Interested in starting a swag store for your company?
We’ve created the ultimate online resource to guide you though the whole process.
Here’s what you’ll find inside:
- What is a swag store?
- Four reasons why having a swag store is important
- Sixteen examples of online company swag stores
And, as a bonus, how to create your own swag store in 2021.
We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s get started.
Table of Contents
What is a Company Swag Store?
Why is Having a Company Swag Store Important?
16 Examples of Swag Stores from Companies You Know
Bonus: How to Create Your Own Swag Store
What is a Company Swag Store?
A company swag store is a place – be it a digital or a physical space – where everyone, from your clients and your employees to your fans, if your company is that popular, can go to purchase items that feature your company logo.
Before we get deeper into the reasons why swag stores might be important and profitable for your company, let’s look at an example of a popular company merchandise online store.
This’ll give us a clear idea of what swag stores are really all about.
Below you can see Ferrari’s online swag store:
I’m using this store to show you just how diverse and inclusive swag stores can be, given that Ferrari offers a wide range of merchandise specially made for kids.
Although a swag store is about selling promotional products with your brand’s logo on them, we shouldn’t forget that they can be more than that.
They can be a channel of communication with your audience, a way to stay in touch, as well as an opportunity to show your company aesthetics and values.
We’re looking at some great swag stores examples a little further down in this post.
For now, let’s get into four reasons why having a swag store is important.
Why is Having a Company Swag Store Important?
Although the list of reasons for why having a swag store can be a great thing for your business is long, we’re focusing on four of the most important ones.
Without further ado, let’s discuss the first one.
Reason #1: Additional revenue stream
The first reason why having a swag store is important is because it can be an additional revenue stream for your business.
In other words, branded merchandise might give your company the opportunity to add an extra revenue source, thus increasing your income.
How does this happen, you may ask?
Well, the answer is simple!
From the moment you create and get your swag store up and running, you have a new revenue stream that can help you expand your business and keep your audience engaged.
For example, it’s widely known that sports fans love owning stuff from their favorite teams.
Have a look:
The Toronto Maple Leafs is only one of the huge sports franchises that use branded products to add retail sales as a highly profitable revenue stream.
Sports leagues know how important it is to share items that will make their supporters feel part of their team and that’s why they’re always investing in good merch.
To cut a long story short, fans are always looking to buy branded items from their favorite teams and sports clubs always make sure to make such products available to their fans to purchase.
Before we move on to the next reason why having a swag store is important, I’d like to draw your attention to some additional points that relate to a swag store being a profitable revenue source.
Here we go:
- A well organized swag store helps companies produce merch at once, thus saving them valuable time and money.
- Having an inventory that’s already been produced can significantly help a brand achieve quick delivery times and have swag at hand every time they might need it.
This way you won’t have to deal with the time-consuming situation of packing last-minute swag boxes in your office.
- A merch store can be a central place to monitor and report on all company purchasing decisions, thus allowing you to truly control and avoid unnecessary expenses.
Moving on to the second reason.
Reason #2: Improve brand recognition
The second reason I have for you is that right swag management within a swag store can help you improve your brand recognition.
Put another way, a company might be able to enhance brand recognition through swag.
Additionally, swag helps achieve consistent branding across all the activities an organization is involved in.
What branded products do is that they make sure a company is getting seen and noticed.
They create positive impressions and help people recognize and remember your brand, thus enhancing brand recognition.
When it comes to getting their brands noticed, companies want control and to know that the process is being done properly.
They want to ensure that high quality merch is used.
Thankfully, swag creation and production can definitely be controlled and help companies make sure their logo is being put on quality products.
Reason #3: Establish an emotional connection with customers and employees
One of the most important reasons why swag stores might be beneficial to your company is that they can help you create and establish an emotional connection with your customers and employees.
We obviously strongly believe in the power of promotional products and have discussed the topic in many of our blog posts.
Promotional t-shirts, hoodies, tumblers, water bottles, and key-chains might be mundane objects.
However, used in the right way, they can help companies work towards showing appreciation and respect, thus establishing strong professional as well as personal relationships.
SaaS business Drift makes some great points on how their swag team works towards establishing emotional connection with their customers as well as show appreciation to their employees through swag.
In other words, the company uses branded items to delight employees and celebrate personal and professional milestones with them.
Here’s a snapshot of the gifts given to employees for their two year anniversary in the company.
A jacket and a cute little plant are the two great and thoughtful pieces of swag that are used by the company in order to establish strong relationships with their employees and thank them for their loyalty and hard work.
Let’s find out more about the final reason why having a swag store can be important.
Reason #4: Close deals faster
The final reason why having a swag store is important is because such stores might help you close deals faster.
In fact, according to a 2018 report by PPAI, which stands for the Promotional Products Association International, the majority of brands state that promotional products help them achieve marketing goals.
The same report also highlights branded items as the most powerful form of advertising compared to online, printed, or other types of advertising.
Have a look at the graph below:
We understand that despite the data, this point might make you doubtful, so we’re jumping straight to a strong example that’ll help us prove it.
The example is an A:B test on whether swag works, undertaken by SaaS company Outreach.
What they did is create two groups of 500 prospects.
One group received branded items while the other one didn’t.
Apart from the swag factor, the rest of the sales sequence was exactly the same.
The results that the testing showed were really promising in terms of the value swag brought to the sales table.
Some of the results from the group that received swag compared to the one that didn’t were:
- 26% increased response rate
- Significant increase in opportunity per prospect
- Prospects were three times more likely to book a meeting
Interesting, isn’t it?
This data gives us some more insight on what we already know.
Thought through and high quality swag works!
Let’s now have a look at sixteen fantastic examples of some of the most inspiring and popular merch stores out there.
Here we go.
16 Examples of Swag Stores from Companies You Know
We’ve already discussed some points around the importance of a swag store and in what ways it can be beneficial to your company.
Let’s now go through a list of sixteen examples of popular swag stores created by companies you already know really well.
Example #1: Ferrari Swag Store
The first example in our list is the Ferrari swag store.
Luxury sports car manufacturer from Italy, Ferrari, gives visitors access to a luxurious online store experience.
The protagonists are apparel and merchandise that feature the company’s logo in a stylish, fashionable way.
Given the high end nature and price range of the main products Ferrari sells, which are world renowned sports cars, their store seems like an opportunity to many people who might be fans of the brand but can’t afford to buy their cars.
Based on Ferrari’s example, we realize a great point about swag stores in general.
They are a great and direct way of communication between a brand and its audience.
They also help in creating and establishing a relationship with your audience even if your main products are mostly addressed to a smaller group of people.
No matter what your company does, your swag can be for everyone who wants a small piece of your brand.
Link to Ferrari’s swag store: Visit here
Example #2: HubSpot Merchandise Store
The second example I wanted to show you is the HubSpot merchandise store.
SaaS company HubSpot is yet another example of a company using branded products to not only add a new revenue stream but also improve brand recognition.
How do they do that?
Well, by selling cool promotional apparel of any kind, like zip hoodies and tees with their brand logo as well as other techie designs and quotes.
Additionally, they are selling some swag essentials that would be happily used by their employees and clients.
Author’s tip: We strongly recommend that businesses invest in some swag essentials so they can have them available in case of physical trade shows or digital conferences.
Having some thoughtful swag essentials sent in a swag pack directly to virtual events attendees can help make their experience a memorable one.
Virtual events have started happening mostly because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it looks like they’re here to stay.
Link to HubSpot’s swag store: Visit here
Example #3: MAPCO Team Store
Another example comes from the MAPCO team store.
MAPCO, a successful chain of gas stations and convenience stores, has a wide range of merch, from t-shirts to safety kits, and sticky phone wallets.
What’s great about this swag store is definitely the variety that it offers to website visitors and MAPCO enthusiasts.
Link to MAPCO’s swag store: Visit here
The fourth example is the Stephen Sharer official storefront.
Vlogger and internet personality from the United States Stephen Sharer offers his fans a wide range of branded items.
From stickers to sunscreen, wristbands, and pillowcases, this swag store is one of those shops that has taken branded merchandise to a new level.
Link to Stephen Starer’s swag store: Visit here
Example #5: Google Merchandise Store
Our fifth example comes from technology giant, Google.
Although Google is obviously one of those companies that don’t need any more brand recognition, they are still using swag to connect with their users in a deeper way.
The Google swag store is stylish and minimal.
Moreover, it offers a wide range of products, including eco-friendly merch options.
What’s remarkable about this one is that the company logo – that’s recognizable by the vast majority of people on this planet – makes the visitor feel some sort of familiarity with the products, thus making it more likely for them to make a purchase.
Link to Google’s merchandise store: Visit here
Example #6: Salesforce Brandstore
A well made swag store comes from the following by SaaS company, Salesforce.
Salesforce has built a beautiful swag store that offers tons of options when it comes to everyday objects, apparel, toys, and accessories.
It basically has it all!
The company even gives the option of buying a swag box that combines different items.
Link to Salesforce’s merchandise store: Visit here
Example #7: Instacart Merchandise Store
American delivery company Instacart is our example here.
The delivery company is known for their use of branded items by their employees, which has definitely increased brand recognition and enhanced the sense of brand identity.
As you’ve seen in other examples, this swag store explores variety in terms of the branded items they choose to feature.
Link to Instacart’s merchandise store: Visit here
Example #8: The Official Tesla Shop
Here’s one more great example.
The Tesla swag shop:
You might be familiar with the fact that Elon Musk, co-founder and CEO of Tesla, doesn’t do much advertising.
However, Tesla definitely invests and believes in the power of branded items.
The Tesla swag store captures the aesthetics of the company and gives the visitor a clear idea of what the company, and subsequently its products, is all about.
Link to Tesla’s shop: Visit here
Example #9: Official SpaceX Store
The official SpaceX shop is yet another example of a great swag store.
More than a simple swag store, this one is also an additional piece of evidence of how a genius entrepreneur like Elon Musk uses swag to promote his brand.
Like he does for Tesla, Elon has invested in high end branded items that fit his products for SpaceX, too.
What’s great about a swag store like this is that more than just being a marketplace where customers and fans go to buy branded items, the store itself as well as the designs chosen to be featured tell a story to the visitors.
In other words, the philosophy behind Elon’s activities can all be seen in both the quality as well as the content of the products.
And what’s better to give to fans than that, right?
Link to SpaceX’s store: Visit here
Example #10: Microsoft Company Store
The Microsoft company store is our tenth example.
It’s the place where Microsoft customers and Microsoft enthusiasts go to get products from their favorite technology company.
Like other stores of its kind, this swag store offers some swag basics that most people love to get like tees, mugs, coasters, and wall calendars.
Moreover, it offers more unique options and eco-friendly branded items.
What we love about this one is that it gives you the option to select among all brands owned by Microsoft.
Exactly as shown below:
Useful, isn’t it?
Let’s get to the next one.
Link to Microsoft’s merchandise store: Visit here
Example #11: PayPal Market
Our next example is the Paypal swag store.
Image Source: Paypal Store
Like others in this list, the Paypal swag shop is the place to be for all Paypal lovers, customers, and employees.
The store offers some great, useful swag pieces.
Link to PayPal’s swag store: Visit here
Example #12: Adobe Promotional Merchandise Store
The twelfth example in our list comes from technology company, Adobe.
From pouches to selfie sticks and socks, the Adobe company store has a truly wide range of promotional products with the iconic company logo on them.
What we particularly liked about this shop was the fun and games section where one can buy coloring books and knitted teddy bears wearing Adobe t-shirts.
Link to Adobe’s merchandise store: Visit here
Example #13: HP Corporate Swag Store
As we’re reaching towards the end of our list, we’re having a look at the HP corporate swag store.
We wouldn’t say that this store offers a large variety of different branded products but it sure offers all basic promotional items HP customers might want to get.
From cable extension cords to wireless charging pads, the HP store gives visitors the opportunity to buy good, branded products with the company logo featured on them.
Link to HP’s store: Visit here
Example #14: UPS Swag Collection
The UPS swag collection is another example of a swag store we want you to see.
The store has it all in terms of apparel, accessories, and some gadgets.
What has drawn our attention was the t-shirt you can see right below:
This branded t-shirt works as a fantastic item that expresses appreciation to all the hard work UPS employees did in 2020, and are continuing to do in 2021.
As you can see in the snapshot below, the company is using special delivery containers to help deliver the COVID-19 vaccine across the US.
Such promotional items, like the tee we just saw, prove how promotional products can be transformed into powerful items capable of expressing feelings, like appreciation, love, and support.
Link to UPS’s merchandise store: Visit here
Example #15: DHL Stock Merchandise Shop
We couldn’t miss mentioning the DHL merch shop.
DHL is one of the brands that has managed to truly elevate swag items by creating a fashion trend around their branded yellow t-shirts.
It was some years ago when French fashion brand Vetements brought promotional apparel to the catwalk.
The DHL tees boomed all over the fashion world and some were sold for a few hundred dollars.
What the DHL x Vetements collaboration taught us is that promotional products can be reseen and reinvented.
That is, as long as they are not treated as boring and useless stuff that no one ever uses.
In other words, this unique collaboration showed us that there can be style and authenticity in swag.
Link to DHL’s merch store: Visit here
Example #16: FedEx Company Store
Our last example of a swag store comes from FedEx.
The FedEx merch store focuses on offering a great deal of apparel items and accessories.
It really is the perfect place to go get branded t-shirts with various designs of the company logo as well as other pieces of clothing and accessories in any color or size.
Link to FedEx’s merchandise store: Visit here
Bonus: How to Create Your Own Swag Store
After having seen all these fancy swag storefront, you might find yourself wondering how hard it could be to create a swag store?
Don’t worry.
Building your own swag store isn’t a difficult task.
However, there are some steps you should be following in order to make the most out of the experience of building your swag store and keep it up and running.
One of the first things to do would be to decide whether you want your store to be built in-house or you want to assign the process to swag specialists.
Additionally, you would have to decide on what kind of promotional items you’d like your swag store to include.
A fun step in the process is to decide on the designs you’d like your branded products to feature.
Will it be just your company logo or do you also want to give people the opportunity to buy cool stuff with quotes that capture your brand philosophy?
Your swag agency should then manage all steps in the customer lifecycle.
From the first things one sees when they enter your store to the checkout process and all the other store elements and touch points with your customers.
In all cases, you should think of your swag as a way for people to get closer to your brand and get a piece of it with them.
Remember that creating a personal experience for your employees and customers through swag can lead to healthier and longer relationships with them.
And that all we all want, right?
Now, we’d love to hear from you!
Now Over to You
There you have it.
You’re now one step closer to knowing what a swag store is, why it’s important, and how to create your own swag store without breaking the bank.
If you’re interested in creating your own swag store, you’re probably going to need some help.
Make sure to leave us a comment and let us know about your business and overall needs.
We’ll do our best to use our years of experience to your advantage and point you in the right direction.
Thanks for reading!
Featured image from the Google Merchandise Store.
