There are three ways to put merch in front of people with us. They all ship from the same warehouses. The difference is who pays and where people land.
#The one question that decides it
Who is paying for the merch?
- Your company is paying. Use a campaign. Recipients claim a gift or pick from a set of products, and you are invoiced.
- The shopper is paying. Use a store. Then the only question is whether you already run Shopify.
#Side by side
- Merch Shops. The shopper pays, on a store we host on your domain. Public store. Early access.
- Shopify Connect. The shopper pays, on your existing Shopify checkout. Access is whatever your Shopify store allows. Live.
- Campaigns. Your company pays, and people land on a branded redeem page. Invite only, email domain or password. Live.
All three ship from our warehouses, from the same stock.
#Pick Shopify Connect when
- You already sell on Shopify and like it.
- Your merch sits next to other products in the same store.
- You want to keep using Shopify apps, themes and checkout.
#Pick Merch Shops when
- You want a store for your merch and do not want to run a store platform to get one.
- Every product you plan to sell is something we produce and hold for you.
- You want the storefront, fulfillment and support in one place.
#Pick a campaign when
- It is a gift, a welcome kit, a reward or event swag, and the company covers it.
- You need to control who can order with invite-only access, an email domain or a password.
- You want spend limits or a cap on how much each person can order.
#What about an employee store?
Both work, depending on who pays. If employees buy their own gear, a store is right. If the company gives each person something, a campaign is right, because it gives you access controls and per-person limits today. Plenty of brands run both: a campaign for the welcome kit and a store for everything after.