6 online team store providers to compare for your school or club
Choose the order model before the shirt design. A store that closes before printing needs a different timeline from one that takes orders all season. Both still need clear size, delivery and refund terms.
These six providers were chosen for school and club buyers. They are listed alphabetically, not ranked. We left out dealer software and consumer sites where we could not verify the program owner’s terms. Secondslide publishes this guide and is one of the providers.
We reviewed official documents and product records on September 11, 2026. We did not place test orders or run product trials. Use the free team store checklist to compare your actual quotes.
Compare the order model
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| Provider | Model covered here | Main detail to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Ares Sportswear | Closing or year-round store | First-store sales and print minimums |
| Bonfire | Campaign or separate on-demand mode | Which mode fits the deadline |
| BSN SPORTS Sideline Store | Always-open store | School purchase credit, not cash |
| Custom Ink Fundraising | Closing fundraiser | Print minimum and delivery after close |
| Secondslide | Team store and outfitting arrangement | Exact catalog, window and service scope |
| SquadLocker | Store stays open | Item timing and written fundraising terms |
1. Ares Sportswear
Ares offers year-round stores and stores with set closing dates. For a closing store, most orders ship within two weeks of close; some specialty work takes up to four. Shipping is not arrival. Ares online stores
The page requires $500 in sales before a first store can close and ship. Screen printing needs six pieces per design. Orders can combine when the design, colors, size and placement match. Confirm how these rules apply to your store before setting a deadline.
Approve items and designs before launch; Ares says they cannot change once live. Backorders may lead to a replacement or cancellation and refund. Customized returns are normally restricted, but the store page allows for defects and order errors. Ask how to report those problems. Ares store terms, Ares FAQ
Ask how a late player gets gear after close. Get the markup, deductions and cash payout date in writing for this store. A general fundraising percentage is not enough to set the team’s budget.
2. Bonfire
Bonfire offers campaigns that take preorders before printing and shipping. It also has a separate on-demand mode and branded stores. Its page describes no monthly fees or inventory to hold, with orders sent to buyers and proceeds after product costs. Bonfire selling options
Choose the mode before naming a deadline. Ask which items, sizes and print options fit the plan. A fan-shirt campaign does not by itself prove a supplier can handle every required uniform.
Confirm how late orders work, who handles defects or returns and how costs affect cash proceeds. Ask for the actual payout terms. Do not assume a campaign and an on-demand order have the same schedule.
3. BSN SPORTS Sideline Store
Sideline Store is always open and sends orders directly to buyers. BSN describes managing stock, decoration, packing and shipping. It advertises 10% credit toward future school or athletic purchases. That is purchase credit, not cash for a travel bill. BSN SPORTS Sideline Store
Check the available products and decoration for your school. Ask who controls the credit and which purchases it can cover. Keep this store model separate from a closing team-order program.
For a late player, confirm item stock and expected arrival. Get the return, exchange and backorder process in writing before telling families where to order.
4. Custom Ink Fundraising
A Custom Ink fundraiser prints after the page closes if the print minimum is met. That makes the closing date part of the delivery plan. Its guidance gives an estimated delivery window after close, not a reason to wait until just before an event. Fundraiser delivery, Choosing the window
Confirm the offered garments, sizes and minimum. Ask what happens if paid orders fall short or a player joins late. Individual shipping is available in several Custom Ink tools, but the tools have different terms. Check the exact Fundraising setup. Shipping modes
Get product costs, cash proceeds, refunds and payout timing in writing. Do not borrow shipping claims from another Custom Ink ordering product.
5. Secondslide
Secondslide offers team stores, fanwear and outfitting support. Ask which arrangement fits required gear, optional family purchases and later reorders. The exact account and service scope matter. Secondslide
Review the catalog, size charts and art before launch. Confirm whether the store has a closing date, who ships each order and what families should do about a wrong or missing item.
Get any cash return or credit, deductions and timing in writing. Ask how late players and backorders are handled. Do not assume every store has the same stock, delivery window or automated steps. This entry uses product records, not an independent order trial.
6. SquadLocker
SquadLocker says its team store stays open and accepts single-item orders without a minimum. Orders go to the buyer’s checkout address. Product and decoration choices affect availability and timing. Store setup, SquadLocker FAQ
Check the estimate for each chosen item. Do not treat a production estimate as a guaranteed arrival date. Ask what happens if stock changes and who handles returns, damaged goods or a missed deadline.
Its public pages describe fundraising terms in different ways. Get the actual markup, exclusions, discounts and cash payout schedule in writing for your store. Do not build a budget from the most favorable page. Team stores
Price a family basket and the program share separately
Compare one shirt and a second basket with three chosen items. Add item prices, any required decoration not already included, shipping and tax. A low shirt price can still lead to a different checkout total.
Here is made-up markup math. A $20 base item plus a $4 markup gives a $24 price before family shipping and tax. The $4 is the program’s amount only if the written deal assigns it that way and no other costs come out. A 20% markup on $20 is about 16.7% of the $24 sale price; it is not 20% of retail.
Keep cash and credit in separate budget lines. Credit for a later gear purchase will not pay a bus company. Ask when the benefit arrives and who can use it.
Keep the first catalog small
Separate required items from optional fanwear. Use the actual size chart for each product, even if two items carry the same size label. Ask about samples before collecting an order you cannot exchange.
Give families one clear contact for problems and explain the late-player plan. Confirm the date items must arrive, not just the date the store closes. The spirit wear ideas guide can help you choose a small collection.
Free online team store checklist
Copy or print this sheet for each provider. Use written terms and the same family baskets for a fair comparison.
Online team store buyer checklist
Free to copy or print. No email needed. Use test orders or written quotes; do not place a real order just to complete this sheet.
1. Match the store to the team
School/club and adult lead: ____________________
Provider and exact store type: ____________________
Quote and terms checked on: ____________________
Required gear: ____________________
Optional fanwear: ____________________
Store open/close dates, if any: ____________________
Date families need items in hand: ____________________
Late-player or replacement-order route: ____________________
Who approves art and catalog changes: ____________________
Size chart and sample check owner: ____________________
2. Compare the full family cost
Use the same items and delivery address assumptions for each provider. Record the exact product or closest quoted match, size and quantity. Attach the quote if the space is too small.
One-shirt basket: product ______; size ______; quantity 1
Three-item basket, item 1: product ______; size ______; quantity 1
Three-item basket, item 2: product ______; size ______; quantity 1
Three-item basket, item 3: product ______; size ______; quantity 1
Decoration for each item and any product differences: ____________________
Delivery address or region used for both baskets: ____________________
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| Cost | One shirt | Three chosen items |
|---|---|---|
| Item prices | $______ | $______ |
| Required decoration not included above | $______ | $______ |
| Shipping | $______ | $______ |
| Tax and other required charges | $______ | $______ |
| Total family cost | $______ | $______ |
Check each item price for included costs so nothing is counted twice.
Program benefit: cash / purchase credit / none / still unclear
Written amount or formula: ____________________
Deductions, discounts or excluded items: ____________________
Payout/credit date and minimum: ____________________
Who may use any credit and for what: ____________________
3. Check fulfillment before opening
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| Question | Written answer / owner |
|---|---|
| Who prints and ships? | ____________________ |
| Does production wait for store close? | ____________________ |
| Is there a print/order minimum? | ____________________ |
| Is the quoted date ship date or arrival date? | ____________________ |
| What happens to a backordered item? | ____________________ |
| Who approves a replacement? | ____________________ |
| What can be returned or exchanged? | ____________________ |
| Who handles wrong size, damage or missing order? | ____________________ |
| Does each family get tracking? | ____________________ |
If arrival slips past the event, our plan is: ____________________
Contact families should use: ____________________
Final catalog and terms approved by/on: ____________________
Decision: test more / ask for changes / ready for final review
Unresolved issue and owner: ____________________