Every retail operation wants to promote its brand to the public, but promotion is expensive. Wouldn’t it be a better world if devoted customers paid the retailer for permission to do the promoting on the brand’s behalf? That’s what happens every time a convenience brand sells a t-shirt, hoodie or other item featuring the chain’s identifying logo.

Often described as simply “merch,” logoed merchandise turns customers into walking billboards for a retail operation while making the wearer feel more connected to the brand and exposing others to the company.

For a year, Kwik Trip stores teased fans on social media with the promise of offering logoed merchandise. The program eventually launched with a pair of Kwik Trip underwear, and “the hype hasn’t slowed down since,” said Hayden Knoll, influencer and merch specialist for Kwik Trip. 

Kwik Trip’s current collection includes traditional items, such as shirts, socks and caps, as well as swimwear and intentionally “ugly” holiday sweaters. Customers can also order accompanying accessories, such as pickleball paddles, tumblers in various sizes, beach towels, cooler bags, toddler attire and umbrellas.

“One of our consistent bestsellers is our banana boxers,” said Knoll. “They’re a little outside the box, but that’s what makes them a hit. We’ve found that unique, trendy and humorous pieces tend to sell the best.” 

Kwik Trip produces two merchandise drops annually, one for spring/summer and another for winter. “Our program is truly a team effort,” Knoll said. “When we’re brainstorming ideas, we ask, ‘Is this something I’d want to wear?’ Our goal is to create merch that tells a story or starts a conversation for our brand.” 

Once new-product decisions are finalized, the chain’s design team brings the ideas to life with custom graphics. A third-party vendor handles warehousing and order fulfillment. Each season’s merchandise is available while supplies last, “but when an item is popular or frequently requested, there’s a good chance it’ll make a return,” she said. “Our top-selling product to date is the official Kwik Trip crewneck.”

Guests can purchase Kwik Trip merchandise from an online catalog (kwiktripmerch.com), which features photos of actual Kwik Trip employees modeling the goods. Earlier this year, several locations began offering a few products in-store. “It’s a great way to bring the fun personality of our brand directly into the stores our guests know and love,” said Knoll. “We see the program as a positive way to share some fun with the Kwik Trip communities we serve, and it’s a great way to highlight our Midwest roots in a lighthearted way.”

Dinos, Slurpees and Sweatshirts

When 7-Eleven announced its partnership with Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment to promote the July release of “Jurassic World: Rebirth,” the company was quick to add movie-themed apparel to 7Collection, the company’s online merch store.

7Collection (7collection.com) was created in 2022 because “people were asking for merch, so we gave them what they wanted,” said Alex Crawford, senior marketing specialist at 7-Eleven, Irving, Texas. “What started as logoed merch featuring iconic products like Slurpee and Big Gulp quickly evolved into seasonal drops, brand collaborations and capsule collections that extended in-store programs and helped us show up in new spaces, from car culture to streetwear.”

“Since the program’s inception, more than 100,000 units have been sold, and in the first half of 2024 alone, we saw 32% growth in sales,” she continued. From 2023 to 2024, 7Collection saw a 6.5% increase in total sales, with consistent year-over-year growth. “And that’s just looking at the July-September window, not the full year.”

“That kind of momentum, paired with the organic visibility from people wearing and sharing our gear, shows us this is more than just a trend or moment,” Crawford said. “It’s helping build real affinity and giving our customers a way to connect with the brand beyond the store. As the convenience culture increasingly intersects with streetwear, nostalgia and content, 7Collection is in position to lead—not just follow—where the industry is going.”

Insights from 7Collection’s online sales performance, social engagement and targeted campaign response give the marketing team a picture of who’s connecting with the brand. 

“Our core customers, especially those with a deep affinity for iconic products like Slurpee and Big Gulp, see merch as a way to extend that relationship and express loyalty in a tangible, cultural way,” Crawford said. “We’ve built strong traction with younger consumers drawn to the brand’s unexpected playfulness. These fans often engage with our launches in real time, sharing and generating buzz that helps us quickly gauge what’s working.”

7-Eleven designs merchandise products aimed at the chain’s various markets. “We work closely with social teams to track sentiment, engagement and emerging trends so we keep evolving with our audience,” she said.

Company employees are some of the chain’s most enthusiastic merch customers. “We get a lot of great feedback and ideas from them, and it’s always fun to see how excited our store teams, franchisees and corporate employees get about new drops,” Crawford said. “Of course, we do have uniform guidelines in place for stores to keep things consistent and professional while serving customers. But we love seeing the 7Collection pride, whether it’s worn on a day off or shared on social.”

Craftwork Design Co. manages the merchandise and operations for 7Collection, while the chain’s marketing team focuses on the creative and promotional aspects. The fulfillment side of the program is a hybrid model, with some items being produced on demand and others created in advance and held in inventory, an arrangement that allows for more flexibility.

“Our most popular product to date has been the retro 7-Eleven woven button-up from our first golf-themed collection,” Crawford said. “We sold over 3,000 units of that shirt alone, and the response was so strong that we brought golf back for a second year. We followed up with a second drop that included a custom golf bag made in partnership with Sunday Golf, which retailed for $224 and completely sold out in presale. Golf has quickly become one of our fastest-growing categories.”

Another sporty line, Reel Convenience, aims to meet the fashion requirements of anglers by offering colorful fishing hats, graphic tees and even a custom cooler bag. 

Currently, 7Collection is shipped only within the continental United States. Orders have been received in all 48 lower states, even from areas without a nearby 7-Eleven store. “We’ve also shared designs with our Australian team, and they’ve used select pieces for social giveaways,” Crawford said. “That’s been a fun way to see the brand resonate internationally, even without direct shipping.” 

Pizza and T-shirts

Ankeny, Iowa-based Casey’s began selling logoed merchandise several years ago for special occasions, such as the “Casey’s Pizza Since 1985” t-shirt that celebrated four decades of the chain’s famous pizza. 

“We recognized that our dedicated fans wanted more than just pizza, fuel and friendly service. They wanted to express their love for Casey’s brand in a more tangible way,” said a company spokesperson. Traditional logoed clothing, drinkware and even enhanced-visibility jackets with reflective taping can be purchased at caseys.ccbrands.com. 

“By offering a variety of logoed merchandise, we have empowered guests to demonstrate their passion for Casey’s Country,” the spokesperson said. “We are thrilled to see guests across our footprint sporting our merch, turning every outing into an opportunity to proudly show their love for Casey’s.” 

Other convenience chains have enjoyed success with logoed merchandise programs. Love’s Travel Centers (lovesbrandstore.merchorders.com) lets fans purchase long- and short-sleeve t-shirts in a wide range of colors or a camouflage print, and polos, jackets, hats and mugs with the familiar red heart logo. 

Sheetzshop.com, the online merch outlet for Sheetz paraphernalia, features clothes, caps and socks, along with sunglasses, totes, backpacks, ice chests and pickleball paddles. Last year, the chain introduced a limited-edition garment collection in partnership with Dickies workwear.

Quiktripshop.com offers apparel, baby clothes, and golf accessories, plus even a doggie bandana, plush toy and food bowl with logos and in QuikTrip’s bright-red color. 

Hoagie lovers can stock up on Wawa shirts, hats, visors and collectibles at gear.wawa.com. 

“We’ve grown 7Collection with intention, using real-time feedback, cultural signals and community interest to shape what comes next,” said Crawford. “It’s become a creative and strategic extension of the brand, one that builds affinity, drives relevance and gives people a fresh way to connect with 7-Eleven beyond the store.”

While a sideline merch biz can be profitable, offering logoed merchandise is less about making money and more about “delivering unexpected goodness to our guests,” the Casey’s spokesperson said. “It’s a way for customers to take a piece of Casey’s with them wherever they go.”