What is Merch (Merchandise)?

Merch (short for merchandise) is branded products such as T-shirts, records and posters sold by artists and events at shows, often a major source of tour income. Merch is sold from a merch table or stand in the venue or festival site.

How merch is sold at a show

Selling merch at a show usually follows these steps:

  1. Agree terms: during the advance, the act and venue agree who sells the merch and what share the venue takes.
  2. Count in: before doors, the stock is counted and recorded with the venue's merch contact.
  3. Sell: the artist's merch seller or venue staff sell from the merch table, usually taking card payments.
  4. Count out: after the show, the remaining stock is counted again to calculate what sold.
  5. Settle: the venue's share is paid or deducted at settlement on the night.

Merch arrangements are agreed alongside everything else in the advance, which many teams manage through advances in Crescat.

Artist merch vs event merch

Artist merch is the act's own branded products, sold for the artist's benefit. Event merch, such as festival T-shirts, is sold by the festival or venue under its own brand. Festivals often sell both. Event merch helps promote the festival year-round, while artist merch supports the acts directly.

What a merch seller needs

  • Stock list with sizes and prices
  • Card reader and a cash float
  • Count-in and count-out sheets
  • Table, lighting and display materials
  • Agreed hall fee or merch split

Frequently asked questions

What is a hall fee?

A hall fee, or merch split, is the percentage of merch sales a venue takes for letting the act sell on site. It varies by venue and is usually agreed in the contract or advance. Some venues charge none, and some charge a different rate for music and other items.

Who sells merch at a concert?

Larger tours bring their own merch manager or seller. Smaller acts often sell their own merch, or the venue provides a seller in return for its hall fee.

What merch sells best at shows?

T-shirts and hoodies are usually the best sellers, followed by vinyl records, posters and tote bags. Tour-dated and show-exclusive designs often sell especially well.

Related terms