You’ve run three successful pre-order campaigns. Each one sold 100+ units, customers love your products, and you’re consistently hitting 40% margins. But you’re exhausted from managing 8-week production cycles every quarter, customers keep asking why shipping takes so long, and you know you’re leaving money on the table.
Full inventory solves those problems. Order 300-500 units upfront, stock them in your garage or a fulfillment center, and ship within 1-3 days. Margins jump to 40-50%, customer satisfaction improves, and you free up time previously spent coordinating campaigns and sending weekly production updates.
But full inventory also introduces real risk. If you order the wrong products, wrong sizes, or too many units, you’re stuck with unsold stock eating storage costs and tying up cash you could use for marketing or new designs.
This guide shows you how to transition into full inventory without blowing your budget on dead stock. You’ll learn how to validate you’re ready, calculate exactly what to order, choose between self-fulfillment and 3PL, and build a restock system that keeps you in stock without overordering.
Who this is for
This guide is for clothing brand founders who have already proven demand through print on demand or pre-order and are ready to scale into faster fulfillment and better margins.
You’ll get the most value if:
- You’ve sold 100+ units of specific designs through POD or pre-order
- You have €2,500 to €10,000 to invest in inventory without risking rent money
- You can forecast demand based on past sales data
- You’re willing to manage inventory actively (reordering, tracking sell-through, adjusting based on data)
If you haven’t validated demand yet, go back to print on demand or pre-order first. Full inventory is expensive to get wrong.
If you’re still testing designs or building an audience, this model is premature. Prove what sells before you stock it.
Full inventory is the final stage in the progression: POD (test) → Pre-order (validate) → Full inventory (scale). Don’t skip steps.
What is Full Inventory (and how it actually works)
Full inventory means you order products in bulk, pay upfront, store them, and ship as customers order. You own the stock before customers buy it.
Here’s the workflow:
- You place bulk orders with manufacturers (200-500+ units per design, depending on MOQs and budget)
- You pay upfront or with deposit (30-50% deposit, balance before shipping is common)
- Manufacturer produces and ships to you (or directly to your fulfillment center)
- You store inventory in your home, garage, warehouse, or 3PL fulfillment center
- Customer orders from your website
- You (or your fulfillment partner) ship within 1-3 days
- You reorder when stock gets low to avoid selling out
Real numbers:
A basic tshirt produced in bulk (200+ units) costs €5-€8 per unit including screen printing. Sell at €30, and your gross margin is €22-€25 per sale (73-83%).
After storage costs (€50-€200/month depending on volume), platform fees (2-3%), shipping materials (€1-€2 per order), and marketing, net margins are typically 40-50%.
That’s significantly better than POD (20-30%) or pre-order (35-45%), but you’re taking on inventory risk. If 100 units don’t sell, you’ve lost €500-€800 in production costs plus storage.
Break-even calculation:
- Upfront investment: €2,500 (300 tees at €6 each + samples + photography)
- Sell price: €30
- Profit per sale: €25 (after direct costs)
- Break-even: 100 sales (€2,500 ÷ €25)
After 100 sales, the remaining 200 units generate pure profit. If you’re selling 30 units per month via pre-order, full inventory pays back in 3-4 months. After that, you pocket an extra €500-€750 per month on the same volume.
Shipping times:
With stock on hand, you ship in 1-3 business days instead of 7-10 (POD) or 6-8 weeks (pre-order). This improves conversion rates because customers get instant gratification.
For a full comparison of full inventory versus other models, see our guide on business models for clothing brands.
Step-by-step: stock management
This framework walks you through every decision from validation to ongoing restock management. Follow the steps in order and don’t skip ahead.
Step 1: Validate you’re ready
Full inventory is not for everyone. Before you order 300 units, make sure you meet these three criteria.
Sales volume check:
You need proof that specific designs sell consistently, not just once or twice.
Minimum threshold:
- 100+ units sold of a specific design through POD or pre-order
- Consistent sales over 3+ months (not just one viral spike)
- Conversion rate of 2-5% or higher on product pages
If you’ve only sold 20 units of a design, don’t order 200. Start with pre-order to validate demand before committing to bulk.
Cash flow check:
Can you afford to lock up €2,500 to €10,000 in inventory for 3-6 months without financial stress?
Ask yourself:
- Do I have this money saved, or would I need to borrow it?
- If half the inventory doesn’t sell for 6 months, can I still pay rent and marketing costs?
- Am I comfortable with this money being tied up instead of available for emergencies?
If the answer to any of these is no, stick with pre-order until you’ve built more capital. Full inventory requires cash you can afford to have locked up.
Forecasting check:
Can you predict how many units you’ll sell in the next 3-6 months based on past data?
Look at your sales history:
- Average units sold per month for the past 3-6 months
- Seasonal trends (do sales spike in summer for tank tops or winter for hoodies?)
- Growth rate (are sales increasing, stable, or declining?)
If you can confidently say “I’ll sell 30-50 tees per month for the next 6 months,” you’re ready. If you have no idea, gather more data through pre-orders first.
Don’t skip this step:
Jumping into full inventory without validation is how brands end up with €5,000 in unsold stock sitting in their garage for two years. Be honest about whether you meet all three criteria.
Step 2: Calculate inventory needs
Once you’ve validated you’re ready, calculate exactly what to order. This is where most brands either order too much (dead stock) or too little (sell out too fast and lose momentum).
How many units to order (start conservative):
Your first full inventory order should cover 3-6 months of sales based on your historical data, not your optimistic hopes.
Example calculation:
- Average sales: 40 tees per month
- Conservative forecast: 30 tees per month (assume 25% drop because nothing is guaranteed)
- Order for 4 months: 30 × 4 = 120 units
Round up to the nearest MOQ. If manufacturer minimum is 150 units, order 150. If it’s 200, consider whether you can sell the extra 80 units or if you should negotiate lower MOQs.
Don’t order based on “what if it goes viral” fantasies. Order based on proven, consistent sales. You can always reorder if demand exceeds expectations. You can’t unorder if you’re stuck with 500 units of a design that stops selling.
Size distribution (S/M/L/XL ratios):
If you’ve sold through POD or pre-order, you already have data on which sizes sell. Use it.
Standard distribution (if you have no data):
- Small: 10-15%
- Medium: 35-40%
- Large: 35-40%
- XL: 10-15%
Example for 150 units:
- Small: 20 units
- Medium: 60 units
- Large: 55 units
- XL: 15 units
If your past data shows different patterns (e.g., 50% Large because you target tall customers), adjust accordingly. Don’t blindly follow standard ratios if your audience is different.
Color breakdown:
Stick to 2-3 colors maximum for your first full inventory order. More colors increase complexity and spread your inventory thin across too many SKUs.
Choose colors based on:
- Past sales data (which colors sold best via POD/pre-order?)
- Versatility (black, white, navy are safe; neon pink is risky unless your brand is built around it)
- Your brand identity (does the color fit your aesthetic?)
Example for 150 units across 2 colors:
- Black: 90 units (60%)
- White: 60 units (40%)
If one color sold 3x more than another via pre-order, weight your bulk order accordingly.
Safety stock vs overstock:
Safety stock = extra units to prevent selling out during reorder lead time (usually 10-20% extra)
Overstock = ordering way more than you can sell in 6 months (wastes cash and storage space)
Aim for safety stock, avoid overstock. If you forecast 120 units sold in 4 months, order 150 (25% buffer). Don’t order 300 “just in case.”
Step 3: Choose manufacturers and negotiate
Finding the right manufacturer for bulk orders is different from POD or pre-order. You’re ordering larger quantities, which unlocks better pricing but also requires more due diligence.
Finding bulk manufacturers:
Alibaba/Global Sources (China, Bangladesh, Vietnam)
- MOQs: 200-1,000+ units depending on product complexity
- Pricing: €3-€6 per basic tee with printing
- Lead time: 3-5 weeks production + 3-4 weeks shipping
- Best for: Brands prioritizing low costs and willing to manage overseas logistics
Maker’s Row / Sewport (US/EU manufacturing)
- MOQs: 100-500 units (often more flexible than overseas)
- Pricing: €8-€15 per tee with printing
- Lead time: 2-3 weeks production + 1 week shipping
- Best for: Brands wanting “Made in USA/EU” positioning or faster turnaround
Local manufacturers
- MOQs: Often negotiable (50-300 units)
- Pricing: €10-€20 per tee (highest cost but highest control)
- Lead time: 1-3 weeks production, same-day pickup possible
- Best for: Brands wanting hands-on quality control or sustainable/local positioning
Industry trade shows
- Attend apparel trade shows (MAGIC, Texworld, local garment expos) to meet manufacturers in person
- Build relationships that lead to better terms and priority production
Referrals
- Ask other brand founders who they use (join Facebook groups, Reddit communities, or local entrepreneur networks)
MOQs for full inventory (200-500+ units):
Bulk manufacturers have higher minimums than pre-order suppliers because they’re optimizing for efficiency at scale.
Typical MOQs by product:
- Basic tees: 200-500 units per design/color
- Hoodies: 100-300 units per design/color
- Jeans or complex garments: 100-200 units per design/color
If you’re ordering multiple products or colors, some manufacturers offer “total order” minimums (e.g., “500 units total across all SKUs”) which gives you flexibility to split between designs.
Negotiating price breaks:
The more you order, the lower your per-unit cost. Use this to your advantage.
Example pricing tiers:
- 200 units: €6 per tee
- 500 units: €5.50 per tee
- 1,000 units: €5 per tee
Ask manufacturers:
- “What’s your pricing at 200, 500, and 1,000 units?”
- “Can you match [competitor quote] if I commit to 300 units?”
- “If I order 200 now and reorder 200 in 3 months, can I get the 400-unit price on the second order?”
Manufacturers want repeat customers. If you prove you’ll reorder consistently, they’ll often give better terms on future orders even if your first order is smaller.
Payment terms:
Most manufacturers require deposits upfront and balance before shipping.
Common payment structures:
- 30% deposit, 70% before shipping (standard for new customers)
- 50% deposit, 50% before shipping (common for larger orders)
- Net-30 or Net-60 (pay 30-60 days after delivery, only after you’ve established trust)
Never pay 100% upfront to a new manufacturer. If they disappear or deliver defective products, you have no leverage.
Negotiate terms: “Can we do 30% deposit and 70% on delivery instead of before shipping?” This protects you if quality issues arise.
Vetting manufacturers (same as pre-order but even more important):
With full inventory, you’re committing more money, so vet thoroughly:
- Order samples (2-3 units with your exact print/embroidery)
- Check references (ask for contact info of 2-3 current clients)
- Test communication (responsive within 24-48 hours? Clear answers to detailed questions?)
- Verify certifications (ISO, WRAP, or local labor/quality standards if important to your brand)
- Visit in person if possible (for local manufacturers, see the facility before committing)
A manufacturer that’s great for pre-order (100 units) might struggle with full inventory scale (500 units). Make sure they can handle your volume consistently.
Step 4: Plan storage and fulfillment
Once you order inventory, it needs to live somewhere. Your storage and fulfillment strategy affects costs, speed, and how much time you spend packing boxes.
Home storage (garage, spare room, closet):
When it works:
- 100-300 units total (fits in a spare bedroom or garage corner)
- You’re shipping 5-20 orders per day (manageable workload)
- You enjoy or don’t mind packing orders yourself
- You want to save money on fulfillment costs (€2-€4 per order savings vs 3PL)
When it doesn’t work:
- 500+ units (storage space becomes a problem)
- Shipping 30+ orders per day (packing becomes full-time work)
- You live in a small apartment with no storage space
- You want to focus on design/marketing instead of logistics
Costs:
- Storage: Free (you’re using space you already pay for)
- Packing materials: €1-€2 per order (boxes, tape, labels, tissue paper)
- Shipping: €3-€8 per order depending on carrier and speed
- Your time: 5-10 minutes per order
Self-fulfillment workflow:
- Customer orders on your website
- You receive notification (email or Shopify app)
- You pack the order (product + thank you card + stickers if using)
- Print shipping label via Shopify or carrier website
- Drop at post office or schedule pickup
3PL/fulfillment centers:
What they do:
Third-party logistics (3PL) companies store your inventory, pick and pack orders, and ship directly to customers. You send them bulk shipments, they handle everything else.
When to use:
- 500+ units in inventory
- Shipping 30+ orders per day consistently
- You want to focus on growth instead of packing boxes
- You need faster shipping (2-day or same-day) which 3PLs can offer through proximity to customers
Popular 3PL options:
- ShipBob: Good for small to medium brands (100-1,000 orders/month), integrates with Shopify, pricing starts around €3-€5 per order + storage
- ShipMonk: Similar to ShipBob, strong Shopify integration, transparent pricing
- Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): Use Amazon’s warehouses, access Prime customers, but gives up some branding control
- Local/regional 3PLs: Search “[your city] fulfillment center” for smaller operations with lower minimums
Costs:
- Storage: €50-€200/month depending on volume (charged per pallet or cubic foot)
- Pick and pack: €2-€4 per order
- Shipping: €3-€8 per order (often cheaper than self-fulfillment because 3PLs get bulk carrier discounts)
- Setup/onboarding: €0-€500 one-time (varies by provider)
3PL workflow:
- You ship bulk inventory to 3PL warehouse
- They receive, count, and store it
- Customer orders on your website
- Order syncs automatically to 3PL system
- They pick, pack, and ship within 1-2 days
- Tracking info sent to customer automatically
Cost comparison (self vs 3PL for 100 orders/month):
Self-fulfillment:
- Packing materials: €150
- Shipping: €500
- Your time: 15-20 hours/month
- Total: €650 + your time
3PL:
- Storage: €100
- Pick and pack: €300
- Shipping: €450 (slightly cheaper due to 3PL bulk rates)
- Total: €850
You pay €200 more but save 15-20 hours per month. If your time is worth more than €10-€15/hour (it probably is if you’re running a business), 3PL makes sense.
Hybrid approach:
Some brands store bestsellers at home for immediate shipping and send overflow or slow-moving items to a 3PL.
Example:
- Keep 50 units of your top 2 designs at home (ship same-day for local customers)
- Store remaining 200 units at 3PL for national/international orders
This gives you flexibility without committing fully to either model.
Inventory management systems:
Once you’re managing 200+ units across multiple sizes and colors, spreadsheets become a nightmare. Use inventory management software to track stock levels, reorder points, and sell-through rates.
Options:
- Shopify built-in inventory: Free with Shopify, basic tracking, works for simple setups
- Inventory Planner: €50-€100/month, advanced forecasting and reorder alerts
- TradeGecko (now QuickBooks Commerce): €50-€150/month, full inventory and order management
Start with Shopify’s built-in tools. Upgrade to paid software when you’re managing 5+ products across multiple channels and need better forecasting.
Step 5: Set pricing and margins
Full inventory pricing is different from POD or pre-order because your costs are lower and customers expect competitive pricing for fast shipping.
Target 40-50% net margins:
With bulk production, you should be hitting 40-50% net margins after all costs. Anything below 35% means you’re either pricing too low or your costs are too high.
Example pricing breakdown:
Product: Basic tee
- Production cost: €6
- Shipping materials: €1.50
- Platform fees (3%): €0.90
- Storage (per unit/month): €0.30
- Marketing (20% of revenue): €6
Total cost per unit: €14.70
Sell at €30:
- Gross profit: €24
- Net profit: €15.30
- Net margin: 51%
That’s healthy. You’re making €15+ per sale and have room to run promotions or offer discounts without killing profit.
Volume discounts strategy:
Full inventory lets you offer volume discounts that POD and pre-order can’t match because your per-unit costs are lower.
Discount examples:
- 1 tee: €30
- 2 tees: €50 (€25 each, saves customer €10)
- 3+ tees: €22 each
Your cost per unit stays €6 regardless of quantity, so selling 3 at €22 (€66 total, €18 profit each) is more profitable than selling 1 at €30 (€24 profit).
Volume discounts also increase average order value (AOV). If your AOV jumps from €30 to €50, you’re generating more revenue per customer and improving lifetime value.
Bundle pricing:
Offer product bundles to move inventory faster and increase perceived value.
Bundle examples:
- Tee + hoodie: €60 (saves €10 vs buying separately)
- 2 tees + 1 hoodie: €75 (saves €15)
- Seasonal collection bundle: 3 items for €80
Bundles work especially well when you have slow-moving inventory. Pair a bestseller (popular tee) with a slower item (less popular color or design) to clear stock.
Competitive pricing check:
Research 3-5 competitors in your niche and see what they charge for similar products:
- Streetwear brands: €25-€40 for basic tees
- Sustainable brands: €35-€50 for organic tees
- Luxury brands: €50-€100+ for premium tees
Price within range of your positioning. If you’re a streetwear brand charging €60 for a basic tee, you’ll struggle unless you have Supreme-level hype.
For deeper pricing tactics, see our guide on pricing strategy.
Step 6: Launch and monitor sell-through
Launching with full inventory is different from pre-order hype. You’re not building urgency around a campaign window. You’re announcing “we’re now in stock and ship fast.”
Launch strategy:
Week 1: Announcement
Tell your audience you’ve upgraded to faster shipping:
- Email: “We’re now stocking inventory! Orders ship in 1-3 days instead of 6-8 weeks”
- Social: Show your stocked inventory (photos of boxes, shelves, products ready to ship)
- Offer launch discount: “10% off to celebrate, code: INSTOCK”
Week 2-4: Consistent availability
The advantage of full inventory is that you’re always available. No campaign windows, no waiting. Focus marketing on availability and speed:
- “Order today, ships tomorrow”
- “Always in stock, never wait weeks”
- Customer testimonials praising fast shipping
Use email marketing to drive repeat purchases and social media marketing to attract new customers.
Tracking sell-through rate:
Sell-through rate tells you how fast inventory is moving. It’s the most important metric for managing full inventory.
Formula: Sell-through rate = (Units sold ÷ Units received) × 100
Example:
- Received: 200 tees
- Sold in 60 days: 120 tees
- Sell-through rate: (120 ÷ 200) × 100 = 60%
Healthy benchmarks:
- 50-70% in 60-90 days: Good pace, on track to sell out in 4-6 months
- 30-50% in 60-90 days: Slower than expected, may need promotion or price adjustment
- Under 30% in 60-90 days: Problem, need to discount or bundle to move inventory
Track sell-through weekly in a spreadsheet or inventory management system. If you see rates dropping, act early (discounts, bundles, ads) before you’re stuck with dead stock.
When to reorder:
Don’t wait until you’re sold out to reorder. Manufacturing and shipping take 4-8 weeks. If you wait until zero stock, you lose momentum and sales.
Reorder trigger:
Place a reorder when you hit 30-40% remaining stock or when you have 4-6 weeks of inventory left at current sales pace.
Example:
- Started with 200 tees
- Selling 30 per month
- Down to 60 tees (30% remaining)
- At 30/month pace, you’ll sell out in 2 months
- Reorder now so new stock arrives before you hit zero
Set reorder alerts in your inventory system or check weekly manually.
When to discount slow movers:
If a design, color, or size isn’t selling at expected rates after 60-90 days, discount to clear space and free up cash.
Discount strategy for slow movers:
- 60-90 days, under 40% sold: 15% off
- 90-120 days, under 30% sold: 25% off
- 120+ days, under 20% sold: 40-50% off or bundle with bestsellers
Don’t let ego keep slow inventory. It’s better to sell at a discount and reinvest that cash into products that move faster.
Step 7: Restock and optimize
Managing full inventory isn’t a one-time decision. It’s an ongoing cycle of ordering, monitoring, restocking, and optimizing based on data.
Reorder timing (don’t wait until sold out):
As mentioned in Step 6, reorder when you hit 30-40% remaining stock. This keeps you in stock continuously and avoids “out of stock” messages that kill conversion.
Reorder workflow:
- Check inventory levels weekly
- Identify products hitting reorder threshold
- Review sales data: is demand still strong or declining?
- Place reorder 4-6 weeks before projected sellout
- Confirm production timeline with manufacturer
- Receive and restock
Adjusting size/color mix based on data:
Your first order was an educated guess. Your second order should be data-driven.
Example:
First order (150 units):
- Black: 90 (60%)
- White: 60 (40%)
Actual sales after 90 days:
- Black: 75 sold (83% sell-through)
- White: 35 sold (58% sell-through)
Second order (150 units adjusted):
- Black: 105 (70%, increased based on demand)
- White: 45 (30%, decreased because slower)
Repeat this process every reorder. Let data, not assumptions, guide your inventory mix.
Size distribution adjustments:
If Medium sold out in 60 days but XL still has 50% stock after 120 days, shift your next order:
First order:
- S: 20, M: 60, L: 55, XL: 15
Second order (adjusted):
- S: 15, M: 75, L: 50, XL: 10
Don’t keep ordering sizes that don’t sell just to maintain “standard” ratios. Stock what your customers actually buy.
Seasonal planning:
Inventory needs change with seasons. Don’t order hoodies and sweaters in June or tank tops and shorts in December unless you’re targeting opposite-hemisphere customers.
Seasonal inventory calendar:
Spring (March-May):
- Lightweight tees, tank tops, light jackets
- Order in January for March arrival
Summer (June-August):
- Tank tops, shorts, breathable fabrics
- Order in April for June arrival
Fall (September-November):
- Long-sleeve tees, light hoodies, jeans
- Order in July for September arrival
Winter (December-February):
- Hoodies, sweaters, heavy outerwear
- Order in October for December arrival
Plan 2-3 months ahead. If you wait until the season starts, you’ll miss peak sales while waiting for production.
For deeper seasonal planning, see our guide on seasonal collections.
Optimizing reorders over time:
With each reorder cycle, you get smarter about what to stock:
Order 1: Educated guess based on POD/pre-order data Order 2: Adjusted based on 3 months of sell-through data Order 3: Fine-tuned based on 6 months of patterns, seasonal trends, customer feedback Order 4+: Predictable, optimized, minimal dead stock
By order 4-5, you should be hitting 70-80% sell-through rates consistently with minimal discounting needed. That’s when full inventory becomes a well-oiled machine.
Storage and fulfillment options
Choosing where to store inventory and who handles shipping affects your costs, time investment, and customer experience. Here’s a detailed breakdown of each option.
Self-fulfillment (home/garage)
Self-fulfillment means you store inventory at home and pack/ship orders yourself.
Pros:
- Lowest cost: No storage fees, no pick/pack fees, just shipping and materials (€3-€5 per order total)
- Full control: You see every order, add personal touches (thank you cards, stickers), inspect quality
- Immediate shipping: Pack and ship same-day or next-day without waiting for 3PL processing
- Personal connection: Many customers appreciate knowing the founder packed their order
Cons:
- Time-intensive: 5-10 minutes per order adds up (20 orders = 2-3 hours of packing)
- Space constraints: 200-500 units take significant room (spare bedroom, garage, closet)
- Scalability ceiling: Beyond 30-50 orders/day, self-fulfillment becomes unsustainable
- No time off: If you’re on vacation, orders don’t ship (unless you have backup help)
When it works:
- 100-300 units in inventory
- 5-30 orders per day
- You enjoy the hands-on process or want to save money
- You have dedicated space (garage, spare room)
When it doesn’t work:
- 500+ units (storage becomes a real problem)
- 50+ orders per day (packing becomes full-time job)
- You live in a small apartment with no storage
- Your time is better spent on design, marketing, or growth activities
Self-fulfillment setup:
Storage:
- Shelving units (IKEA, Home Depot) to organize by size/color
- Label each shelf clearly (S/M/L/XL, Black/White/Navy)
- Keep packing station nearby (table with boxes, tape, labels, printer)
Packing materials (order in bulk to save money):
- Poly mailers or boxes (€0.30-€0.80 each in bulk)
- Packing tape (€5 for 6-pack)
- Shipping labels (free via Shopify or carrier website)
- Optional: tissue paper, branded stickers, thank you cards
Workflow:
- Receive Shopify order notification (email or app alert)
- Pull product from shelf (check size/color twice)
- Pack in mailer/box with any extras
- Print shipping label via Shopify
- Drop at post office or schedule pickup
Time-saving tips:
- Batch pack orders once per day instead of individually as they come in
- Pre-pack common sizes/colors during slow periods
- Use Shopify shipping to print labels in bulk (saves 5 minutes per order)
3PL/fulfillment centers
Third-party logistics (3PL) companies store your inventory and handle all picking, packing, and shipping.
What they do:
- Receive your bulk inventory from manufacturer (you ship pallets to their warehouse)
- Store it in their facility (charged per pallet or cubic foot)
- Integrate with your Shopify store (orders sync automatically)
- Pick, pack, and ship orders within 1-2 business days
- Send tracking info to customers automatically
- Manage returns (optional, additional fee)
Costs:
Storage: €50-€200/month depending on volume
- Typically charged per pallet (4 feet × 4 feet × 4 feet holds ~200-400 folded tees)
- Some charge per cubic foot or per unit
Pick and pack: €2-€4 per order
- Includes pulling item from shelf, packing in box/mailer, printing label
Shipping: €3-€8 per order
- Often cheaper than self-fulfillment because 3PLs get bulk carrier discounts
Setup/onboarding: €0-€500 one-time
- Some 3PLs charge setup fees, others waive it for ongoing clients
Example total cost (100 orders/month):
- Storage: €100
- Pick and pack: €300 (€3 × 100)
- Shipping: €450 (€4.50 × 100)
- Total: €850/month
Compare this to self-fulfillment (€650 but requires 15-20 hours of your time). If your time is worth €10-€15/hour, 3PL makes sense.
Popular 3PL options:
ShipBob:
- Great for 100-1,000 orders/month
- Strong Shopify integration
- Transparent pricing calculator on website
- Multiple warehouse locations for 2-day shipping nationwide
ShipMonk:
- Similar to ShipBob, good Shopify integration
- Flexible pricing, no long-term contracts
- Good for brands scaling from 50 to 500+ orders/month
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA):
- Use Amazon’s warehouses
- Access to Prime customers (huge audience)
- Cons: Less branding control, higher fees, rigid policies
Local/regional 3PLs:
- Search “[your city] fulfillment center” for smaller operations
- Often have lower minimums (50-100 orders/month) and more personal service
- Good for testing 3PL before committing to larger providers
When to use 3PL:
- 500+ units in inventory
- 30+ orders per day consistently
- You want to focus on growth, not logistics
- You need faster shipping (2-day nationwide) which requires multiple warehouse locations
3PL onboarding process:
- Research and compare 3-5 providers (pricing, locations, reviews)
- Request quotes with your estimated volume and product dimensions
- Ask questions:
- What are storage fees per pallet/cubic foot?
- What’s included in pick/pack fee? (boxes, tape, labor)
- Do you charge receiving fees when inventory arrives?
- What’s the SLA for order processing? (24 hours? 48 hours?)
- How do returns work?
- Send test shipment (10-20 units) to check quality and speed before committing full inventory
- Integrate Shopify (most 3PLs have one-click Shopify integration)
- Ship bulk inventory to their warehouse
- Monitor performance (shipping speed, accuracy, damage rate)
Hybrid approach
Some brands use both self-fulfillment and 3PL strategically.
Example 1: Geographic split
- Store 100 units at home (ship same-day to local/regional customers)
- Store 200 units at 3PL (handle national/international orders)
Example 2: Product split
- Keep bestsellers at home (high-volume, fast-moving items you can pack efficiently)
- Send slow movers or bulky items to 3PL (less frequent orders, not worth home storage space)
Example 3: Peak season flex
- Self-fulfill during normal months (20 orders/day manageable)
- Send overflow to 3PL during holidays or big sales (when orders spike to 100+/day)
Hybrid gives flexibility without fully committing to one model.
Common full inventory mistakes (and how to avoid them)
Full inventory has higher stakes than POD or pre-order because money is locked up before customers buy. Here are the mistakes that cost the most.
Ordering too much too soon
The mistake:
You ran one successful pre-order (100 units sold), got excited, and ordered 500 units for full inventory. Six months later, you’ve sold 200 and have 300 sitting in your garage eating storage costs and tying up €1,500 in cash you could use for marketing or new products.
Overordering is the #1 mistake new brands make with full inventory. Optimism doesn’t equal demand.
The fix:
Order conservatively for your first full inventory purchase. Use the formula from Step 2:
- Average monthly sales × 4-6 months = initial order quantity
- Round up to manufacturer MOQ if needed
- Don’t add “extra just in case”
If you sold 40 units/month via pre-order, order 160-240 units for full inventory, not 500.
You can always reorder if demand exceeds expectations. You can’t easily unorder if you’re stuck with dead stock.
Scale gradually:
- Order 1: 150-200 units (test full inventory model)
- Order 2: 250-300 units (if order 1 sold well)
- Order 3: 400-500 units (if order 2 sold well and data supports it)
Let proven demand drive order size, not excitement.
Poor size/color forecasting
The mistake:
You order equal quantities across all sizes (40 S, 40 M, 40 L, 40 XL) because it “seems fair.” Three months later, Medium sold out in 30 days, Large is almost gone, but you have 35 Smalls and 38 XLs gathering dust.
Your customers don’t buy evenly across sizes. Ignoring sales data leads to stockouts on popular sizes and dead stock on slow sizes.
The fix:
Use historical sales data to forecast size mix. If you sold through POD or pre-order, look at size breakdown:
Example sales data:
- Small: 15 units (12%)
- Medium: 50 units (40%)
- Large: 45 units (36%)
- XL: 15 units (12%)
Apply that ratio to your 150-unit order:
- Small: 18 units (12%)
- Medium: 60 units (40%)
- Large: 54 units (36%)
- XL: 18 units (12%)
This matches real demand instead of guessing.
Same logic for colors. If black outsold white 3:1 via pre-order, order 3x more black for full inventory.
Review and adjust every reorder. If Medium keeps selling out first, increase Medium percentage next time.
No reorder plan
The mistake:
You ordered 200 units, they’re selling well, and suddenly you’re down to 20 units. You rush-order more, pay extra for expedited production, and still have a 2-week stockout period where customers can’t buy and you lose momentum.
Waiting until you’re almost sold out to reorder kills momentum and forces expensive rush orders.
The fix:
Set a reorder trigger at 30-40% remaining stock or 4-6 weeks of inventory left at current pace.
Example:
- Ordered: 200 units
- Selling: 30/month
- Reorder trigger: 60 units remaining (30%)
- At 30/month pace, 60 units = 2 months of stock
- Production + shipping = 6 weeks
- Reorder when you hit 60 units so new stock arrives before you hit zero
Track this weekly in a spreadsheet or inventory system. Set calendar reminders to check stock levels.
Reorder checklist:
- Check current stock levels
- Calculate sell-through rate (units sold ÷ days since last restock)
- Project when you’ll hit zero at current pace
- If zero date is less than 8 weeks away, reorder now
- Confirm timeline with manufacturer, add buffer
Ignoring storage costs
The mistake:
You calculated production costs (€6/unit) and shipping (€4/unit) but forgot storage. Six months later, you’ve paid €600 in 3PL fees or your garage is so full you can’t park your car.
Storage costs eat into margins silently. They’re not dramatic like a failed product, but they add up.
The fix:
Include storage in your total cost per unit calculation.
Example:
3PL storage: €100/month for 300 units Time in stock: 4 months average Storage per unit: (€100 × 4) ÷ 300 = €1.33/unit
Add that to your cost breakdown:
- Production: €6
- Storage: €1.33
- Shipping materials: €1.50
- Total cost: €8.83 (not €7.50)
This affects break-even and pricing. If you ignored storage, your margins are 15-20% lower than you thought.
Minimize storage costs by:
- Ordering amounts you can sell in 3-6 months (not 12+ months)
- Negotiating better 3PL rates as volume grows
- Using self-fulfillment if volume is low enough
Waiting until sold out to reorder
The mistake:
(Same as “no reorder plan” but worth repeating because it’s so common)
Your bestselling design sells out. You celebrate. Then you realize restocking takes 6 weeks and you’re losing 30 sales/month during that gap. That’s €900 in lost revenue and broken momentum.
The fix:
Never let bestsellers hit zero stock. Reorder early (30-40% remaining) so new inventory arrives before you sell out.
Use “low stock” alerts on your website when you hit 20-30 units remaining. This creates urgency (“only 25 left!”) while you wait for restock to arrive.
If you do sell out unexpectedly, communicate clearly:
- “Sold out! Restocking [date]. Join waitlist for early access.”
- Collect emails during stockout so you can notify when back in stock
- Offer pre-order for restock if customers are willing to wait
When to scale inventory further
Once you’ve successfully managed your first full inventory cycle (order, sell, reorder), you’re ready to consider scaling up. But don’t jump from 300 to 3,000 units overnight. Scale gradually based on clear signals.
Signs you’re ready to scale from 300 to 1,000+ units:
Consistent sell-through rates
You’ve completed 3-4 reorder cycles and consistently hit 60-80% sell-through in 90-120 days. This proves demand is stable, not a temporary spike.
Multiple bestsellers
You have 3-5 designs selling consistently (not just one viral hit). Diversified demand reduces risk when scaling.
Storage capacity
You either have space for more inventory (bigger warehouse, multiple 3PL locations) or can afford the increased storage costs without hurting margins.
Capital available
You have €5,000-€15,000 to invest in larger orders without financial stress. This money will be locked up for 4-6 months.
Operational systems in place
You’re using inventory management software, have reliable manufacturer relationships, and fulfillment runs smoothly. Scaling broken systems just creates bigger problems.
Multi-product inventory strategy:
Once you’re comfortable with full inventory on one product, expand to core garments that complement each other.
Example progression:
Year 1: Stock 300 tees (your bestseller) Year 2: Add 200 hoodies (second bestseller), keep 300 tees in stock Year 3: Add 150 joggers or jeans, maintain tees and hoodies
Don’t try to stock 10 products at once. Add one new product per season or quarter based on proven demand.
Cross-product strategy:
Stock products that customers buy together:
- Tshirts + hoodies (customers often buy both)
- Tops + bottoms (complete outfit)
- Core items + accessories (caps, socks)
This increases average order value and makes inventory management more efficient (one manufacturer, one shipment, shared storage).
Seasonal planning for multiple products:
As you scale, align inventory with seasons to avoid holding out-of-season stock.
Spring/Summer inventory (March-August):
Fall/Winter inventory (September-February):
Plan 2-3 months ahead and clear out seasonal items with discounts before the season ends. Don’t hold winter hoodies through summer.
For deeper seasonal strategies, see our guide on seasonal collections.
When NOT to scale:
Don’t scale if:
- Sell-through rates are inconsistent (70% one month, 30% the next)
- You’re still figuring out size/color mix (high percentage of dead stock)
- Cash flow is tight (scaling requires capital you can’t afford to lock up)
- Operational systems are broken (orders ship late, inventory counts are wrong, customer service is overwhelmed)
Fix the foundation before scaling. Bigger orders amplify problems, they don’t solve them.
Full inventory quick reference
Use this table to compare full inventory against other models and see where it fits in your growth strategy.
| Factor | Full Inventory |
|---|---|
| Startup cost | €2,500-€10,000 |
| Sales volume needed | 100+ units sold via POD/pre-order |
| Profit margin | 40-50% net |
| Timeline (order to delivery) | 4-8 weeks production, then 1-3 days shipping to customers |
| Risk level | High (unsold inventory ties up cash) |
| Best printing techniques | Screen printing, embroidery |
| MOQs | 200-500 units per design/color |
| Inventory risk | High (you own stock before customers buy) |
| Customer wait time | 1-3 days (fast shipping) |
| Operational intensity | Medium to high (reorder management, storage, fulfillment) |
| Best for | Brands with proven demand ready to scale margins and delivery speed |
| When to move beyond | When managing 1,000+ units or need multi-location fulfillment |
For a side-by-side comparison with POD, pre-order, custom, and handmade models, see the full table in our business models guide.
Scale with data, not hope
Full inventory is the highest-margin model for clothing brands, but it requires discipline. You’re betting your own money that products will sell before you have customer commitments. Get it right and you’re printing money at 40-50% margins with fast shipping that drives repeat purchases. Get it wrong and you’re stuck with €5,000 in dead stock eating storage fees.
The brands that succeed with full inventory treat it like a science: they start conservative, track sell-through religiously, adjust size and color mix based on data, reorder before selling out, and scale gradually as demand proves itself.
They don’t order 500 units because it “feels right.” They order based on 3-6 months of sales history and add 20-30% buffer for growth. They don’t guess which sizes to stock. They analyze past orders and weight inventory toward what actually sells.
Most importantly, they respect the progression: print on demand to test, pre-order to validate, full inventory to scale. Skipping steps is how brands blow their budgets on inventory that never moves.
If you’ve sold 100+ units of specific designs, have €2,500-€10,000 to invest, and can forecast demand based on past data, you’re ready for full inventory. Start with 150-300 units of your bestsellers. Monitor sell-through weekly. Reorder at 30-40% remaining stock. Adjust your next order based on what sold and what didn’t.
After 2-3 successful reorder cycles, you’ll have the confidence and data to scale further. Until then, start small, measure everything, and let proven demand drive your decisions.
Full inventory is the end goal for most clothing brands. Use it wisely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money do I need to start with full inventory?
You need €2,500 to €10,000 depending on how many units you order and which products you choose.
Minimum viable budget (€2,500-€3,500):
- 150-200 basic tees at €6-€8 each: €1,200-€1,600
- Samples and photography: €200-€300
- Packing materials: €150-€200
- Storage (first 3 months): €150-€300
- Marketing budget: €500-€1,000
Comfortable budget (€5,000-€10,000):
- 300-500 units across 2-3 products: €2,500-€4,000
- Samples, photography, branding: €500-€800
- 3PL setup and storage: €300-€600
- Marketing and ads: €1,500-€3,000
- Buffer for unexpected costs: €1,000-€1,500
Don’t invest money you can’t afford to have locked up for 4-6 months. If losing this money would hurt your finances, stick with pre-order until you have more capital.
How do I know which sizes to stock?
Use historical sales data from your POD or pre-order campaigns.
If you have sales data:
Look at the last 50-100 orders and count how many of each size sold:
- Small: 12 units (12%)
- Medium: 38 units (38%)
- Large: 35 units (35%)
- XL: 15 units (15%)
Apply those percentages to your inventory order.
If you have NO sales data:
Use industry standard distribution as a starting point:
- Small: 10-15%
- Medium: 35-40%
- Large: 35-40%
- XL: 10-15%
After your first inventory cycle, adjust based on which sizes sold fastest.
Pro tip: Order slightly more of your bestselling size (Medium or Large for most brands) because running out of popular sizes hurts conversion more than having extra Small or XL.
Should I use a fulfillment center or ship myself?
It depends on your volume, space, and how you value your time.
Ship yourself if:
- You’re doing 5-30 orders per day
- You have storage space (garage, spare room)
- You enjoy or don’t mind packing orders
- You want to save €2-€4 per order and add personal touches
Use a 3PL if:
- You’re doing 30+ orders per day consistently
- You have 500+ units and limited storage space
- Your time is better spent on design, marketing, or growth
- You need 2-day shipping nationwide (requires multiple warehouse locations)
Cost comparison:
Self-fulfillment: €3-€5 per order + your time (5-10 min per order) 3PL: €5-€8 per order, fully hands-off
If you’re doing 100 orders/month, 3PL costs €200-€300 more but saves you 10-15 hours. If your time is worth more than €15-€20/hour, 3PL makes sense.
Many brands start with self-fulfillment and switch to 3PL when volume grows. You can also use a hybrid approach (stock some items at home, send overflow to 3PL).
What if products don’t sell as fast as expected?
If sell-through is slower than forecasted, act early before you’re stuck with dead stock for a year.
At 60-90 days with under 40% sold:
- Run a 15% off sale to accelerate movement
- Create bundles (pair slow movers with bestsellers)
- Increase marketing spend (ads, influencer partnerships)
- Check if sizing or quality is the issue (read reviews, ask customers)
At 90-120 days with under 30% sold:
- 25-30% off discount to clear inventory
- Offer volume deals (buy 2 get 1 free)
- Email your list with exclusive discount code
- Consider donating excess if it won’t sell (tax write-off, good PR)
At 120+ days with under 20% sold:
- 40-50% off to clear space and recover some cash
- Use as free gifts with other purchases
- Donate to charity and write it off
- Learn from it: why didn’t it sell? Wrong design, wrong audience, poor marketing?
Don’t let ego keep inventory that won’t move. It’s better to sell at cost or small loss and reinvest that cash into products with proven demand.
When should I reorder inventory?
Reorder when you hit 30-40% remaining stock or have 4-6 weeks of inventory left at your current sales pace.
Example calculation:
- Current stock: 200 units
- Sold in last 30 days: 40 units
- Sales pace: 40 units/month
- Reorder trigger: 60-80 units remaining (30-40%)
- At 40/month pace, 60 units = 1.5 months of stock
- Production + shipping = 6 weeks
- Reorder NOW so new stock arrives before you hit zero
Set up alerts:
- Use Shopify’s built-in low stock alerts
- Use inventory management software (Inventory Planner, TradeGecko)
- Set a weekly calendar reminder to check stock levels manually
Don’t wait until you’re sold out. Stockouts kill momentum and force expensive rush orders.
If a product is selling faster than expected, place a second reorder early (at 50-60% remaining) to ensure continuous availability.
