What it does
The Custom Merch Agent helps you quickly expand your offerings by suggesting new product ideas and products that may complement your existing product lines. It comes up with merchandise ideas tailored to your brand and audience, then automatically kicks off the sourcing process to make those products a reality.
How it works
You start by telling the Assistant what kind of merch you’re interested in (e.g., “I want ideas for branded swag” or “Looking to create custom T-shirts for my brand”). From there, the agent:
Generates product ideas – It may suggest popular or on-trend merchandise items that fit your brand’s vibe. For example, if you run a coffee-themed brand, it might suggest custom mugs, tote bags with coffee art, or T-shirts with java-inspired slogans. The AI bases these suggestions on market trends and what’s worked for similar brands.
Creates a brief & design concept – For each idea, the Assistant can outline what the product could look like (materials, style, logo placement). Essentially, it’s like a creative director sketching the concept so you can visualize it.
Deploys sourcing actions – Here’s where it goes beyond just ideation. The Assistant uses Pietra’s Sourcing AI capabilities to find manufacturers or suppliers for the chosen merch. It will convert the idea into a tech pack or product brief (detailed specs of the product) automatically.Then, it reaches out to relevant factories in Pietra’s network to get you quotes or samples. For instance, if the idea is custom T-shirts, the AI finds apparel printers or manufacturers that can produce small runs of shirts with your design.
Presents you with options – After a short time, you'll receive a summary of ideas and purchase options: “Merch Idea: 100% cotton T-shirt with your logo – Factory A can do 50 units at $X each, Factory B offers organic cotton at $Y each.” You’ll see costs, MOQs (minimum order quantities), and timelines that the AI has gathered by negotiating or querying suppliers on your behalf
Why it’s useful
This agent essentially acts as a product development assistant, saving you the trouble of brainstorming and vendor sourcing. It can save a couple of hours of research (estimated ~2 hours) by quickly providing merch options and connecting you to suppliers. For many small businesses, adding merch can be an extra revenue stream or marketing play, but they avoid it due to the hassle. With the Custom Merch Agent, you get to explore new product ideas without having to learn how to source products or find factories. The AI Assistant does that legwork. It’s like having a product designer and sourcing agent in one, ensuring your brand can extend into merchandise smoothly.
Example use case
Say you run an online yoga equipment store and want to offer branded water bottles as merch. Instead of Googling for bottle suppliers and emailing them, you ask the Assistant. It might suggest a design (e.g., a stainless steel bottle with a laser-etched logo), then come back with “Supplier X in our network can produce 200 bottles at $5 each, ready in 3 weeks.” You can then proceed with the option that looks best, all within Pietra’s platform.