More great merch found in the wild. These come from Asheville, NC. (IMG: Musique Mode)

More merch icons and music history found at Ten Church Street in Lambertville, NJ . (IMG: Musique Mode)

The up front costs of developing a more fashion-focused merch collection can be worth the increase sales and customer engagement. (IMG: Musique Mode)

Enhancing the merch retail experience is low-hanging fruit for artists looking to increase cash flow and deepen fan engagement. (IMG: Musique Mode)

Understanding the different between music merch and fashion collections elucidates the require approaches and costs to each. (IMG: Musique Mode)

Many artist management companies are seeking to bring their merchandise development in house to create market differentiation and increase revenues. (IMG: Musiue Mode marketplace)

Artists have two main options when developing their merchandise strategy. Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs) can play an important role in deciding best approach and profit margins.

Festivals offer the perfect environment for artists to best connect with their fans, but are typically limited to doing so, if they don’t think “outside the box.” (IMG: Musique Mode Osheaga, 2023)

While many companies now facilitate the music merchandise process on behalf of artists, there is still a disconnect between the product and the retail experience, and little overall innovation and differentiation. (IMG: Musique Mode)

Finding the balance of cost and price across the full supply chain and logistics operation can alleviate costs and increase profit margins.

With very little design and production innovation and an unwillingness to see fans as more multi-faceted, the price and value proposition of merch is out of alignment. (IMG, Musique Mode)

Collector grade music merch “out in the wild” including Lou Reed, Bauhaus and The Red Hot Chili Peppers (IMG: Musique Mode)

Understanding the customer journey and experience (CX) is crucial to truly engaging customers and fans and providing an individualized experience. (IMG: Musique Mode)

Retailers recognized the power of music merch and have sought to incorporate collaborations to licensed goods into their mix. (IMG: Nirvana at Urban Outfitters, 2023)

The vinyl record industry has witnessed a significant resurgence in recent years, driven by a combination of nostalgia, the desire for physical music collections, and the distinct audio quality that vinyl offers. (IMG: Musique Mode)

Often decisions about merch are made on an “as needed” basis rather than on a fully realized sell-thru, minimizing return on investment.

There are stark differences between how fashion collections are developed and sold versus music merchandise. What can be learned by connecting the two?

A recent visit to a vintage shop uncovered an original Morrissey tee, selling for $500. How much can merch be worth? (IMG: Musique Mode)

There is much that the music merch industry can gain from fashion’s focus on customer desires and retail strategy. (IMG: The Djay Company)

When artists treat their fanbase as a monolithic group, they overlook critical aspects such as fit, cut, silhouette, design details, color choices, and price points.