Can you think of a time where you went to a concert and they didn’t sell band merchandise? Probably not. Every concert will sell band merchandise for a reason. People simply want to support the music that they love! While merchandising is a great source of income for your brand, the benefits don’t just stop at that.

When your fans are wearing t-shirts, sweatshirts and accessories with your band logo standing out loud and proud, it’s impossible to be unnoticed. Think about it this way, just a single t-shirt sale is basically a walking billboard dedicated to YOU and only you! Musicians thrive on awareness and merchandise is one of the strongest and most effective ways to grow that awareness within the industry.

The secret to band success is having more than one stream of revenue. If you’re just going to bank on profiting from music alone, especially when you’re starting out, it’s not going to be the easiest of journeys. Selling band merchandise gives you the opportunity to reinvest in yourself with the profits you earn from sales.

The Beauty of Print on Demand

Merchandising is not what it used to be… at all. Now, it’s even better and easier than ever before! There’s no more hassle, no more inventory buying, you won’t even have to deal with packing boxes and shipping. How is this possible? Well, that’s the beauty of print on demand.

In short, print on demand (POD) allows merchandise to be printed and fulfilled as orders come in. You’ll never have to worry about buying merchandise in bulk, then hoping everything sells. That being said, the only thing you can do is profit. You’ll never be at a loss. If you’re thinking this is too good to be true, think again and give it a try!

Getting Started

Now, finding the right print on demand solution is not always easy. There are many print on demand resources made available online with just a couple clicks. You may have heard of Spreadshop, Teespring, Printfulor Tee Public; some of the well-known merchandising platforms out there, but it’s important to know which solution will benefit your brand the most. Do your research and consider what merchandising needs are most important to your band.

While each platform essentially offers the same service, each has its own niche. For example, Spreadshop is more of an eCommerce shop solution, putting a stronger focus on brand development and entrepreneurial efforts. Teespring is more of a campaigning platform where merchandise is available for an allotted time which is great for fundraising. Like I said, any merchandising solution is an option, you can always sell on multiple platforms too, but picking the wrong platform for your band can make or break your sales.

Selling band merchandise online couldn’t be easier, it’s pretty much idiot-proof. With most platforms, it’s no different than opening a Facebook or Instagram account. Once you’re all signed up, simply upload your designs and promote your merchandise however you’d like. Each merchandising solution has a variety of marketing tools to help boost your sales. Be sure to look through blogs and forums to get as much information as possible about selling band merchandise online.

Once you’ve jumped into the marketing game, before you know it, BOOM! You’ve made some sales. So, what now? Just sit back, relax and put those profits to good use. Print on demand services will print, fulfill and ship your packages right to your customers! You’re happy and your fans are happy – it’s a win-win situation!

What You’ll Get Out of selling Band Merchandise Online

Your Benefits

It’s hard to describe the efficiency and simplicity of print on demand until you’ve tried it yourself. Setup is quick, creating merchandise is simple and social media has made promoting a business free and effective, which is a huge plus. There is an abundance of resources that will make selling band merch easy for you. Plus, merchandising is 100% free marketing for your music! That’s the whole reason you’re selling merch in the first place, right?

Customer Benefits

Selling merchandise online is a breeze and it won’t be any different for your customers either. Each merchandising platform offers a variety of products with various price points, so there’s something for any type of wallet. Plus, purchase questions and returns are dealt with through your merchandising platform directly, so they can get the answers and service they need quickly. Oh, and the best part; your audience will be thrilled to represent the band that they’ve grown to love. Selling band merch is just another effective way to engage your fans.

Your Profits

Finally, the part you’ve been waiting for… making that dough! Essentially, if your merchandising strategy has gone according to plan, you’ll have a whole other stream of income for you or your band. When those sales come in, you and your wallet will not be disappointed. Commission structures vary between platforms, but some offer more benefits than others. Look into which commission structure best fits your goals. Don’t just pick the service with the highest commission. Some platforms offer HUGE bonuses and profit opportunities that will make you an even bigger cash-out than imagined.

Helpful Selling Tips and Tricks

• Every merchandising platform offers a different collection of products. Be sure to research which products your fans will love the most as well as their purchasing habits, so you know which products to sell and which price point to hit.
• Keep merchandise designs consistent with your band colors and imagery. When your fans buy your merch, it’s important they’re representing 100% YOU.
• Consider Facebook advertising. As little as $5 goes a long way and expands your reach to thousands of people. That means growing awareness and growing sales.
• Stay on top of the trends. It’s super easy to fall behind on the trends these days, so make sure any promotions or content that you post isn’t outdated or “old news.”
• Find new ways to get your audience going. Just simply promoting your band merch with a simple social post won’t do it. You’re going to have to find new ways to engage your fans whether it’s through a contest or a discount.
• Consistently promote your shop. Whether you’re promoting once a week or once per day, it’s important to stay consistent. Always announce when you have new designs and product updates. You never know who it will appeal to!
• Stay positive. Merch sales may not come right away. It takes time, but if you put the effort in, you’ll be cashing out in no time.

All in all, merchandising keeps on getting better. Technology is on our side and new opportunities keep presenting themselves. We’ve already come so far. Just look at how merchandising has changed over the years! It’s gone from buying inventory, finding a printer, fulfilling and shipping hundreds of orders, to literally just uploading designs and collecting profits. So, if you’re still sitting on the thought of selling band merch online, don’t wait any longer and miss even more opportunities. What do you have to lose?

It doesn’t matter if how big of a following your band has. It’s the loyal fans that matter. So, with that being said, take the next step – unleash the new opportunities and make your own merch online!

If you already sell band merchandise online, let me know how it benefits you in the comments below!