Should Bands Offer More Than Just T-Shirts On Their Merch Table?

So you’ve decided it’s time to order some merch for your upcoming show. You’ve pooled your money between bandmates and you’re finally going to order those customized t-shirts you’ve been dreaming up. This is a wonderful first step for bands as t-shirts are a universal item that sell fast – the bread and butter of band merch. 

While t-shirts are are great place to start in offering your fans a way to express their love for your music, there’s a lot more where that came from. Having a versatile merch table with lots of options for your fans is such an important step in growing your success as a band.

Here are a few tips to help you add variety to your merch table while giving you the most bang for your buck! 

Again, tees are the most universal band staple and are a great way to offer something to fans that they will get use out of and truly enjoy. 

But, tees aren’t the cheapest option and sometimes musicians need to work up to being able to afford them without breaking the bank. There are many other affordable items to offer fans in the meantime. 

Here’s a great visual of a well rounded merch table. There are plenty of options for fans at various price points which creates the opportunity for more sales for bands. When you have more merch, you sell more merch. Let’s break this graphic down into categories to better understand what might be missing from your shop. 

Buttons And Stickers 

Stickers are such a great choice when it comes to an affordable way to showing off your favorite designs. Buttons often have the same effect with their customizing abilities and small scale. 

What’s great about these two items is that they appeal to everyone. Fans can easily add these to their t-shirt purchase, while those who aren’t looking to spend as much have the opportunity to support you on a smaller scale. 

Another plus is is that there aren’t pricing changes based on the amount of colors in the design. Buttons and stickers are a full color product, which give you the chance to add a major pop of color with huge impact to your merch table. 

Hats And Bags

Hats are a well loved accessory that appeal to a lot of people. Some prefer investing money in something they can wear with every outfit, like a dad hat or trucker hat. Both can be screen printed with your band name or logo and really add a new dynamic to your table. 

Beanies are another wonderful option and add a look of sophistication when embroidered. Everyone loves a warm hat the cooler months, and these usually sell out fast for that reason. 

Tote Bags are an awesome accessory to add to your spread. They are more affordable than a lot of other options and some bands even make them a throw in when fans buy more than one shirt. Because of their low cost point, this is another option for those who don’t want to spend as much and buy something that’s useful. 

Don’t forget cinch bags! Another inexpensive option to offer for your fans that want something they’ll use frequently at a lower price point.

Hoodies And Outerwear

When you’re ready to invest a little bit more into your merch and what you’re offering your fanbase, hoodies, crewnecks and zip-ups are a great next step. When you think of the wearability and price point of a t-shirt, it’s an easy choice for anyone to purchase, but the great thing about sweatshirts is that they often become a staple piece for owners. The higher price point makes sense because fans will wear them more, often like a jacket, in the colder months. 

But sweatshirts aren’t the only option when you’re upgrading to a higher price range. Windbreakers are a popular choice for bands wanting to offer a piece for everyday wear. The weatherproof fabric and warm lining are the features fans love and makes it easy to justify the price point. 

If you’re looking for something to warm the bottom half of your fans, don’t forget about sweatpants!  These days sweatpants are acceptable to wear just about everywhere. Keep it simple by adding your logo on one side and you’ll see your fans wearing these all the time. 

Banners and Stage Scrims

A lot of bands don’t see banners and scrims as a necessary item. It’s not something you can sell to fans and definitely not something you immediately make money on. 

But, here’s the thing, creating an image and brand is everything in this day and age of the music scene. When you order stage scrims, you make the choice to really make a visual impact at your next show. 

The awesome thing about scrims is that the price doesn’t change depending on the colors in your design, again giving you the opportunity to go big. This is your chance to show your best artwork and brand your band. 

Once you’ve decided what to put on your scrims, take it one step further by offering the same design on stickers or buttons so your fans have an inexpensive takeaway with your branding. 

Banners are the perfect addition to the bottom of your table. It allows you to control what your fans see when they approach your merch setup. Another full color item, you can add text for pricing or details or just keep it simple with your favorite artwork. When you attach it to the front of your table, you can stock your merch behind while keeping things looking professional. 

Posters

Posters are often an afterthought when it comes to merch sales, but they can be very beneficial for bands as far as success. This is another item that’s price is not affected by number of colors or complexity of design. Some fans are more prone to buy posters because they want something they can add to their home decor that reminds them of a good time in their life or an event that they enjoyed.

Ordering merch can be overwhelming, but it’s key to remember you have lots of options to appeal to different price points and types of fans. It’s a good idea to add variety to your merch setup so that your fanbase can make the best choice for themselves. Having more merch, sells more merch. 

Upload your artwork to our online designer today and start the process of choosing what’s best for your fans. The options are endless and we can’t wait to see what you choose!