Merchandise sales play a major role when it comes to a band/musician’s income estimation. All those insignificant expenses on CD’s, shirts, and stickers that fans make,  eventually turn into a huge profit for musicians.

There are many tips and tricks on the internet for what bands should order and how they should sell their products. But there is not much information on how to get the best possible pricing from vendors, how to calculate prices, or on the number of products that should be ordered before a tour.

Today, MusicMarketingPromotion is sharing with you The Ultimate Guide to Band Merchandise.


List Of Products A Standard Band Needs To Order And Why:

1. Music – As opposed to digital downloads, almost any fan would like to have his/her favorite artist’s CD on a shelf or in the collection. Therefore CDs are the best selling option, plus they also have higher profit margins. Recommended companies for replication are Cravedog and Discmakers.

2. T-Shirts – A basic t-shirt actually is a solid product to go with. But it has to be of very good quality and the print on it must be first-rate. More on how to get better prices on tees. These are some decent companies.


3. Stickers – Stickers are cheap, it is easy to produce them. But it is more than just a sticker. Sometimes a well-designed sticker can be a game-changer in the promotion of your music career. You can order your stickers here: Stickerguy.


4. Buttons – those are not worth any effort! A cheap product that you can sell for $1 each. But, as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In case you are still considering this as an option, Busy Beaver Buttons will provide you with quality, pricing, and service.

5. Bracelets – If you want to order for your band silicone styled bracelets 24 Hour Wristbands is the best option with their best prices and special approach towards each client.


There are also other options for custom merchandise like shot glasses, dog tags, posters, hats, etc. The important thing is to keep the balance between the cool factor of having a variety of products and what actually sells.

Here are some tips on how to get better prices for your merchandise:


1.Shop Around – Always compare pricing from companies. There can be a drastic change in prices for the same products or services. The internet is the perfect place for such research.

2.Ask For a Better price – Most companies would rather work with you on your budget than miss a client. 


3.Order in bulk – You really can save some money on shirts when you order at least 48 of them at a time and 250 stickers, or let’s say 100 buttons. If you want to balance the price per item and minimum quantities, talk to a representative and they may offer you better options.

4.Order less designs –  Reducing the number of designs equals higher order quantities of each product. This in turn lowers the price per unit.
A variety of products may seem to be a better idea but it often gives you a much higher start-up cost.


How Much You Should Sell Your Merch For


Some people say you should sell your products at high prices so your income is bigger. Some believe you should offer your products up for a suggested donation. But the fact is you have to ask yourself a question: is it for the cash that you are selling your products or is it for them reaching your fans?

Those are the average prices of the products mentioned above:

CD – $12
Shirt – $15-20 (depending on design/type)
Hoodie – $45
Poster – $3
Sticker or Button – $1
Necklace – $5
Cell phone charm/Earrings – $3
Bracelet – $3
Water bottle – $8
Shot glass – $5
Lighter – $10


You can always offer combo packages like button, sticker, bracelet, shirt, CD, and poster for 25 $.


How to Sell More Merchandise

The first rule here is to always give your fans the best. This means not only your music but also the products you sell to them. Your buttons, CDs, and t-shirts have to be of high quality.

Accept Credit Cards and make sure you download Square.

Having the band members at the table makes a huge difference, especially if they have friends coming out to see the show who wants to talk. Make the merch area the place where people can gather and hang out and don’t forget to announce it while you are performing on stage. You can also speak about it beforehand on your social media sites building extra excitement about your new merch.

It’s totally worth investing in but it should be done the right way so just make sure your approach to the merchandise is well planned.

Stay tuned to MusicMarketingPromotion for more informative content like this.