10 questions to ask before choosing a spirit wear fundraising company
By Bryan Whitaker, Home Crowd · Updated October 21, 2026
Before you choose a spirit wear fundraising company, ask what it costs the school, what share of each sale the school receives, whether there are minimums or contracts, and who handles ordering, shipping and customer service. Here are ten questions to ask any vendor, with what a good answer looks like and how Home Crowd answers each.
The questions
- What does it cost the school to start? A good answer is clear and specific. Home Crowd: nothing, with no upfront cost.
- Is there a minimum order or inventory to buy? Home Crowd: no minimums and no inventory.
- Exactly what percentage of each sale does the school receive, and of what? Ask whether it is a share of the sale price, of profit, or of something else, and whether shipping and tax are included. Home Crowd: 25% of qualifying merchandise sales, not including shipping, tax or refunded orders.
- When and how is the school paid, and can we see the numbers? Home Crowd: the school dashboard shows sales, amount earned, and a monthly payout report.
- Who collects orders and money? Home Crowd: customers order and pay online. School staff and volunteers don't collect anything.
- Who handles shipping and delivery? Home Crowd: orders ship directly to the customer, so nothing has to be sorted or distributed.
- Who handles customer service and problems with orders? Home Crowd handles customer questions about its orders.
- Who creates the designs, and who owns the school's logo and mascot? Home Crowd can create original designs, and the school or rights holder keeps ownership of its marks.
- Is there a contract, and how do we leave? Home Crowd doesn't do contracts.
- Can it work alongside our current uniform or apparel provider, and can teams and clubs have their own gear? Home Crowd: yes to both.
Red flags
- The school's share is described only as 'a portion' or 'up to' a percentage, with no definition.
- You are asked to buy inventory or hit a minimum before you can start.
- A long contract with penalties for leaving.
- It is unclear who answers when a family has a problem with an order.
- No way for the school to see sales and what it has earned.
Why we wrote this
We're parents too, and we started Home Crowd by asking a simple question: how much of the money families spend actually reaches the school? We would rather you ask every vendor these questions, including us, than choose without them. You can read more about us and in our FAQ.
Common questions
- What is a fair percentage for a school to receive?
- It varies, and what matters is that the percentage is clearly defined. Ask what it is a percentage of, and whether shipping, tax and refunds are excluded. Home Crowd gives schools 25% of qualifying merchandise sales.
- Should a school sign a long contract with a spirit wear vendor?
- Be cautious. Look for flexibility, and ask how to leave. Home Crowd doesn't do contracts.
- Who owns our school's logo and mascot?
- The school or applicable rights holder. A vendor should only use them as you authorize.
Want a free school store?
No upfront cost, no inventory, no minimums, and 25% of qualifying merchandise sales goes back to your school. See what one looks like, then tell us about your school.