Define the first buyer before choosing the first quantity
“Goalkeepers” is too broad for an opening order. Identify the age group, use case, sales channel and purchasing decision-maker. A coach buying for an academy squad has different information from a new online retailer serving unfamiliar customers.
Write down the demand you can currently evidence: confirmed team requirements, permission-based interest, sample feedback and previous sales where available. Keep expressions of interest separate from paid orders. A popular social post does not establish a reliable size split or a guaranteed sale.
Keep the first range concentrated
A starting MOQ of 30 pairs per design can make a focused trial possible, subject to the agreed specification and current quotation. Confirm what counts as one design, which sizes are available and whether colour or construction changes create a separate order minimum.
Adding three colourways can divide the same customer demand across three stock positions. Before doing that, compare one clearly positioned model with the broader range. Choose variety when it answers a proven customer need, and account for the extra sampling, artwork and inventory decisions.
Allow for the pairs you will use for photography, testing or agreed promotional activity. Those pairs still consume cash and should not quietly remain in your forecast of stock available to sell.
Build the size mix from keeper information
Collect actual fit feedback on the proposed model. A size that works in one glove may feel different in another cut or construction. For an academy, organise a sample fitting session and record each keeper’s preference. For a retail brand, combine sample testing with available customer or sales data.
This 30-pair allocation is only an arithmetic example. It is not a recommended size curve for every market, gender or age group. Replace it with evidence from your intended buyers and confirm that the supplier can make the agreed mix.
| Illustrative size | Pairs | Share of this example |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 3 | 10% |
| 8 | 8 | 26.7% |
| 9 | 10 | 33.3% |
| 10 | 6 | 20% |
| 11 | 3 | 10% |
| Total | 30 | 100% after rounding |
Agree the approvals before authorising production
Your approval should connect the artwork, sample, specification and order sheet. Confirm palm and backhand materials, cut, cuff, decoration, size labels, quantities and packaging. Keep the approved version easy to identify, especially when more than one sample has been discussed.
Ask which details remain open and who needs to approve them. A message saying “looks good” can be ambiguous if colours are still being revised or the final size split has not been sent. State exactly what you are approving and what remains conditional.
- Record the sample or revision reference.
- Confirm the final artwork and material specification.
- Check every size quantity and the total pair count.
- Approve labels, bags and any separately quoted accessories.
- Confirm the written price, payment schedule and shipping basis.
Plan dates around milestones, not a guessed arrival day
Ask for the current sample, production and delivery estimates for your specific order. Keep these stages separate. Design revisions, material availability and shipping arrangements can affect the schedule, so an estimate should identify what must be approved before the next stage begins.
Build customer-facing launch activity around the milestones you can verify. Product photography needs the approved product; a detailed size guide needs fit information. Avoid announcing a firm delivery promise based only on an early manufacturing conversation.
| Milestone | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|
| Brief accepted | Specification and sample scope |
| Sample approved | Approval record and photographs |
| Production confirmed | Quantity, size split and agreed schedule |
| Ready for dispatch | Packing details and delivery arrangements |
| Stock received | Count and receiving review |
| Launch or allocation | Available sizes and customer information |
Prepare for the stock you receive
Decide where the gloves will be received, counted and stored. If a fulfilment partner is involved, confirm its labelling and intake requirements before packing is finalised. Make a simple receiving checklist for the quantity, size labels, packaging and agreed product details.
Keep a record of any issue with clear photographs and the relevant order reference. Separate a construction concern from a customer fit preference when discussing it. Consistent records help you address the immediate question and improve the next order.
Make the second order smarter than the first
Track sales and allocation by size, not only by total pairs. Note returns, fit questions, care questions and the time stock spends on the shelf. If one size sells out, that alone does not prove every other size needs the same increase.
Set a review point based on the replenishment lead time and cash you can commit. Reordering the approved design may be simpler than introducing a new one, but confirm material continuity and any specification change. Let the first batch earn the next investment through evidence rather than optimism.
Put it into practice
Your next steps
- Start with one identifiable customer and a controlled range.
- Use sample fitting and buyer evidence to allocate sizes.
- Connect sample approval, artwork and order quantities in writing.
- Track size-level results before planning the reorder.
Ready to plan a first batch? Share your audience, proposed design, quantity, size information and destination. We can help identify the details needed for a clear manufacturing brief.
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