A Step-by-Step Guide for Dealers, Decorators, and Distributors.
If you’re in the business of outfitting teams, printing spirit wear, or producing branded merchandise, you already know the headaches that come with paper order forms, cash envelopes, and endless emails.
An online store changes everything. It gives your customers one simple, centralized place to browse, order, and pay — while giving you better organization, faster production, and fewer errors.
Whether your customer is a soccer team, the local PTA, or a small business, a well-built online store will save you — and them — time, money, and sanity.
Here’s how to start.
1️⃣ Step 1: Identify the Right Customer and Goal
Not every client needs a store, but most can benefit from one. Look for customers who:
- Run recurring team or spirit wear sales
- Need to collect orders for uniforms or staff apparel
- Host fundraisers or community events
- Want to simplify employee merch
Each customer’s goal will shape the store setup — for example, fundraising vs. fulfillment-only, or limited-time vs. evergreen. Understanding the “why” behind the store helps you build the right kind of solution.
💡 Pro tip: Look for a platform that lets you easily tailor each store to your client’s goals — from fundraisers with profit tracking to private employee stores with password protection. Chipply’s features offer flexibility and make it easy to create the right fit for every customer.
2️⃣ Step 2: Choose a Platform Built for Dealers (Not Just E-Commerce)
Generic e-commerce tools often can’t handle what your business really needs — like bulk apparel orders, multiple decoration options, or order deadlines. You’ll want software made specifically for team dealers, decorators, and distributors that can support the unique workflows of your industry.
💡 Pro tip: Chipply was built by industry experts who’ve lived the same challenges you face. Every feature — from store creation to fulfillment — is designed around real user feedback. You can manage all your customer stores from one dashboard, streamline your production process, and scale your business without extra admin work.
3️⃣ Step 3: Curate Products That Fit the Client’s Audience
Guide your customers in choosing the right mix of products — and don’t be afraid to offer variety.
Stores with 35+ products consistently perform best. Offering men’s, women’s, and youth versions of popular styles ensures everyone finds what they want, while fun accessories like hats and beanies encourage add-on sales. And when it’s cold, outerwear always becomes a top seller.
💡 Pro tip: Choose a platform that makes large assortments easy to manage. With Chipply, you can offer as many products as you want without complicating setup or fulfillment, so you and your customers get more options — and more sales.
4️⃣ Step 4: Simplify the Design Process
Offer a focused set of design options. While many online store platforms allow multiple logos or artwork variations, keeping designs consistent across items will make life easier once orders move into production. A few strong, consistent options help keep workflows clean and fulfillment efficient.
💡 Pro tip: If design setup tends to slow you down, Chipply can help. With auto-art placement, multi-logo management, and personalization exports, you can offer flexibility to customers without adding complexity to your process — saving hours of setup time and reducing costly mistakes.
5️⃣ Step 5: Launch and Promote
Once your store is built, it’s time to get it in front of customers. A well-timed, well-promoted launch can make the difference between a slow start and a sell-out success.
Keep limited-time stores open for short windows to create urgency — and use built-in features like countdown clocks to remind shoppers when time’s running out. For evergreen stores, keep engagement steady with promo codes and e-certificates that reward repeat buyers.
💡 Pro tip: Choose a platform that automates store communication. Chipply’s email reminders for store openings, closings, and cart reminders help drive conversions automatically — and you can boost engagement even further by sharing store links across social media to spread the word fast.
6️⃣ Step 6: Manage Orders and Fulfillment Smoothly
When your store closes, the right platform should compile all the details automatically — no spreadsheets, no manual counting. You should instantly know:
- How many of each size to order
- Which items need personalization
- Where each order should go
💡 Pro tip: Chipply makes fulfillment simple with Sorting Sheets and Packing Slips that organize every detail. Sorting Sheets show what goes where — including product images and artwork placements — while Packing Slips walk you through each packed order. Together, they make fulfillment faster, more accurate, and virtually error-free.
7️⃣ Step 7: Reuse, Refresh, Repeat
One of the biggest advantages of online stores is how easily they can be reused. Once a store performs well, there’s no need to start from scratch — just refresh and relaunch.
💡 Pro tip: Chipply’s Copy Store, Templates, and Bulk Update tools make repeat stores effortless. You can clone an existing store, update products, swap artwork, and launch the next season in minutes. It’s the easiest way to build recurring revenue and long-term customer relationships without doubling your workload.
✨ The Takeaway
Online stores aren’t just a convenience — they’re a growth strategy. For dealers, decorators, and distributors, they open the door to repeat sales, stronger customer relationships, and less operational stress.
And when you choose a platform built by people who understand your business — like Chipply — you’ll spend less time managing the details and more time growing your bottom line.