Table of Contents

• What is an on-demand company swag store?
• Practical steps for setting up your online company swag store
• What makes a company swag store successful?
• How Awardco makes it easy to set up your online swag store
• FAQ about setting up an online company swag store

The conventional “company swag” model is officially outdated. 

Instead of bulk orders and inventory stacked in storage rooms, today’s company swag stores are on-demand, self-service platforms—shipping directly to employees and connecting effortlessly to broader employee experience. 

Done right, an online company swag store features: 

• On-demand fulfillment (no bulk pre-ordering or storage required)
• Employee choice over item selection, size, and style
• Integration with recognition points and rewards programs
• Curated, refreshable catalog of quality items employees will actually use
• Direct-to-door shipping for remote and hybrid teams

This guide covers every best practice for setting up an online company swag store that elevates employees’ sense of belonging to a team and the company as a whole.

What is an on-demand company swag store?

An online, on-demand company swag store is a streamlined, all-in-one platform that allows organizations to offer branded merchandise to their employees. It takes care of everything—design, production, inventory, and shipping. By simplifying the entire process, it provides companies a swag solution that saves time, money, and hassle.

How company swag connects to employee recognition

Swag on its own is just stuff. Connected to recognition, it becomes evidence of company regard.

The most effective swag stores are tied directly to moments that mean something, like onboarding, work anniversaries, team wins, or awards. 

Branded items evoke a psychological response that says, “You earned this. You belong.” But branded items do more. They can boost employee engagement. And Gallup research shows that highly engaged businesses can see 23% higher profitability than those with lower engagement. 

On-demand vs. inventory: how you offer custom merchandise matters

When setting up a company swag store, you’ll need to consider how you fulfill merch orders, namely either traditional inventory-based models or on-demand models.

Traditional inventory-based models

These models involve bulk ordering, warehousing, and managing stock. 

• Pros: Lower per-unit cost, fast shipping for high-volume orders
• Cons: Difficult to estimate demand, stocking sizes, absorbing carrying costs

Inventory-based models also get complicated during rebrands, event cancellations, or when items become obsolete or outdated. 

On-demand models

These models automate the procurement, inventory, and distribution process from start to finish

• Pros: Easy to refresh catalog, lower program cost, size inclusivity, fewer logistics
• Cons: Per-unit cost is often higher

With on-demand models, items are shipped directly to employees, reducing administrative burdens and saving valuable time.

Many companies choose a hybrid model, keeping core items in stock with event-based or reward-based items on demand, to balance cost and flexibility. 

See Awardco’s On-Demand Csompany Swag Platform

Best Practices for setting up your online company swag store

Best Practice #1: Define your goals

What your store is ultimately for shapes everything from your catalog to your fulfillment setup. Typical use cases include: 

• Onboarding
• Recognition and rewards
• Milestones and anniversaries
• Culture and belonging
• Events and campaigns

A single store can serve multiple purposes, but naming your primary goal helps you prioritize the features and items that matter most. 

Best Practice #2: Choose your platform

Look for a platform that handles logistics end-to-end, from storefront setup to direct-to-recipient shipping. This includes features like:

• On-demand or hybrid fulfillment
• Points or credits integrated into recognition programs
• Customizable catalogs with inclusive sizing
• Admin dashboards 
• SSO or simple logins

A powerful, user-friendly corporate gifting platform allows you to offer employees a wide variety of quality items, all beautifully branded with your company logo. 

Best Practice #3: Curate a tight, quality-first catalog

Avoid the trap of filling the catalog with novelty items. A smaller selection of things employees genuinely want beats a sprawling catalog of things that will get tossed. Here’s a solid place to start: 

• Apparel
• Drinkware
• Bags
• Desk/tech items

Swag that doesn’t get used just contributes to more waste. Consider popular company swag gift ideas for curated inspiration across different categories. 

Best Practice #4: Build fulfillment and shipping into the launch plan

Lock in your swag logistics before going live: 

• Confirm that your platform ships directly to employees and not to an office.
• Communicate estimated timelines upfront for on-demand items.
• Enable order tracking so employees can follow items to their door.

If you have international team members, verify that your platform handles customs and cross-border shipping. 

Best Practice #5: Connect to your ongoing recognition programs

When employees can spend recognition points in a swag store they actually enjoy using, the swag becomes part of the recognition and not separate from it. Consider these best practices:

• Build a refresh cadence into your program with rotating items.
• Send out an employee gift questionnaire to gain a deeper understanding of what motivates your workforce.
• Set up automated recognition moments that gift automatic store credits when employees hit specific milestones.

For more on building a cohesive gifting and recognition strategy, check out Awardco’s corporate gifting guide.

What makes a company swag store successful?

Three things separate programs that employees love from ones that fall flat. 

1. Choice

Providing choice is paramount. Employees want to find something that suits their tastes and needs. Self-service swag stores with a curated (but varied) catalog mean they’re all the more likely to use it—and can represent the company their own way, whether at work, at home, or on the go. 

2. Quality

Premium items beat cheap items every time. Employees associate swag quality with how a company values them. A well-made tumbler says something more meaningful than a generic stress ball.

3. Sustainability

Nobody likes waste, and 96% of Gen Z and millennial employees want to push their companies to do more on sustainability. Platforms that offer swag that’s sustainably sourced and produced help you do your part to avoid overproduction and support sustainability. 

How Awardco makes it easy to set up your online swag store

Plenty of swag platforms are just merch stores. Awardco is a recognition platform that happens to have one of the best swag stores built into it.

Here’s why companies choose Awardco for a recognition platform:

• No markups on Amazon products. The reward amount you give is the full amount the recipient gets.
• Customizable catalogs by team, department, or event. Our connection to the world’s largest reward network means the possibilities are practically endless.
• Setup in less than a week. Just provide a vector file of your logo, and your account manager handles the rest
• Familiar redemption experience. Employees shop for swag the same way they redeem any other reward on the platform.

• Easy-to-use digital storefront. With HR-friendly automation and intuitive features, Awardco’s swag store platform is easy for everyone to use and manage. 

With our easy-to-use, personalized platform, you’re not just offering swag—you’re boosting employee satisfaction and engagement. See how Awardco customers have built powerful recognition programs that work. 

Simplify gifting with Awardco’s easy-to-use company swag store 

As you set up your company swag store, stay rooted in these best practices to build a program that supports employees from their first day to their latest milestone.

If an online, on-demand swag solution sounds right for you, you’re in the right place. Awardco’s turnkey Company Swag Store makes the process effortless, efficient, and enjoyable. Let us handle the logistics so you can focus on what truly matters: keeping your employees happy and engaged.

FAQ about setting up an online company swag store

How do you set up an online company swag store?

Start setting up your online company swag store by defining your goals, then choosing a platform that handles fulfillment end-to-end. From there, you can curate a catalog filled with on-demand items and roll out with your teams according to your launch plan.

Your Company’s Awardco Swag Store setup (including item selection, store creation, and an approval process) typically takes 4-6 weeks. Orders are received 3-6 weeks after they are placed. 

Should a company swag store be on-demand or inventory-based?

​​An on-demand company swag store is the right starting point for most companies, especially those with distributed or hybrid teams. It eliminates storage costs, reduces waste, and gives you the flexibility to refresh your catalog without getting stuck with obsolete stock. High-volume programs with centralized teams may benefit from a hybrid approach.

What items should go in a company swag store?

Stock your online company swag store with a core set of high-use items: a quality tee or hoodie, insulated drinkware, a bag, and a notebook or tech accessory. Keep the selection focused at first, then expand based on redemption data and employee feedback.

How do you manage shipping and fulfillment?

The cleanest shipping and fulfillment setup is choosing a platform that ships directly to recipients. Confirm your platform supports international shipping if you have global team members, and make sure employees can track their orders from placement to delivery.

Your team doesn’t need to worry about finding a designer or managing inventory, shipping, and fulfillment. Awardco handles shipping and fulfillment so you don’t have to, providing a simple, streamlined experience for HR teams and employees alike. 

How often should you refresh swag items?

Plan for a quarterly review at a minimum. Retire low-performers, introduce seasonal items, and consider limited-edition drops tied to company milestones. On-demand platforms make this easy because you’re not carrying leftover inventory when you retire an item.