By Tony van Veen, CEO of Disc Makers
If you’re playing live shows and not maximizing your merch, you’re leaving real money on the table. And by merch, I don’t just mean t-shirts. I mean CDs, vinyl, hoodies, posters, and anything physical that a fan can walk away with.
Because here’s the unfortunate reality in 2026: Streaming is great for exposure, but it’s not paying most emerging artists’ bills. Live shows, on the other hand, can. And selling physical product absolutely does.
Beyond the revenue, selling physical media at a show creates a deeper fan connection, too. In this article, I want to focus mostly on the business side, how you actually sell more. So, here are four simple things that you can do at your next show that can triple your merch sales.
Tip 1: Write “merch” on your set list
Write “merch” on your set list in big capital letters so you don’t miss it when you’re getting ready to play your next song.
This is your cue to mention your merch to the audience. Write it down a few songs in — ideally right after a big song — when the crowd is energized and engaged. Then, mention it again before your last song. You can’t assume that people will just wander over to your merch table. Many won’t, especially if venue management stuck your merch table in some dark corner in the back. Just say clearly, “Hey, we’ve got our latest album on CD and vinyl at the merch table in the back. We’ll be there after the set. Come say hi.”
If you don’t mention it, you’re relying on hope. And as we all know, hope is not a strategy.
+Read more: "Charge More to Cover Your Costs or Charge Less to Help Out Fans?"
Tip 2: Give people a reason to act now
Make a simple, special offer. I mean, everyone loves a deal, right? Say something like, “Hey, grab a vinyl record and we’ll throw in a free poster,” or “Buy a CD and I’ll autograph it.” Or even, “Pay what you can. We want everyone to walk out with a copy.”
That last one, known as a “name your own price” strategy, may sound risky, but it consistently increases total sales. Some people pay less, some pay more, but more people end up buying. And artists who have tried it have reported time and again that the average price per album sold ends up being close to what you would have charged anyway.
By having a special offer, you’re not devaluing your music. Instead, you’re lowering the friction and increasing sales.
Tip 3: Accept credit cards
This should be obvious in 2026, but I still see artists not doing it. I mean, nobody carries cash anymore!
If someone wants your vinyl record and you say “cash only,” that sale probably just went out the window. Services like Square make it easy to accept cards from your phone. If you’re serious about selling merch, make it ridiculously easy to buy and eliminate as many reasons as possible for a fan not to buy.
+Read more: "How to Build a Greener Concert Industry"
Tip 4: Go straight to your merch table after the set
When you’re an emerging artist, the biggest mistake you can make after your set is to disappear backstage. Instead, before your last song, when you read “merch” on your set list, add in this little tidbit. Tell the crowd, “We’ll be at the merch table right after this.” And then actually go there within a few minutes of finishing your set.
You’ll see. If you killed it on stage, there’ll be a line of fans waiting to meet you. And when you’re physically standing behind that table and smiling, autographing, taking pictures, and talking to fans… sales go up (guaranteed). And as I alluded to before, it’s about much more than getting $15 for a CD.
It's all about making a connection with fans
The connections you make in those moments will turn the people who buy your album into fans for life because they loved meeting you. And honestly, you’ll love it, too. There’s nothing like hearing someone tell you what your song meant to them. And that fan is likely to buy another ticket when you come through town next time and buy your next album.
So, to summarize, if you want to boost your merch sales starting tomorrow, mention your merch table when you’re on stage, create urgency with a special offer, accept credit cards, and show up at the merch table after your set to interact with fans and move merch.
These are simple shifts that you can make right now, and they’ll lead to big results when it comes to connecting with fans and selling physical media. Ready to stock up? Let’s get started!
You can watch the original version of this blog as part of our Indie Music Minute series on the Disc Makers YouTube Channel.
