5 Essential Traits of a Succesful Tour Merch Person
Tour merch activation
When it comes to being a Merch Seller on a traveling tour, there are definitely some immediate traits that come to mind when considering the pros from beginners.
As a tour manager, it's often my job to find individuals to sell Merch, both at the tour and city level. If you are already an established Merch Seller on tour, the contents of this list may seem basic, but in my opinion, a refresher is always helpful. However, if this is your first time reading about what a tour manager expects from a Merch Seller on the road, then listen up. Having Merch for a touring band is critical not only for brand awareness and marketing, but it also generates a substantial amount of revenue for the tour, without which some tours would not even be profitable. So if you're new to the music industry and hoping to get into a Merch Seller role on tour, this is a great starting guide for you. Take notes, and if you have any questions, please let me know on Twitter or TikTok.
1. Bring Your Own Printer
The first thing that wows me in a good Merch seller, and this is actually something I recently experienced with a newly hired merch person on a month-long run with a reggae band, is when a Merch Seller brings their own printer on the road. As a tour manager, I typically have a printer of my own for printing off set lists, room signage, etc., but I don't always have the time or resources to print off updated pricing sheets for Merch. I actually didn't realize how useful it was for a Merch Seller to carry a printer until this last tour when this new merch person I hired brought their own! It was kind of a funny moment. I laughed about it at first because this individual carried it in a dedicated pelican case, which seemed like overkill, but after a couple of dates, I immediately saw the benefits. Having a printer from a Merch Seller allows them to print off updated signage and pricing documents in real time, which is an essential part of wayfinding for customers. So yeah, basically, if you are a Merch person on tour, you should try to bring your own printer. It helps a lot and it really wows the tour manager and management with your professionalism.
2. Suggest Price Changes on the Fly
The second thing I look for in a good Merch person on the road is someone who suggests price changes on the fly. Specifically, updating pricing for items that are not performing as well as they could or should. You have to understand, as a tour manager, I very seldom get to spend the night at the merch table watching interactions with customers. Likewise, the band and management don't know exactly how customers react to the band's Merch. As the Merch person, I am depending on your feedback to adjust and scale prices accordingly. So if you are a Merch person on tour, you should be suggesting price changes and updates to both the tour manager and management, getting their feedback and providing valid information about why you are suggesting changes, and then implementing the changes in real time. On this last tour, we had some negative feedback about prices on windbreakers, which I would never have heard unless the Merch person brought them to my attention. We adjusted the pricing and tripled our sales over the next few days because of this change.
3. Detailed Settlements Before Night Ends
The third thing I expect from my quality Merch person on the road is to be thorough and send all detailed settlements before the night ends. Before they climb into their bunk or before they have that drink, I expect the entirety of the Merch settlement for that night to be done. That means settling with the promoter, exporting and forwarding all sales reports to myself and management, noting exactly how much was withheld for tips, receiving an envelope of all cash sales with the total amount noted and clearly legible, and handling any kind of promoter split already. As a tour manager, I have a lot on my plate from the moment we get to a venue to the moment of bus call, and I depend on the Merch person to carry their weight and accurately report all financials. In fact, if you are reading this and you're new to the Merch world, I would rather have you ask me how to do it correctly than ignore it or do it incorrectly at all. Communication is important, and I, as a tour manager, am a resource to help you on the road.
4. Communicate About Comps and Inventory
The fourth thing I look for, and honestly expect from a Merch person on the road, is to clearly communicate about comps and any type of inventory shrinkage. It's understandable that the band may walk up and ask for a T-shirt, or a dedicated fan makes a valid argument for why they should get a free hat. I, as a tour manager, should always be notified about the situation so that I can keep notes of what we're giving away. Of course, it should also be reflected in your reports as comps if you are to have accurate inventory counts. Likewise, if any shrinkage occurs in the form of theft or perhaps a box breaks during loadout and something falls into cracks, I should know about that as well. At the end of the day, people are people, and things happen. You should never feel worried or afraid to communicate about issues to the tour manager or to management. Now if, for example, shrinkage continues to happen under your watch, that may be a different conversation. Just be honest and communicate what's happening with the team, and you'll be well off.
5. Establish Your Own Load-In and Load-Out Process
The fifth and final thing I look for in a quality Merch person on the road is to clearly communicate and establish their own load-in and load-out process. The moment that the trailer opens up at a venue, I expect the Merch person to be self-sufficient and get out whatever Merch they need for the day, taking it to wherever Merch is being sold, setting up a beautiful display that is appealing to customers, all the way until loadout when the Merch person should settle with the promoter, load out, and do all inventory on their own, and load the trailer in the right way. Of course, I and the team are always here to help, and there will be hands available in some situations that can help transport boxes, but by and large, I expect the tour Merch person to be self-guided and self-sufficient in their needs at every stop.
While there are certainly more detailed things I look for in a Merch person, this is a good starting list for those interested in the world of tour Merch. At the end of the day, you have to realize that Merch is a massive revenue source for bands, and the person overseeing it needs to be at the top of their game. We are all a team, and communication is critical. If something isn't feeling or looking right, then I want to hear about it so I can help resolve it.
Thanks for reading. If you are in the position of planning a tour and would like to set up a consultation call, I am happy to do so. I have preferred prices with vendors around the country that I am happy to extend if it makes sense, and I'm always happy to share my feedback and advice with tour teams. Please subscribe to my newsletter below if you'd like updates on future articles, and please consider following.