Merchluv: Any Act Can Profit From Innovative Merch
Musicians no longer need huge followings to be able to offer and profit from innovative merchandise. Merchluv.com connects designers of craft, fashion, accessories and fine art with bands and fans in a marketplace of unique merch using licensed logos, lyrics and photos.
Musicians just upload their logos, photos, etc. Then designers buy a license for 99¢ to make an original merch sample and post their creation on Mechluv. If it sells, the designer ships directly to the fan and band gets 20% of the sale. Bands can also negotiate to purchase higher quantities of an item to sell directly to their fans.
Watch An Intro Video For Merchluv
Merchluv: Empowering Artists. from M Luv on Vimeo.
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This is actually pretty fresh. Great idea!
How does a 20% return to the artist compare with typical merchandising deals?
I love the idea but what’s to stop people from making band merchandise without the bands permission and thereby cutting the band completely out of the deal? Copyright?
Wow, this is crazy enough that it might just work for a few hardworking artists and bands.
This is the founder of Merchluv.
the 20% cut is for merch that is made by designers and sold directly to other fans – without any investment or distribution effort by the band. So, this 20% cut is essentially “found money”. If a band wants to order a reproduction run to take on tour, then they would buy the merch from the designer/manufacturer at a wholesale price, and sell it for whatever retail price they choose.
This is the founder of Merchluv.
This happens all the time. We are providing a platform to do it officially and simply – through self-serve licensing. This way, the music artists are fairly compensated, have the controls they need, and the designer has access to high res design assets to use. Plus, it fosters a creative relationship between the artists that can be sustained, and could lead to follow on orders from that band and others that see what is made.
Definitely an interesting idea. Merch has traditionally been a little cheap/tacky/cheesy (in my experience) which is why I think people are sometimes hesitant to buy it. Personally, if merch at shows I went to had some solid design quality and wasn’t just the name of the band on the front with tour dates on the back I would probably buy a lot more. Interested to see where this goes in the future – good luck!