Band Merch Display Ideas

Live shows are hectic enough as they are, but at the end of the day, your band still wants to sell merch, which means attracting fans to your merch table. For this, you need to know how to set up a merch table with some excellent band merch display ideas.

It’s not enough to only print good quality merch; you also need to know how to sell it. This is why we have prepared this helpful guide on merch table display ideas besides offering you Thrive Screen Printing’s contract printing services.

Source: shutterstock.com / Photo Contributor: Kraft74

Merch Table Display Ideas

In the digital age, bands have plenty of options to promote their art. However, the bend merch table at live shows is a tradition that has remained a staple of the live concert experience.

So, with how far wholesale merch printing has come, bands are able to offer their fans high-quality printed merch. This includes T-shirts, stickers, patches, tote bags, beanies, etc.

Custom merch remains one of the largest parts of revenue for bands. In fact, according to 2022 market research, 20% of fans purchase merch at concerts. This is almost double what it was in 2019 (11%).

Still, you need to create an eye-catching and attractive display table if you want to sell your band merch. Now, here are the best ways to display custom band merch at live shows:

1. Merch variety
2. Limited edition merch
3. Focal point
4. Lighting
5. Neat and organized
6. Location matters
7. Choose the right person

1. Merch variety

Apart from typical band stuff such as apparel and accessories, contemplate providing distinctive promotional items that highlight your band’s individuality and inventiveness. This can involve things like:

• Personalized guitar picks with the album cover art or logo of your band.
• Special edition record releases or limited-edition colored vinyl.
• Stickers, patches, and badges.

Offering fans exclusive concert merchandise can help them remember and treasure the moment long after the show. Fans will have something to commemorate the moment and have a keepsake for years.

2. Limited edition merch

Live concerts and gigs are excellent ways for bands to offer their fans limited-edition merchandise. It will make your band’s connection with the fanbase more special and offer an unforgettable experience. This may consist of the following:

• Numbered tour T-shirts with the places and dates of the concerts
• Autographed posters
• Vinyl LPs and CD albums
• Setlists from specific performances
• Unique merchandise bundles that are exclusively offered during live events

You may encourage people to see you live in the future by providing concert-specific merchandise. This will give fans who attend your events a feeling of exclusivity and connection.

3. Focal point

It is vital to have a focal point on the band table when selling merch. With a focal point, you are more likely to direct the fan’s attention to the merch you want them to notice first.

For example, you may have a new single or an album coming out, so you want to showcase the new merchandise to fans. One way to do this is by presenting and displaying them front and center on the merch table.

Keep in mind that you should display more colorful artwork when creating a focal point. Colorful prints are incredibly eye-catching and are all but guaranteed to attract attention to the merch table.

4. Lighting

As everyone knows, concert venues are dimly lit, and in that darkness, how are fans supposed to notice your band merch table? The answer is lighting. Best of all, you may get creative with your lighting options.

For example, you can arrange string or clip-on lights around your merch table or the display. Moreover, you may use lights in different colors, such as ones that match your music’s mood or the tour poster artwork.

5. Neat and organized

You’ll draw more visitors if your table is more appealing and inviting. Cover the table with a tablecloth, hang a sign, and neatly arrange everything. An organized band table makes it easy for the fans to find what they like and the size when it comes to merch apparel.

To give fans a better idea of what would fit them best, consider hanging T-shirts behind you. This way, you’ll make great use of the concert lobby wall behind you instead of leaving it empty.

Also, be sure to present a pricing sheet with a range of prices so every fan can afford a piece of merch. Varied price ranges are crucial to selling band merch.

6. Location matters

You might believe that your fans will discover you wherever you are or that location is irrelevant. And while that could be the case for your main audience, where your table is located can significantly impact who visits. 

Whenever possible, try to set up the merch table where people are entering, facing, and eventually moving away from the stage. You’ll sell more merchandise if you intercept them as they leave the venue between performances. 

7. Choose the right person

It is essential that someone is at the merch table to sell the merch. Unattended merch tables are likely to turn away fans as the chances that they will wait for someone to come around are slim.

But if someone is always staffing the table, you won’t miss out on merch revenue. The person should also be friendly and approachable. Someone with a friendly personality may have an easier time engaging with fans and making a sale.

People like engaging with others about common interests. So, when people know about the band and music, it’s easier for them to connect with the fans.

Conclusion

With the help of our guide, you now know how to organize band merch. To summarize, try incorporating our band merch display ideas during your next concert, and you may boost sales.

Fans love band merch, but in order for them to do so first, they need to notice it. Good luck!