fundraising easy and fun for everyone. Show folks exactly how their purchases are helping a team reach its goal.
Tiered Shipping: Encourage bigger orders and make customers happy by offering free shipping once they spend a certain amount.
Purchase Order Report: Cut down on mistakes and save your team precious time. This report makes buying for your business simpler by putting orders together by who you’re buying from, no manual counting needed.
Personalization Report: Say goodbye to mix-ups on custom items like uniforms with names and numbers. This report helps make sure everything is just right, keeping customers smiling.
Group Access Portal: Give coaches and team leaders the power to see who’s ordered what and spread the word about the shop. This helps make sure everyone on the team gets their order in on time.
Buy-Now-Pay-Later payment options: Offering different payment methods pays off. Shoppers are leaning into more flexible, budget-friendly payment methods like Klarna’s Buy Now, Pay Later that allow them to spread payments out over time.
Offer different price points: Shoppers are being more intentional with their purchases, with a greater focus on essentials. This also applies to back-to-school shopping and sporting goods. To appeal to everyone’s budget, branded merchandise businesses should offer products at several price points, such as good, better, and best options to boost sales.
With your fresh ideas and the support of OMG, you’re all set to take on the upcoming season with confidence and discover amazing success!
OrderMyGear: Driving Faster, Easier Back-to-School Branded Merchandise Sales
OMG allows you to truly capitalize on the back-to-school rush, making it easier and faster to sell branded merchandise. By making your online store operations more efficient, OMG helps you boost team spirit, create meaningful local connections, and drive significant sales. With OMG as your partner, you’re set to confidently navigate the back-to-school season and achieve measurable success.
