Improve Merch Sales With An Integrated eCommerce Strategy

Merch sales at shows look the same today as they did 20 years ago. You either buy right away to secure an exclusive item, and end up holding it all night (ugh) - or you wait until the end of a show when the merch line is longest and you're least likely to get what you want. Fortunately, bands can give leverage the power of eCommerce to give their fans choice, sell more merch, and make more money.

Here are the top 5 most compelling reasons your band should promote its online store at the show, and through ConcertHub, putting your merch at fans fingertips.

1. Expanded Inventory Selection

When on tour or playing locally, your merch table selection is limited to whatever you're willing to physically bring to the venue. One of the biggest advantages of promoting your online store at shows is the opportunity to offer a much broader selection of products. Bands can display a variety of items that might be impractical to carry on the road, such as high value specialty merchandise, unique designs, or exclusive limited editions.

A band will typically sell 3-5 t-shirt designs at their shows. By promoting an online store, bands can showcase more designs and additional merch like hoodies, hats, and posters easily. Variety increases the likelihood of fans finding something they love, driving sales. Integrating with on-demand merch services mean you might never need to warehouse them. This all allows the physical merch booth to focus on city-exclusive or limited run options specifically for the tour.

2. Additional Size and Fit Selection

Fans come in all shapes and sizes and running out of any options can feel fans feeling left out and not making a purchase. Leveraging an online store and promoting it at the show can help showcase more options than your merch booth can hold .

With an ecommerce store, bands can easily offer sizes from XS to 3XL as well as fitted or straight options, addressing the needs of a broader demographic. This means fans won't leave disappointed if their size isn't available right at the booth, significantly reducing lost sales opportunities. Providing this diversity also increases the chances of repeat purchases, as fans are more likely to buy when they find their perfect fit.

3. Convenience for Fans

Carrying merchandise during a concert or festival can be challenging. Juggling drinks, phones, and personal belongings can make it difficult to also carry merch. By utilizing an online store, bands can offer an easy solution: fans can buy items during the show and have them shipped directly to their homes. This removes the need to stand in long lines after a show, and simplifies the sales process for the band. By providing this convenience, bands can better cater to their audience and reduce the two main reasons fans indicate they chose not to buy merch.

4. Higher Profits and Lower Fees

Merchandise sales play a major role in a band's income, making up to as much as 30% of their total earnings, particularly for artists on tour. However, venues and promoters frequently take a share of in-person merchandise sales, between 10% and 40%, drastically affecting the band's net profit.

Offering an online store to in-person fans not only increase the average transaction value through broader selection, it can ensure more of the money lands in the band's pockets. Some fans understand this, and are willing to trade the instant gratification of the merch booth for the benefit of better supporting their favorite artists. Artists that understand this will sometimes offer discount codes to fans for purchasing online. Taylor Swift offered all Era tours fans a 15% discount code for her online store. When combined with the $50 free shipping minimum, this led to fans getting a better value, and the artist taking more money directly.

5. It can be your only store

Some artists feel they are too small to be offering merch, or don't have the people to run a booth. However, promoting an eCommerce store at your show can alleviate both of those concerns, and allow the band to start making money right away.

Shopify, Squarespace, and other popular eCommerce stores integrate with print-on-demand (POD) services. This means even a brand new band can display a wide variety of merch designs without holding any inventory. As soon as a fan places an order, the POD creates the items and sends them out. Gone are the days of bands buying hundreds of shirts and being stuck with boxes of unsellable designs. While the margins on POD services are higher than bulk-orders, this is a safe way to test new designs.

If you don't have enough people run a booth while you're performing, and you're responsible for breaking down your gear after the show, an online store can help there too. Encouraging fans to buy merch on a mobile friendly platform with checkout options like Apple Pay, can convert listeners into merch buying fans where they previously had no options.

ConcertHub and Online Merch Stores

The entire ConcertHub platform is designed to easily connect fans with an artists music, socials, and merchandise. In the "Artist Spotlight" section of a show, every band has their biography, and social links available for quick access by fans. Think of it like a digital playbill. Next to every artist is a prominent "Buy Merch" button. In the show profile, the band admin can specify where this button will direct users. A few popular options are

1. Linking directly to your full online catalog or a featured section to get fans shopping

2. Create a discount code and hardcode it into the "Buy Merch" button, further encouraging fans to make a purchase

3. Not ready for an online store? Link to an Instagram or Twitter post where you highlight your in-person merch option