How Do You Sell Concert Tees Without Concerts? Merch Companies Are Up Against a Wall

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How do you sell concert tees without concerts? Merch companies thought they had a “bulletproof business”—but they’re now up against a wall

is stressing all merchandisers out. In the last several decades, as touring has become an integral part of performing artists’ revenue, the ancillary merchandise business flourished. According to a report last year from Licensing International, a trade group that tracks sales data on licensed merchandise,, up from just over $3 billion two years before. But like the live music industry, those numbers will likely contract for 2020.

With scant other options, Manhead and Bright Pursuit are focusing efforts on e-commerce. Bright Pursuit partnered up for a merchandise drop on Torey Lanez’s latest album, and the company is planning more drops with influencers expected in the coming months. Lucikly, Candler says, “April might be one of our biggest months on record now that clients are emphasizing moving stuff online.” He adds that he has spent the last month “trying to get us completely reliant on e-commerce, and if and when concerts come back, that’ll just be icing on the cake. Realistically, everything was going that [e-commerce] way anyway.”

“If people aren’t comfortable leaving their house until there’s a vaccine, no one’s going to show up. And as a merchandise person, if no one’s there, then we’re really screwed.” — Dominic Varacallo, Delaware-based indie merchandisern a Monday when the first band said ‘we’re going home,'” Varacallo says. “By Friday, every band I consulted with did the same. There’s a lot of uncertainty now, but in my opinion, it’s going to be the whole year at least.

CEO Mat Vlasic declined to say how big a segment touring makes in Bravado’s business compared to retail and e-commerce, but he says touring is an important part of Bravado’s revenue stream. Had the pandemic struck another month later, Bravado could have been sitting on considerably more merchandise, but like Manhead, it dodged that issue.

Bravado has been shifting toward more e-commerce-based revenue since Vlasic took over as CEO, he says, and the pandemic has accelerated that thinking. “

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The Missouri governor has authorized concerts to begin again. Folks be getting drunk, hugging, laughing, dancing, having a good time. It's a form of cruelty to tell people they're going to meet their maker. So carry on, let the government do their job.

Have the band do a virtual hug and sell the jerseys online

Lower the price

All those tour shirts, with dates and cities. They need to get together and start a clearing house, for all of this year's merch

I went to see U2 on the War tour in 1983. I’d by that Tshirt if I could

Some bands are selling them on their websites. It's not going to totally make up for lost revenue, but it's better than taking a complete loss. I've bought a couple from bands I had planned to see and couldn't.

Simple. Contact big stores like Target, Kmart, Sears, Walmart, American Eagle Outfitters, etc., etc., and sell them to those stores for resale.

Stop charging $45 and I’d buy more

How does StubHub not give refunds? Seems illegal and Unethical

Stamp the words “postponed until further notice” across it and it becomes a collector’s item!

You just dont

And amazingly, a few mega-tours slated for this summer have still not officially cancelled. Tough spot.

You send them to countries who’s citizens need clothing...like what the losing sports teams do during a championship! It’s not rocket science...holy fuck!

It's really really easy

Karma can be cruel. All the years they’ve been selling the cheapest quality t-shirts/hoodies for $45 to $85!!! I worked in a sporting goods store, I know what I’m talking about.

Lol. What a shame

The poor merch companies.... no one will buy $3 t-shirts for $65 for a year...

If memory serves, the first band that had a show make more money on the t-shirts than on the tickets was Journey.

Merch for attendees of digital shows. Wrote about it here

sell 'retro' shirts? and maybe donate some of the $$$

How about not charging $40.00 for a t-shirt that will shrink two sizes after the first wash.

I could think of ways. Not the volume projected, but not nothing.

You offer them at normal t-shirt prices?

Well there's kids wearing Ramones and Nirvana t shirts with no idea who or what those bands are, so game on I say!!

Leaked nudes 👕

Fans generally seem to like collector's items like posters and t-shirts from shows/tours that never happened.

RockWerchter what if you took this example and offer one to every ticketholder with the test “I should have rocker Werchter in 2020’ of iets in die stijl ;-) Ik zou er zelf nog iets willen voor betalen ook zie

Have people make face masks out of them and sell the face masks.

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