Return to Blog Posts July 07, 2025

Simple Guide to Setting Up Your First Corporate Store

Written by: Aisling Graham

What Is a Corporate Store?

A corporate store, also called an online company store, is a branded eCommerce portal that centralises the ordering, management, and distribution of approved promotional merchandise.

You use it to simplify staff access to branded items like uniforms, onboarding kits, event giveaways, and campaign products — all while maintaining full control over your brand assets.

Why Should You Launch a Corporate Store?

You need a scalable corporate store to eliminate manual merchandise tasks and create a consistent, brand-aligned system.

Key advantages:

Benefit	Description
Centralised Ordering	Manage all requests in one branded platform
Brand Consistency	Apply fixed colours, logos, fonts, and packaging standards
Admin Efficiency	Reduce approval chains and minimise duplicate spending
Role-Based Access	Assign rules for departments, teams, or franchisees
Real-Time Reporting	Monitor usage trends, inventory levels, and order history

Inkwell Global Marketing reports that businesses reduce merch-related admin time by 20–40% with a company store.

How Do You Set Up a Corporate Store?

Use these six core steps to build your first online company store effectively:

1. Define Store Purpose and User Roles

Ask: Who will use your store and for what types of merchandise?

Examples:

HR teams → onboarding packs and uniforms
Franchisees → signage, POS kits
Marketing departments → event giveaways and promo items

Set rules around:

User permissions
Spending limits
Approval flows

2. Select Products by Purpose and Frequency

Choose pre-approved, brand-aligned products. Group them by:

Department or team
Frequency of use (recurring vs. seasonal)
Business function (internal kits vs. partner gifts)

Top categories include:

Branded drinkware
Eco-conscious notebooks
Apparel and lanyards
Technology accessories

According to APPA (2024), these items remain in the top 5 for brand recall and repeat usage.

3. Apply Your Brand Guidelines Rigorously

Ensure all items in your corporate store follow:

Official Pantone colours
Correct logo placement rules
Approved font usage
Branded packaging requirements

This maintains a consistent brand experience across all merchandise touchpoints.

4. Choose the Right Platform or Merch Partner

Your options include:

A custom-built eCommerce site
A partner-managed online company store platform

Look for these core features:

Feature	Functionality
Inventory Management	Track available stock in real time
Warehousing & Fulfilment	Store, pick, pack, and ship your merchandise efficiently
Print-on-Demand	Reduce upfront inventory costs
Custom Permissions	Control access by user role or department
Reporting Dashboard	View product popularity, usage trends, and spend summaries

OTT Promotions, for example, provides a full-service corporate store solution tailored for the APJC region.

5. Test the Store and Train Internal Users

Before going live:

Run a limited test with one department
Check checkout flows, permissions, and order processes
Provide training resources for teams and approvers

This ensures smooth adoption and early feedback.

6. Track Usage and Optimise Continuously

Monitor your corporate store monthly. Use KPIs like:

Most-ordered products
Average fulfilment time
Team-based spending
Stock turnover rate

Action steps:

Retire underused items
Promote high-turnover stock
Introduce seasonal or campaign-specific kits

Which Tools Support an Effective Corporate Store?

To streamline performance, integrate these tools:

Tool	Purpose
ERP Integration	Sync user data, budgets, and reporting with internal systems
Approval Workflows	Automate order authorisations and prevent overspending
Custom Packaging Options	Reinforce brand with consistent unboxing experiences
Analytics Dashboard	Generate usage insights, top-performing items, and cost impact

Who Should Manage the Store Internally?

Assign internal stakeholders to oversee the corporate store:

Marketing → Branding, product selection, messaging

HR/Admin → Onboarding kits, internal programs
Procurement → Supplier coordination, inventory thresholds
Merch Partner (if used) → Warehousing, fulfilment, tech support

Corporate Store Launch Checklist

Use this as a launch guide:

✅ Define target users and store purpose
✅ Curate approved products by category and team
✅ Enforce brand consistency through strict guidelines
✅ Select platform or partner with end-to-end services
✅ Test flows, train users, and go live
✅ Monitor KPIs monthly and improve continuously

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