Choosing the right products for your employees
Written by Justin Hoehn
•Updated Jun 4, 2026The best company stores are built around the products employees actually want to wear and use.
At Launch by Lead Apparel, we’ve found that successful merchandise programs are usually centered around:
- Premium retail brands
- Balanced product categories
- Clean, consistent product selections
- Products that match the company demographic
The goal is not simply to fill a store with products — it’s to create a merchandise experience employees are genuinely excited about.
Start with Premium Brands
Premium brands consistently drive the strongest employee participation.
Employees are naturally more excited to order products from brands they already recognize and wear outside of work.
Popular brands often vary based on the company demographic.
For example:
- Professional service and technology companies often gravitate toward Peter Millar, Patagonia, Nike and TUMI
- Construction, logistics and infrastructure companies may prefer Carhartt, The North Face, Richardson and YETI
Choosing brands that align with your employee base often leads to stronger engagement and better long-term participation.
Offer a Balanced Product Mix
The most successful stores typically include a variety of products that appeal to different employee preferences and lifestyles.
A balanced store may include:
- Men’s and women’s apparel options
- Drinkware
- Backpacks or bags
- Hats
- Phone chargers or tech accessories
- Premium hoodies
- Outerwear and jackets
- Joggers or lifestyle apparel
Stores that accommodate multiple demographics generally create a better employee experience.
Keep Product Selections Simple
One of the most common mistakes companies make is adding too many variations of the same product.
For example:
- Five colors of the same t-shirt
- Multiple nearly identical hoodies
- Excessive duplicate styles
Instead, focus on a cleaner and more curated experience.
Offering a men’s and women’s companion style in the same product is often more effective than adding many different variations.
For example:
A store may look more balanced when the same Patagonia jacket is available in both men’s and women’s styles.
Focus on Long-Term Product Value
Lead Apparel does not specialize in gimmicky promotional products designed to be thrown away after an event. Instead, Launch stores are typically built around products employees will continue using for months or years after receiving them.
This includes:
- Premium apparel
- Drinkware
- Bags
- Tech accessories
- Outerwear
- Everyday lifestyle products
Higher-quality merchandise often leaves a stronger and more lasting impression with employees.
Refresh Your Store Throughout the Year
Successful company stores continue evolving over time. Some stores perform well with 12 carefully selected products, while others succeed with larger catalogs containing 100 or more items.
The difference is usually not the number of products — it’s how relevant and updated the store feels.
We recommend reviewing and products in your store:
- At least once per year
- Ideally, two-three times per year
This helps keep employees engaged while introducing new products and premium brands as they become available.
Holiday launches are typically some of the highest-performing periods for company stores, but mid-year refreshes can also help maintain employee excitement and participation.
Best Practices
- Choose brands that match your company demographic
- Offer a balanced mix of apparel, drinkware and accessories
- Include men’s and women’s companion products when possible
- Avoid excessive variations of the same item
- Prioritize quality over gimmicky promotional products
- Refresh your product lineup at least once or twice per year
- Add new premium brands and seasonal products over time