So what the hell am I doing wrong.....Bimmer T-Shirts

[Bimmer Nut Ed]

I've placed numerous BMW T-Shirt Designs online, and I've even auctioned them on Ebay, and no-one has bought a single one. I started this right before AllanS left us. And his T-shirt design kinda inspired me to put the other models out there.

So, I put together 7 new designs, even a couple additional non-bimmer ones. I'm trying to sell them on Ebay, and online here on Bimmer.info, and absolutely no-one has bought a single one of them.

Yes, I've sold the AllanS tribute design, about a dozen. Those profits are going to the Allan Stewart Scholorship Fund as you know. And BTW, we've had 3 EAT chip sales too, so I'll be sending off about a $700 check to the fund. Thanks guys.

But, what's wrong with what I'm trying to do with the other t-shirt designs. I know of the designs, my E34 and my E39 could use a little sprucing up, but the others I think are cool. No bidders on Ebay yet. And no buyers here either. I'm not trying to get sympathy purchases, I'm looking for advise.

You can click on T-Shirts at the top of this page to see the Bimmer Shirts, and you can look up "sharoned" on ebay to see my other designs and auctions.

Again, I'm just looking for advise, and I've got thick skin, so let me have it!

Oh, here's Ed, trying to make a living again. Oh well, live with it! Thanks all.

[bahnstormer]

how much are u asking for these shirts?

[Bimmer Nut Ed]

On Ebay, I'm starting at $10, at the link above the L and XL's are $13.49 and the XXL and XXXL's are $15.49.


how much are u asking for these shirts?

[John B.]

Could just be the wrong product for your market. The BMW motorcycle guys buy & wear a lot of Tees but you might be better off with golf shirts for the car guys.

[Robin-535im]

Let me know if it doesn't show up in your system. Large AllanS variety.

And to top it off, I think I'll browse some of those links at the top of the page :)

We all get a lot of help, comraderie and happiness out of this board Ed - and I personally will wear my shirt with pride.

Now all we need is a secret handshake!

[bimmerd00d]

i would rock a polo shirt that just had bimmer.info in the normal spot. Or a t-shirt with a real subtle bimmer.info logo on the front, and a roundel on the back up near the collar. Assorted colors would be good. I'd pay 25-30 for a nice polo shirt, and 15 for the T. Maybe bimmer.info hats if you haven't already. Maybe bimmer.info on the front of a T, and then "In memory of AllanS" on the back or some variation.

[632 Regal]

DUDE!

I ordered on off the top link, about a week ago, gave my credit card info and all...i think somethings wrong here!

[Bimmer Nut Ed]

Sorry for the delay Jeff, I shipped it yesterday, you should get it tomorrow. I waited till I had a couple Crappie.com shirts to do at the same time.

See, that was an AllanS shirt, and thats fine. But still no one has bought a non-AllanS shirt. I realize colors might be the issue, and I will be adding colors slowly. Thanks for everyone's feedback, on and off the forum.

I'm going to change the T-Shirts page to Paypal Payments (which also accepts credit cards, and you don't even have to have a PayPal account to purchase), that'll force me to ship immediately as it's payments to me will also be immediate. Today I process the Credit Cards separately by hand, at the time I actually ship.


DUDE!

I ordered on off the top link, about a week ago, gave my credit card info and all...i think somethings wrong here!

[Hector]

apologies. I'm all for supporting small business, and I'm a t-shirt kinda guy... love them but I am also very picky about what screen designs I wear/advertise too. Since I'm very PICKY consider I'm just a voice in the choir so you may want to go with the opnions of the majority. I don't like to wear t-shirts with big logos or screen designs except when I wear t-shirts like NCAA b-ball final four teams... love b-ball, specifically if the shirt portrays my alma mater as one of the teams. The whole screen fills the front of the shirt. In most cases, I like small print/small screen designs. I don't like to advertise through t-shirts but when I do I like the screen designs to be as small as possible, not microscopic.

In the midwest, back in the late 80s, I used to see alot peopale wear the most collected (the jury is still out on this one) t-shirt in the states: Hard Rock Cafe. People thought it was cool but I never gave into temptation to acquire one.

I'm not too crazy about car screen prints on t-shirts. Maybe if the shirt had some catchy phrase or initials of something that someone couldn't figure out would be something I'd wear. People get curious and such about something they don't understand. It's a good ice-breaker/conversation piece, specifically with chics.

This is not for t-shirts but I always like the logo of Nine Inch Nails that some people put on their car back window, as an example. Many didn't know (and still don't know) what their logo stood for.

You might laugh at this but perhaps if you had a t-shirt that said Bimmer Nut Ed in small print, and printed in the pocket/breast area or across the back would be cool, I think. If I wore it out here in SoCal people wouldn't know who this person/phrase is or what it stands for until you told them... kinda like an enigma. I have a t-shirt I hardly wear but love that says Eskimo Joes--a little bar and grill hangout for college students. It has a picture of an Eskimo with big teeth next to a dog (I think) and both standing next to an igloo. Many don't know what this is except for those who have been in the midwest and such. I have (my son as well) a t-shirt of Tracy MacGrady. The screen design says MacGrady on the back of shirt but it is written from top to bottom, not from left to right like most of us write. This makes it somewhat hard to read but it is also written in a funky kinda font, like a monotype corsiva font, looks very interesting. It almost has a graffiti type look.

Gotta go Ed but hope this helps.

[632 Regal]

I have an old shirt that has

"whats wrong with your neck?"

printed from the bottom up on it.

Old people still dont get it.

[bimmerd00d]

I have one that says Git-R-Done on the front, and Got-R-Did on the back. Oh i'm the white trash bimmer.info member now :D

[632 Regal]

I downloaded that getRdone dude dvd, he is funny as ****!

"madder than a skinhead watchin the Jeffersons"

[Astroboy]

class, sportiness & sophistication.

I've always like the currently popular - subtle small print/and/or logo on the sleeve-end area, as well as below the back collar, and possibly something on the left chest. That is how most PGA Tour Golfers wear their sponsor shirts.

We are all very proud owners of our BMWs, but somehow LARGE designs border on being "ricey"

Sorry, just my $0.02 :(
Thanks for asking! :D
Astrboy

[biondani]

Will be another sale at the weekend when I get under the bonnet to read the code on the current chip. 91 UK 525i Sport. From what I can gather AllanS was a great guy.

Ian

[632 Regal]

I like the ones with a more realistic car on them, the E39 isnt bad at all.

Maybe do some with a picture of an E-34 with bimmer.info right under it as a pocket deal. maybe that with a bimmer on the back with bimmer.info under it?

Just some half cocked ideas here.

[Paul in NZ]

i prefer polos too

[Johntee540]

I think the point was - to support the AllanS Fund. I just bought one Ed. I think the AllanS shirt will be swell as part of my collection for Racquetball and riding the lawn tractor - JT

[Bimmer Nut Ed]

Yes, the monies for the AllanS shirts are going to the fund, no problem. Thanks for your purchase John T.. I don't want to diminish that effort one bit.

And for those of you that like subtle, the AllanS shirt is just that. Very low key and understated. I need to take a full torso pic of the design on someone's back so you can see what I mean.


I think the point was - to support the AllanS Fund. I just bought one Ed. I think the AllanS shirt will be swell as part of my collection for Racquetball and riding the lawn tractor - JT

[Brian C.]

Of course I had no problem "buying" a shirt as part of Allan's memorial contribution. And you know that I asked you to not send me the shirt and to use the entire purchase price towards the donation. The real reason for that was that, in my closet, at this moment, I happen to have 946,362 t-shirts of all various colors, sizes, brands, denominations, and I think even a few different flavors. Honestly, the last thing that I want or need is another t-shirt. No matter what it says on it. With me, that about sums it up in one short sentence.

Brian C.
nice shirts though...
:p

[632 Regal]

CityPress.com shirts and hats and scratch pads and crap it would all end up in the trash?

Just order some crap LOL...

I like your idea of donating the funds to Allens fund, I never thought of that aspect.


Of course I had no problem "buying" a shirt as part of Allan's memorial contribution. And you know that I asked you to not send me the shirt and to use the entire purchase price towards the donation. The real reason for that was that, in my closet, at this moment, I happen to have 946,362 t-shirts of all various colors, sizes, brands, denominations, and I think even a few different flavors. Honestly, the last thing that I want or need is another t-shirt. No matter what it says on it. With me, that about sums it up in one short sentence.

Brian C.
nice shirts though...
:p

[liquidtiger720]

I'd prefer a polo too. But I do like the first e34 shirt (Allan S. one).

[winfred]

my favorite that's now too worn out to wear said "knock it off ******* i am a french fry" and had a pic of a french fry getting plowed by a catterpiller, had another that was a take off on absolut vodka, "abosolutely naked" and had a real pic of a big tittyed chic


I have an old shirt that has

"whats wrong with your neck?"

printed from the bottom up on it.

Old people still dont get it.

[Patrick]

I can vouch for the quality/fit/style of the hats and shirts -they're good. I've been enjoying wearing both and really like them.
Thanks Ed!

[632 Regal]

i dont like polos...im not a true BMW owner I just play the part.

[Brian C.]

I ordered a "shirt" the first day that ed had the link up, then I e-mailed wifey and told them that instead of taking half of my $20 and using it to send me a shirt+postage, they should just use it all for a donation and...(politely put)...keep the shirt for someone else. :D

Brian C.

[jsvizijr]

I generally wear 't' shirts doing yardwork type of tasks, with that said I don't spend a whole lot on 't' shirts. I did buy the Alan shirt mainly for the donation factor. With this said, I DO wear a whole lot of Polo type of shirts and love the ones sporting a cool insignia. Maybe have the pic on the area wear a pocket would be (but don't use a pocket polo), and the websit on the sleeve. I think it is great that you asked and am very hopeful that a polo shirt becomes available.

Joe

[Rigmaster]

A couple of things come to mind- first is, for a LONG time- I did not even realize that the T-shirt link at the top of the page was something that you (Ed) were doing, It's up there with the links/affiliates, so I thought it was one of those. Maybe make it a clear that you are supporting the site by buying the shirts.

Secondly- I agree with Jeff (!!) in that many of the images don't seem to translate well to silkscreen on a shirt. The more realistic image, such as the E39, is much more attractive to me. The others that have that shadowy or filtered look appear sort of smeared looking, or almost like the image did not transfer completely to the shirt (I know that's not the case- but that's what they look like to me).

Not sure what you could do to increase Ebay purchases- there's ALOT of competition for things like this on Ebay, you really have to make your product stand out.

For the folks on this board- I think most would like something a bit more simple, understated, that promoted the board! Something with a small "Bimmer.info" logo on the front pocket area, maybe include the slogan too. A pic on the back could be a desired option, but something basic- a nice profile or head-on shot of an E34 perhaps?

Lots of folks have mentions Polo-type shirts, which I think would be good, but they need to be simple as well, perhaps just the "bimmer.info" logo embroidered on the pocket area.

Ed, we REALLY appreciate all the work you put into the site, and it truly is one of the best BMW sites on the 'net (especially for E34's!!). Keep up the good work, and if you can ever use some assistance, don't hesitate to ask. There are many talented folks on this board, and I'm sure we can help you make this site a continued success!!

Bret.

[Bimmer Nut Ed]

Thank you all for your help and advise. This is exactly what I was looking for. You've provided some great feedback, and I will take note. You'll see changes over time (in the T-Shirt arena), and hopefully it'll work out. I'm serious, on the board and even in PM's and emails, all the detail from you all, providing suggestions for improvement, has been extremely valuable to me. Particularly since it seems like I'm working on this all alone sometimes. It's just like repairing my bimmers, it's good to know you guys are out there offering your help.