The first Friday TeePublic drop is done. Numbers from week 1, the design that won, what sold out, what flopped, and what the next drop looks like.
The numbers
- 5 designs launched
- 47 units sold in week 1
- $1,420 revenue
- $280 net (after Printful base + TeePublic fees + shipping subsidies)
- 1 design sold out (factions-alliance crest)
- 1 design flopped (5 realms 9 essences typographic)
- 1 design was the surprise hit (glow-in-the-dark Void shirt)
The design that won: Faction Crests
The 7-pack of faction crests (one per launch faction) sold out by Wednesday. The standalone crests sold slower. People wanted the full set, not just one faction.
Lesson: bundle deals convert better than individual products. The next drop will lead with a bundle.
The surprise hit: I attuned to the Void
The glow-in-the-dark ink Cursed shirt was not expected to be the top seller. It was.
The glow-in-the-dark gimmick does something in person that photos can’t capture. When someone wears it to a club or a bar, the shirt glows. People notice. People ask. People buy.
Lesson: physical gimmicks that work in person beat visual gimmicks that work only in photos. The next drop will lean into this.
The design that flopped: 5 Realms, 9 Essences
The typographic tee with the 9 vertical Essence-colored bars was the lowest seller.
Why: the design looked fine in photos but did not stand out. In a TeePublic search, it blended in. The aesthetic was too subtle for the audience.
Lesson: bold visual hooks sell better than subtle ones. The next drop will be louder.
The lesson I’m taking forward
Three lessons from one drop:
– Bundle deals convert better than individual products
– Physical gimmicks that work in person beat visual gimmicks that work in photos
– Bold visual hooks sell better than subtle ones
The next drop applies all three: a 7-faction crest bundle with glow-in-the-dark ink on the most popular faction (the Cursed Void shirt). The launch will lead with the bundle.
What the next drop looks like
**Drop 2 — Friday [next week]**
- 7-faction crest bundle (lead product, $169.99 for all 7)
- Aeldric silhouette tee (refreshed, navy on bone)
- “I attuned to the Void” (refreshed, glow-in-the-dark ink, faction-crest glow accent)
- New: Korgax silhouette tee (blood-red on bone)
- New: “Nine Essences” wordmark tee (all 9 essence colors, bold typography)
The drop is bigger. The bundle is the headline. The individual shirts support the bundle.
How to buy
- TeePublic storefront: https://www.teepublic.com/user/farouks-fusion
- Discord #teepublic: first-look Wednesday, public Friday
- Pre-order via the landing page: /shop-tee/
What this means for the business
First drop: $280 net in week 1. With the bundle headline, the next drop should net $500–$800. After 4 drops, this becomes a $2,000–$3,000/month revenue stream on top of the lore book.
The lore book is the front door. The faction merch is the loyalty loop. Together they make the business sustainable.
Read the related
- /the-5-t-shirt-designs-that-are-about-to-drop-on-teepublic/ — the original launch article
- /why-we-chose-print-on-demand-over-a-print-run/ — the economics
- /lore/ — the lore behind every design
Shop the store. Friday drop. Bundle first.
