How to Start a T Shirt Website on a Shoestring Budget

If building t shirt websites has crossed your mind more than once but you’re feeling apprehensive about the high barrier to entry, you’ve come to the right place. Strikingly has helped thousands of wantrepreneurs launch profitable businesses on its platform. Our success stories are proof enough that you can achieve whatever you want if you work hard for it - even when you’re running on a really limited budget.

With that in mind, here’s how you start a t shirt website business on a shoestring budget.

1. Conceptualize your brand

Before you start your t-shirt website, you should have a clear picture in your mind about your brand’s image. You need to identify the niche you want to target. Conduct an extensive research about this industry and learn more about your potential competitors. By looking at other t shirt websites, you get a good idea of what works and what may not from a customer’s perspective.

2. Create your t-shirt designs

Your designs are critical to the success of your t-shirt business. If your designs are great, then you’re off to a good start. Test different concepts with a select audience. You can use social media or even your website, if you have it up to gain feedback from your target market. Ask your family and friends for input and consider their ideas as well. You can also contract design services if you’re not the artistic type.

3. Source your products and get your designs printed

Once you’ve locked in your first batch of designs, it’s time to source your t-shirts. You want to get the highest quality products within your budget to ensure a positive customer experience. You build customer loyalty through products that are made to last so it is highly recommended that you enforce stringent quality control measures on your products.

4. Choose an ecommerce platform

It is possible to launch a t shirt website even on a tight budget. You just need to choose the right platform to power your online store. Start off with a t shirt website template with Strikingly and create your site within a few minutes. As a leading website builder, Strikingly empowers wantrepreneurs looking to start their own business affordable solutions.

If you have qualms about the sustainability of your chosen business model, Strikingly allows you to dip your toes on ecommerce by letting you create an online store for free. The free t shirt website template features a gallery section where you can add all your designs so customers can pick the product they want to buy online. The integrated Simple Store ecommerce platform allows you to accommodate online payment transactions through your website.

5. Create quality content

As with any ecommerce store, it’s important to use high quality visuals for your t shirt website. You want to highlight your product’s best features. Add action shots or images of your t-shirts being worn by models so customers can easily visualize how the clothes will look on them.

Customize your website’s color schemes and fonts to reflect your brand’s image. With thousands of different color and font combinations to choose from on Strikingly, it’s easy to design a unique-looking website through this website builder.

Connect your website to your social media pages. Engage your audience by inviting customers to like your pages and upload photos or videos of them using your t-shirts. Add a social stream to your website so your t shirt website is updated every time your social media pages get new posts. Interact with your customers and make sure that your contact details are visible on the site. You can even add a chat feature to t shirt websites so you can attend to enquiries in real time.