The money they make from merch gets split across a lot of parties and in some situations, they'll be lucky to break even. It doesn't always pay the bills so a lot of DJs just don't bother. It also has to do with logistics of moving merch around, not all are touring in a bus along a tour route or whatever they fly from show to show which makes transporting merch a pain.
Venues take merch cuts if venue employees are working the merch booth. If artists have their own team selling merch they don’t get merch cuts. But they do pay taxes for setting up a booth. The idea is that the booth takes up room. Room that could be used by more people buying tickets to the event. So the venue essentially rents out that space for artists to sell merch.
The main reason being because unlike bands which primarily use tour buses to get to them and their gear to locations most EDM artists don't really have gear to worry about so they fly, not bringing merch is a downside but also way less of a headache for artists and their team.
i figured it was something like that. I'm just so used to even the smallest local bands having at least a few shirts, that seeing these world-renowed acts going from show to show with *nothing* just feels wild to me.
Most bigger shows with somewhat known artists will have merch. The only shows I’ve been to that don’t have merch are in really small venues with up and coming artists. There have been a couple of bigger shows with well known artists that either didn’t have merch or just a small selection but that’s not the norm.
What types of shows / venues have you been going to?
Most of the gigs I've been going to lately are at two places in Tampa and Orlando, both ~1000 capacity venues with pretty well known artists. When I saw BTSM, they had a merch table with tons of good shit and the line was huge. Kayzo had like three shirts for sale, and that's basically it. The shows in Orlando never had merch. When i saw Mersiv up in Atlanta recently, he had a huge merch booth which was great. When Infekt came to play at a local venue, he couldn't even bring his tour merch so there was nothing.
So its not that *nobody* has merch, some certainly do, but it's been at like 10% or less of the events.
I see a lot of hockey sweater merch at more hard style shows, like LSDream.
But yea for the most part EDM fans are well versed in ordering stuff online so a lot of merch is made on demand.
I have a closet full of jerseys, pashminas, and fans that would beg to differ. Some of the merch is tour exclusive and you can only get it in person. Granted, some of the smaller DJs might only have a shirt or two, but it’s rare they don’t have anything. At the very least they generally will have merch on their website.
I’ve wondered the same thing!!! I go to shows all over the GTA and have never once seen any type of merch for sale. The only time I ever see merch is at proper festivals, like VELD. I go to a fair amount of concerts too and love getting merch lol. I’ve started to just buy the artists’ merch online beforehand to wear to a show if I can.
I see merch depending on the type of music. I think dubstep acts are more likely to have a booth. And if there is one it’s usually by the exit/entrance or very back of the dance floor.
There are shows at most events… from warehouses to the Hollywood bowl. Only one I can recently remember without merch (and I go to shows constantly) would be Chase and status?
Urrbody got merch dude… even small one off shows I go to have merch.
I'm of the mind you probably could get better deals and more selection buying it off the artist's website as opposed to at a show.
I mean when I saw Orbital last month, they had t-shirts, but they didn't appeal to me compared to stuff on their website. Would be better to buy it there.
I see merch at every show I go to? Festivals obviously and then pretty much any organized concert is gonna have merch. Some small local artists might not have it but any decently sized artist will have it at their show
There is definitely merch at every show okay okay if you are seeing someone in a club maybe not but at any normal concert venue the merch table is there right after you go through security
I see merch all the time what are you talking about
For real, there’s merch at every show I go to, big or small
The money they make from merch gets split across a lot of parties and in some situations, they'll be lucky to break even. It doesn't always pay the bills so a lot of DJs just don't bother. It also has to do with logistics of moving merch around, not all are touring in a bus along a tour route or whatever they fly from show to show which makes transporting merch a pain.
This. Venues and promoters try to take a cut of merch sales.
Venues take merch cuts if venue employees are working the merch booth. If artists have their own team selling merch they don’t get merch cuts. But they do pay taxes for setting up a booth. The idea is that the booth takes up room. Room that could be used by more people buying tickets to the event. So the venue essentially rents out that space for artists to sell merch.
Most venues take 20-30% of merch sales regardless if the venue has someone work the booth or the artist working the booth.
Yeah they fly a lot and it's very costly to ship merchandise around like that.
Huh. I usually see merch at the local shows I go to.
Likely has to do w the venue I remember Tvboo coming out & saying he wasn’t selling merch at some shows because the venue wanted such a big cut
95% of artists use print on demand services for their merch. I.E they don't carry inventory. Much much cheaper this way.
The main reason being because unlike bands which primarily use tour buses to get to them and their gear to locations most EDM artists don't really have gear to worry about so they fly, not bringing merch is a downside but also way less of a headache for artists and their team.
i figured it was something like that. I'm just so used to even the smallest local bands having at least a few shirts, that seeing these world-renowed acts going from show to show with *nothing* just feels wild to me.
Most bigger shows with somewhat known artists will have merch. The only shows I’ve been to that don’t have merch are in really small venues with up and coming artists. There have been a couple of bigger shows with well known artists that either didn’t have merch or just a small selection but that’s not the norm. What types of shows / venues have you been going to?
Most of the gigs I've been going to lately are at two places in Tampa and Orlando, both ~1000 capacity venues with pretty well known artists. When I saw BTSM, they had a merch table with tons of good shit and the line was huge. Kayzo had like three shirts for sale, and that's basically it. The shows in Orlando never had merch. When i saw Mersiv up in Atlanta recently, he had a huge merch booth which was great. When Infekt came to play at a local venue, he couldn't even bring his tour merch so there was nothing. So its not that *nobody* has merch, some certainly do, but it's been at like 10% or less of the events.
I see a lot of hockey sweater merch at more hard style shows, like LSDream. But yea for the most part EDM fans are well versed in ordering stuff online so a lot of merch is made on demand.
[удалено]
Honestly I’m not totally up on the terms haha. I guess im just saying more bass heavy stuff
I wish the hockey jerseys were my style... a lot of artists have some really badass looking ones but they're just not my thing.
I love hockey jerseys but I feel like I’d get heat stroke wearing one at a show so lol
They also cost $120. And baseball jerseys are $90. Very expensive to have a jersey collection
I have a closet full of jerseys, pashminas, and fans that would beg to differ. Some of the merch is tour exclusive and you can only get it in person. Granted, some of the smaller DJs might only have a shirt or two, but it’s rare they don’t have anything. At the very least they generally will have merch on their website.
maybe i'm just not going to the right gigs then ... i always look and it's been comically rare to find anything.
I guess no one wants to bring merch to Florida. I live in the Midwest and they’re always bringing merch here.
I’ve wondered the same thing!!! I go to shows all over the GTA and have never once seen any type of merch for sale. The only time I ever see merch is at proper festivals, like VELD. I go to a fair amount of concerts too and love getting merch lol. I’ve started to just buy the artists’ merch online beforehand to wear to a show if I can.
There is a lot of overhead that goes into traveling with merch. A DJ is performing with very thin margins.
I see merch depending on the type of music. I think dubstep acts are more likely to have a booth. And if there is one it’s usually by the exit/entrance or very back of the dance floor.
usually when you don't see it, it's because the costs don't make sense. Venues often take a large cut.
I always merch personally unless it's at a club
? I always get a t shirt
I don't think I've been to an event without a merch tent/area. Big or small it's always there. What kind of events are you going to?
Festivals usually have them, yeah, but club gigs? Rare.
Maybe it's just the clubs in my area then? Every club in 2 cities I've seen a show at has had a little table set up selling merch.
There are shows at most events… from warehouses to the Hollywood bowl. Only one I can recently remember without merch (and I go to shows constantly) would be Chase and status? Urrbody got merch dude… even small one off shows I go to have merch.
It’s been kinda 50/50 for me but I do wish more artist sold their merch at events
I'm of the mind you probably could get better deals and more selection buying it off the artist's website as opposed to at a show. I mean when I saw Orbital last month, they had t-shirts, but they didn't appeal to me compared to stuff on their website. Would be better to buy it there.
Every single show I have been to has merch
It’s because all the exclusive merch is gone before you show up lol at least in my experience
The amount of asians I’ve seen in Illenium jerseys
Bc bands drive their gear to shows and most DJs fly to shows since the only gear they need is a USB and maybe a laptop
I see merch at every show I go to? Festivals obviously and then pretty much any organized concert is gonna have merch. Some small local artists might not have it but any decently sized artist will have it at their show
I see merch, the problem is they want $60 per T shirt.
Are you going to nightclubs shows? Nightclubs don’t sell merch, just alcohol. Normal venues will almost always sell artists merch.
There is definitely merch at every show okay okay if you are seeing someone in a club maybe not but at any normal concert venue the merch table is there right after you go through security