75 Ideas for the Band Merch Table
Yes, a Band IS a Business!
Many musicians have a hard time making a living making music, partly because they have a hard time accepting that being a working musician/band also means running your own small business. But that is exactly what has to happen in order to find success as a professional musician and actually make money.
One key area to spend a lot of time on is your band's merch table. Why? Well, for one, it is a place where you can meet and mingle with fans, so it is important that it be representative of you and your band. Secondly, it is a means to actually make money, even if you show up to a venue that has conveniently found a way out of compensating you for your musical abilities. And finally, the items you sell at your merch table are not just meaningless knickknacks for people to buy and ignore; hopefully, they will be a great way to continually promote your music and your band in the areas you perform, even when you're not in town. I'm sure there are other good reasons for having a solid band merch table, but do you really need any more?
What makes up a good merch table? What should a good merch table be? That's open to debate. But as a musician in a band with some experience in this area, I personally think a good merch table should be:
- Something appealing to the eye
- Something that offers a variety of items in multiple price ranges
- Something that includes means of clearly stating the band's name (and tour name, if applicable) as well as merchandise prices and deals to avoid confusion
- Something that offers up interaction (email list sign-up, freebies, autographs, photos together, collaborative artist/audience artwork, Polaroids and a scrapbook, etc.)
- Something that allows for multiple methods of payment
- Something that is run professionally without being stuffy
But you can't have a band merch table at all without actual merchandise to offer (otherwise, it would just be a band table...) So that is why I am here to offer you 75 ideas for the band merch table. I truly hope they help you out.
Your Band is Your Business; Take it Seriously!
75 Ideas for the Band Merch Table
- a tip jar
- business cards
- a way to sign up for your mailing list
- stickers / bumper stickers
- CDs
- t-shirts
- matchbooks / matchboxes
- posters
- photos
- autographed photos
- lighters
- coasters
- beer cozies
- shot glasses
- coffee mugs
- tote bags / reusable shopping bags
- patches
- thongs
- balloons
- mousepads
- memo pads
- buttons
- bandanas / scarves
- sweatshirts
- beach towels
PRO TIP
Having variety at your band merch table is important, but too much variety can be overwhelming at first. Start small.
Make Music On Stage, Make Money Off Stage - with Merchandise!
26. pens /pencils
27. digital download cards
28. temporary tattoos
29. wine bottle cozies
30. ashtrays
31. jewelry
32. hats
33. water bottles
34. blankets
35. vinyl records
36. lanyards
37. stuffed animals
38. back scratchers
39. pajamas
40. leggings
41. mini coolers
42. flashlights
43. magnets
44. ornaments
45. keychains
46. DVDs
47. boxer shorts
48. tank tops
49. bobble heads
50. disposable cameras
PRO TIP
Make sure that your merchandise is clearly branded. It should be fairly obvious which band's merch someone has at a glance, so as to help with band name recognition and public promotion.
51. guitar picks
52. beer steins
53. journals
54. tapestries
55. flip flops
56. windbreakers / jackets
57. onesies, bibs, and other baby stuff
58. paperweights
59. letter openers
60. flasks
61. shoe horns
62. aprons
63. banners / flags
64. pillowcases
65. decals
66. photo books
67. shoelaces
68. wallets
69. emery boards
70. tissue packs
71. phone / tablet / laptop cases
72. car air fresheners
73. tablecloths
74. candies / mints
75. drumsticks, old gear and stage costumes
That's all of them!
Well, there you have it: 75 ideas for the band merch table. Some of the ideas may have been more obvious to some of you than others, and not all of the ideas will be your band's cup of tea, but I do hope that every musician who reads this gets something positive out of it, even if they don't use a single idea.
Peace and Love and Rock n' Roll!
Well, do you feel inspired?
Did you like these 75 ideas for a band merch table?
A few final words...
I hope that you enjoyed my list of 75 ideas for the band merch table. I am glad that I put it together as a resource for myself and my band and even more glad that I can now share it with you all, and help others who are in the same boat as me and my band.
Be sure to check out the additional resources I have for you in the "Helpful Links" section as well, and if you have any more ideas for items to add to the list, please share them in the comments section below! I'm sure people would love to hear them! (I know I would!)
Thanks for reading and rock on!
Helpful Links
- 18 Examples Of Weird And Wonderful Band Merchandise
From weed grinders to Snuggies to condoms, these musicians went WAY beyond simple t-shirts and hoodies... - Sticker Mule: Custom Stickers
Design kickin' stickers online with Sticker Mule. - Bands On A Budget: Custom Merchandise for Bands, Brands, and Businesses
The leader in custom merchandise for bands, brands, & businesses. Order today and receive up to $125 off custom t-shirts orders & FREE shipping. - Custom Ink - Design Your Own T-Shirts Online - Free Shipping!
15 years, 60 million custom t-shirts, 99% happy customers! CustomInk is the t-shirt printing expert for your team, school, company, or any occasion. - Discount Mugs - Promotional Products
At Discount Mugs we believe the best surprise is no surprises, and work hard to save you money every day. - Vistaprint | Business Cards, Postcards, Invitations & More
Vistaprint empowers you to design and customize affordable marketing materials for your business. Tell your story with business cards, postcards, invitations, signage, and more. - Promotional Products by Vistaprint
Create custom promotional products online with Vistaprint: custom T-shirts, bags & more. Make your brand stand out with personalized items. - Inkhead
Multitudes of promotional products are available at Inkhead. - Customized Promotional Products for Businesses
Customized promotional products for businesses from Office Max. - Custom Band Merch | Cheap Band Merch | Custom Merch | Merch.ly
Make your own custom band merch fans will love at CD Baby's Merch.ly. Merchly offers great prices on custom merch like custom band t shirts, hats, hoodies & bags. - Custom T-Shirts, Unique Gifts, Posters, & Personalized Mugs | CafePress
CafePress has the best selection of custom t-shirts, personalized gifts, posters & art, mugs, and more. Get unique or funny gifts, t shirts, or other cool promotional merchandise for any occasion. High quality. Open a band shop! - Custom Coasters, Napkins, Matches & More | ForYourParty.com
Create personalized napkins, party favors, matches and other wedding and party accessories to make your special occasion memorable today at ForYourParty.com. - 24 Hour Wristbands | Buy Custom Bracelets and More
Design and order your own custom silicone wristbands / rubber bracelets with personalized message and artwork. Easy ordering, quick production and low prices. - Custom Buttons - Custom Button Packs - Busy Beaver Button Co.
Get custom buttons, magnets, and more from Busy Beaver Button Co. - Wholesale Favors
Wholesale Favors has the most Unique Wedding Favors online. We have wedding favor ideas for every theme, come in and take a look. - The Ultimate Guide to Band Merchandise - MTT - Music Think Tank
A guide to merchandising for your band. - 13 Merch Table Basics for Bands
The merch booth is where your fans will turn to give something back after the show...
