Cyber Monday gives boost to online sales of MBTA merchandise

December 02, 2011|By Brock Parker, Town Correspondent, Globe Staff

By Brock Parker, Town Correspondent

Cyber Monday provided a boost to sales for the MBTA’s online store this week, as holiday shoppers logged on to buy T mugs, T-shirts and Green Line ornaments for their Christmas trees.

The MBTA sold $893 in merchandise through online sales Monday, almost doubling the $446 in sales on the day before Thanksgiving last week, according to MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo. Sales on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, were $514.

Sales remained up on Tuesday when 37 orders were placed for a total of about $786 in merchandise.

The T is going to make a big push to sell more MBTA merchandise this holiday season and is placing an advertisement for the MBTA store in subway cars and buses this week, Pesaturo said.

The online store, www.mbtagifts.com/shop.php, had its grand opening in the spring and is operated at no cost to the MBTA by brothers Steven and Brian Beaucher, who also sell T merchandise at their Cambridge store, Ward Maps at 1735 Massachusetts Ave.

Royalties from the sales of T merchandise go to the MBTA, which is hoping sales will generate six-figures in revenue for the transit system by this time next year.

Brian Beaucher said Friday that sale of MBTA merchandise in his Cambridge store and on the website have increased over the past week, with the Green Line trolley Christmas Tree ornaments at the top of most shopping lists. The Beaucher’s also design the T merchandise, and he said they are hoping to have new Red Line train ornaments in stock soon.

“All the gift products have been flying off the shelf,” he said. “Anything under $50.”

The online store sells everything from T Teddy Bears and T ties to vintage MBTA signs and hundreds of T station-sign magnets.

Brian Beaucher said the product line of T items is expanding almost every week and items run from $3.50 to $650.

The MBTA is placing this advertisement in the subway and buses in an effort to boost sales of T items during the holiday season.Photo courtesy the MBTA.