Drip Merch supports two main sources of products, and knowing the difference helps you decide how to add each item to your shop. Catalog products come from a connected supplier; custom products are ones you define yourself.
Catalog products
Catalog products are synced from an integrated apparel supplier (such as S&S Activewear or SanMar):
- The supplier provides the style, colors, sizes, images, wholesale cost, and part numbers.
- Variants (each color-and-size combination) come with real SKUs and supplier data.
- You add them to your shop by importing from the catalog, then apply your markup.
- Style images and per-variant photos come from the supplier's synced media.
Catalog products are the fastest way to stock proven, in-stock apparel without photographing or pricing anything yourself.
Custom products
Custom products are ones you create from scratch in Drip Merch:
- You enter the name, description, category, colors, sizes, images, cost, and price.
- Variants are generated from the colors and sizes you define.
- SKUs are auto-generated from the product name and variant.
- Images you upload become the product photos and the Design Studio underlay.
Custom products are the way to sell items a supplier catalog doesn't carry — your own blanks, specialty goods, or anything you source and stock yourself.
Which should you use?
- Reach for catalog when the item exists in a connected supplier and you want supplier data and inventory.
- Reach for custom when you're sourcing the product yourself or the catalog doesn't have it.
Tips
- Both types can be made customizable in the Design Studio — the source doesn't limit decoration.
- Give custom products complete color, size, and image data so the storefront and designer render them fully.
- Set your markup on catalog products right after importing so pricing is correct from day one.