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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