Creating a Product
Add a physical merch product to your store with images, pricing, shipping, and a release date.
Selling merch is one of the best ways to turn casual fans into paying supporters. Whether it's t-shirts, hoodies, posters, or vinyl, TribeNest lets you list a product in a few minutes and have it ready for checkout.
This page walks you through creating a physical product end-to-end. If you're selling a downloadable file instead, see digital and external products. If you're putting out music, head to the music page.
How to create a product
- Go to Store then Products in your dashboard.
- Click the menu button in the top right and choose Create Product.
- Pick Physical Products in the dialog (the merch option, with examples like apparel and vinyl).
- Fill in the product details — covered below.
- Click Save at the bottom of the form.
Your product is saved straight to your catalog. If you set a future release date, it stays scheduled until that day arrives.
Product details
Title
Give your product a clear, descriptive name. This is what fans see when they browse your store. "World Tour 2025 T-Shirt" beats "T-Shirt" every time.
Description
Use the rich text editor to tell fans what they're getting. Include things like:
- What it's made of (e.g., 100% cotton, 180gsm jersey)
- What makes it special (limited edition, hand-signed, charity drop)
- Anything sizing or care related fans should know before buying
Keep it conversational — your fans are buying from you, so let your voice come through. The description must be at least 20 characters.
Cover image
Your cover image is the main photo fans see in the catalog and on the product page.
- Upload a clear, well-lit photo as a JPG or PNG.
- A clean background helps the product stand out.
Photo tip
You don't need a studio. A phone camera near a window with natural daylight gives you sharp, true-to-life colors.
Release date
Pick the date your product becomes available to fans. Leave it blank to publish immediately, or set a future date to schedule the launch.
Variants and price
Physical products are sold through variants — every size or color combination is its own variant with its own price and stock. Even if you only sell one version, you'll add a single default variant.
Adding the first variant unlocks the rest of the product (you can't save without at least one). Variants get their own page — see product variants.
Shipping
Every physical product needs shipping settings so fans can be charged the right amount and you can buy a label later.
You can choose between two shipping types:
- Flat Rate — you set one shipping cost that applies to every order, regardless of where it's going.
- Dynamic (Real-time rates) — TribeNest fetches live carrier rates at checkout based on the customer's address and the product's weight and dimensions.
You'll also fill in:
- Weight and weight unit (oz, lb, g, kg)
- Length, width, height and dimension unit (inches or cm)
- Shipping label size — the paper format your printer uses (4x6 is standard)
- Delivery zones — either ship worldwide, or pick the specific countries you're willing to ship to
Set your store address first
Shipping labels can only be purchased once your business address is set. If you see a warning at the top of the shipping section, head to settings and add a full address (street, city, state, country, phone) before publishing.
For more on shipping zones, label sizes, and testing rates, see shipping and fulfillment.
Drafts vs publishing
There's no separate "draft" status for products — instead, you control when a product appears in your store with the release date:
- Leave the release date empty or set it to today (or earlier) and the product is live the moment you save.
- Set it to a future date and the product stays hidden until that date arrives.
You can also archive a product at any time, which removes it from your store without deleting it.
Editing a product
- Go to Store then Products.
- Find the product, open the menu (the three dots on the right), and click Edit Product.
- Make your changes and click Update Product at the bottom.
Your changes go live immediately. Orders that were placed before your edits aren't affected.
Archiving and unarchiving
Archiving hides a product from your storefront without losing its data, variants, or order history.
- Open the product's menu and click Archive Product.
- Confirm in the dialog.
To bring it back, switch the status filter at the top of the products list to Archived Products, open the menu on the archived item, and click Unarchive Product.
Tips for a strong listing
- Use the Featured badge sparingly — it draws the eye on your storefront, so save it for your hero release or your best seller.
- Pair every drop with a smart link so you have a single URL to share on social.
- If a variant runs low, fans see "out of stock" the moment you hit zero — keep your stock counts current as you restock.
Where to go next
- Add sizes and colors → product variants
- Selling a download instead → digital and external products
- Set up shipping zones, rates, and labels → shipping and fulfillment
- Watch the orders roll in → orders