Hey guys and girls,
I was wondering what happened to the price of concert merchandise. When have shirts started to sell for $55 each? Wtf?
I just attended the Lacuna Coil and Gojira sideshow at the UNSW Roundhouse and I was like 'I ain't lining up for that merchandise shit, that defeats the purpose of an OzBargain member'.
Do we blame it on inflation or 'other factors'?
Yours somewhat sincerely,
PlushToys
Also doesn't the sales directly support the band? If you like them that much, consider it a donation where you get a free shirt?
If it’s anything like the way the ticketing system works, I’ve always been suspicious about how much the band actually gets from mercy sales.
mercy sales lol
went to Soundwave 2011 saw Trivium LOG etc, I remember correctly LOG shirts were selling for $50.
So it has always been this expensive, no inflation
Since when was merch ever cheap? Always been stupidly expensive
Disney on ice merch is just insane
Disney on ice merch is just insane
…lol
I watched Disney on Ice once - it was a long four days
You should watch Disney on Coke. Man that was a trip.
Disney on Grass was funny, couldn't stop laughing at it.
If you value your money you'd blindfold your children and guide them to their seats!
Man, that triggers me. I'm still annoyed about it!
Pro tip - lisensed merch can be found on AE, or if you have friends who have them ask to borrow for a week, and BYO.
$55 doesn't sound too bad in 2022. I think you can thank Ticketmaster, the bands need to claw back some of the money somehow.
sounds stupid to me
This is why I always try to buy a shirt from bands I like. Bands don't really make any money from their recordings, nobody buys physical media and streaming services pay tiny fractions of a cent. They make some money performing, but especially for smaller bands, they're not making much once you consider they have to travel and transport their gear to the venue. Buying merch is one the most effective ways to give money to an artist, but I think it mostly applies to smaller bands who are making and selling the gear themselves; bigger bands tend to just sell the rights to produce the gear.
This is pretty standard and has been for well over a decade
Looking forward to your next post about food and drink prices at concerts/sports games.
$16 for a VB in a plastic cup at the SFS? Thanks Justin.
Nobody would pay that. surely…
Just don’t buy then?
This the first concert you've ever been to?
Merchandise at concerts has always been expensive. Hell, anything in a captive market space is always expensive. Bottled water at a theatre? Beer at a festival? Coffee at a sports game?
Nope. Been to concerts over the years. Seen shirts ranging from $30-$45. Mostly seen $50 at Hordern Pavilion.
over the years
Was it 10 years ago? Inflation is a thing.
I can't see why an increase of ~10% from what you've seen in the past is such an alarming thing.
Probably just bands being poor now. I want to see what the prices are like for Jinjer at the Manning Bar tonight. If it is $55 a shirt, it would be the price of the concert ticket -_-
@PlushToys: It's been a long long time since I helped run band nights but when I did ticket sales were only a slice of the revenue pie, most of the money came from alcohol sales. You'd be stupid to get the majority of your revenue from ticket sales and limit the number of customers fans coming through the door.
@PlushToys: I'm curious as to if you understand the amount of people and planning that goes into things like concerts. You're paying $55 to just turn up and enjoy something that hundreds of people have spent a lot of time to organise, not to mention the talent.
that hundreds of people have spent a lot of time to organise,
its not the Rolling Stones.
I haven't seen a $30 concert t-shirt for decades.
~10 years or so ago it was $40. Before the pandemic they were $50.
Many small local bands still charge $30-35 for a t-shirt at shows
Wasn't there a guy with an open suitcase outside the venue?
To make a profit on merch (as a smaller band) you actually have to sell it for a lot. I know someone who has merch and he only makes $5 profit off a $50 tshirt after costs and overhead are considered.
That is so inefficient. What are the biggest costs and overhead?
Production, payment processing, someone to sell the stuff. The more you sell the better the margin because of fixed costs.
most concert shirts are Gildan which can be landed printed in aus for around 10 aud wholesale.
Gildan make good shirts. google "wordans" and they will sell you as many or as few shirts as you want which all range about $6-8 aud without a print.
Lacuna Coil and Gojira are not small bands FWIW.
In my experience from no-hoper local bands all the way to international mega stars, the smaller bands usually charge less for merch to get their stuff out there, but the bigger bands charge more because people will pay for it.
$55 seems average for a t-shirt at a concert or theatre show.
If you think that's bad, you should have seen the prices of the merch at formula 1…
The Hordern takes a cut of merch sales, I suppose other bigger venues do too.
Almost every venue does actually. It's absolute bullshit
OP, I recall paying $50 for a shitty t-shirt at a Matchbox Twenty concert back in 2008.
Concert merch has never been cheap. It's like stadium food and drink. You just expect it to be overpriced and since a lot of the merch is only available at the venue (at least in the past), you either buy it there or never.
Everyone takes their cut. Then theres an attempt to be sold to you
During the recent Everton versus Celtic Soccer match in Sydney OIympic Park, a Celtic shirt cost $300.
That's the cost of merch these days. Nobody is making anyone buy it, but I usually figure if I like a band and enjoyed the show, I'll shell out for a shirt with the tour dates as a souvenir on the way out. Helps the band, I get a shirt and a memento of the good night that was had.
I actually did end up buying a Gojira shirt last night for that exact reason.
Pretty sure a FIFA World Cup merch shirt sold at the Qatar stadium will cost you a kidney. No credit cards option. Has to be fresh and live.
Can't wait to see your next post after visiting literally any sports stadium.
Seems like a standard price these days was at Khruangbin at the Opera House and shirts were $55 also went to a hip hop concert a month back and the artists shirts were $50.
Merch has always been expensive. The last time I remember a simple t-shirt costing less than say $40 then maybe it was back when Livid used to exist and Marilyn Manson headlined the BDO.
The price seems to be rising. I was at the Keshi concert last week at Eatons Hill and the shirts were $60 while the hoodies were $120
What generation are you from? Those prices are how it's always been for me
90s person
BDO, Homebake, local bands, international bands doesnt matter… 2000 was generally about $30 for a good quality Gildan tshirt.
they have always been overpriced
What is a Lacuna Coil and Gojira?
Gojira is pretty good. Check out their song "Amazonia" which highlights didgeridoo
Cheaper to make your own 😝
artistfirst.com.au
if you like punk merch its reasonably priced.
i would have bought at least 100 band shirts over the last 20 years that i rotate every few months and it depends on who you are seeing but mine are mostly Australian bands and i rarely paid more than 30.
I just ordered some band shirts today, $30 each shipped on good quality AS color
You'll always pay more at the show
Sure beats the overpriced and poor quality band merch on "gildan" or whatever that is.
Agreed.
If it's a Gildan, it's a no from me.
Where from?
Artist First
I've bought plenty from them and it's been great. Mostly Aussie bands.
Thanks, I'll have a look.
I'm told by the musicians I met that they make the bulk of their money from merch, rather than touring itself depending on how big they are, so that's why the merch creeps up each time.
How was the gig? I’m going to the Bris sideshow next Tues, these were the two bands I most wanted to see from the festival so I was stoked when they announced it.
Nothing to worry about. You won't be disappointed.
I have been paying $50 on concert tshirts for a long time.
You can afford a ticket for a concert…in Australia?
Local hardcore shows are $15 in Aus
Because Jerome Powell.
Revenue from physical music sales are down. Bands need to find alternative ways to make money, especially when Ticketek and the likes screw them
Speak to Lacuna Coil and Gojira. "Artists" sign off on anything financial related. If you think it's a rip off, then tell them.
Coz money. Who buys the junk overpriced merch anyway?
Gojira deserve the money
I completely forgot about these bands. Lacuna Coil featured heavily in my own MP3 (good old Winamp) playlist back in the hayday. Thank you for putting that back on my radar.
How was the show? I would have loved to have seen them both.
I went to that, saw Gojira, Polaris and a few others.
But I DID line up to get a shirt, because last few times I haven't had the funds to get one and since i could this time I figured i'd try and get one I wanted.
Most anoying thing was I wanted a Polaris shirt that sold out before I got to the front of the line. :(
I got 4 Polaris shirts delivered last week - and I already had 4 from the same site. All great quality.
https://artistfirst.com.au/collections/polaris
Jealous you got to see them, I haven't had the chance since 2020
I understand everyone is trying to make their money, and some venues also take merch cuts (yuck).
From what I have seen, tshirts are usually $40-60, hoodies are $70-90.
Went to Good Things and they were selling a BMTH hoodie on the thinnest AS Colour hoodie, minimal logo branding on front and back for $110. JFCCCC. I paid it, to support the band but (profanity) me that hurt.
I’m unfamiliar with those bands but I went to a Trivium show circa 2016 once and the shirts were like $50+ already sooooo…
Ok …. I guess? You don’t have to if you don’t want to.
Can you actually get the same piece of memorabilia at a better price elsewhere? And if anything buying it a show of a band you rate is actually more buying a momento … rather than say shopping around for a bargain for .. example an ergonomic keyboard.