Printful + Shopify Merch Specialist for Premium Automotive Lifestyle Brand

I’m building a premium automotive lifestyle brand and need a **Printful + Shopify merch specialist** to help me get the foundation right and then stay on in a light, ongoing role. This is NOT a generic “launch my store tomorrow” job. I already have: - A clearly defined brand and strategy (multi-layer ecosystem: apparel, print object/zine, advisory, trips, etc.). - A direction for my audience: well-off, design-conscious automotive enthusiasts who expect high quality, not cheap merch. What I need now is a specialist who can: ### Phase 1 – One-time setup (paid fixed project) 1. **Audit & advise on Printful setup** - Review my existing Printful connection (and Shopify, if needed). - Confirm best practices for using Printful in a premium brand context (products, print methods, settings). 2. **Recommend premium blanks that fit my brand level** - Shortlist 1–3 hero blanks for: - Main unisex tee (and possibly a heavier “heritage” tee). - A hoodie and/or hat (optional, if you have strong opinions here). - You should already know the difference between budget vs premium blanks (e.g. Gildan vs Bella+Canvas / AS Colour / similar) and be able to explain why your picks are right for: - Soft, premium handfeel. - Good DTG/DTF print results. - Minimal shrink/fade over time. 3. **Advise on print methods** - For each product, recommend the ideal method: - DTG vs DTF vs embroidery vs (later) screen print for higher volumes. - Explain tradeoffs in quality, feel, and longevity for my kind of customer. 4. **Set up initial catalog + placements** - Place my existing logos/graphics on the chosen blanks with correct scaling and positioning (front, back, sleeve, inside label where available). - Create a small, clean product list inside Printful and push to my Shopify (even if the store isn’t live yet). - Make sure variants, mockups, and product details look professional and on-brand. 5. **Create a sample plan** - Provide a clear list of which products, sizes, and designs I should order as samples to wear/wash-test before launch. ### Phase 2 – Ongoing freelance support (future) If Phase 1 goes well, I’d like to keep you on a small ongoing basis (e.g. a few hours per month) to: - Add new capsules / limited runs based on what we learn. - Swap or update blanks as needed. - Help ideate and configure select premium drops aligned with the brand. This would be a separate, light retainer or hourly agreement once we know the working relationship is good. *** **Ideal experience:** - You have **real-world Printful experience**, not just theory. - You’ve set up **apparel stores** (ideally on Shopify) using Printful or similar POD. - You understand: - Blanks quality (fabric, weight, fit, shrink, fade). - How DTG/DTF/embroidery behave on different fabrics. - Basic design/placement principles so graphics don’t look amateur. - Bonus if you’ve worked with: - Streetwear / lifestyle / automotive / creative brands. - Clients whose customers are more “fashion + design” than “cheap merch.” *** **Project specifics:** - This posting is for **Phase 1 only** (one-time setup). - Budget is **flexible but lean**: I care more about getting this right than squeezing every dollar, but this is not a huge agency job. - I’ll provide: - Brand strategy overview. - Existing logos/graphics. - Notes on the customer, price point, and quality expectations. How to apply:** Please respond with: 1. A brief intro on your Printful + Shopify experience. 2. 2–3 examples of apparel brands you’ve helped set up (screenshots or links). 3. Your recommended **main tee blank** for a premium-feeling brand using Printful, and *why* you’d choose it. 4. Your proposed **fixed price** for Phase 1 and approximate timeline. I’m looking for someone who can own this lane with me long-term once we’ve nailed the foundation.